"Father, I can—" She paused, realising there was no one sitting in the other chair. The plate of food lay alone before it.
Where did she go? she cried inwardly. More importantly, how did she go?
"Is sothing wrong?" her father asked.
"Yes, you need to stand back outside after knocking," Jenni pointed out, glaring at her father. "What if I was changing or sothing?"
Her father gave her a look as if the realisation had only just dawned on him. "You have a private washroom," he said, coughing. Then his eyes flashed towards the two serving on the table. "Why do you have two plates of food?"
Shit! she cursed inwardly. "I'm hungry. Do you care?"
"Are you overeating in anger?" her father asked. Thankfully whatever Dawn did, even her father's gold-rank senses were unable to pick on it.
"Why are you here?" she asked. "Did you feel like the punishnt wasn't enough and now want to clean toilets, too?"
"Quite the opposite, actually," he said, almost reaching out to pat her shoulder, but Jenni moved away, snorting audibly. "I feel like I have been unnecessarily hard on you. Yes, you've made so bad decisions, but all the dangers you faced are not your fault... I should be more understanding of your feelings."
Jenni turned to shoot him an icy look. What are you planning, old man?
"But yes, I have a reason to be angry at you, as you had been," he continued. "You ran off last ti without listening to completely. And you got yourself enlisted for a dangerous mission without discussing it with . Hell, girl, so far as I know you, I don't think you even thought through your decision at all."
Jenni felt blood rushing into her cheeks but kept her glare.
"Anyway, I still haven't managed to tell you everything I had to say from last ti," he said.
"What is there left to say?!"
Her father didn't answer imdiately. He brought out a slip of paper and handed it to her.
"What is this?" she asked, opening the letter.
"This releases you from any obligations to the military or the artificer departnt."
"You're firing !" Jenni raised her voice.
"No, read that carefully," her father said, scratching his long beard. "I'm releasing you from your post. I was going to do it anyway, just earlier than I intended. This does not stop you from rejoining your position again if you wish, and you'll get the sa perks you currently enjoy."
"Then?"
"Girl, your father isn't trying to cheat you," he said, sighing. "I feel like you need to get out of here and get so fresh air, experience life outside the military, the frontlines, to get more perspective."
"I see," she said flatly. "I will leave then..." As long as she wouldn't have to stay within the bounds of the quarters.
Her father caught her by the shoulders. "Daughter, you know I love you," he said, sounding the most awkward she had ever heard him.
"I know," she said. Yes, she knew that, but her father had never uttered those words before. Weirdly, that made a big difference; her eyes turned teary, though she held back the tears.
Her father nodded, hugging her quietly. "Last ti I could not tell you," he continued, "I have talked with my friend about the marriage I arranged..."
Jenni's shoulders turned rigid.
"You do not have to worry about it anymore, baby girl," her father told her. "I have talked with him... He does not wish to marry you if you're against it."
"Father..."
"His only wish is to et you once," he said. "But it's alright if you don't want to... Father will understand. I really miss your mother... If she was with us, I wouldn't have made all these stupid mistakes..."
"Father, are you really?"
He broke the embrace and kissed her on the head. "Live however you wish to, I just hope you won't make rash decisions like the last without any counselling."
He left shortly after, leaving a completely stunned Jenni. She couldn't manage to hold back her tears in the end. Her legs were weak, so she leaned against the desk.
A figure in white materialised beside her. Jenni didn't question how Dawn could do all this; she was just too stunned by what her father had left her with.
"Your father loves you," Dawn told her.
"I know," she muttered.
"So I told her," Elder Ming said.
Gale tinkered with a half-broken piece of armour, not paying the elder too much mind. "You told her what?"
"That I love her," Elder Ming said.
Gale lifted his head to stare at the man, who was actually flustered. "Do you feel like you shouldn't have?"
"No-no," he said. "Jenni cried after... I didn't know what to do, so I left..."
"That's good, you're good," Gale said, turning his attention back to the armour. "This is shit... I can make a new one with less energy compared to fixing it."
"So this is it?" the elder continued. "Our relationship is good now?"
"I'd say it's the first step," Gale said. "Just continue to show your love and approval, and you're good."
"What if she makes another wrong decision?"
"Then you'll counsel her better, understand her feelings first, instead of trying to restrict her," he advised.
Elder Ming took a deep breath. Just then, he received a ssage on his longread. A ssage from his daughter.
"Jenni says she'd et my friend," he said. "The man I arranged her marriage with... though she said only to annul the agreent."
"Are you disappointed?"
Elder Ming sighed. "Honestly, I don't know my feelings anymore." Your next read awaits at mvl
"Well, this almost completes a part of my agreent with you," Gale said. "So, now, can we discuss the leave I appealed for?"
"It is under reviews," the elder said.
"Yeah, I have been hearing that for over a week," he said and stood at the sa level as the departnt head. "Let's review this man-to-man now."
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