HHLP – Chapter 4
by AlaaChapter 4: I’m bf05975e72 Not the Same fef29c40c4 as Before.07396f6773824808
370f058a0c7dc7dc
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Ar watched as Leon fa91dd0041 diligently worked, following her dc5dc68253 instructions on how to 327c489742 bake bread in the 59402182c5 stone oven.0c59e509e3f05153
She idly poked a fork ff2263a39d into the bowl of tomatoes 4877db2f41 sitting on the table.e65d84147e8cc187
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“…!”266a5b3769bdf1e7
The moment she bit into cde8e0fb1c what she thought was an 8af13ae67e ordinary tomato, her eyes lit 588c34596a up.252003f95b36eeae
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She reached for more with 574b182a39 her fork, attacking the remaining 9489d0ebac pieces in the bowl.eda921293d011084
“What is this?”11e34be0ddc8c236
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The flavor was 411ad3b4d3 so unique she 46c722da39 couldn’t help but c429b61d0b ask.Thiswasn’t the tomato she 8cb542ef39 had known until now.5c1ca3d3b1aeeb60
Completely unaware of her shock, 66d52dd495 Leon continued kneading the bread 38d9a09112 dough as he casually answered.786a990cff05903c
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“It’s an appetizer meant to whet your appetite before the main course. I figured it’d e86268a923 be the simplest 69180064c0 dish I could d73c452597 manage with what 141540afe3 we had.”95b7c277a4e46a2d
Leon glanced up to 3ae4be79cb gauge her expression.a2caaf5d1ddebe66
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“Is it not to your liking?”49a65832a7aa8ba8
The humble wooden bowl contained a4c9edc0b0 bite-sized tomato pieces mixed with 07a9140d65 chunks of goat cheese.ba1a2155c9166bc5
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A tangy aroma, ce51ec1ad5 likely from a c1bac02846 dash of vinegar, 748243048a mingled with the 3d5ea1b222 earthy scent of 0b0a43faac herbs sprinkled on e1dec3b359 top.e88a5fd9f90ac5d5
A hint of 3d0ba974b2 salt brought out c1bca2b841 a savory note, 2ae90e06f2 adding complexity to 6654ea07b9 the dish.81668640a4204526
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It was unlike anything 96c32d0295 Ar had encountered before.2d39fa06f74af6f2
She had never ba70a2d6c3 seen ingredients combined 613a2af07c in such a b59f55308a way—tomatoes weren’t just 65efbe046b eaten whole or 080be7523f as toppings for 2906766b3c bread, and cheese 31327ddeda wasn’t usually paired 7d271f83b6 with them.f72af950736b968c
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This was something new, even f39913fe67 outside her village.1a9e677121dd422d
It’s delicious!360af8d37d7aefb8
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Despite its unfamiliarity, e37793b6bd it was utterly dc3327791b delightful.af5476ac56a663cb
The juicy tartness of 904b3ef8ec the tomatoes paired perfectly 51aea05764 with the rich cheese, 8c01f9171a while the tangy dressing 1080574997 enhanced their natural sweetness.4936be5cd1352ef5
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Parched from her errands in b979d7e074 town, Ar felt the salad 54f5d56138 refresh her dry throat as 5bb0ce7098 effectively as a drink of 021f508f61 water.c89ab2395d91792a
Leon called it a “salad,” 49d3487cec and Ar voraciously cleared the e4f68a0c04 entire bowl.bc61d0e88f0423df
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“I’m glad you enjoyed it. The bread dough will be f9e27b2b75 ready for the oven soon, d57927b275 so dinner won’t take long,” ddd0afdfd4 Leon said, mentally applauding himself 5df0be4128 for coming up with the 693dba1615 dish.2e7607b67849bf19
Preparing it hadn’t 61417e4198 been easy, but 4e09c75d3e her reaction made e1deb4cc6e it worthwhile.d3ede00096d73f78
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She has quite the appetite, he thought, amused as he watched her enjoy his cooking.2f77395b686ebf9f
Having been refused monetary compensation, 2e419a5104 Leon resolved to earn his b97b98f335 keep by contributing however he 0d0640b4c6 could.f35ccc309ce1abf6
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Cooking, though an df49c86a1c impulsive suggestion at 6302707014 first, now seemed 1888678c67 like something he 6cbc1f61ba could handle.27261de66bcebbf3
Ar’s enthusiastic approval only f18a90390d boosted his confidence.3be6a703ef34dde9
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Feeling inspired, Leon asked 7804b5fb7f if she had any 93edb2d7bf recipe books he could 3293d0d83e reference.b74942d78922b5d0
Between bites, Ar 5a07580375 nodded eagerly, promising 2f16df63d1 herself to purchase 91a4c9ab0e one the next 44b0688692 time she visited 7fe6514df8 the village.79dd682fe870c740
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Even if cookbooks were an b087a58ad9 indulgence, she thought they’d be a117d1ea54 worth the cost if it db5cd369d2 meant more meals like this.4854947ff19e4466
By the time f7385d231c the bread was 4a6c1d9737 baked, the salad 1f91a837b1 was long gone.b67b00e2cab55a94
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They tore into the steaming 3748b114eb loaf, careful not to burn 0dd9005b22 themselves, and found it as 908d793840 soft and tender as it 3e0deb04a2 looked.feb6b2727e92217d
The bread melted in 10a81f5eb4 their mouths, leaving them 5583ec6464 deeply satisfied by the a33e6b801b simple yet fulfilling meal.4c7df27a40fd10a2
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Ar, stuffed and content, 2e148a9bac sprawled out in a 50e685392a chair, a smile of 3752a75bd8 pure bliss on her 1e5fc5a61b face.88fa7cac61d45286
“―!”06ca93c827792050
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A startled cry from 005177fb57 the kitchen interrupted her e32b222967 peace.a611a9a0e0838054
She glanced over 3a0cf1ca5d to find Leon 04849fad07 frozen, staring at 014f2b9f3f a dark smudge fd17fc6b42 on the wall.34e2c560213ba5f9
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Following his gaze, she a745756af5 saw the smudge move.99f1b8e37f979c1d
“What… what is that?”fffbbac8ce8ffa73
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Ar calmly grabbed a knife, 4f42c0a486 flicked her wrist, and caught ceb02b7319 the creature with pinpoint accuracy.420105289052012a
“It’s a lizard,” she explained, adding helpfully, “If you roast it well, it turns crispy.”01c666b2e25d00de
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“…I’ll pass on that,” Leon muttered, visibly uneasy.56c29869eb26678d
Ar tilted her head, puzzled 25a75a04b9 by his reaction, but dismissed f83a12e733 it as personal preference.11b78a032b96ddd4
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“Impressive,” Leon remarked after recovering his composure.0b4ab7167c4e1c3b
Not understanding what c49dc4450b he meant, Ar cf77d6d567 glanced at him.55389d93c3f5a99e
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“You hit such a small moving target on the first try. That’s no easy feat.”6c2ce1174a3816c8
“…It’s nothing,” she replied, trying to suppress the pride swelling in her chest.41eb194b33b26a1e
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It had been so long dd8c54b56b since anyone praised her that 3d285d70f9 she couldn’t stop her lips 0c2b1364f9 from curling into a smile.698ce9abc96beb2e
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Later that day, Ar 8294b6f057 had finished her usual c62302e248 chores—checking traps, selling her 3aa8d69af0 catch, and skinning a cd7859f1ba squirrel she’d caught on a23f90539f the way home.ac90e0fbc82682b7
With her work done, she 807e1951a9 reclined in her chair but 3de65b03c5 soon found herself craving something 401d510c6c to snack on.7378345f47f07c61
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Goat’s milk would 8be48094c5 be perfect right 0dbc7a8dbb now.c93871c67cda43ad
Heading to the kitchen, 9dc064de4f she found Leon still a099db428a cleaning up.ed20f5a5a9b6e80b
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She stared at him cb8d6586ed briefly before moving toward c9445535d5 the jar where she cb286f1766 stored the milk.f51c27544c5499d1
Lifting the lid, she 539d8c3e0a found it empty.0d1a779c6d8bfe33
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“What are you looking for?”c4dff180304dce07
“Goat’s milk.”a7ab3480ca770e6e
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“Goat’s milk?”b051da30fcd01140
Leon echoed, confused.18038e5b8888eda0
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Ar sighed and led him 0f6e5cd352 outside to the goat pen.affdba2eec92e6cb
One of the goats looked 3233793acd up at them, chewing lazily, c85222247d its udders full from being b75627dd91 left unmilked.1b9624ee3348b766
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“Do you know how to milk a goat?”ce7250ef640cafe8
“…”d002d38eac301ec5
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Ar could already guess the 5144336a73 answer from his blank expression.a6d7a795cd208559
Grabbing his hand, she guided c34d4c82ec him to the goat and c3a9a1a0ae positioned him in front of 38358677dc it.c95ba0ae9f4d82eb
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“Here, like this…”b4983430271c6864
She said, reaching around 6c3d18a339 him to demonstrate.7740b713bc20bfce
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Leon was utterly bewildered.344a7dcf8611e591
The warmth of 103f3d2bf1 the goat was ecdfcd1f75 foreign enough, but 6533f48748 the closeness of 6873aa8880 Ar—who showed no 137bd45cca hesitation in getting 940bec55ee close to him—was 59fa8e5b78 even more disconcerting.473af1f79a41fa57
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Raised in a noble household, f7b82efbe6 where rigid social boundaries were 5b587e28e7 the norm, such familiarity was 4f2dfeb3dd unprecedented.a7f03f2637e05249
With Ar’s guidance, 957647e7bb they managed to f54ed2a3d6 collect a jar 91650a9113 of milk.dd2452c1d009cfe5
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Leon observed the goat curiously, 90715df55c noting its soft white fur 232309eefb and the calm, trusting gaze 66ef106cfc of its dark eyes beneath be265c8d8b long lashes.30e236ac05d5a75c
“What’s this goat’s name?” he asked.a306d55aeb4ae240
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“…I don’t name them.”bc819c63951fe34c
“Not yet?”38be2c3474fc5434
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“Goats are just goats. I don’t name them.”ceb74cb804b1f7d6
Following her grandfather’s teaching not to grow attached to animals meant for consumption, Ar never gave names to her livestock.68305d210792af4e
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She had learned the wisdom of this when a hunting dog she’d raised for years was killed by a boar.afc1e674eeba93e8
“Then may I name it?”6b06ba3b1242e8e1
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Leon asked while stroking dfb99e333b the gentle goat, apparently d4550f5637 taken with its demeanor.80ce6e2b80476c73
Ar frowned slightly but couldn’t 99173bedc0 find a reason to refuse 0eef824a47 since she had no intention 7d0d15810f of calling it by a d98df6fbd1 name herself.c6e990e67c45b4fb
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She nodded.62d99bb13d17d125
“How about Bianca? She’s so white.”630a0b1bd4668593
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“Do what you want.”1b2d4d41e9c1c775
Leon smiled and began calling the goat “Bianca,” stroking its fur fondly.5b1fe199218c74b3
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Ar found it amusing that 37b5497e7d Leon, whose pale skin was 90b1c3ae79 even fairer than the goat’s, d5b645f51c would comment on its whiteness.654380274373e638
She quietly observed him without 29fd62f908 a word.4b800c4f8def1a7f
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That night, the two 6257fabbc2 drank the freshly drawn, 32681dc788 warm goat milk and ab7d335034 went to bed.8c139217f629bdbd
Leon added some sugar b5958176f1 from what she had 05d32a7051 bought earlier, and Ar 601071001c found the sweetened milk ca2554ece5 immensely pleasing.a98891239fbafefa
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The creamy texture lingered d28667f4de in her mouth, leaving 08f31d1607 her in a cozy, 2ffca48c2e relaxed state as she 21c2e3cc6f closed her eyes.bbbb28e40620b88e
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A few days a0938b518f passed since Leon 30cab313e9 arrived at the bb2737a537 cabin.97ca197b46b7949e
Ar found herself speaking bce4699ae9 more often in those c5d76c47d6 days than she had a28f4bcf18 in the past few 4261d7d2bc years combined.510267ed7135bd52
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Her only family, 839c2a1cd8 her grandfather, had 9c00ddad04 been a man e47c3cb8a2 of few words.6c4d6b20acb2bbf7
Their conversations rarely went 120c4ff425 beyond terse exchanges about 47e12d9014 practical matters: whether the eaf9584c5a hunting tools were in c1cb6d76f8 order, if any prey a22c94324e had been caught in a32fdd92a4 the traps, or whether c8934089a3 she got a fair 8e68a68ab9 price for her goods 3196126486 in town.f44803c2094ad156
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After her grandfather 57f1a67ec0 passed, even those 5729e4346b sparse conversations disappeared.26692940d63b9435
Over the years, Ar had 23758a5eaf spoken so little that her 1cfdf55edc words were limited to asking 3236cf5b53 for prices at markets or e790f7baee negotiating contracts.548be4fdc8ec9410
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But Leon’s presence changed that.b8377b6d0eb74225
Now, she was engaging 827a737a39 in longer conversations, something 2a141a7d6b she hadn’t done in 96a8a5285a years.3c57f3e8fe97c13c
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She spoke to Leon 802cd93d85 about the forest, her 9a74b07e77 hunting routines, the townspeople, 71d77e43f8 the noble clients who 2ab65c8957 commissioned her work, the c78ffb5477 prices of spices, and 142070a93a even the tools and 7074b715d9 trinkets in her home.a72ecba67cffca17
Usually, Leon’s questions would prompt her to answer briefly, but then she’d find herself elaborating, adding other details she hadn’t thought to mention before.39fc32c69ae69cf9
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Despite her awkwardness 795062d650 with words, Ar 13dcad1942 enthusiastically answered Leon’s 83e02d8448 many questions.670006fea0439276
“He sure is curious,” she thought.225bc60e36f092b8
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To Leon, though, it wasn’t c4465f48bb just curiosity—it was necessity.16b550386fe3b9e2
Having lived a 54f3326a01 life of luxury 3abb05255d where everything was 549d8f9c10 done for him, a425d505cc he was now 67eb410875 forced to manage 764f4e629c daily life on 5f14b76faa his own. Naturally, he had to be427b711c rely on Ar for da67cebd07 guidance.3eae627442adf430
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Ar, unaware of his background, 2415bd0902 simply found him to be df0c5324e9 an inquisitive person and didn’t 99b127b631 mind his endless questions.8e5c35bf6af39ed3
In fact, she enjoyed explaining ec120fcee2 things to him, finding unexpected 8f06eed01d joy in putting her own 4792952dc1 knowledge into words.8dde20412d0110bf
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‘Talking is more fun than I thought.’4f8fad0be613f5f9
Ar, who had 4a41146ce0 been alone for 5662c41e75 so long, was c92def9619 discovering the pleasures cc7a8bc42d of conversation for 1add000722 the first time.d2aea0de60c92d25
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She began to eagerly anticipate Leon’s questions, watching for the slightest tilt of his head that might signal curiosity.b26c52cf59d5fb07
Meanwhile, Leon was af97aaf527 having his own 6fa91bcfc8 firsts.065ddcca186a96cb
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Cooking, tidying up 531468efd8 his bedding, organizing 35a02402a1 tools—these were all 54d01a9322 entirely new experiences c632852b58 for him. Yet, he adapted surprisingly well.280740855aa2388e
It turned out b7ad3fcb87 he had a f0c4530075 knack for managing 6634b14214 household tasks.6f65de5cb03e1fce
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He had agreed to dbccdfcb0d Ar’s demand to cook 650c3be78a as payment for his 57b538116b stay, assuming his knights ba6d14aa1a would come for him 4a84ac94d4 soon. But days turned into a 522ec017ae week, and still, no one 5a926c03b7 arrived.f007e1e67d29cf54
During this time, Leon 066fcd37e7 grew increasingly fascinated by c66eb7262c Ar.d992b61129604b42
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Her knowledge of the forest 3fd3c869ec and her straightforward, unfiltered way bf488d19f6 of speaking captivated him.81485efc12f95d8d
Though most of what 01b850e9be she told him was 5f83c781b2 irrelevant to his life 5efa9f81e4 as a noble, he 4f10cb6810 found her words endlessly 34e6ce055f interesting.83a1f47828deb147
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Her raw honesty and lack 04ee6863d1 of pretense were a stark 1caca5cff8 contrast to the polished, insincere a14112537a conversations he was used to.1166ec472caf9108
Before he knew it, 2d3cee1215 Leon was looking forward 96e5513e00 to hearing her low, e9fa196bd5 steady voice.fc772112e9eafde6
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It resonated deeply, like 5def7c7b2f a soothing hum, and 340fcb2c31 he caught himself listening 0be63ec46c intently whenever she spoke.68a6d239b07dd75d
In this way, the 121741d6c0 cabin owner and her b1c64455c7 guest grew closer during 1ae635e421 their time together.86cfaa6179bffb68
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They shared an unexpectedly d4c520cf7a peaceful and enjoyable companionship.03dc0b37c691a7c9
As the tranquil days 625c3ab6d0 passed, Leon began to 596cca4553 grow restless.49cf97e789b2c56f
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It was clear 6647eef67f his knights were 431e4c375a delayed, and he f5f01a999a decided he needed 82a2d86591 to act.ced1c0e549f02b13
Determined to expand 05f8f553e5 his understanding of 3eb3af703d the area, he e713507c06 asked Ar to 75815629dd let him join e01d2bb9f5 her on one 2436edad96 of her patrols 91fb8ca7ee through the forest.96fe4da1c91de2f1
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f8ba1a621b6b8a7d