Dragged out by Abigail, Leon looked at her helplessly and said, “I know I promised to help you break the record, but can’t we at least wait until after dinner? You’re in way too much of a hurry.”
“It’s still early, and you’ve got nothing to do back at home anyway. Why not kill some time with a round of Prairie King’s Big Adventure? Perfect, right?” Abigail said with a straight face, trying to coax him.
“Fair point.” Leon admitted she had convinced him. Honestly, if he went back to the farm now, aside from taking a shower and watching TV, he couldn’t think of any other way to entertain himself.
“And besides, Mom said she’s preparing a gift for you. Once we’re done, you can drop me off to pick it up. Isn’t that great?” Abigail clapped her hands, clearly pleased he had agreed.
“What do you think Caroline will give me?” Leon couldn’t help feeling curious.
“Probably tea leaves. That’s her favorite gift to give. She’s always been proud that her greenhouse can grow high-quality tea trees, and her tea leaves are really popular. If it weren’t for Dad worrying about tiring her out and not daring to ask for more, her tea might’ve been the store’s best-selling product by now,” Abigail explained.
“So… do you know Caroline’s attitude toward her tea tree cultivation? Like, does she treat it as some kind of secret technique?” Leon asked, testing the waters.
“I’m not sure, but… now that I think about it, I’ve never seen her teach anyone to grow tea trees. Leon, are you that interested in tea tree farming?” Abigail shook her head, then realized his meaning.
“Yeah. I’m a farmer, after all. I’m interested in any plant that can be cultivated. Plus, I do enjoy a good cup of tea,” Leon said frankly. He figured that apart from his own efforts, Abigail putting in a good word might be just as useful.
“Oh? You like tea? Then next time I’ll bring you some—enough to last you ages.” Abigail hadn’t expected this hobby from him and made the promise with a pat to her chest.
“Uh… no thanks. Let’s just head to the Starfruit Saloon,” Leon hurriedly declined. He could already imagine Caroline’s thoughts if Abigail really played delivery girl. He didn’t want to be tied down to her over a few tea leaves.
When they arrived at the Starfruit Saloon, Abigail seemed to completely forget the earlier topic. She flung the doors open and headed straight for the game room.
Leon, meanwhile, went to greet Emily and Gus at the counter before joining her. This was one of the busiest times for the saloon, and he didn’t want to cause trouble for them.
It was his first time coming to the game room in the evening, and it was surprisingly lively. In addition to arcade machines, there was also a pool table. Sebastian, whom he’d met twice before, and Sam, whom he’d only met once, were in the middle of a game.
This time it was Abigail who greeted them. Both sides were casual about it—just a nod between acquaintances.
When Leon and Abigail started up Prairie King’s Big Adventure, Sebastian and Sam exchanged a glance, then looked at Leon and shook their heads, muttering to each other.
“Didn’t expect him to be friends with Abigail.”
“What, you interested in the new farmer?”
“No. Just think it’s a shame for my stepsister. I thought they could’ve gotten closer.”
“….”
Their quiet talk didn’t reach Leon’s ears. But even if it had, he wouldn’t have cared.
Right now, he was too busy trying to cover for Abigail against the swarms of little enemies. He had expected her to be a bit lacking in skill, but it turned out she was hopeless—charging straight at danger, never dodging, just standing in place firing bullets, living proof of the saying that the best defense is a good offense.
Unfortunately, the difficulty and monster density in two-player mode were much higher. By the end of the first stage, Abigail had already lost two lives.
It gave Leon a headache. He had to control his own character while directing her.
“Why does it feel harder?” Abigail complained after their first attempt ended with them falling to the stage boss.
“Because it’s two-player mode,” Leon explained.
“Ohhh, no wonder. I’ve never tried two-player before,” Abigail said sheepishly. “Sorry, Leon… I think I dragged you down.”
“There’s no ‘think’ about it. You did. Now follow my lead.”
If it had been some soft-spoken girl, Leon might have comforted her gently. But with Abigail, he never felt the need for mercy and teased her bluntly.
Abigail didn’t mind. She knew she was bad at the game, but instead of getting discouraged, she just grinned. “Alright, I’ll listen to you this time.”
“Then let’s go again.”
They put in more coins and started a second round.
This time, Abigail actually followed instructions. The early stages went smoothly—she only lost one life during the boss fight due to a late dodge. It wasn’t perfect, but they made it to the second level.
With Leon calling the shots, Abigail stopped thinking for herself entirely, happily sticking close to him “for cover.” The problem was, this made it harder for him to clear enemies in time, and soon they were surrounded, ending their second attempt.
“So hard…” Abigail muttered like a dead fish, staring blankly at the Game Over screen.
“How about changing the stakes? At this rate, we’ll be doing time in here,” Leon said, feeling just as hopeless.
“Am I really that much worse than Sophia?” Abigail suddenly asked.
“Uh… you want the truth or a lie first?” Leon asked.
“Both.”
“Truth is, there’s a big gap. The lie is, you’re just as good as her—it’s only that you’re not used to the difficulty and monster density in two-player mode,” Leon replied.
“Mm, I’ll take the lie. Feels more like the truth. Probably because I usually play with a controller, and I’m not used to this joystick-and-buttons setup. How about we go to my room and play on my console instead? As long as I beat your and Sophia’s score, it still counts as a win—whether here or at home. What do you think?”
“That’s really not negotiable into another game?” Leon groaned. After tonight, he had a very clear understanding of her gaming talent.
“Fine, then tomorrow you have to teach me to fish!” Abigail offered.
“Deal.”
Compared to being stuck in here gaming with her, teaching the already slightly skilled Abigail to fish was a piece of cake. Leon wasn’t stupid—he knew which to pick.
“Great. Once you’re done with your chores tomorrow morning, I’ll come find you.”
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