novelraw Chapter 24: I’ll Forgive You This Time
Chapter 24: I’ll Forgive You This Time
Abigail crouched beside Leon, bowl in hand, watching as he flipped the pan. The sizzling pancakes sent out an unabashed, pungent aroma of wild leek that made her swallow unconsciously.
Unable to resist, she asked, “Do we still have to wait long?”
“Nope.” Leon shook his head, then deftly flicked his spatula, sending the golden scallion-and-egg pancake sailing in a perfect arc right into the bowl in Abigail’s hands.
“Go on, try it. I’ve no idea what it tastes like with wild leek.” Leon gestured for her to dig in while he went back to cooking the next one.
“Ah—hot!” She’d tried to grab the pancake with her hand, but the oil-slicked crust fresh from the pan was a trap for her fingers.
Still, that didn’t stop her appetite. After blowing on it a few times to cool the surface, she leaned in and took a tentative bite.
Crunch.
The sound of crispy crust against her teeth made her eyes go wide. “Wow, this is delicious.”
Glancing at her expression, Leon was relieved to see he hadn’t botched it. Seemed the wild leek he’d foraged didn’t have any strange flavors. That meant all his effort—and the dough and eggs—hadn’t gone to waste. The food was fine, the pancakes smelled great, and he could enjoy his breakfast in peace.
After the second batch was done, Leon abandoned the idea of dumping the rest of the batter in at once. Pancakes were best eaten hot. With the first bite, he nodded in satisfaction.The crisp crust paired with the rich scent of oil brought the instant joy of carbs. The wild leek’s onion-like flavor lifted the taste even higher, and the egg gave it a satisfying heft. One mouthful was pure bliss.
And thanks to the high-heat frying, the lingering oil not yet absorbed by the crust added an extra punch. Heat wasn’t a drawback here—it was part of the seasoning.
Still, eating food that hot wasn’t great for the tongue or throat, so after tasting it fresh from the pan, Leon, like Abigail, blew on his pancake until it was safe to eat.
Each pancake was about the size of a plate but not very thick. One wasn’t enough to fill Leon’s stomach.
After wolfing down the first, he moved on to the third without pause.
Abigail, meanwhile, was still savoring her first, chewing slowly.
By the time Leon was full, Abigail reluctantly swallowed the last bite. She didn’t forget to lick the oil and crumbs from her fingers either—a sight so cute that Leon stared for a moment.
“What are you looking at?”
Leon’s gaze was obvious enough for her to notice, but his forthrightness left her unsure how to protest.
“You’ve got crumbs on your face.” Leon’s answer came without a flicker of embarrassment.
“Really? Where?” Forgetting her question about his staring, Abigail hurriedly rubbed her face. Unfortunately, her oily fingers only left more streaks.
Leon couldn’t help but laugh, and Abigail shot him a glare before retreating into the cabin to wash up.
When she finally felt her face was clean, she came back out—only to find Leon wasn’t cleaning up the used cookware at all. Instead, he was wandering around a freshly tilled plot.
Watching for a bit, she realized he wasn’t wandering—he was crouching down, carefully parting the soft soil to check on the seeds buried there.
He didn’t mind the mud on his hands. His focus kept her from disturbing him.
Her eyes drifted back to the cookware sitting by the clay stove. In the end, she made up her mind, gathered everything up, and took it into the cabin to wash.
Out in the field, Leon muttered over the seeds he’d uncovered. “Where did I plant those potatoes?”
After searching several patches without success, he gave up, tilled a fresh row, and buried the potato seeds Abigail had given him.
When he finished watering and went to wash his hands at the pond, he spotted Abigail crouched by the field’s edge, watching him curiously.
“What’s up?” Leon asked. “I thought you’d gone.”
“Nothing. Just curious what a farmer’s life is like. Looks pretty busy.” She stood and added in a mildly reproachful tone, “You should wash your dishes right after using them, or they’ll breed bacteria. I’ve already cleaned everything and put it away. Next time, remember it yourself.”
Leon finally remembered the cookware he’d left out. But since Abigail had already taken care of it, there was nothing for him to worry about.
“Thanks. I’d completely forgotten.”
The purple-haired girl clearly enjoyed the thanks—her smile was radiant. “No need. You fed me breakfast, so let’s call it payment.”
Leon chuckled and teased, “Then how about I make you an extra portion every time, and you handle the dishes?”
“No way. Your farm’s too far from town, and I’ve got my own things to do.” She frowned, then added, “And saying that to a single woman is pretty rude. But since you’re a good cook, I’ll forgive you this time.”
“Rude? How so?” Leon could tell she’d taken the joke seriously. Instead of explaining, he gave her a thoughtful look.
“Hmph.”
Abigail wasn’t taking the bait. With a snort, she turned and left without looking back.