“Oh… father.” Nina awkwardly spoke, surprise on her face as she saw perhaps the last person she expected to see. Though they had reconciled.. somewhat, she still felt a bit awkward around him. Their conflict (or rather, her conflict with him) turned out to be a misunderstanding more than anything else, but years of feeling abandoned doesn’t just suddenly vanish.
“You’re the worst dad ever you know that.. I was worried when the letters suddenly stopped. I thought you were finally sick of me…!” Granted, she didn’t know that Fodlan had only just come out of a temporal crisis when she had arrived, but from her perspective, he suddenly went silent for several months. She sighed, after a moment of silence. “….its.. good to finally see you though, Father..” she mumbled, looking away bashfully. Now that she was older and more understanding, she wanted to believe he had a good reason. She.. wanted to believe in him. It wasn’t just the nobles that needed to be taught a lesson, or the boys she could see that brought her to Fodlan. Deep down.. she wanted to spend more time with her father.
Niles blinks in surprise: at first glance he hadn't been entirely sure if this was Nina, but seeing her up close like this, he wonders how he ever doubted.
He'd like to hug her—isn't that what family does? Niles is certain that's what he wants. But he also knows he pressure of being put on the spot, made to show affection even when it comes unnaturally. So he's not surprised that Nina's quick to hurl accusations at him instead. He's her father, after all.
"Uh, stopped?" Ah, right. Fódlan's gotten mixed up in some kind of time dilemma. Niles is still faint of the details. It's certainly something to investigate deeper, especially since Lord Leo seems to be taking quite the interest in this continent's affairs... but that's later. His girl always comes first.
Nina releases all her feelings, and now it's Niles' turn to show she's been heard. "It's good to see you too," he replies with a nervous chuckle. He lifts his hand up, hesitates, then gently pats her on the head. She's a young woman now, yet he'll always see that little girl that clung to his leg and saw wonder in everything she experienced. "Sorry for the silence—I'm still getting settled in myself... speaking of.
"Garreg Mach? You here for school?" Nothing would make Niles happier than seeing Nina get a proper education, but he knows that's too good to be true. He crosses his arms as a teasing smile comes to his lips. "Or did you miss your dad that much, Little Miss Independent? I won't judge."