Although snagging a Prismatic Shard for free felt great, Leon still couldn’t help but feel a lingering sense of unease.
Rasmodius clearly paid close attention to Abigail. If, back then, she had lain down on his bed and he had just gone along with it, the chest might not have held a Prismatic Shard at all… but him instead.
Being a gentleman really does pay off, Leon thought with some relief. Then he turned to Abigail and asked,
“So, when are you heading to the Calico Desert?”
“How about now?” Abigail suggested.
“The last bus leaves at five in the afternoon,” Leon replied. “By the time you get there, it’ll be six. Pam won’t wait long before heading back with the last group of passengers. And from there to Yoba’s Crafting Altar, it’s at least a half-hour walk. Are you planning to spend the night in the desert?”
He knew Abigail was eager, but he hadn’t expected her to be this eager.
“Then tomorrow morning,” Abigail quickly changed her plan, then asked, “Will you come with me?”
“If nothing unexpected happens tomorrow, I will,” Leon said.
After all, he was curious to see if Abigail had the potential to become a top-tier warrior.
Rasmodius seemed to think highly of her, which meant she might have a knack for learning magic. And if she could also obtain a Galaxy Weapon, wouldn’t that make her a rare talent in both magic and martial skill?
Leon also had his own reasons for going to the desert. He was out of fruit for brewing; the rhubarb wasn’t ripe yet, and the fruit bats weren’t delivering. The desert was currently his best source for fruit—he planned to pick some cactus fruit and coconuts at the Windrise Oasis.
“I’ll wait for you at your farm tomorrow morning,” Abigail said with a bright smile, clearly happy with Leon’s answer.
Leon nodded, then glanced at the Prismatic Shard in her hands.
“Want to keep fishing? You seem lucky today—maybe your next cast will bring in something even better.”
“Sure.” Abigail looked at the sun, which was already sinking westward, but there was still time. She didn’t refuse.
Unfortunately, although she caught a few more fish, they were all common lake varieties. No more treasure chests appeared.
Abigail seemed content. Leon didn’t mind either, though he felt a bit regretful.
Such a perfect chance to drain some gold from Rasmodius had gone to waste.
“Leon, you take these fish. I don’t have much use for them,” Abigail said as the sky began to darken, reluctantly handing over her fishing rod. “But fishing is really fun. I’m going to buy my own rod so I can fish with you. When summer comes, let’s join the trout contest together.”
“Take one home,” Leon suggested. “Largemouth bass tastes pretty good. Have your mother cook it—you should at least try the fruits of your labor.”
“Alright.” Abigail accepted without argument.
After putting away the rod, Leon walked Abigail back to Pelican Town. When they reached Pierre’s General Store, Leon pulled a lively largemouth bass from his System Backpack and handed it to her. The fish’s strong tail kept thrashing, as if trying to escape his grip.
Abigail, imitating Leon’s technique, hooked her fingers under the fish’s gills. “It’s so heavy. I can’t believe I caught this.”
Leon gave her a disdainful look.
“Okay, okay,” Abigail said awkwardly. “With your help. Better?”
The truth was, when the largemouth bass had bitten earlier that afternoon, Leon had been quick enough to grab the rod before she could be dragged into the lake by the fish’s powerful escape attempt. He steadied her, and together they hauled it in.
Thinking of that moment made Abigail’s cheeks flush. Leon had stood close behind her, guiding her hands on the rod’s grip. Four hands on that small space meant their fingers were practically touching.
“Go home and rest,” Leon said, unaware of her expression. “Don’t stay up too late or you’ll oversleep tomorrow.”
After Leon left, Abigail looked down at the bass, now far less energetic than when it first appeared from the backpack. She hurried inside and called out to her father.
“Dad! Look at this fish I caught! Let’s have fish for dinner tonight.”
“Well now, that’s a big one. I didn’t know you had such talent.”
Pierre had been worried—Abigail hadn’t come home for lunch, and he hadn’t seen her all afternoon. He’d feared she was off on some dangerous adventure again. Seeing her come back with a fish made him breathe easier.
Fishing might not be the most ladylike hobby, but it was far safer than chasing after adventurer tales and trying to imitate them. He didn’t want her to lose interest in something so safe.
He didn’t expect her to be outstanding or perfect—just to live a peaceful life like an ordinary girl.
“Tonight, I’ll cook it myself. Back in my younger days, I was a pretty good amateur chef. Watch me.” Pierre took the fish confidently. “Go take a bath first. If your mother smells fish on you, you’ll be in trouble again.”
“Alright.” Abigail was surprised by her father’s unusually warm attitude. She wasn’t used to it—but she liked it much better than his usual stern lectures.
Maybe it’s because I brought home a big fish, she thought.
She began to think that maybe fishing wasn’t such a bad pastime after all. Perhaps she should make it part of her daily routine.
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