"FATHER!"
Thalia deliberately pushed open the door to Count Darvan’s working chamber and stepped inside, disregarding her usual etiquette. Count Darvan’s brows furrowed, his lips pressed into a firm, neutral yet concerned line as he set the news tabloid aside upon the table. With a measured motion, he gestured toward the couch. Thalia complied, seating herself gracefully, and her father followed.
"How are you faring?"
Thalia knew precisely what her father was about to say. After their recent misunderstanding, he had grown more lenient with her. His strict demeanor had softened, most notably when she requested permission to learn swordsmanship under Lady Fayette’s supervision. At first, her father almost refused, yet her persistence eventually broke through his adamant façade.
"I regr
