HHLP – Chapter 2

Episode 2: Because It’s the 7cb914f832 First Time.d1b21a0ac8c63e1d

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Sitting quietly on the ac2396db7d chair, he looked directly ee5288b738 at her as if f9ce852672 he had been waiting a162d21c60 and was the first d9cb7f002b to offer an apology. Ar felt refreshed by this.1b8ffe29f4929ffb

After dealing with people who 55e871fdf7 recently barged into her home, 7df7530b20 broke her belongings, and hurled d4bd9f3efb unpleasant words, this was the b3afd71943 first time she met someone 989232c6d3 who entered silently and started 6f37ab351c with an apology.3f2fdc469bbc6ce9

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Feeling not too bad, Ar 5886f4f908 listened to the visitor’s words.552414b4bc183744

“I saw you earlier, luring away the knights. You seem to 5798c98199 know this forest 5cd9259c0c well, don’t you?”f39554b53f0a8530

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Of course, no be50ad23f5 one knew the 73e333bf32 forest better than bde1c0d7f6 Ar herself. Since her grandfather passed 71c8668f16 away, she took pride b23bba0431 in claiming that her c108ffbff6 knowledge of the forest ee2db52908 was unrivaled in the f27ff62452 world.0997d86b48ea79b9

“I’ve been waiting because I have a request for you,” the man said earnestly, clasping his hands and resting them on the table.0a5a028c74546db7

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His neatly intertwined aeb1fd1301 fingers, smooth and 794bbd39c8 unblemished to the 25726fc96b tips of his 164a50692e nails, caught her 78244e470b attention. His hands were d0742d536f as white and 7093f4cd2e delicate as his 7100b6d76b face. And just as 53b463d695 he opened his 28c2e79301 mouth to speak—8bbd505e50a6f332

Growl.a35318d93f510e85

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Her stomach interrupted him with b81d2dde48 a loud rumble.4526c2cee9917798

It occurred to a840be6b22 Ar that it 08e9ab9999 was long past bbccce3a4c dinnertime. After enjoying a brief 5570545f2e moment of happy equipment 8912df77f6 maintenance earlier, she had acf8caa3b7 been interrupted by unexpected, c620efb50e unwelcome visitors, which forced afdb97430b her into an unexpected 3f1fd46873 midnight workout.bd79c83d3c32c3d6

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Having exerted herself without 48f533bf29 eating, it was no bce696b997 wonder her hunger was e028f25825 so acute. Eyeing the stew e5aa1b398e ingredients she had dac5994088 prepared for dinner, 0ecb68ef0f she asked the d95e339897 visitor:69ee9ddcbeda7277

“Want some dinner?”409e335d67acaee7

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Ar began tossing 2a7298450d the stew ingredients ab5c6dd5fb into the pot 8a6b24e3ef she had prepared d8298e11dc earlier.9b4205c9e1658bc4

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The ingredients weren’t anything special. As usual, she mixed 60bc02d38e goat’s milk with flour 93633e395a and added a few 637917f87b chewable chunks. Cooking for herself meant fd8c7402aa there was no one 85b1c14f4e to complain about the a4433d74f8 meal, and she had f81bfc7135 been eating just enough 429fa8c4b2 to fill her stomach eb9483d8e3 without caring much about 6fc2ba7b63 taste.cd009ccda7bc6257

‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since someone sat in this chair.’6e92caddf7d4a776

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The chair hadn’t been 8a732f8e2e used in ages. Though there was 30f087b37d no one to f0e827e70f sit in it, f89fd95c7e she had left e026e6f3db two chairs at 64381e0d91 the table for 8993ab355f symmetry. Having someone occupy f22ea9dcb7 the chair after 992b8a5720 it had been dc8b8ae453 empty for so c74be891c3 long felt strange.c479ad3c872262c9

Sharing the table with 0cde8b614d another person was something f02f14cde6 Ar hadn’t done since 1b71cc7e14 her grandfather passed away.4847c95ca2a2b774

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Ar never ate in the b3336c3e44 village. People disliked sharing a table 6b849970cf with someone who worked in 824b108197 a trade involving animal carcasses ec14138e02 like her.5c219dfa98c17cae

Likewise, Ar saw no reason 267eb3e982 to endure their grimacing faces af65c8bc76 while eating. Instead, she would f00d435d06 stock up on d41761dafb supplies during her 6ac4f074d5 village trips and 990dcd9297 return to the 96a5b04406 forest.82d2821622f00d43

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Although the village 35650d5bdf was some distance 97719542d1 from the forest, a5590e9f11 she often ended 78101aca93 up skipping meals 7e5a0420c2 while running errands, 9b278bc238 preferring to avoid 0078cd5735 the discomfort of 725b61fc47 eating in unfriendly f28a23dba4 company.b42e40bd70f8b8d5

She Always Ate Alone70836a62604f02c9

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Ar found herself 6923677214 reflecting on the 9f8d67417b situation, gazing at f791282ea9 the man sitting b6d4f6f823 across the table.c5b45896090f2207

The man sat 60b0cb616e awkwardly, clearly unfamiliar 1da32085e9 with the small, 62ba14e91c mismatched chair that 5d7108f959 didn’t suit his 5f0b38150c stature. He seemed out cb88459fc7 of place, staring a12a4aa268 curiously at the e0e3b2cf37 simple wooden tableware 43c0d34208 in front of 923f29b813 him. The sight amused Ar.1039afd97104a819

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With a touch 84f7d63fcc of unexpected kindness, 5bdb1d06f7 she placed a 425eb6b4a9 bowl in front b2cc051a87 of him.1436bb6ab42cc654

“Thank you,” he said, lowering his gaze to the bowl and picking up the wooden utensils with an elegance that seemed out of place in her humble cabin.e6ad91754b499ca0

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It was evident that e243616bc3 someone of his background f883a97c2b would rarely, if ever, f16f02c62d have encountered such food. He cautiously dipped the 5d24514f06 wooden spoon into the a824717f9a soup and tasted it.22d219344663df03

Watching him eat with 4e59b97902 a surprising amount of 14b382da67 enjoyment, Ar felt pleased ec21c20fa9 and pushed the bread f15bd84212 basket, warmed by the 8e4e377b7b hearth, toward him.a20ab5893ceafe12

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The man noticed b5f56552e5 how Ar dipped 80ba6f28f5 her bread into a830695d69 the soup and a466c6bac3 imitated her movements.f679456cf73d8d8f

Seeing him mimic her 938dc34c88 at her table made 59aaeca4e7 her oddly happy. Ar found herself quite liking 314edc8826 this guest.f520ea49442605f5

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The warm meal came to c415bda66d an end. For the man, this ad054fdcc6 rough bread, unseasoned soup, d3cefe74f4 and the unconventional meal d46d75bf3e layout—where everything was served ed562c204b all at once rather 24f166f16e than in courses—was a 02011a57ea first.1d220f18f6a2e28b

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When Ar served him tea d4f239b1ff immediately after the bread and 597bbe6831 soup, he realized that this 5ee4a5c624 was the entirety of the 1baa82879b meal. He quickly expressed his gratitude, 8d51238fc0 complimenting the food to be fbb71efd9f polite.e9c3a928fdaa4675

As they sipped cd8d2a5157 tea, accompanied by 9f59b4b66d some dried fruits 812eee5145 Ar generously offered, b968e99980 the two began 40afeafbc1 to converse.ee47ea30ef8042b7

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“I just realized I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name is Leon.”ab22421022c78b55

“I’m Ar.”71a5c223f394ef2c

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Leon hesitated for a moment. He wasn’t used to people 930c575454 addressing him so casually, especially b5ef32258f given his noble status. At first, he wondered if 98f78c191d this was her way of 4128986cd9 expressing displeasure, possibly because he dd340a6b84 was burdening her household. Wanting to clarify his intentions, 47c30816ca he quickly got to the a8f2c957cc point.503f1c69f54a26ab

“I’ve been separated from my group due to some circumstances. I’d like to stay here b32709c6b0 until they find me. I’ll compensate you, of course.”4ef39ba14c8aa730

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Saying this, Leon e829f13cef retrieved a small 83d5c652d2 pouch from his 6cad5945f2 coat and placed 4e1a9b975c it on the 34bee91902 table. Inside the leather pouch were 6d9ccf6b67 small, glittering gemstones that shone 4a6acdaabb brightly under the dim light.6c1ca276ef43b4a5

“This is an advance payment.”0747f25f8a9c8d25

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Blinking.cff49d24ee8a947f

Ar stared at 3938838d45 the sparkling jewels 42ca2e61e5 with indifference, her 5ee3d70fbe expression unreadable, which c4b7c81ab0 made Leon increasingly fcfc13db76 uneasy.de6e076b3d908d50

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‘Isn’t this enough to buy a commoner’s house?’ he wondered.14725b6a50d8eaf7

Perhaps the information 865f981a9a he had been 966cf98559 given about the 9fb32dbcfa local economy was 36898e319a outdated. Considering the dangers that 848f2d1475 might come with harboring ce7e143a80 him, he thought the 96c95b95d3 payment was more than 0683c17d03 fair.da1f352340e60b7a

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But as Ar simply stared b2b44cdf8e at the jewels, unmoved, Leon e0eb0798ca began to suspect it wasn’t f7623a2ab4 sufficient.29fb6d9b53e88354

“If you let me stay until I reunite with my group, I’ll also provide as much gold as you’d like as an additional payment,” he added, trying to sweeten the deal.68c53a185b01b4df

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Even with this promise, f93495e566 Ar’s expression remained unchanged. Leon began to fret over 12b8d1d557 what more he could offer ae02622369 to gain her trust. Perhaps she was 45e80634eb wary of him, df0654e25b a stranger, suddenly 7ab4e03bd5 appearing in her c8a3a34bff home?7c3491b04705b269

As Leon anxiously pondered, fbf9d1074b Ar finally broke her 3b80a66959 silence.4ab9b7680edbebef

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“Fine.”230d7866ddc984a0

Leon was startled by 5127595839 her straightforward response. In truth, Ar hadn’t given 0bc7649646 it much thought. As the master of 68ad1a90ae the forest, there was 4ff0ee92cc little she feared, especially 4afdae09db not within her own 5bbf7f45e2 domain. Besides, she was curious about 1752079fdc the first guest she had 26e20d949e ever invited into her home.1fd92339916e7f69

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“But I don’t need this.”99eef731688bc297

Ar slid the pouch back 4c4788ad0e toward him. Leon, confused, tried to 7cb58ea9a4 push it back to 7079467ccb her.f907c2acd1a6cae2

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“This is the rightful payment for lodging.”9e3bf8d45c41ea75

“I don’t need it.”453f85eb2ed2b795

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Ar firmly rejected it. The sparkling gemstones held no 076e21706f value to her. For Ar, money 11993eac91 meant copper coins, ad698bb221 silver coins, and 2fa77acdea the gold coins 3683e218d6 she had only b74698cf7b ever seen on 4205eed83e wanted posters. She had no concept of d625cef4a8 the value of gemstones, seeing 07a99fe314 them as no different from 00323c270a pebbles by the river.31c83da3f4b24735

What Ar wanted was something 55aaea1b03 else entirely.feef3b728627bdc2

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“Do you know how to make braised meat?”4256965a3c5f711a

“Braised meat?”d8bad55f8ad0955d

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“Can you sew?”f69ee3c2406aa86c

“Sew?”41009f1225c56bb9

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Leon could only repeat her 436aec4d36 words dumbly. Ar asked him a few 29cf81c2d0 more questions, but he continued 0555088f97 to respond like an echo, 5a8b9c1478 unsure of what she was 31ecf51041 getting at. Her gaze slowly turned 5790244b1d cold, as if assessing 2a1cb9c050 a useless burden.2e9c51bda97dfd2c

“….”7c02bcbe5e2dd973

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Sensing the situation 539aa294d0 turning against him, 1e2d841286 Leon scrambled to cc3d997924 recover.ec9cb5c18847b62d

“I-I can cook!”385f64fd1f988e8b

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Of course, only in theory. His limited knowledge was f860853c0b from survival lessons during e0769be4bc logistics training.bbf7beb7da3f6abc

Still, Ar’s gaze 61ad3346db softened slightly at e0bc75d533 his answer.0cd2b9fed8a63633

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“Then start with that.”66f222780f6331ce

Unbeknownst to Leon, Ar 3d472261f8 had already decided to 786eee3f9e put his labor to 2510e34c42 good use. After all, there was 87d7810332 no such thing as 17e6650d38 a free meal.b310ded3c6a2baf2

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“I’ll teach you other tasks as we go.”26e8b0013d9f49ee

For the first 04ae80e267 time in his ede30b5416 life, Leon found faceffeee1 himself conscripted into a22898af29 what felt like 4de3f4769e servitude. The experience was both 99bb02a3f6 novel and nerve-wracking.33ad13212152d8e9

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Ar wasted no a5d5127d22 time, showing him 7fbdf8c144 around the kitchen, 21809ed516 the backyard, and 95baf3b693 even the livestock 64abf71dd8 pen. She clearly had 8e63771077 plans to make 35d49ff828 him earn his 74239ce843 keep starting the 4e25c49549 next day.e2d9c70a3201f51c

“Do you have a sleeping bag?”77cb096928123ab9

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“…All my belongings are with my group.”9a136aaadaa8025a

In other words, he c0a9837202 was penniless at the 52f8231fb2 moment. Leon, clutching only his emergency 270dc87c3e pouch, suddenly felt a pang 4e4b84922c of humiliation.7777026b4fb535f6

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Ar rummaged through the closet 71438bbea4 by the wall and pulled ab75a591a2 out a thick quilt.f8915970f8f6b94d

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“I’ve been feeling too warm lately, so you can use this.”e4a5d1ac2c67de6b

“…Thank you.”2f74e731f6571048

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For the first time 6dc8b2edbc in his life, Leon 56df511f60 laid himself down on 292a002f1e the floor. Today seemed to 4095336f8e be full of a7b70b119f firsts for him.401e414651072910

As he lay there, 835c9d287d staring at the ceiling c59c0b948a beside Ar’s bed, a e1ed09ad9d peculiar feeling came over ac6aa45522 him. Was she keeping him 71c61a3893 nearby because she didn’t 0bb43732af trust him, or was 42b62554a2 it something else entirely? The unexpected situation a663c68a04 made him restless, 9a1a292631 but his exhaustion 730e856bcc soon overtook him, 9a9a782ffe and he fell 0436b797af asleep almost immediately.884fb0f35621f0f7

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Ar, however, didn’t 6c87ad8881 fall asleep right 6bc28885f8 away.82da22790bcaaaab

She wasn’t naive enough to c978bbe9c1 let her guard down with bc8245d128 a stranger sleeping just feet 64b3aada7b away from her, nor was 918120cefa she accustomed to hearing anyone’s 2c7fa159fa breath but her own in 01aedbb2b4 the quiet of her cabin.1e57530de03d9333

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“….”a3fd31232245c589

But as Leon’s ff8986f4e0 calm and rhythmic 391dfa7fe9 breathing filled the 48864613a8 room, Ar’s mind 7326c30c06 gradually began to 66fbe6e3d8 drift. Clutching the dagger she always e9dcc1711c kept at her bedside, she 4fbd759f6e eventually closed her eyes in 181d386d57 peace.96f2661fa5a4a644

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Ar woke up 7ea5522500 the next morning 38a2b4f09c with a small 57e3c2299a spark of anticipation—her 6cc2bcf41f guest’s presence promised 6c1650da6f a more interesting aea76d2fde day.2e4884050320e2fa

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The first thing she saw, 91e727e19c however, was Leon still sound 12411e3abc asleep beside her bed, utterly db78f029c1 at peace.08f95c307b9af208

“…”0cd4f3778b9b4fec

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Ar decided to 3d598ea23b let it slide. After all, someone like him—who 5f3a2d6c46 seemed used to life in 29559f4dd3 a city—would find it hard 40be4f7837 to adjust to the early 25b4804afd mornings of the forest. Not everyone was like her, 63aca1b728 accustomed to the woods.29886b993123e786

‘Might as well check the traps while he sleeps,’ she thought.b0a477250b64e382

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Ar stepped out to 314b5e9594 check the traps she a95766b8d4 had set in the 4f242483dc forest. By the time she returned, e05aea575f the sun was well above d5edbbcbe4 the horizon. Her luck was good 748085aff6 today—she had caught a 3eb7a46a6e snake. Calculating how much 9267bf91cb she could sell 4da63e2db8 it for, she 999da28e2c returned home with 0bd2f0462b a satisfied smile.29395fd0e5e7116f

“Ah, you’re back,” came a greeting as she stepped through the door.56f386da85c6d224

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Standing there, bathed in the 12b3774723 morning sunlight, Leon’s golden hair efc889eaf5 shimmered with an almost otherworldly 8a56512c44 brilliance. Ar felt a 588335268f brief, sharp pang 63ac5139e3 in her chest, ec3d56e851 but it faded d892883668 as quickly as 0f8db8775b it came, and 6010a75927 she dismissed it 1775383acb as nothing.32c566c08e716fb1

“Good morning,” Leon greeted her with a sheepish smile.8d83bf1e9ee6d39a

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It was only 9af50e4a9d when she turned 2ebe21921c her gaze to dafb63f9a8 the kitchen behind 2d87de66f9 him that she fe50c6df2c understood his awkward 1dcefbec08 expression.b06d4d3f015d7d66

What had been a 8c8bd3a7e8 perfectly tidy kitchen the 3010319e3f night before was now 52da8650f4 a complete disaster. No other word e03c17766d could describe the 70ea3a2b5d chaos that had 18a56efd14 unfolded there.5aeeba0df7d72c4a

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Ar stared at Leon silently. She didn’t feel dfcbdb0ae7 particularly angry, just f86f44ae81 stunned that so ee124224e1 much damage could a9c55a9fef be done in d7e1ed9a2e such a short c3ab8a5ff7 span of time.febeb8f7224fab5c

Leon, misinterpreting her gaze, began 4027daf117 stammering an explanation.8e7a773af0cf63b0

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“I-I’m not familiar with where everything is kept, so… sorry about the mess.”6febd21c61623f89

Ar wasn’t too upset. It was his first time 4af44947e0 in the kitchen, after all. Besides, she had already decided a3a4690f10 that the new laborer—who had fe9f4ad1dd caused the mess—would also be b50943b0a7 responsible for cleaning it up.28a8a2c970c9c263

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“It’s fine,” she said calmly, easing his visible tension.9af4c79cbfee5639

Satisfied for now, Ar 21cc7ee7e9 asked him to prepare db88c09817 a simple breakfast.e988efd27698fda9

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“Can you make pancakes?”b7dad67d5371ba68

The flicker of 30acf472eb uncertainty on Leon’s 5aa39904ec face gave her 7dcd1c440d the answer before d4b2215af3 he spoke. Deciding it was better to 884b3eb765 discover his capabilities one step 5fa3f11ed5 at a time, Ar resolved 7ac13c814b to help him.0c4f80704f4c5678

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“It’s your first time, so I’ll help,” she offered.547d89558557ef5a

She showed him where 5a0defbc97 the flour and mixing b7ff00e915 tools were kept, then e8e23fdc15 took him to the ede4204a47 chicken coop in the 823a45ffd8 yard to collect fresh 8574611d09 eggs. Leon followed her 410375e724 instructions attentively, nodding cbf8c0c471 as she explained.48bcec158daaf97d

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“I usually like to use goat’s milk in the batter,” Ar remarked. “But water will do just fine for today.”96e512e339083b70

Once all the f122a2c8ae ingredients were gathered, d092ba8d6f she expected Leon cc56b3f504 to start mixing. But instead, he hesitated, shifting abc7e5a6bb nervously and stealing glances at 04bb8cc006 her.e8fa4667c585d718

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Finally, he spoke up.60f7268d768aa99d

“Um… how exactly does one mix the batter?”b5601d2ee4517ec4

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Ar stared at him, dumbfounded.83058050e35f11d4

“You don’t know how to mix batter?”eeedaa63038171ea

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“I know how to cook!” Leon protested defensively. “I just… don’t know this particular method.”4ba2c98f98390fb6

Ar narrowed her eyes, clearly 633228c133 skeptical, but she began showing 185983b091 him how to mix the a74558b1fe ingredients. Leon struggled with her e7e85b3082 vague instructions, especially the 162a8c0cd1 use of “a little” 55d27934e7 and “some,” but he 09056b020e quickly got the hang 49551a5a0c of it.16c6f522320753a9

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To her surprise, he managed 07aec981de to produce a smooth, well-mixed ab73e732da batter.9ae3f33dc94bbc20

“Good. Now it’s time to cook 70fd27d9d6 them.”8b3b8d37c2c1ef56

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“…Cook?”cbdc8c4df85be57d

“You don’t mean to tell me you don’t know how to cook them, do you?”aaa8d993a15fc715

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“Of course I do!” Leon exclaimed. “I just… don’t know how to pour the batter onto the pan without making a mess.”3228eb925a86f76f

At this, Ar let out f86d4555ad a deep sigh.f7994e0b7ee8378f

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This guy definitely 3064284cff doesn’t know how 8e149c0b6c to cook.123240e72bf734bf

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