The General's Wife Wants to Leave
Chapter 101: Companionship

Chapter 101: Companionship

"Good evening, Father. How have you been doing?" Joanna greeted her father once she entered the dining room of the de Lara mansion.

Instead of waiting for his daughter to approach him as he usually did after they had not seen each other for days, this time the Duke stood up from his seat in a hurry and made his way in the direction of his daughter, whom he had not seen for three nights.

"Glad to see you fine, Ann," the Duke said as he hugged Joanna.

Pulling away, he sized up Joanna from head to toe. As his gaze fell on Joanna’s face, he uttered, "Father has received a report from Sir Sylvester about what happened when you were in the Powel Orphanage. It is a relief to have Sir Canillas there with you. Otherwise..." The Duke did not continue his words, sighing heavily instead.

Duke John de Lara had received a report from Sir Sylvester once he arrived at the de Lara mansion after having a weekly meeting in the Duchy Council with Barasca councilors and officers. However, different from the regular meetings he usually had, several officials from Lasse and Seidel had also joined the meeting.

It was a rule that had been long regulated by the Duke to receive any report related to any urgency that involved his family and the Duchy immediately, no matter how exhausted he was after work.

Before he received the report from Sir Sylvester, he had already gained knowledge about the case of the missing women in Lasse and Seidel, as it was the topic of the grand meeting he had this time with the officials from those regions.

Prior to having the meeting, Barasca officials, including him as the Duke, had no idea about what had happened at Lasse and Seidel, as that sensitive case should have been handled carefully and confidentially since it involved the honor of young ladies.

He understood that very well, as he was the father of a daughter whom he loved wholeheartedly, and protecting her honor was the thing he would do even if he had to pay for it with his soul. He could not imagine how broken he would be if his daughter, Joanna, became the victim.

However, as the case had not been solved up to date, keeping that a private matter was not a solution to choose, as caution had to be built all around the nobility in the kingdom as they were the main target. Therefore, the information had officially begun to be shared in that circle evenly in Terra.

Regarding that case, the security in all regions of Terra, including Barasca, had been increased. It was strongly assumed that the Tres were behind this tragedy, and now the Terran officials, including him, knew what danger lay before their eyes if the innocent young ladies were in their hands.

However, to his bewilderment, when he heard from Sir Sylvester that they tried to capture his daughter, his heart palpitated crazily. He felt unable to breathe. It had never come to his mind that Joanna would be their target, as if she were there at the worst moment.

The Duke regretted his decision to let her go to the Powel Orphanage. He blamed himself for being lost in the battle of arguments with his hard-headed daughter. If he stayed firm with his concern about her, who was recuperating at that time, they might not have seen her and attempted to capture her there.

But he knew that regret was useless, and he was beyond grateful that his son-in-law was adamant about pursuing Joanna, his wife, in the West Lane Mountain, despite all she had done to him. He even sent his men-at-arms to guard her when he was away in Seidel.

Sir Sylvester had admitted that his daughter was safe, not because of the protection of Barasca knights but because of the General and his men-at-arms. Sir Sylvester had also regretted it, asking for punishment to lighten his guilt as he felt he had failed to protect Joanna.

However, for Duke John, it was not primarily his fault, as he knew how hard-headed his daughter tended to be in certain situations. Besides, the news about the presence of the Tres in Terra was unknown at that time, and no bad occurrence fell upon his daughter when she was there so many times since she was a teenager, as it was a seclusionary and calm place that she preferred to stay in.

What mattered was that his daughter was safe and was still here with him.

He had assigned Barasca knights to secure the area around the forest and fixed the barriers that his father had built to keep the Powels and all the people in the orphanage safe.

He planned to see his daughter in her room after Sir Sylvester finished reporting what he needed to know, and he had assigned what Barasca knights had to do with regard to the Powel Orphanage and Barasca security officers for the search of the Tres in the West Lane Mountain.

But he heard from Bianca that she took a nap in her room and refrained from waking her up. And now, having his daughter in his arms, Duke John was utterly grateful.

Giving a light peck on her father’s cheek, Joanna then said, "I am fine, Father. There is nothing to worry about." She smiled, patting her father’s hand that held hers as she attempted to ease her worried father, reducing the crease on his forehead.

She then circled her arm around his father’s and took him to sit on the dining chair that he had previously taken to sit on. After her father was seated in his chair, she reached for her seat next to him.

Before she took a seat, despite the memory of her reflection that she saw in the mirror, Joanna offered a bow to the man who also joined in on the dinner, already taking his seat across from her.

"Good evening, Sir Canillas." Joanna greeted her so-called husband. Instead of looking straight at him, Joanna only managed to spare him a very brief glance.

"Good evening, Joanna," Canillas, who leaned against the chair with his elbows resting on the chair’s arms and his fingers clasped in the front, replied with a smile, his eyes lingering on her blushing cheeks.

Various foods were soon served by the servants once Joanna took her seat at the dining table. And after the foods were served, the Duke asked all the servants who usually attended him during the dinner to leave the dining room, which made the room only occupied by a family of three.

"Father has talked to Sir Canillas and thanked him for saving you from danger when you were in the Powel Orphanage." The Duke began to narrate what he had talked about with his son-in-law in the drawing room before they headed to the dining room together. He was glad to find his son-in-law to show respect to him, offering him a greeting once he finished meeting Sir Sylvester.

"Sir Canillas has told Father about what he heard from the Terran soldiers when he was in Seidel. It is also pleased to know Sir Canillas has caught one Tres, and we will hand him over to Barasca security officers for further investigation by tomorrow. Hopefully, the mystery of the missing ladies and their motives to kidnap them could be unraveled soon."

After gesturing Joanna and Canillas to start eating, he continued to say, "The security in Terra, including Barasca, has been increased." The Duke took a slice of roast beef to be put on his plate while resuming his speech, "But please keep in mind not to go outdoors without guardians, Ann."

Glancing at the quiet young man who was enjoying his meals, he said, "And it will be good if you have Sir Canillas by your side anywhere you are when you are not at home."

Duke John had considered that, since he had heard the information he received from Sir Sylvester, the one who was most suitable to protect his daughter was none other than her husband.

As a general who had been on the battlefields since he was a teenager, he should have great senses of danger around him. With his undeniably great defense ability, the Duke believed that he should be able to protect his wife, and he had proved it by having Joanna return to her home safe and sound.

He did not know if Joanna had changed her mind or not regarding her strong determination to have her marriage annulled. He also had no idea what had transpired between them in the Powel Orphanage.

He wondered if there was a change in their relationship during their interaction there, especially after she received help and protection from her husband, whom she wanted to end her marriage with.

"Do you think the Terran security officers can capture them soon, Father?" asked Joanna, cutting the slice of roast beef into smaller pieces so that she would not need to open her mouth wide when she brought it into her mouth to eat.

She was aware and did not dare to be stubborn about the fact that she needed the General’s protection when she was out of her home. However, she could not rely on him all the time, as it could not be ignored that the Tres played a big role in the progress of their relationship.

Apart from feeling secure, she really expected the Tres would be captured as soon as possible so that she would be free from the man who made her avoid looking in the mirror since that realization struck her.

"Father is not sure, Ann, as they are still working on it," answered the Duke. Wiping his lips with a napkin, he took a sip of wine. He then said, "In the meantime, keep in mind to be careful and prevent going out if there is nothing urgent to do." And Joanna nodded her head at her father’s suggestion.

Turning his head to look at the quiet man who was sitting on his left side sipping wine, the Duke said, "Thank you once again for taking care of Joanna, Sir Canillas."

Upon hearing the words, Canillas, who was quiet while listening to the warm interaction between father and daughter, turned to look at his father-in-law. He replied, "As I said before, that is my duty and responsibility to take care of my wife, Your Grace. So there is nothing to be thankful for." To which the Duke nodded and smiled.

"Then, I hope it won’t be a big request to ask for Sir Canillas’ willingness to give Joanna companionship, especially when she goes somewhere outside," the Duke demanded.

"Please don’t worry about that, Your Grace. It is once again my duty and responsibility to give companionship to my wife," Canillas uttered, and for the first time, the Duke saw a warm, relaxed smile on his stony-faced son-in-law.