"What? Have I not told you to look after her? How bad is her health that she had to come back without attending the banquet? You're all useless!" Henry snapped at his guards.
Unlike Anne, who learned of Ara's early return later, Henry had been briefed on what had happened in advance. As soon as they arrived at the mansion, the guards who escorted Ara had to endure Henry's wrath for not doing their job properly.
The lead guard quickly dropped to his knees, pleading, "I'm sorry, sir! It won't happen again. I'll risk my life for her next time, I swear!"
Henry glared at his guards, annoyance etched on his face. "It's too late for apologies...and there will be no next time. Line up and do 150 pushups. That will be your punishment for failing to protect her!"
When Henry made up his mind, nothing could change it. The guards knew better than to protest, and the scene became a memorable event for everyone watching. Ara, unaware of what had transpired, had unknowingly transformed from a simple lady to someone they would now risk their lives for.
As the day passed and night descended, General Richard soon arrived at the mansion. All the servants stood in a line, led by the senior butler, Jacobs. They all bowed respectfully.
"Welcome back, Lord Richard," they greeted in unison.
Richard walked inside, his expression unreadable. In truth, Richard didn't care much for grand welcomes, but Ara had arranged it in his honor, just as she had in her previous life. Some new servants were still unfamiliar with his face, and she wanted to ensure her father felt properly welcomed.
At the end of the long line, Ara stood with Anne and Henry, waiting for him. Her cheeks flushed with happiness at the thought of seeing her father for the first time in nineteen years.
"No matter how often Father comes home, it always feels like I haven't seen him in years," Anne complained, her brow furrowed.
Ara smiled at her sister's words. From Ara's perspective, Anne wasn't entirely wrong. As she saw her father's approaching shadow, Ara hurriedly smoothed her dress.
"Anne, how do I look?"
"You look stunning. How many times have I told you today that you look gorgeous?"
"Oh, have you?"
Anne shook her head at her sister's unusual nervousness. When she heard Ara had become ill during her trip, she tried to make her rest in bed all day, but Ara had refused. "I can't stay in bed all day when Father is coming home today," she had insisted. Ara had been acting strangely since she returned. Normally indifferent to her appearance, she had changed her dress several times, asking repeatedly how she looked. Everyone envied Ara's beauty, and Anne took pride in it. She had never seen anyone as beautiful as her sister.
Despite Ara's natural beauty, she had never been overly concerned with taking care of herself. It was the first time Anne had seen her pay so much attention to her appearance. If the occasion had been to meet another man, Anne might have thought her sister had fallen for him. But she couldn't believe Ara was so anxious to meet their father, whom they hadn't seen in weeks. Anne stared at her sister curiously but couldn't decipher her thoughts.
Richard finally appeared. Though middle-aged, he still retained his handsome features. He stood tall with light green eyes and smooth ginger hair, just like Ara's. His long career as a general had given him a strong physique, but at the moment, he looked more like a gentleman in his black suit than a soldier. He had the same stoic expression as Henry, but his jawline was a mirror image of Ara's.
Ara was overwhelmed with emotion as she saw her father approaching. The last image she remembered was his cold body hanging from a tree. She quickly shook her head to clear the disturbing image.
'I won't let that happen again!' she vowed silently. She secretly swallowed a happy smile and turned to look at Anne and Henry beside her. This was enough. She wouldn't be greedy.
As Richard approached, Henry gave a short bow, while Ara spoke with affection in her voice. "Welcome back, Father."
"Thank you," Richard replied curtly, then immediately turned to Anne. She looked up at him cutely, holding her dress, and his stern expression softened. He gently patted her head with his large hand. "How have you been, my darling?" he asked with a soft smile.
"I'm doing well, Father. I missed you so much."
"Oh, really? I missed you too, darling," he said affectionately.
"Sister Ara missed you too, Father. She's been taking care of everything for you."
Anne was the youngest child, and even her graceful way of talking was cute. Richard favored Anne because she looked so much like their mother. Ara watched them talk until Richard's eyes turned to her. She spoke in a slightly shaky voice.
"I hope your journey went well, Father?"
Richard nodded lightly. Ara felt a rush of emotion—her heart was full. She had a father she thought she'd never see again.
"Have you had dinner yet, Father?" she asked.
"No, I knew you'd all be waiting for me to have dinner together. Let's eat now." Richard led the way to the dining hall, followed by his three children. He often arrived late at night and went straight to the dining hall. No one knew how special this dinner was for Ara. She walked quietly behind him, trying to hide the tears in her eyes.
They arrived at the hall, where the centerpiece was a long table covered with a white tablecloth. The table was large enough to seat 25 people and was neatly decorated with candles and fresh flowers. As usual, Ara had taken care of the arrangements. Richard sat at the head of the table, Henry to his right, with Ara and Anne on his left.
The servants began bringing in the food. In the past, Richard's homecomings were celebrated with dinner, thanks to Ara's careful preparation. But tonight, she had pulled out all the stops. The large table was overflowing with various delicacies. Anne mumbled something under her breath while Richard and Henry enjoyed their meal in silence. Richard eventually broke the silence.
"Are you going to participate in this year's sword trials?" Everyone at the table knew he was talking to Henry. Henry hadn't been able to participate last year due to an injury during training. Richard and Henry didn't speak of it, but Ara knew her brother deeply regretted not competing.
"Yes, I'm planning to participate this year," Henry responded.
"If you do, perform well. Don't bring shame to our family name."
"Yes, I'll do my best."
This might have been just how a father and son conversed, but Ara pressed down a smile as she listened. In the past, their conversations made her uncomfortable, but now she simply smiled. As the meal continued, Richard turned his attention to Ara.
"You were supposed to attend Danielle's birthday banquet, weren't you?"
"Yes, Father."
"I heard you came home because of an upset stomach. I know you care for others, but next time, I'd prefer you stay home and manage the household instead of attending things like birthday banquets. Understood?"
"Yes, Father," Ara replied softly.
Richard didn't stop there. "If Henry competes this year, he may have to live with me in Zari in the future. Don't concern yourself with unnecessary things—focus on managing the servants and the household."
Ara paused, gripping her fork tightly. After a moment, she replied in a subdued voice, "Yes, Father."
"And don't forget to always take care of your sister. She'll only have you to care for her once we leave for Zari."
"I will take care of her," she said softly.
"Your brother is the pillar of our family. He will follow in my footsteps and become a commanding general. As I've said before, women are better suited for the kitchen and children. I don't expect much from you, but I do expect you to manage the household well until you're matched."
Ara had heard these words countless times in her previous life, but suddenly they weighed heavily on her chest. Her expression turned sullen, and Anne burst out in anger.
"Why do you always think women are better off doing housework? There are women out there doing things better than men and having professional jobs!"
Richard looked at his youngest daughter with a soft expression. "Because those women don't come from noble families. You don't need to compare yourself to such disgraceful women, understood?"
"Well, can't you let Sister choose what she wants? She's old enough to decide, Father."
"You're talking nonsense, Anne." Richard turned to Ara with a displeased look. "Ara, what have you been teaching your sister to make her talk back to her elders?"
Ara shot Anne a warning glance, then answered in a soft voice. "I'm sorry, Father. Anne is still young; she doesn't know what she's saying."
"Anne, don't follow your sister's example. Learn to speak respectfully to your father, understood?" Richard demanded.
"Tch." Even with Richard's firm tone, Anne simply pouted and looked away. If Ara had done that, she would have been scolded for life, but Anne had never been scolded—she was their father's favorite. As usual, Richard stared at Anne disapprovingly but quickly moved on as if everything was fine.
Since childhood, Ara had carried many responsibilities in her mother's absence—the care of the family, the care of the men, and the care of her sister. It was all up to her, and she had never been dissatisfied with her life. She was simply living out her destiny, but tonight, she felt a pang of disappointment at what her father had said. Perhaps she wanted to be recognized for her sacrifices. She had endured so much when her family had died in the future, and there was some hope that he could appreciate the tears and sweat she had given for this family. She was just as capable as her father.
Ara swallowed a bitter smile. It felt like a dream to have a meal together with them like this. There was no end to human greed—she wanted her family to be unaware of the life she had lived, but at the same time, she wanted to be rewarded. Ara laughed inwardly at her selfishness. This was alright; she didn't want any more than this. She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to finish her meal.
Dinner finally came to an end. Each family member dispersed into their own rooms while Ara stayed behind to oversee the cleanup. Although she didn't work with her hands, it was her job to distribute tasks and supervise the servants, just as her father wanted.
After she finished her work and left the dining hall, she saw a mug of chocolate tea waiting for her on a table. As soon as she saw it, she knew who had left it there. It was the kind of gesture that Henry had sometimes made for her since she was a little girl. Whenever something at a family gathering upset her, he would leave her some chocolate. Perhaps the conversation at dinner had weighed on Henry's mind.
"I haven't received this in a long time. Why didn't I recognize his kindness before?" Ara thought as she warmed her hands around the mug. The comfort seemed to seep into her thoughts.