"Ethea, there's something I want to give you..."
"..."
Ethea paused, turning her head toward him. Her expression remained neutral, but Soren had learned to read her well enough to know it was her way of listening.
He reached into his inventory and pulled out the manual, holding it out for her to see.
Noticing the confusion in her eyes, Soren explained, "I found this inside the Golden Gate. However, it can only be learned by females."
Ethea's interest was clearly piqued, but she looked from the book back up to his face, her tone changing slightly. "...Why are you giving it to me? Do you... want me to check what it is?"
"Huh?" Soren was caught off guard by her question, but he quickly found his footing. "No, no," he replied, shaking his head. "I was going to give it to you regardless. Because..."
"..?"
"Well, anyway, let's just open it, and you'll understand everything soon."
Although a flicker of suspicion crossed her features, Ethea silently acquiesced.
