Return of the General's Daughter-Chapter 39: Trouble Follows Her Everywhere

"Your fate will be worse than theirs," Lara said in an icy voice.

The bull cart owner felt a shiver run down his spine as the soldier’s looming figure cast a long shadow over him.

Lara boarded the cart as if nothing happened.

The bull cart owner’s heart raced with anxiety; he flicked the rope and urged the weary oxen to pick up their pace, desperation clawing at his throat.

Every moment felt like an eternity as he longed to send the intimidating soldier far from his cart, hasten the journey to safety, and escape the oppressive presence sitting beside him.

Lara paid him twice the silver that he agreed with Barett.

The man heaved a sigh of relief and thanked Lara. Then he left hurriedly, driving his oxen at the maximum speed.

...

That night, Lara slept in the bedroom at the adjacent house where Lina lives.

It was Lina and her husband’s room, but since Lina was taking care of her sick sister, she found it convenient to sleep in the house next door.

Lara slept soundly but was awoken at night when she heard rustles outside the bedroom.

She did not want trouble, but it seemed that trouble followed her everywhere.

Two men wearing black cloaks were trying to open her window.

Lara sighed and lifted her body from the wooden bed.

"Brother, hurry up! Why is it taking too long?" It was a voice of a teenager.

"Don’t rush me. If you want, you do it yourself."

"Are you sure that the man is sleeping here?"

"If not here, then where? There are no more rooms in the big house as Lina also sleeps there."

"There it is done. I unlocked it." He pulled the window, but it did not budge.

Lina’s window was the type that opened outside, and you needed a pole to support it. It was very easy to install but also very easy to open.

Lara was actually holding onto the window when the man was pulling it at the outside.

"Brother, what are you standing there? Don’t just stand there. Help me. The window is too heavy." The man spoke softly, afraid to wake up the neighbors.

When Lara felt the force of the pull increase, she released her hold on the window.

Thud!

The two men fell with their butts landing on the ground. The window opened a bit, but since there was no pole to support it, it slammed back to its original position.

"Brother, are you stupid? Why did you say the window would not open? Perhaps you are just too weak."

"Stop making noises. Let us just get this done so we can go home and sleep."

Lara stood still by the side of the window and waited for the two shadows to enter. When they did, Lara did not wait a second longer and started beating them on their faces and bodies.

Muffled sounds were heard. The two young men dared not scream even if they were in so much pain because they did not want to wake the neighbors.

"How dare you provoke me here when you don’t have the ability? Tell me, what is your purpose for coming here?" Lara asked in a frosty voice as she kicked the two men lying on the dirt floor.

The men, beaten and on their knees, cowered in fear. "We just wanted to have our luck and still your silver from the sale of the tiger." One of the men struggled to speak.

"Hmmp! Lara threw them out of the window and closed it forcefully. She ensured it was tightly locked, then she went back to sleep as if nothing happened."

She had thoroughly beaten the thieves, and that was enough retribution for them. She did not intend to inform the Lenard family about the attempted break-in. She would be leaving the following day, and she did not want to implicate them further.

She lay back on the bed and went back to sleep. Perhaps she was too tired, but that night, she settled into a rare nightmare-free sleep.

...

The following morning, Lara woke up early and wanted to take a bath. She saw a shed at the back of the house and guessed that it was intended for bathing, as a big jar filled with water was inside.

Although the shed was not sturdy, and its walls were old and could fall at any time, it still served its purpose, which was to protect the privacy of the person inside.

She took a quick back, changed into her spare clothes, then fixed her eyebrows and mustache.

She went to a well in the backyard and washed her clothes. There was a rope attached to a post and the other end to a small tree. Lara arranged her clothes neatly on the rope.

"Sir, why did you wash it yourself? I am going to wash clothes today, and I could have included yours." Cyrus was carrying the trash to a pit in the far corner of the backyard.

"It is okay. It is just one set of clothes. Besides, I am used to washing my own."

Speaking of clothes, Lara suddenly remembered something.

"Is your Aunt Lina awake?"

Cyrus nodded.

Lara entered the Lenard house through the back door. She went to the living room, where the two bolts of clothes were. There, she borrowed paper, a brush, and ink from Cyrus.

Because she was not used to using a brush, her drawing looked very ugly. Lara sighed and did a second one. It yielded the same results.

Lara was frustrated.

"Cyrus, do you know how to draw?" She asked the young boy and he nodded.

Lara gestured for him to go with her to the backyard. She picked up a stick and drew the design of a backpack on the ground.

Cyrus’ eyes widened as he watched the drawing on the ground.

"Sir Kane, please wait. I’ll call Barett. He can draw that better than me." Cyrus entered the house and in no time, Barett arrived with him.

When Barett saw the drawing on the ground, he marveled at how innovative and practical the bag looked. It has a lot of compartments and would use up a lot of fabric. Given the complexity, it will take some time to finish.

His eyes lit up.