Hera nced down, noticing she was indeed carrying her slippers, and then slowly bent down to slip them on.


    This series of actions elicited a soft chuckle from Xavier who was just walking behind them, preparing to go back inside to wash up. "Your feet are already dirty."


    Realizing that her feet were already dirty, <i>’Right, my feet are already dirty, so what’s the use of wearing my slipper at this point?’</i> Hera scratched the back of her head, a wry smile forming on her lips. It dawned on her that her rxed lifestyle back at the mansion had perhaps made her a bit too carefree. The urgency of their current situation served as a stark reminder of the hustle and bustle she was ustomed to every morning.


    Hera, Zen, and Xavier took their time washing up while the other participants busied themselves with cooking a simple breakfast in the kitchen. After 20 minutes, Hera and the others descended with their ingredients. As expected, by then everyone else had finished preparing their breakfast and was now eating at the dining table.


    Some made do with a loaf of bread, while others settled for porridge.


    "What are you cooking?" Xavier asked, standing next to Hera as he surveyed the ingredients on the counter.


    Hera considered for a moment, then suggested, "How about we make an Egg Drop soup with fish balls, pan-seared fish, and an omelet with mushroom?"


    Xavier nodded slightly at her suggestion but remained silent.


    "What do I do?" Zen asked as he rolled up his sleeves and walked over to join them.


    "How about you crack 10 eggs into the bowl, and separate 2 eggs into a smaller one?" Hera suggested.


    "Got it."


    While Zen began cracking eggs, Hera started cleaning and scaling the fish, with Xavier observing her closely, quietly taking in every move she made.


    Shortly thereafter, Herapleted cleaning the fish, while Zen finished cracking the eggs and proceeded to scramble them. Hera then focused on deboning three fishes for the pan-seared dish. However, when she began mincing the fish meat, Xavier stepped in and took over, allowing Hera to focus on the cooking process.


    She began by boiling water and added the fish heads, allowing them to simmer. While waiting for it to reach a boil, she swiftly chopped the mushrooms and seasoned the fish, then heated the pan. Zen assisted by ensuring Hera had all the ingredients she needed, and washing them as required. Their seamless coordination, marked by minimalmunication, streamlined the cooking process. In less than 15 minutes, the meal was ready, leaving them with ample time to enjoy their food together.


    The meal they prepared, while modest, outshone the fare of the others by a significant margin. Each mouthful elicited envy from the other participant who were eating at the dining table, who could only watch with longing as they sampled their own meager rations. Hera and herpanions ate with swift efficiency, promptly tidying up the used dishes. Surprisingly, they finished well ahead of the one-hour deadline set by the Director, settlingfortably on the front porch as they awaited their guides to arrive.


    Shortly thereafter, their guides arrived one by one, each leading them to their respective work sites. Given that they had different guides, they were directed to different locations ordingly.


    Xavier was directed to a spacious chicken coop, tasked with collecting eggs and tending to the chickens. Meanwhile, Zen found himself in the sheep barn, where his duty was to assist in herding the sheep to the shearing area. As for Hera, Bry led her to the cattle barn, where she received instruction on how to milk cows.


    In most modern dairy operations, machines handle the milking process efficiently. However, in the vige setting, manual milking is still the norm, requiring human hands for the task. As Hera entered the barn, she observed several vigers seated in designated spots, diligently milking cows. Bucket by bucket, they filled containers with milk,ter transferring them torger vessels for transport to the awaiting truck.


    An older man positioned near the barn entrance took it upon himself to demonstrate the milking process to Hera, allowing her to follow along and try her hand at the task. However, there was skepticism among the others, doubting Hera’s ability to fill even a single bucket. They anticipatedints about the task’s difficulty or unpleasantness.


    Despite sensing theck of expectations from those around her, Hera remained unfazed. She focused intently on the demonstration provided by the older man, absorbing his tips and guidance with determination. Practicing under his watchful eye, she made several attempts to grasp the technique before Bry eventually assigned her to an empty position, offering assistance as she tackled her task. Though others may have doubted her abilities, Hera was determined to prove herself capable.


    Initially, Hera struggled to find the right bnce of pressure needed to extract milk from the cow’s udder. She grappled with the challenge of applying just enough force to effectively squeeze out the milk without causing difort or agitation to the cow. Too much pressure risked injury and provoked the animal to kick or resist, while too little resulted in minimal milk yield that is almost close to none.


    As Hera became morefortable with the task, she began to enjoy it, engaging in conversations with Bry to pass the time while her hands deftly worked. Observing her dedication andck of disdain toward the job, the other vigers began to open up to her as well, sharing additional insights, tips, and anecdotes about their experiences with the cows. This interaction fostered a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect among them.


    Hera was so engrossed in her task that she didn’t realize how quickly she had bonded with the vigers. Women began inviting her to their houses for lunch and dinner, impressed by her humble yet determined attitude. They admired her seriousness andck of judgment toward any profession, finding her approach refreshing and respectful.


    They also enjoyed conversing with her because they sensed she could empathize with their hardships and had likely experienced simr challenges in her own life.


    As a result, Bry began enthusiastically recounting his horseback riding adventures with Hera to everyone, albeit with a touch of exaggeration, given his childlike perspective. Despite the embellishments, his tales captivated the audience, who were astonished considering how much Bry used to tremble whenever his father rode Diamond because of what happened to his unclest year.


    It was quite astonishing to hear him narrate the tale of how Hera ’tamed’ the ’ck beast.’ This unexpected ount earned Hera admiration for her courage and for aiding Bry in breaking out of his shell.