Mr. Vaughn was just a normal HOME-EC teacher.
The type that was hoping for students to learn something useful, for once: Cooking, banking, sewing, all of that, he was gonna go over it all – just for the students. Actually, this was a bit of a coverup. Technically, he was here for something else… The students all claimed he was a renowned 'Cultivation Chef': a secretive figure that was much older than he looked. And no, it wasn't like being a yoga instructor for vegetables. Supposedly, Cultivation Chefs could cook up meals that gave powers straight out of murim webtoons.
"As you've probably guessed, this isn't your typical Home Ec. class," Mr. Vaughn began, his deep-blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "We don't just whip up brownies here. We whip up magic!"
'I mean,' Steven thought to himself, he'd heard of 'secret sauce' before, but this seemed a bit over the top.
Flashing through slides, Mr. Vaughn talked about the essence of the universe, spices, and how "the temperature at which you heat your soup might decide whether you could levitate afterward."
"Think of it as Boarsnorts, but for cooking," he said with a smirk that highlighted his dimples, "A sprinkle of magic. A dash of science. It's what you get after."
Boar-snorts?
Dieze helpfully brought up a description:
['Boarsnorts, a renowned institute of magic, offers training in the arcane arts. Known for its iconic boar emblem, this S-tier magic academy combines traditional wizardry with modern enchantments, producing spellcasters of the highest caliber.' X]
Eager to start, Mr. Vaughn called for a volunteer. "You! What's your name?"
The boy hesitated, "Sad."
Mr. Vaughn raised an eyebrow. "Like... unhappy? Or..."
"No," the boy stared back, "Like Sad Ramen. Last name: ramen."
Grinning, Mr. Vaughn clapped him on the back. "Perfect. Because today, we're making ramen that might just make you float. Or explode. One of the two. Ready?"
MR. VAUGHN'S RECIPE (as written by Student #XX):
"- LIST of INGREDIENTS
Step 1. COOK!
Step 2. PLATE!
Step 3. EAT!"
"Alright, so first off. You want to start with the soup. We're going to use chicken broth as the base for our soup… Usually, this process can take quite long, so I already prepped the stock."
"Ramen, compared to chicken stock, is a bit different." Mr. Vaughn explained that the stock had to have: tare, miso, or soy sauce.
"And tare…"
[Dieze: 'TARE Breakdown. INGREDIENTS: Mirin: A sweetened rice wine; Dashi: A foundational broth; Vinegar; Sake: Japanese rice wine; Spices; Ginger & Garlic; and oils.]
Steven muttered that he knew what 'tare' was.
Meanwhile, in the front, Sad started to reach for the ingredients to make tare.
"But since we're pressed for time, we'll just use the store-bought version!" Mr. Vaughn announced.
Sad Ramen stared, before adding store-bought tare into the soup.
"Now, we'll use curly, thicker noodles, so let's get the dough ready!" Mr. Vaughn finished off.
Sad started to reach for the dough.
"But, since we don't have the time for that, we're just gonna use premade noodles."
Sad stared again, grabbing a knife.
Time quickly ticked by as the students followed along…
"Wow.." Mayo glanced over. "How are you so good at cooking?"
"Um…" Steven said.
Mayo watched as Steven's hands became a blur. Occasionally, the boy glanced over at Zero to help adjust little things here and there… to add a miniscule amount of spices here and there… and Steven was helping Mayo, too. His own pot was already turning out quite nicely.
Well, he had been multitasking with multiple pots.
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['Your current COOKING LV. is Lv 99.']
[XX Exp until prestige!]
['Skill Description: At this level, your understanding and expertise in the culinary arts are unmatched. Each dish you craft possesses flavors and techniques that are of the highest standard.']
['Note: Progressing this skill can be achieved through continuous culinary exploration and perfection.']
Looking back at Mayo, Steven answered, "I had to cook a lot growing up."
And the class quickly ended after that. (But not before someone set half of the classroom on status: FIRE).
"I need a flute." Steven told his group as they walked out of class, with the smoke wafting out behind them.
"A flute?" Zero tilted his head, shaking off pieces of celery.
"Yep."
"Cool, you can get one at the MUSIC SHOP." Mayo suggested, covering her nose.
"Do they sell like cultivation flutes?" Steven asked, patting his hair.
"You mean like flute artifacts?" Mayo nodded, "Yep, of course. Follow me!"
LOADING…
Welcome to the MUSIC shop! Ring-a-Ding!
The trio entered the MUSIC shop, the soft chime of a bell announcing their arrival. Rows upon rows of instruments, each more intricate than the last, filled the shop. The room was a symphony of colors, with polished woods, brass, and shimmering strings, reflecting the dim light. "Take a look around," The bored shopkeeper at the front said.
Steven looked at the normal-looking instruments in a bin:
Dieze, helpfully, explained via. pop-up: "Those are Mortal Tier Instruments with a touch of the extraordinary, holding secrets just beyond the mundane. The lowest grade…"
As they began to explore the shop, a strange sensation pulled at Steven. Drawn towards a particular shelf, he felt an inexplicable connection to a flute that lay there. And suddenly, as if guided by an unseen force, his hands reached out, and the flute seamlessly flew into his grasp.
Dieze's notification popped up: [??? Flute, ??? Grade, Earthly Tier]
Earthly Tier?
[Dieze: Earthly Tier: These weapons draw power from the earth and nature itself. They may be made from rare earthly materials or have undergone special rituals in sacred groves, caves, or atop mountains, capturing the very essence of the terrestrial world." X]
Indeed, the flute seemed to be special.
Steven felt the weight of the flute in his hands, its surface cool yet pulsating with a faint warmth. The black flute's design was simple, but as he inspected it, subtle patterns, reminiscent of sprawling landscapes and mountain ranges, began to emerge. It didn't feel like a simple instrument: it seemed alive, a piece of the earth's 'magma-nimous' heart.
Steven gently set the flute down, its weight lingering on his fingertips. He tilted his head to find the price tag when suddenly, a shadow fell over the instrument.
Before he could react, a hand swiftly snatched it away.
He looked up into the cold, piercing eyes of a boy with flowing raven-black hair. The boy was surrounded by two others – a silver-haired girl exuding a frosty elegance, and a hulking brute with dark curly hair whose very presence seemed to push the air out of the room.
The dark-haired boy tilted the flute, examining it in the dim light, his smirk sharp. "Oh? This caught your eye, too?" His voice dripped with petty arrogance, "But it seems too advanced for someone of your... stature."
Steven bristled but kept his composure. His fingers curling, he shrugged: "Would it choose you, though?"
The silver-haired woman laughed, her voice ringing like chimes in winter: "How quaint! Does the little birdie even know who we are?" Her eyes danced around Steven's face mockingly.
"No. Should I?"
"Y-" The girl's eyes raised, before huffing, "Well, I suppose a country bumpkin like you wouldn't know… The name's:" she announced her name, "...and that boy right there is: Di Feng of the world-class Zhang family."
"What Zhang family?" Steven muttered, "Is that part of the hundred families?" (no.)
"Y-YOU!" The girl's eyes bulged, as the taller brute beside her menacingly stepped forward.
"Stop it," Di Feng raised his hands, before leaning in closer: "Do you even know how to play one of these?" He dangled the flute and sneered, "Or is your courage just limited to words? Besides… it's not yours yet."
Di Feng motioned for his friend. Next to him, the brute reached for a pouch of gold coins, throwing it onto the counter with a thud. The bored shopkeeper eyed the pouch, then sighed. "It's yours," he mumbled, pushing the gold further onto the counter with a disinterested gesture.
Mayo stepped forward, challenging the trio: "Give it back…"
The trio looked around, crouching on the floor, squinting their eyes, before finally noticing Mayo. Oh… there she was?
"Give it back, heh," The girl haughtily crossed her arms, "Ha! It was never yours."
The arrogant trio began to walk away, their backs turned, like they were so clear… the 'country bumpkin and his friends' couldn't possibly be a 'threat'.
Mayo's golden eyes darkened, shifting to a haunting-black.
Without a moment's hesitation, she snatched a flute from a nearby stand. With a dancer's grace and an assassin's precision, she hurled it. It whistled through the air, striking the silver-haired woman on the back of her head. Simultaneously, her other hand grabbed a violin bow, launching it with a fluid motion. It spun like a deadly boomerang, forcing the hulking brute to whirl around, his face a mask of surprise. The curly-haired giant responded, his hands a blur as they hurled metronomes toward Mayo.
Pa-pa-pa!
Quick as a flash, Mayo defended herself with a sturdy music book, deflecting each object with ease. The sheer force of her actions launched her forward, ready to strike.
She began to jump forward. The man with the piercing eyes glared, and raised the newly-acquired flute to his lips, and a melancholic, chilling note filled the air. Suddenly, a gust of wind erupted from the flute. It sent Mayo reeling backward, her hair and clothes billowing fiercely.
Within that short second, the trio had vanished, leaving behind the gold pieces on the table.
"Guys, don't fight…" The shop-keeper muttered.
"Those… cowards." Mayo said in a quiet, but ominously dark tone. Her eyes brightened up as she looked back at Steven. "Uh… so, do you have anything else in mind?" She awkwardly smiled, rubbing the side of her cheek.
"Choose that one." Zero softly said, pointing to…
A flute. Well, it kinda looked like a flute? It looked a bit amateurishly crafted, sure… and unlike the other ornate and brightly colored flutes, this one was plain. Yet, when he picked it up, it felt… strangely comfortable.
Dieze's notification popped up: [??? Flute ??? Grade, Mortal Tier]
['Description: Strong and sturdy, ideal for hitting things.']
['Bonus: can turn into a portable bracelet.']
"I'll take this one…" Steven nodded. It was cheap too. They walked out of the store paying for the item, before a nagging thought entered Steven's mind.
He patted his pockets…
…before realizing that he had left his phone in the home-ec classroom! Aw, Dang it!