Comic: Lyra's High Tea Grift

Four-panel comic strip. Fancy noble tea room setting — porcelain, lace, ridiculous hats.

PANEL 1: Exterior of a fancy noble tea house. Ornate sign reading “The Gilded Leaf.” Two guards at the door. The party lurking in an alley across the street, looking completely out of place — a fire giant, a barbarian with a greatsword, a paladin in dented armour. Lyra is already gone from the group. Speech bubble from Guts: “Where did she—”

PANEL 2: Interior. A tiny noble child in an immaculate dress and oversized hat sits primly at a tea table, pinkie raised, sipping from a delicate cup. It is unmistakably Lyra in disguise — same sharp eyes, same barely-contained smirk. Across from her, an actual noblewoman is leaning in, charmed, sharing gossip freely. The “child” is taking mental notes.

PANEL 3: Lyra-as-child performing flawlessly. She dabs her mouth with a napkin. The noblewoman is handing over a sealed letter. Speech bubble from Lyra in a perfect child’s voice: “Oh thank you, Lady Pemberton! Mummy will be SO pleased!” Meanwhile visible through the window behind them: Guts pressing his face against the glass, fogging it up, trying to see inside.

PANEL 4: Lyra emerging from the tea house, ripping off the hat, letter in hand, grinning like a fox. The party staring. Speech bubble from Kaial: “Did you just con a noblewoman… as a child?” Lyra, walking past without breaking stride: “I conned three. Keep up.”