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The cool breeze on the mountaintop blew gently, and the stars in the sky were as dense as silver grains.
When Bai En and the two others finished their battle and returned to the Aqua Deer Squad base, it was already late. The magical tools used for lighting were still bright in the hall, their brilliant white light faintly shimmering with colorful halos.
Playing cards were scattered on the table and sofa, but the members of the Aqua Deer Squad were nowhere to be seen. It was likely they had already gone to bed at this hour.
Rill simply instructed them to rest well before excitedly returning to his room with his paintbrush. Walter, the butler, took over, leading the two to their rooms, and as they walked, he introduced the layout of the base to Bai En and Nancy.
"This is the side hall, usually used for afternoon breaks and coffee. The sunlight streams in warmly through the floor-to-ceiling windows entwined with vines, making it very comfortable for resting... Up on the second floor, this way is the library..."
"The living room on the second floor is also a lounge area..."
"Over there are the bathhouses and washrooms. Oh, right, there are separate bathhouses for men and women, so remember not to mix them up!"
Bai En followed behind Walter and suddenly asked, "Mr. Walter, where is the kitchen?"
As a chef, he naturally needed to know his workplace and environment immediately.
"The base's kitchen is next door. The Magic Knights' meals are usually prepared by me, although..." Walter showed a hint of an awkward smile, "Jie Kai really hopes I can hand over the kitchen duties to him, but as you saw today... he doesn't seem quite suited for it."
"It looks like that uncle is very persistent about cooking," Nancy murmured, deeply impressed by the deathly dish the bald uncle had made.
"That's not it," Walter stroked the mustache at the corner of his mouth and explained, "Jie Kai came to the Aqua Deer at the same year as Young Master Rill, which is why I'm quite familiar with him. He has a six-year-old daughter. Due to his work with the Magic Knights, his daughter has been cared for by his wife alone for a long time."
"During a recent vacation, when his wife was sick and he was caring for his daughter, he suddenly realized he couldn't even cook a decent meal for his daughter. So, since the beginning of this year, he's been diligently practicing his cooking, hoping to personally prepare a dinner for her on her birthday soon."
"It's a father's wish."
Nancy nodded, "So that's how it is."
"Of course, Jie Kai usually asks me for cooking advice and has privately bought cookbooks to practice, but the results aren't ideal... I think sometimes effort isn't enough; a little talent is needed."
"It's the same with everything."
After discussing Jie Kai, Walter returned to the topic of the kitchen. He said, "If going next door is too much trouble, and you just want to make something simple, there's a small kitchen in the main hall on the first floor. It was prepared by the Magic Knights for when Jie Kai cooks... Hmm... the equipment is quite basic."
"Remember to clean up after yourself when you're done."
"Alright~"
Pushing open the room door, Walter had already taken Nancy up to the third floor. Pressing the switch on the magical tool by the door, the incandescent light came on. Bai En scanned the room; the sky-blue walls with various fish patterns made it feel like being in an endless ocean.
He didn't need to think twice to know whose masterpiece it was.
The room was not narrow; it was very spacious. Unlike the multi-person bunks in the church, it was a single room with a bed, wardrobe, desk... all the basic furnishings were there. The bedding and hygiene seemed to have been recently tidied, likely by Mr. Walter.
It didn't look bad... After resting for a while in the room, Bai En began to organize his belongings: clothes, pants, fruits, plant seeds... and some food seasonings from his package.
He would find a place to plant the seeds once he settled down. The food seasonings needed to be put in the kitchen later.
The desk leaned against the window, and through the glass, he could see the boundless night sky outside, adorned with stars and a silver moon. The night view from the mountaintop was quite beautiful. Cool breezes wafted in through the window, and Bai En took up a quill pen to begin writing a letter.
Apart from magic, there wasn't really anything interesting about this world.
No mobile phones, computers, let alone movies or games. In short, there were far fewer leisure activities than on Blue Star. Just like now, it was probably only nine or ten o'clock, and most people had already fallen asleep... As for why he was writing a letter?
The people in the church, with whom he had lived for over ten years, were his family. Having lived in an orphanage in his previous life, he especially cherished this hard-won affection. After joining the Magic Knights, he naturally wanted to share this joyful news with everyone. The other two guys were probably doing the same.
His letter was very long, detailing his journey after leaving Hage Village, his experiences upon entering the capital, such as the expensive prices and the novel but ordinary-tasting fruits.
Some of it was about the Magic Knights' examination... and the big battle with the Squad Captain immediately after joining the Aqua Deer Squad. Although he lost, he received a gift from the Squad Captain... In short, he wrote whatever came to mind, freely sharing his experiences.
Some people appear unapproachable and don't like to talk, but in reality, once a certain valve is opened, they will talk endlessly. Coincidentally, Bai En was one such person.
The pen tip continuously scraped across the paper, making a rustling sound... Stopping his tired hand, Bai En put away the letter draft, intending to find time to send the letter back. His gaze then fell upon the "gift" Rill had given him, and he pasted the painting on the desk, thinking he should frame it someday when he had time.
Taking a few changes of clothes, the room door quietly closed.
The bathhouse was steaming hot. It had to be said that the treatment in a Magic Knights Squad Captain's Magic Knights was indeed good; even this late, the bath was still filled with hot water. The entire bathhouse seemed to have undergone special treatment with magic for water changes and temperature.
At first, Bai En hadn't considered the benefits. He had only pondered the pros and cons of the four Magic Knights Squads that had chosen him, then made his decision. Although Jack, the Squad Captain of the Green Mantis Squad, was a commoner, he had a violent temper, and his Magic Knights Squad had the most members, so competition would surely be fierce.
The Azure Orcas were even worse; their current Squad Captain was a guy who would do anything for money, and the members of the Squad also played dirty tricks on each other, hardly a normal Magic Knights Squad... The remaining choices were the Aqua Deer and the Coral Peacock, which were also quite a dilemma.
Upon second thought, all matters, big or small, in the Coral Peacock Squad were handled by the Vice Squad Captain—a pompous, narcissistic royal. If he joined there, he would surely face difficulties. Thus, Bai En chose Rill's Aqua Deer.
What kind of Magic Knights Squad was a young master's Magic Knights Squad? It was all up to luck.
After washing his hair, Bai En lay quietly in the bathtub, leaning against the wall. In the goosebump-inducing pleasure, he felt his choice was quite correct, at least judging from his first day's experience.
Fatigue and vexation gradually receded in the bath.
Enjoying the comfortable atmosphere, his stomach, without him realizing, began to protest.
Bai En then remembered that, apart from the fruit he bought in the market that morning, he hadn't eaten anything all day. Reluctantly, he left the bathhouse, grabbed the seasonings from his room, and headed to the small kitchen in the main hall on the first floor.
The fire-starting tool was a small, round magical device. He looked around and saw pots and bowls, some cold rice, a few carrots... and onions! These were things Bai En had never seen in Hage Village.
After some thought, he decided to cook something simple.
He washed the carrots, peeled the onions, placed his palm over both, and activated Space Slash, instantly dicing them. Remembering how he and Asta had raided a bird's nest on their way to the capital, leaving a few uneaten eggs, he then whisked four eggs.
Just as he was preparing the ingredients, someone suddenly came down from upstairs. It was Nancy, the girl with crimson hair who had joined the Magic Knights with him today. Her eyes were bright, her lips red and teeth white, and her features were as delicate as ever.
After her bath, she was wearing a white nightgown, but her fair skin seemed even whiter than the clothes she wore.
Bai En couldn't help but think of a trending term from his previous life, "cool-toned fair skin." Unlike her dashing and heroic appearance in the silver armor during the day, the current Nancy had more of a girlish charm.
"You..." × 2
Both spoke almost simultaneously, then stopped at the same time. Nancy also seemed not to have expected Bai En to be there.
After a moment of hesitation, Bai En spoke first, "Uh, I'm hungry, so I'm cooking something to eat. Are you too?"
"...Mm."
"Grumble~" A strange sound broke the awkward silence between them. Bai En suddenly chuckled softly; it certainly couldn't have been him.
A blush spread across the girl's face.
"Do you want me to make more so we can eat together?" Bai En invited.
The girl thought for a moment, instinctively nodded, then quickly shook her head. She suddenly remembered what had happened when they first arrived at the Aqua Deer Squad that evening: the moment Bai En ate that deathly dish in front of everyone and his friendly exchange with the bald uncle... While Nancy wasn't confident in her own cooking, it was definitely much better than a deathly dish.
"Um, I'll do it myself."
"Okay." Bai En wasn't sure why she nodded then shook her head, but since she said so, he didn't think about it anymore.
"I'll give you the spot as soon as I'm done. It'll be quick."
Nancy found a seat and sat down quietly. Although Walter had mentioned there was another kitchen next door, neither of them seemed to be the diligent type.
The oil in the pan slowly heated until it slightly smoked. As light smoke rose, Bai En quickly poured in the egg mixture. The eggs instantly expanded upon contact with the hot oil, their edges turning a beautiful golden brown. He quickly broke them up and stir-fried them with a spatula. Once they were large and fluffy, he scooped them out.
He added a little more base oil to the pan, then poured in the diced onions and carrots, stir-frying them over medium heat. The water in the onions evaporated, releasing their sweetness, and their appearance changed from firm to soft and translucent, their edges gradually taking on an appealing caramel color.
A warm, rich, sweet aroma began to fill the kitchen.
Nancy sniffed the scent, which seemed vastly different from what she had imagined. "It smells so good, what is he making?"
Her gaze involuntarily turned towards Bai En.
The onions were golden-brown and slightly charred, and the diced carrots had softened. Bai En turned up the heat of the magical tool a bit, then poured the loosened rice into the pan. He pressed it down with the spatula, stir-frying it quickly, ensuring every grain of rice made contact with the hot pan and oil.
The rice crackled and popped lightly in the pan, becoming loose and distinct grain by grain as time passed. Some grains even bounced off the sides of the pan.
He drizzled soy sauce made from fermented black beans and purple berries along the edge of the pan, then quickly stir-fried everything evenly, allowing the sauce to uniformly coat the rice grains. The rice instantly became glossy and appealing. He sprinkled in a little salt and then poured the previously stir-fried tender egg pieces back into the pan.
The eggs, rice, and onions were thoroughly mixed. Bai En served the rice, garnishing the fried rice with some edible green cloud vines for decoration. The otherworldy fried rice was officially ready.
Looking at the golden, oily rice, Nancy's mouth couldn't help but water. "What did you make?"
Her meaning seemed quite obvious.
In the Clover Kingdom, while rice was a staple, it wasn't as popular as bread or pastries. The scarcity of various seasonings meant that stir-fried dishes were uncommon; instead, fried meat products were more prevalent, and their taste was uniformly sweet and sour.
Bai En hesitated for a moment. The amber onions and large pieces of tender yellow egg emitted an exotic fragrance. He murmured, "Do... you want to try some?"
"Yes." This time, the girl's answer was firm, without the slightest hesitation, and she already had a spoon clutched in her hand.
Hehe... a woman's mouth... At the dining table, after offering a prayer, Nancy said, "I'm going to eat!"
Scooping a spoonful of fried rice into her mouth, Nancy's eyes instantly lit up. After that, her movements never stopped, and she kept mumbling.
It seemed she was saying, "Delicious!"
Wish power quietly flowed, and the magic "Blessing of the God of Cooking" activated. Bai En's magic power showed signs of rising and breaking through.
Under the brilliant light, the two quietly ate their late-night snack, without idle chatter, only reverence and longing for the food. Before long, the rice in the plates was gone. Nancy and Bai En leaned back in their chairs, satisfied, rubbing their bellies.
After resting for a while, Bai En, who was about to get up to wash the dishes, was beaten to it by Nancy. In her words, since she had eaten for free, the remaining chores should be left to her.
Bai En naturally had no reason to refuse. After telling Nancy to rest early, he returned to his room.
"Rest early~" The girl also responded with a smile.
Lying in bed after eating, Bai En didn't fall asleep quickly. It wasn't because he was worried about gaining weight from eating at night, but because he couldn't help but recall his battle with Rill earlier.
The battle's outcome was clear: he still had a significant gap compared to the Magic Knights Squad Captain.
However, as the story progressed, the guys who were about to appear were all as strong as, or even stronger than, the Magic Knights Squad Captain!
The Eight Shining Generals of the Diamond Kingdom, Eye of the Midnight Sun, the reincarnated elves... the Word Soul Devil, the Dark Triad of the Spade Kingdom... and finally, the ultimate BOSS, Lucius Zogratis, the Wizard King of the Clover Kingdom, with two souls in one body!
A strong sense of crisis welled up within him.
There wasn't enough time left; he had to become stronger.
Six months of training had solidified his foundation. Aside from the experience to be gained in battle, he still needed to complete several important steps: 1. Increasing his magic power. 2. Smelting and forging the remaining kitchen utensils. 3. Learning and applying Space Slash and Mana Zone.
Four pages of his grimoire had already been used, and he had plans for the remaining two. What a pity... if only his grimoire were a bit thicker.
Of course, it would be great if he could awaken two grimoires like Yuno.
The night passed without a word...