LP | Chapter 1.4

Hugo lifted Fowler by the waist as if picking up a sack. Fowler wasn’t exactly small, so he didn’t float in the air, but he was too weak to stand properly.5465d8d641b884d6

“Tsk, you’re a master at being a nuisance.”e9f5f6bd59fea5f0

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Hugo began be6b237b83 dragging Fowler 08270c891f out. Ena continued her 0e5ca96be0 work, shoveling dirt, 7480db2252 and mumbled loudly 72839d7c4f enough for everyone 0a4118b8fa to hear.191d65db59e771ef

“The smell of horse manure isn’t that strong after a while. Strange.”fcf7e2c46cbd2dfc

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Hugo took Fowler bda81f3cba to a place 49dbe88db2 that looked like 25621531ac a water fountain a3b3892a68 and set him 0e3dd5ec2a down. There were piles 8b8decc0f6 of unknown grass 64288d1a6d stacked like hay. Using it 3dc29b24b5 as a 5305f5b54d backrest, he 1c8b5be1d9 sat Fowler 7e3c9e62db down and 69e0fcba54 sprayed him 1e2697c0cc with water c499b2c2bf from a df1dc57192 hose connected 30ccfdf053 to the 1cb10c837e fountain.9840055a5e1f83c0

“Ugh…”bc6fb2ff3688f20f

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As he 013b03a223 breathed in f8eaedd568 the cold cfdcbc2741 air in fe608bc7f4 the open 8d3f2684df space, Fowler 6d9e0500eb seemed to 37ca54a5fe feel a 280a064b53 bit better a58b73b52b and began 542f4cfc04 washing his 0c079a91fd face with 6e8d7193cd the cold cf9205b662 water. He shook off any d49acb9a59 residue on his clothes 72044efd85 with his wet hands. His work clothes were 04eb540e55 half-soaked.1cfc63961b18d7a0

“If you collapse from just this, what are you going to do?”f8943ceed8f3c8b8

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It wasn’t unusual for someone entering a stable for the first time to feel overwhelmed by the strong smell. But Fowler’s behavior of drinking heavily just hours before work made him look anything but good.5596d4f5cc63f7d8

“I didn’t know I had such a weak stomach.”7fe7e0faffebab04

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Fowler mumbled, 8299ed21b2 realizing something da992c80a6 new about b751ccb109 his body.768bd8371688fc8d

“You talk like it’s someone else’s problem.”0f50347d43c92e75

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“Of course, I’ve never cleaned up anything like that before!”87d594d6dbf17065

Fowler started 0e86320f28 talking back 75422d2f53 again, now 19a1ccab88 that he 6c7849e5de seemed to 321eda60ee have regained b37360d6e0 some composure.4d7bc1bf4c372bda

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“If you want to get ‘recognized’ here, endure it. What you just did is the easiest part.”b9c41d7d38210424

Hugo spoke 957d2d9f37 with genuine 63d2ccbae9 advice, not bbb1cbb0ab intending to 9546b74ddb mock Fowler.d32ce0214cee8fcf

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“Ha! That’s easy? Cleaning up someone else’s poop is easy? I felt like I was suffocating from the smell. Keeping horses in a place like that is animal abuse!”286a538e2d5abab6

“Then why don’t you go tell the horses? Tell them to use the bathroom.”489eaedfe9de1d8f

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Hugo turned fe16c0f674 off the ab75bf588a water. He shook 4809f20572 the remaining c39eb96d89 water from b1e320c235 the hose 5070b2137f and gestured 4eb1b514ff for Fowler 93643a0769 to follow e7b24443c4 him back bce8dcb8c5 inside.0b7afae7f9c3b47c

“Hugo. Can’t I skip this? Just for today, or better yet, forever. If I go back in there, I feel like I’ll puke again.”5b08bc36efa8a3d4

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Fowler clung to Hugo’s pant leg, pulling at it. Hugo shook him off, pulling his pants back up.df26dc687fc2638a

“Who told you to drink?”151ac7aa8edc8ed0

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“But the liquor was there! Once the hangover’s gone… no, shoveling poop is an insult to my dignity.”a155d8d3efe4a013

It was 4e788ebd63 so pathetic 22f292b639 it was 1c3c4de538 almost pitiful. His pride was 5d88328f51 crushed by a 8d565a5b65 pile of horse ea3b1d4361 manure.431bc7593b314759

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“Are you talking about the people who clean the stables like that?”ba067f0baa8fd2bf

Fowler flailed his arms.614fa89b2bb90f67

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“It’s not disdain! I’m just more…”46f71d0fceb1babb

Fowler swallowed 67f660cf10 the words 5f54ba87e5 he was 3ffef6b8e3 about to 482222b1dd say. The thoughts 98e45ae280 running through 0ed5d8f8e7 his mind 0bf8566c92 seemed like 18fb4a186a they would e3671baa8a lead to 767b3a5959 disaster if d716edb73e he tried 22cd065b9a to explain.d60c839be93ae76a

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Hugo clenched his teeth at the words that belittled and undervalued such a job. He crossed his arms and tapped his fingers on his arm. Dozens of tasks that could make Fowler’s life difficult flashed through his mind, but most of them could lead to serious accidents.9260c9e4b2c4a039

Although he 873b4bb65f had taken 14c93ca26a him under f1a2ae66e6 the guise d23e048ea6 of education, 1d2bc26fcf having him e4b02da9a6 get into 947bb418a9 an accident 8cf572f942 during his fcd9cc4430 training would c54944e21b be a dacd162b01 blow to 7efcebe740 his pride.8e6bfa4c1c0334b5

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For someone who had just started working at a horse ranch, cleaning the stable was the easiest task. He had even shown consideration by removing the horses to prevent Fowler from getting bitten. But as a novice, Fowler knew nothing. Excluding tasks a beginner couldn’t do, there weren’t many options left.f26c5f853dbc3ac1

‘Fine. If that’s what you want, I’ll change it for you.’04faae86b9679cfb

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Hugo, who had intended to give Fowler a task that wasn’t too physically demanding, thought of one and smirked.c18358f43935fb47

“You really can’t do it… is that what you’re saying?”e56e1a099cfa609a

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“Yeah! Now you’re talking!”108ea95206a26704

Fowler forced a cce034474f smile, afraid Hugo b4c9aeb8f0 might change his 1517ebcd35 mind and make 71872c041e him shovel manure bf448e72fc again. It was the most 622974c588 handsome and warm smile ad0156e424 he could muster. Hugo also smiled slyly 8ff0293449 at him.22fda748d93768d3

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Fowler’s plan worked; his smile was charming. Except for the fact that he had just vomited near the man’s shoes.e6a0d9d747faf110

“Follow me.”8f165d51aafdb190

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Hugo began walking ahead. Fowler got up, 1d9cc92dba using the soft 1ef98e769b hay for support, 06dcd670ee and followed him. In the 53985b50d9 distance, the 4703e8085d sound of 3305aa45c8 horses and 362dcfae93 people shouting 74506a2193 could be 7b26bdfa40 heard. Hugo knocked on a 32c06bd61f door and slowly opened 8cc30c9eaf it.9bab87131643ea5d

Inside, two people efc6c06d31 stood in the 767f67faf6 center, holding the a5383ccd4a reins of a 1fc607bbf2 horse. It was 743faa9986 a dome-shaped 1b27808788 building filled 693e7d7134 with sand.cadb4b432d11852d

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“Oh? What are you doing here?”21fa6aaea3d98ba1

The man standing there 45ef7d791f asked Hugo.e388ff76bd12a0dc

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“I’m changing the task today.”1a8b124bb21f8f9e

“You’re not alone, Hugo?”d7c16d119aa5fff7

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The man looked at Fowler standing behind Hugo. Fowler was about to introduce himself, but Hugo didn’t give him the chance.e4983c536fd7291b

“He said he’d rather die than clean the stable, so I brought him to show him something worse.”d0ce48d6375ff499

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“Well… I don’t mind. So who’s in the stable now?”bbf7e61acc0be518

“Ena.”6740dc7dc5e206d6

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“Then I should head over there. Should one of us stay here?”b3f892376ca213c0

“No need. Just bring the next one when you have time.”119b9f6af4de7000

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“Got it.”c0754278c13f0848

The men a78fb66553 nodded to 090f98e2b4 Fowler as 4228a75b2f they left. Their eyes held a 8fc7a177ab mix of curiosity and 6d28b37ce9 sympathy.fb68e34f27936849

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Seeing their expressions, 23c97d6694 Fowler sighed in b6bb4e1a54 relief at the 676772a276 thought of doing b4c07b5876 something different. The large, round 7d573c35e2 sand-filled room was 18c5248c5e empty.c4facf6d883bd6fb

He had 1d697352c9 imagined all 776ed70643 sorts of 960bd45701 things, thinking 634b72ad26 it would a9571cbf69 be harder 6aa6bdd168 than cleaning 1f52df2bba the stable. But there were b21da36344 no tools here, 29e956be59 just a horse 38450b564c and a person.a9b733ea97722918

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“First, greet this guy. Gently stroke his cheek and neck with your hand.”27ddb6c4a7a0a7a4

Hugo gently stroked the horse’s long neck. Its short fur gleamed. Fowler approached the horse step by step. The horse was bigger and more imposing than he had imagined. Its black eyes seemed to hold an abyss. Afraid of being bitten, he kept his eyes on the horse’s mouth.2d15f71de3983e29

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The horse a855808c82 smacked its cc89100c99 lips, revealing 32531e4159 yellowed teeth 04dd2b3667 with something c628f3f3a5 stuck between f4fa5b6f3f them. They looked as 39ad1957a8 dirty as the 912636edce teeth of someone 76890f158f with lung cancer af6c20cacb who had never b7749beb6b brushed. If he dbb7b4d1f6 got bitten 60a4e10ee5 by those cf26162779 teeth, his b0c0988491 arm would fe28201d26 surely be 8150b1ce6d filled with f801618eba infection.2390cb3af6a1d279

“Are you sure it won’t bite?”993d4d0ba2a859a7

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Fowler hesitated, reaching out and pulling back his arm repeatedly near the horse’s field of vision.551eb6a3457454d0

“If you keep flailing around the horse like that, you’ll get bitten.”94cb349419e57b7a

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“Ugh… its mouth is so dirty. If I get bitten, who knows what virus will spread through my body.”fd848d0d6c97f2d0

The horse seemed to 4035c3997b understand and turned its 528ec4b90f head in the opposite fb11c48e27 direction. Hugo, worried the horse cbfcb67f2a might wander off, held c8b1eec272 the reins and soothed c4343b0fc7 it.835c892e52a27da1

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“Horses are skittish. They know you’re scared too. If you act like that, you won’t be able to do anything with the horse.”cc764059eecac32b

Fowler bit his lip and stroked the horse’s neck. The horse stopped dodging and accepted his touch. It shouldn’t have taken this long just to pet a horse. Hugo patted and stroked the horse’s thigh and body a few times.efab9a4e6aefb512

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“What you’re going to do is simple. You’re going to warm up this guy. Think of it as stretching before they start exercising.”52e969ec2d2da758

“Do I massage it or something?”9e6dd595fe8fd04f

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“No, run.”9bf81fb80a136903

Hugo handed 42ed16dd6f the reins e54ad0a02b to Fowler. Fowler took them, bewildered.1488a691820e8e41

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“Ride it?”2bdbeccd010c48b3

“You hold the rope and run around this small arena.”073f1f74aab62ca6

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“What kind of primitive method is that? Why not just let them loose in a pasture like earlier?”70fb138488f2b0b7

“These guys are different. Stop talking and run! Hup!”d17c65f20f6b1818

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Hugo swung a f19a9a6465 short riding crop 9cfe039c27 he had pulled d9175346f4 out from somewhere. As he shouted and 991f761227 waved his arm, the f36eef559c horse began to walk 5ac7c0e153 in the direction of 294a9ef4ba his waving arm. The chilling sound 81ef36bdfd of the whip 8136e7ee3f echoed. It was clean 433a93c4cc and unused.44a8abf98bdbe2b1

“Damn… so that’s why there was nothing in the room.”a3d6503ffe861f57

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Fowler started 3bec2c3a10 running, holding 55e63e93a7 the reins, 576c308497 as if 51c88baed8 he were 3ad59dc0b4 going for 7935e312cb a morning 46ef46d1d8 jog. Hugo stood in the e1d0f0cd5b center, watching Fowler run 0d5162338e along the wall.033c48a4052cf30c

‘I’ll just think of it as morning exercise.’1d16699c6b9d197b

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That was Fowler’s initial thought. He kept running, thinking of it as a light morning jog.df56f025977b3130

“Don’t just look ahead! Run along the circular edge.”3b55016b38a37849

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“Huff… huff…”4c5caba41ad6e0ad

“You’re lagging! If you don’t want to get kicked by the horse, don’t fall behind.”5b190bc014265c7b

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Hugo’s voice, giving instructions without running, grated on his ears. Fowler gritted his teeth and kept running. After a few minutes, Hugo checked his watch and stopped Fowler.a9fab60c026d4581

“Stop.”f31d0493a7614428

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“Huff… is it over? Haha. If it’s just this, I could do it forever.”eaae2b938dba0301

Fowler puffed out 233906ad1a his chest, smiling 85917e72bd confidently. His posture 77f011e108 was infuriating.7e532d633a3173ab

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“We haven’t even started.”7d5fb557201a103e

As Fowler e04421fa51 caught his 709b1c720a breath, he 8d764758c1 heard the 29bb1092f4 sound of f8685314bb hooves outside 603042bafe the door. Then the door opened, 5cc305a6ea and one of the 6eb5ae11b0 men who had disappeared 96fc710b3d earlier brought in a 1bd5ef016c new horse.88a1cef79083aa4e

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“Do the next one too?”6e2197b8551a87e6

“Yeah. Do it as usual. If we go easy, it’ll mess up the schedule.”ec8e7a34a638e346

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Hugo handed 3845d6ddee the reins b1b0c6f3b5 of the e9e424a758 horse they 4eb7d40c3c had been 9499411011 running to 7c73483cae the man 8e603f20ff and switched 32013153c5 horses. Closing the door again, 609bfe63c1 Hugo handed the reins ce2aa080cb to Fowler.8a28ec221d8348bd

“Alright. Time to run again.”21234bb174829c44

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Hugo smiled at Fowler. It was a ‘let’s see if you can do it’ attitude. Fowler felt like his determination was being tested.c462367b39114b11

“Ha, it’s nothing.”71a4c94b952f7a22

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Fowler picked up the 2f4ea65423 reins again and started f23eb2030c running.5049d7a71a748701

“This horse is double the warm-up you just did.”c8f67a236f1baa41

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“What? Why suddenly increase it!”cda689154e4dbdd0

When Fowler turned to 218ca50ae0 look at Hugo, Hugo 6242e74b8e shouted.63d07f3f1b2de975

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“Look ahead! I told you not to block the horse’s path!”db5d7caa83462d68

“Damn…”67b51981deb14873

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Fowler frowned and kept bb271e41f9 running.b1d7334f4b3182ce

“That’s the standard. We interrupted in the middle, so you have to finish the rest. And there are more horses on the ranch than just those, so save your energy and keep running.”1025645035891460

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“Why do I have to…!”50adc6bb15f09df4

Fowler cursed Hugo in 011091fdaa his mind.df73ad4bc87af38a

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‘This guy with no flexibility. Does he think this will make me listen?’cd17cc3913e269e4

But his angry thoughts 65e2cddcdf gradually faded. The more he ran, fa3a625e7f the less he could fe0e108373 think about anything.dc069ce710f8b06e

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“Huff… huff…”ef8aaf3989a06dae

Fowler felt like the jogging he had dismissed as easy was something he had done hours ago. There was no clock in the room, so he couldn’t tell how much time was left. The horse, seemingly tireless, followed him without panting.712be84b099a0d76

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“How… how many minutes left?”4f8f432357a88b7b

“You said you could do it forever.”6a2450d31d1f4f70

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Hugo smirked, aa57c973e8 raising one a1a88a94d3 corner of 9e63b4c644 his mouth.f2ff93e36e645c6e

‘I’m screwed.’49fd4eb7e35359c9

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Fowler realized his predicament. He thought of it as a punishment rather than a task. Of course, he didn’t regret or reflect on his choices.6f5a3d17041cbdf0

It wasn’t reasonable for an ordinary person to do this for hours every day. Even professional marathoners wouldn’t do it.303e361a87d17982

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Hugo’s task wasn’t simply to torture Fowler. It was like warming up the horse before training. But a horse’s stamina was considerable by human standards, requiring at least thirty to forty minutes of running.e47ab1adaf6987bc

“You can go back now. You look exhausted.”9f1f160faea3c568

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“Who are you calling a coward…! I don’t need it!”7770487531687e07

But there 114c3d3622 was no 2b6130d661 need to 8682e6882a run this e4f77cc096 hard. Someone skilled 2a4a6a95e6 with horses e760bcc9dd could make dfccc5c531 them run 06aae40291 with minimal 4f6c5c7ec6 effort.acb4d5a43c17824d

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If he showed 5d59e2d79c any sign of 9c54328382 fatigue or struggle, 775c3b81ac Hugo intended to b6873baff5 tell him. But Fowler stubbornly 6bc09148e5 refused to give a508837501 in, maintaining his 0e679ce049 pride.bb6b6b25ecac1be9

Without any tricks, f99990d956 Fowler had to 6bb9e3d3f1 run alongside, leading 118ac0f111 the reins. Seeing him 0372cd79f7 struggle without 9114432963 eating properly, be18a45a5f Hugo felt dc8f1b00b7 a twinge efc1729d03 of sympathy.0663db6f6d47a8de

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“That’s enough.”712a5364835dd36b

Hugo tapped his 91706e90e2 watch and stopped 5405d0cbc5 Fowler. Fowler groaned and lay e492759991 down on the sandy 949a961b50 floor. He hated 087572c098 sitting on f0c27b19c3 such a 1af5a98684 dirty surface, a934c71ae9 but it ea621d02bd was better 8d27bf9254 than dying.49cd279bac845219

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“Ugh… I’m going to die. Why the hell am I doing this…?”8d95c05791530e65

Fowler felt like he was going to die from frustration. He couldn’t understand why he had to go through this. Hugo forcibly pulled Fowler up by the arm.b552a5928fefc591

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“Get up.”f068c8f0cbace6ab

“Why! Can’t I even rest?”5a72f9c7943c1e8e

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“If you lie down after running like that, your muscles will spread, and you won’t be able to get up the next day.”b8a780bde32bcff0

“Then don’t make me run so much in the first place!”2ae9953cc12e29ba

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