Kit contemplated his next option, swinging between slicing or trying something new, he glanced at the raw meat placed in front of him. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head.
This challenge is a chance to showcase my chef skills, not just my knife skills. Without any restrictions mentioned, he decided to slice the meat for the next station and then grill it for the final one.
He was positive that grilling fell under the category of chef skills. But wait, why hasn't he unlocked this skill yet? Kit pondered over this dilemma for a moment before making a decision. He would start by slicing the meat and then decide whether to stick with using a knife or take the risk of using his grilling abilities.
Picking up the red meat, he used his identify ability to get a better understanding of its texture and quality before beginning to slice it.
[Shivna Bull]
A small bull found in the Shivna mountains. It has a thick white coat helping it to blend in with the snow caped mountains. The bull is notoriously aggressive.
The information Kit received wasn’t particularly useful. He let out a frustrated sigh as he noticed the sticky and wet piece of meat in front of him. Before he could start working on it, he needed to wipe it down.
After scanning the area for a cloth, Kit found the bench tops were bare. He then looked under the counter and opened several cupboards until he finally found a stack of dish towels on his third try. Using two towels, Kit carefully wiped off the excess blood from the meat before removing any excess fat and slicing it evenly.
Proudly, Kit admired his fourteen perfectly sliced pieces of meat on the chopping board. However, when he glanced over at the tall man watching him with a stern expression, Kit couldn't tell if he was impressed or disappointed. The man's response of "Move on" only added to Kit's confusion.
He sighed, feeling emotionally drained from the events of the day. He accepted that he might not be able to please a man like this, no matter how hard he tried. As long as he passed the test, Kit would be satisfied.
Despite his beginner skills in dice and advanced beginner skills in slicing, he knew he had already passed this part of the test. He was determined to make the most out of using the appliances in the kitchen, especially since he had never used a proper stove before; his camping kitchen didn't count.
After rummaging through the cupboards again, Kit found some plates and used one for the raw meat. He then turned on one of the six elements on top of the oven, each with three rings of varying sizes. Kit retrieved a black frypan from a cupboard and placed it onto one of the elements.
As soon as he drizzled Apelop nut oil over it, the element glowed a soft purple and started to heat up. Two minutes later, Kit flipped over three steaks into the pan's sizzling hot oil. The aroma made his mouth water.
After another two minutes, Kit deemed them ready and carefully plated them, layering each steak on top of the other. Then, he sliced into the top steak to reveal its perfectly cooked interior, oozing blood and steam. Satisfied with how they turned out, Kit proudly presented them to the stern man for evaluation.
“Fail! You must first become a chef before unlocking the grilling skill. There is no way to accurately measure your skill level without unlocking it.” The instructor's response surprised Kit, finally explaining why he hadn't been able to unlock his grilling skill yet.
He chose to ignore the comment, waiting for further explanation from the tall man before allowing himself to feel discouraged.
"The other two stations are passed." Kit breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that at least one exam was behind him. However, he couldn't shake off his nerves for the remaining two exams. "Thank you," he said with a small smile, hoping to see some softening in the instructor's rigid expression now that he had passed one exam.
But the man's face remained stern, making Kit wonder if that was just his default expression, even when he was happy. Kit didn't fully buy into that line of thinking. Patiently, Kit waited for the instructor to assign his next task.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. You may be grinning now, but that could quickly change if you can't deliver a satisfactory dish. So, what are you planning to make for me? It better be edible because I will be sampling it." The instructor's words sent a chill down Kit's spine.
He hoped the instructor wouldn't be too demanding. His dish was a simple salad with only three ingredients - nothing special. Kit knew he couldn't expect any praise for it.
With a shaky hand, Kit reached into his inventory to retrieve the necessary items. But when he did, he froze. He had forgotten to restock on pears. Panic set in as Kit tried to muster up the courage to ask the instructor for some. He had a feeling it wouldn't go over well.
"Um...c-could I have a pear, please?" The words stumbled out of Kit's mouth.
The incredulous look on the instructor's face made Kit even more nervous. "What did you just say? Did you really come here unprepared for your test?" The instructor's face was turning red with anger, and Kit feared he might explode in frustration.
"I-I apologise, sir. I-I was overcome with excitement," Kit stuttered, struggling to speak through the tears welling in his eyes. He hung his head low, trying to hide his emotions. The instructor let out a deep sigh and Kit heard the refrigerator opening and closing.
Suddenly, there was a loud bang on top of the counter and Kit jumped in fear. His nerves were on edge, and he felt like he couldn't go on any longer. "Please hurry up, I don't have all day," the instructor snapped impatiently.
Kit raised his blurred vision, wiping away tears with a sleeve of his shirt. Blinking to regain focus, he saw a single pear on the counter. Giving a shaky smile to the instructor, he avoided attempting to speak.
Heading over to the sink to clean his hands, Kit carefully washed off any snot residue before taking the pear and a pink crunchy loaf from his pouch. After washing them under the sink as well, he sliced the pear into thin pieces and neatly arranged them on a plate with the leafy greens from the loaf. Taking out an Apelop steak from his pouch, he began grilling it on the stove.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Once cooked to his liking, Kit sliced the meat into even slivers and placed them on top of the salad. Drizzling some Apelop monkey brain oil over it, he watched as the familiar blue swirl emerged around the dish. Adding a purple heart by crushing its stalk over the meal, Kit admired the pink speckled appearance that glittered under the light. He was proud of his creation and no amount of criticism from the instructor could diminish that.
As the instructor approached to try his dish, Kit noticed the plate had changed from white to gold. Confused but still focused on watching every twitch of the instructor's face, he saw a hint of surprise as the meat hit his taste buds.
A small smile formed on Kit's face as he turned towards him, almost as if they were sharing in this moment together. Frowning and pointing at the meal with his fork, the instructor seemed to convey that something was different about it.
“Don’t get too excited. You used oil in this dish, didn’t you? So, unless you made the oil yourself it’s a fail.”” The instructor's tone was condescending.
Kit's smile only widened in response. Oh, how he could not wait to prove this hairy goat cheese of a man wrong. "Actually, I made the oil myself."
The instructor arched an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Prove it. If you can't, then it means you brought it from somewhere else."
Kit felt a twinge of fear as the instructor's expression turned even more menacing. But he wasn't about to back down and let this pompous man win.
Kit had reached his limit with this instructor's constant belittling. He was determined to prove himself as a skilled chef. With a tight grip on his fist, he pulled out the monkey brain nuts from his bag and began shelling them. This man is impossible.
Kit kept his head down in an attempt to hide his anger and focused on the task at hand. He couldn't afford to make any mistakes. After successfully completing all the steps to make his oil, he slammed the fresh jar on the counter in frustration. Kit took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, realising how dangerous it could have been if the glass jar had broken.
The instructor didn't even flinch at his outburst, simply pulling out a white plate and placing the glass bottle on top. The plate turned gold once again. Kit had a theory about why it changed colour, thinking it might have something to do with him creating the dishes on his own.
The instructor then grabbed a spoon and tasted the oil before muttering something under his breath. In the quiet room, Kit couldn't help but overhear his words. "Created two dishes from scratch by himself. Not bad."
Kit's heart swelled at the compliment, causing giggles to escape from him uncontrollably. A warm sensation spread throughout his body, and he could feel his heart thumping with excitement. He had passed the second test. A huge smile spread across Kit's face, almost hurting from being so wide.
"Why are you behaving like that? You have only mastered two dishes. Do you think that's something to be proud of? Do you at least have a drink to complement your meals?" The instructor's tone was sharp and critical.
Kit's smile remained plastered on his face. He was pleased to give a positive response. 'I could slap you again, old fox.' He thought playfully. "I can make fluffy head dragon tea and Sweet Meadow beer." Kit stated proudly.
"Fluffy head dragon tea is nothing special. Pretty much everyone knows how to make it. And what was the beer again?" The instructor scoffed dismissively.
Kit could have sworn he saw a flicker of recognition in the instructor's eyes when he mentioned the drinks. It made him wonder why the man was pretending not to know anything.
"I learned how to make Sweet Meadow beer from a woman named Iris." Kit knew better than to lie to the instructor.
"Iris from the Inn at Sweet Meadow?" affirmed the instructor.
"Yes." Kit nodded triumphantly.
"Prove it." The instructor's tone was authoritative and Kit felt a twinge of unease. He didn't want to show anyone else the recipe that Iris had entrusted him with. She had worked hard to create it and he didn't think she would want him sharing it with others.
"I'm sorry, I can't do that." The line of questioning was making Kit increasingly uncomfortable. He regretted his earlier display of pride and wished he had just kept his cool. This was his dream after all, and he only had to deal with this man during the test.
“Then I won’t be able to pass you,” the instructor stated firmly, giving Kit a serious look that made it clear he was not joking around. The pressure to reveal the secret ingredients for his beer was mounting, and Kit could feel himself becoming intimidated by the instructor's intense gaze.
Kit hesitated, torn between wanting to pass the exam and not wanting to betray a friend. But ultimately, he couldn't bring himself to do it. As regret washed over him, he scrambled to come up with another way to prove he knew the recipe without giving it away.
“I could have Iris write you a letter confirming that I know the recipe,” Kit suggested hopefully.
But the instructor shut him down immediately. “No, that won't suffice. If you can't show me the recipe yourself, then you fail.”
“I’m sorry I really can’t show you. I would be breaking the trust Iris put in me if I share her recipe.” Kit felt tears welling up in his eyes once again as frustration and defeat set in. He couldn't stand this arrogant man's attitude and felt like his dream was slipping away from him. Lost and unsure of what to do next, Kit couldn't help but wonder why he had let his temper get the best of him.
Kit watched as the instructor walked away, heading towards one of the counter tops. As he rummaged through a drawer, Kit couldn't help but feel dismissed. A pang of sadness radiated through his chest and a single tear rolled down his cheek. He was emotionally drained from the rollercoaster of events that had unfolded.
Turning to leave, Kit couldn't bear to stay in this room any longer. But before he could take a step towards the door, the instructor's voice stopped him. "Integrity."
Confusion filled his at the instructors sharp voice, why was the instructor mentioning integrity?
"It's not often I come across someone with integrity these days. Were you really willing to sacrifice your dream for your friend?" the instructor's next words surprised him.
Kit didn't hesitate to answer truthfully. "Yes, she's my friend and I would never betray her."
Having experienced betrayal himself, Kit knew how much it hurt, and he vowed to never make anyone feel like that. Even if it meant putting his own dreams on hold, he would find another way to reach his goal.
"Good, you can call me Instructor Phi. " said the instructor, introducing himself. "Take this, it's the final part of your qualification test."
Kit was confused - just moments ago, he had failed. How was he now being given the last part of the exam? Seeing his confusion, Instructor Phi explained. "I value integrity above all else in this field. People will do anything to steal a recipe, so always be mindful and guard your creations closely. Never reveal your recipes without a contract in place. Understand?"
"Yes, thank you for your advice," replied Kit, still unsure of how to feel. Should he be happy that he passed, or pissed at this infuriating guy?
“You are showing adequate skills for a beginner.” Instructor Phi awkwardly complimented.
Kit's mood suddenly shifted again, leaving him feeling lightheaded. Despite his initial happiness, he couldn't help but feel the need to escape Instructor Phi's presence. The man had a way of making him feel utterly confused.
Instructor Phi handed Kit an envelope with a red wax seal on the back, engraved with the CAL symbol holding a knife and chef's hat. Kit carefully took out his knife and slid it under the wax seal to open the envelope.
Ding!
[CAL]
[Qualification Chef Quest]
Morrigan is a Master chef. Convince him to part with some knowledge.
Reward: Chef sub class profession.
With trembling hands, Kit held the paper that proved he had passed the first two rounds of exams. He longed for Mars to be by his side, so he could share this moment of joy with someone. He couldn't wait to tell Mars about everything he had gone through that day.
Before he could leave Phi spoke once again “You can find Morrigan at the Large Fuzzy Chicken.” The instructor them made a motion with his hands for Kit to come closer. “What chefs’ knife are you using.”
Kit embarrassedly pulled out the rusty knife from his first quest. “If that is the knife you use for cooking, throw it away.” Instructor Phi had a disgusted look on his face. The stern instructor then sighed and waved Kit away, Kit could tell he was finally being dismissed.
"Thank you for administering the exam," Kit said, but all he heard in response was a grunt. Finally, he was free to go and went out the door in search of Mars.