Chapter 62: Cooking deer

I stood before the deer, my hands hesitant and unsure. The task of butchering was foreign to me, a stark contrast to the familiar dance of cooking. Ava, sensing my reluctance, stepped forward with a comforting smile.

"Don't worry, I'll guide you through it," Ava said, her hands deftly taking up the knife. "Just follow my lead."

Under Ava's patient instruction, I began to cut into the deer, my initial trepidation giving way to a focused determination. Together, they worked, separating the meat from bone, the process a new kind of collaboration between us.

It's not so bad to be helped by Ava like this and she seems to be used to it. I'm still amazed by the fact that she's a duchess, I don't see how someone who's supposed to be rich can know or even do things like that. 

Once the task was done, Ava packed the pieces neatly. "Now, we need to wash these before we cook them," she explained. "There's a river nearby, come on."