Return of the General's Daughter-Chapter 338: The Reunion 2

Lara had asked the two knights and their guards to carry the trunks loaded with their gifts. The first one to get their gifts were of course the twins. Ivan received a wooden sword and Ivy received a ruler-tall wooden doll dressed with a real princess dress.

The twins squeaked with delight and left the living room to admire their gifts outside.

After distributing the gifts to the Mendel family, Lara used the sidecar to transport the gifts and the machineries they brought from the capital to the back of the Mendel estate where the Gabriella ladies were stationed.

Of course, Jethru and Samuel were competing who would be the driving the strange vehicle, and in the end they each got to drive their own, while Lara, Reya and Freya walked behind them.

When the ladies learned that Lara had returned, they wanted to go to the main house but they were shy so in the end, they waited for Lara to come to the multi-purpose hall.

Lara surveyed the six row houses that served as the dwelling of the people she helped. The empty front yard were now blooming with beautiful flowers and far beyond, sections of the bamboo fences had been converted into bricks. And lining up the walls, was her vertical herbal garden.

"I didn’t know that we can plant like that." Lady Freya pointed to the green wall from afar.

"That is called vertical gardening mother." Lara replied, a glint of pride appeared on her eyes.

Freya regarded her daughter in a new light. She then cast a glance to the white-haired man who has already arrived at the multipurpose hall where a few people huddled looking excitedly at the three women walking their way.

"Lara, Reya," Thalia couldn’t resist any more. She ran toward Lara and held her in a quick tight embrace before moving to Reya.

The sisters, Zeeta and Leah were a bit shy but when they saw the more reserved Mona threw herself into the arms of Lara, they followed suit.

Grandma Arlina, her grandson Lito and the orphan Palos, stood at the side not sure of what to do.

Lina and her son were not around because she went to the village to pick up the bags that should have been completed by the women she hired to make them.

After an emotional reunion, Lara handed them their gifts which she chose with care. And then finally, she unveiled the six medium sized wooden boxes which were placed on top of the long table they used during fabric cutting and sewing.

The women were confused to see strange looking machinery that glinted like silver.

Lara chuckled. She pick up an excess piece of cloth placed in the the basket at the corner of the hall. She assembled the machine and once she was done, she started demonstrating how to use it.

Thalia and the sisters Zeeta and Leah had opened their mouth, so big that a golf ball could have fit into them.

"It is magical. What a pity. Lina is not around. Her jaw would probably dropped to the ground." Thalia commented as she approached the machine and examined it from different angles.

"This is called a sewing machine. It will make sewing faster." Lara said.

Even Samuel, who had seen a lot of the world was amazed by the things that Lara brought.

"So, little girl, this is the reason why it took you so long to come back?"

Lara nodded. She picked up a smaller wooden box and displayed the tools, simple and yet very convenient like the seam reaper and thread remover and different kinds of scissors.

Before the ladies could overwhelm her with questions, Jethru cleared his throat.

"It is getting late. Let us have dinner first." He swept the ladies with a gentle gaze before announcing. "Everyone, let us have dinner together tonight. We can setup a long table at the side garden..

While walking back, Lara stepped beside Jethru as he gave the two sidecars to Lito and Palos.

Lara looked toward the right side of the mansion facing the street. There was a new building there. It looked like a training hall and behind it were row houses similar to the dwelling of the Gabriella ladies.

"Master, you have opened a marital arts school." Lara exclaimed joyfully.

Jethru and Samuel just gave out a meaning smile. It was time for them to prepare to take back what belonged to them.

When the sun has set from the west, Samuel returned carrying a silver tray of steaming mugs and a pot of fragrant stew.

"Eat," he said curtly, setting it down on the long table in the garden area.

Lara motioned for her mother to sit beside her. "You’ll like Grandpa Samuel’s stew. He’s not fond of praise, but he takes great pride in his cooking."

Lady Freya sat with practiced elegance. Her gaze wandered to the others—rough, ordinary people by her standards. Yet they looked happy and contended. She said nothing, merely picked up the spoon and sipped. Her brows lifted faintly in surprise.

"I’ve tasted worse in noble kitchens," she murmured.

Samuel smiled..

As the meal began in quiet contentment, Lara found herself drifting inward. She watched her mother eat in silence, watched the twins and the Gabriella ladies chatter with Reya, listened to the crackle of firewood and the clinking of spoons. After weeks of uncertainty, of political tension and whispered threats, this felt... safe. Perhaps fleetingly so.

But it was home.

Her thoughts, however, could not fully rest. She wondered what messages had arrived in her absence. Whether Prince Reuben had reacted to her sudden departure. Whether Mira had told him anything.

A tap on her shoulder interrupted her reverie. It was Jethru, holding a sealed letter. His face was unreadable.

"This came two days ago," he said. "Marked urgent. Carried by a falcon from Carles."

Lara’s fingers hesitated on the wax seal. The emblem was unmistakable—the crest of Duke Odin Norse.

"Do you want to open it now?" Jethru asked.

Lara looked toward her mother, who was now deep in quiet conversation with Samuel, and then toward the fire, in the fire side of the garden where the wolf pups stirred in their sleep.

"No," she said. "After dinner. Let the house have peace for a little longer."

But already, in her heart, she knew: the outside world had come knocking.

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