Return of the General's Daughter-Chapter 24: In a blink

A stunning woman emerged from the crystal-clear plunge pool with light brown, waist-length locks that were slightly wavy but still glistening. Her black undergarment clung to her form, accentuating her narrow waist, curvy hips, and full chest.

"Miss Lara, you forgot your robe," Reya called out, craning her neck to meet Lara’s gaze. At 1.52 meters, Reya barely reached Lara’s chin. Her miss was only sixteen but had grown significantly over the past two years, now standing around 1.68 meters. Reya couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy—Lara had not only inherited her father’s height but also his commanding presence. The mighty general of Northem was known for his towering frame, and Lara seemed destined to carry on that legacy.

Reya watched as Lara walked away, her gaze lingering. Her miss had transformed into a breathtaking beauty. With an alluring figure and graceful demeanor, Lara was undoubtedly the most stunning woman in all of Northem.

Two years had flown by. Lara’s training under her master had been rigorous, and she often ended up teaching Reya and Sandoz as they struggled to keep up. Eventually, Jethru, their master, decided to focus solely on Lara, leaving her to guide the others at their own pace.

"Miss Lara, I finished sewing the new clothes you requested," Reya said in an awkward tone. She wanted to say that the clothes would look good on her, but she could not because they were men’s clothes. The green fabric was thick. She made trousers, and the upper garment had sleeves that reached up to her wrist and a front opening fastened by six wooden buttons.

She made a few dresses for her miss, but Lara had just outgrown them and had never worn them. In the end, she was the one who benefitted.

"I place them in your bedroom. I am still working on the black one, but it should be done in three days."

"Thank you, Reya. Is Sandoz still in the garden?" Lara inquired.

"Yes. He is harvesting the sweet potatoes. Later, I will help him replant the slips."

Lara nodded, her damp hair dripping as she disappeared into the house.

The house had expanded over two years, thanks to Jethru’s handiwork. Two small rooms had been added on the ground floor for Lara and Reya, each a modest three square meters with a bed and an open shelf for their clothes and shoes—the loft above housed Jethru and Sandoz.

Inside her room, Lara examined the clothes Reya had made. A smile tugged at her lips. Reya’s craftsmanship was impressive. She had replicated the modern fatigues, or the casual clothes that army personnel wear in modern times, complete with a camouflage pattern dyed into the fabric.

Lara slipped into her trousers and a tight-fitting black cotton inner shirt, secured at the front with a drawstring instead of buttons. She pulled on the matching jacket. She braided her long hair and coiled it into a bun, then topped it with a matching cap. Using a brush and black dye, she thickened her eyebrows and painted a mustache on her upper lip.

If she had a mirror, she would mistake herself for a young army recruit in a uniform on his first training day.

When she stepped out of her room, she nearly collided with Reya.

"Miss, are you heading out again? Grandpa will be angry." She said in a worried voice.

"I need to find herbs, and I’d like to hunt. I’m craving meat," Lara said nonchalantly.

"But, Miss, the war is at its peak. Soldiers are everywhere in Alta-Sierra." Reya tried to dissuade her.

"The war has dragged on for two years. If I wait for it to end, I’ll never leave the house." Lara replied impatiently.

"Miss Lara, why not wait for Grandpa to accompany you?"

"Don’t worry, Reya. I am old enough, and I can take care of myself." She went through a small back door into the kitchen. The place where they cooked and did dishes was an extension of the original house. Lara had asked her master to build it outside so they wouldn’t have to suffer from smoke inhalation whenever Reya or any of them cooked.

She grabbed her bamboo backpack, packing a change of clothes, first aid supplies, half a dozen boiled eggs, broiled sweet potatoes, rice, and two broiled fish wrapped in banana leaves and chunks of meat she used as baits for animals.

"I’m off, Reya. I will come back tomorrow if I cannot make it tonight." She shouted as she headed toward the hanging bridge.

The bamboo they planted two years ago had grown into a forest, perfectly concealing the house from a person’s view if they were standing at Mount Ourea.

Her master was worried and had made extensive preparations, as they needed to contend with three forces: the soldiers, the rebels, and the bandits.

Just last year, bandits accidentally stumbled into their haven. They were about to cross the hanging bridge when Jethru lowered it from their side. Two of the bandits who had already stepped on the bridge were caught off guard and have fallen to their deaths.

Enraged, the bandits tried to sever the ropes on their end, only to discover the main suspension was reinforced with metal disguised as hemp. Before they could chop down the trees anchoring the bridge, a pack of wolves attacked, forcing the bandits to flee.

As the bandits scampered away, Lara appeared from behind a tree. She whistled, and the big gray wolf excitedly ran toward her, his tail wagging and his tongue sticking out like a dog excitedly greeting its master.

"Good job, Gray." She tossed a big chunk of meat to the gray wolf and did the same to the others.

The wolf had been one of Jethru’s rescues, nurtured back to health as a pup and released into the wild. Now, he was a formidable alpha, protecting the bridge with his pack.

Jethru taught her how to tame wild animals, and she met a few that the old man tamed, including Gray.

Now that pup had grown into a brave Alpha Wolf, he seemed to understand that it was his duty to protect the bridge.

Lara smiled, and then she crossed the bridge without hesitation.