Arriving at the restaurant Xol asked to meet Robert. Robert was surprised Xol got the beast hunter side job, using as excuse that he also needed to know how to select good vegetables, fruits and other ingredients he sent Xol to buy in the market and bring him some while he thought what to do.
Having accomplished this Robert had a poker face evaluating what Xol had brought and pointed some details about the products, when in truth he was cursing at Xol for having a good eye to detect good ingredients.
"Alright, chef Hao is right now busy making both his rank up and plans to use the momentum to also class up. He should finish tomorrow night but before that I teach the basics and will test you the day after tomorrow to see if you have the capability to work here and be his pupil or not." Robert said as gestured Xol to follow him.
Hearing the explanation Xol nodded and followed Robert to the kitchen. Guiding Xol to an area Robert taught Xol some cooking techniques. As this happened Robert friend and other chefs asked what was happening which Robert explained. Various sent Xol a pity gaze, some were glaring in anger at a child thinking he could accomplish what they couldn't.
"Didn't you promise you would send him away?" Robert friend said.
"The idea right now is for him to see our level and show him we're leagues away so he go off by his own feet once he notice this difference, beside I already left a safe net, the next day after chef Hao finish his rank up and class up I'll 'test' him and say he isn't at our skill nor had it to become chef Hao's pupil." Robert said gesturing his friend to relax.
"I still feel you're complicating the things, beside sorry to ruin your parade but that kid has a lot of talent, he is picking the techniques quite rapidly." Robert said pointing at Xol.
Seeing what his friend referred, Robert started gnashing his teeth seeing his idea to make Xol despair fail again and cursed even more Xol. Robert kept showing him more cooking techniques but no matter what, Xol picked them quickly as he just needed a tad more to a adapt from his days helping in the tavern in Caveshore city. Finished for the day Xol returned to the academy before the sunset as he couldn't be outside the academy passed a certain hour.
The next day Xol greeted the staff member in charge of guiding the customer to free tables and informed to Xol he could just go to the kitchen right away. As Xol learned the various things in the kitchen, Robert kept cursing Xol but soon noticed something and a plan started brewing to take out his anger. Xol, who was using the hunting knife from the get-go as an habit, had always being taking extra care of his knife so he figured it should be important to him as he would always keep it close by and never put it down, instead he cleaned and secure it in its sheath after using it. As Xol left for the day Robert had a smile preparing himself for tomorrow´s show.
Arriving at the restaurant Xol the next day was relieved when he heard Chef Hao had finished his rank up and Robert had only to check some things before meeting him.
"Don't worry follow me to the kitchen and I'll lend you the things you'll need for the test to become chef Hao's pupil but remember if you can't pass my test don't ever dream of becoming his pupil." Robert said in a loud voice as guided Xol to the kitchen.
Inside the kitchen Xol showed all what he had learned and many chef were surprised, but soon Robert said Xol still hadn't the skill and should give up on the idea for the time being. Robert guided Xol out not letting him clean the knife inside the kitchen nor letting him store it in its sheath.
Nodding at his friend finally sending away without scaling the matter more, Robert´s friend started directing everyone back to work, some were enjoying Xol face of disappointment, some others hoped for Xol to keep improving as they felt he could work in a good restaurant in a future with his skill.
"I'm sorry Xol, these things happen don't get so disappointed, try to polish what we taught these days and return in a year or so before you try again join the restaurant or even becoming chef Hao pupil." Robert preached as he faked a sad face while shaking his face, making sure everyone could listen what he said.
"Un, I'll try." Xol said halfheartedly as he didn't want try again once he becomes Izuriel disciple as this was just a side project to save contributions and finish faster Izuriel's tasks.
"Now then, I know you feeling disappointed but please return the knife we lent you for the test. We need this knife to get various meats in nearby dungeons and is the best we have, we only lend it to you due its sharpness." Robert said in loud tone pointing at Xol's knife.
"Excuse me? This knife is mine." Xol said with a confused face.
"What are you saying we lend it to you for the test, as I hoped for you to pass the test and become chef Hao's pupil, making our restaurant have two magical chefs, I lent the best and sharpest knife we had." Robert said faking a hurt posture at Xol comment and extended his hand. "Are you calling the sou-chef of the Crimson Coiling Dragon restaurant a liar?"
"Isn't that hunting knife what the fuss … Would you like someone stealing from your place, the restaurant can just let this slide … Why would they have hunting knife in the first place? … didn't you hear that they sometimes go and procure ingredients from nearby dungeons." various voices could be heard
"Yes, you're lying, this knife is mine and I have its sheath." Xol said as he cleaned the knife and stored in it.
"Kid we heard they were lending you all the tools stop making a fuss and return it." A customer said as he cut his food, then pointed at Xol with a fork once he started eating while giving a disdainful look at Xol.
"What's up with the kid guts calling liar someone of this establishment and even stealing from it at the same time." Some customers discussed as they pointed at Xol
"Xol, we accepted you for goodwill and now you are stealing, I'll let the liar comment if you return the knife now." Robert continued the act and got closer to Xol
"As I said this is mine, furthermore he can corroborate it as he made me a compliment about the way it looked yesterday." Xol said as gestured the staff member he greeted yesterday as he arrived at the lobby area.
"I'm sure a member of our staff can recognize our knives and know your taking one of ours away" Robert said with slow tone and sending a meaningful gaze
The staff member wanted to help Xol but when he saw the 'gaze' Robert was sending he knew his job was on the line.
"It's like sou-chef Robert had said." The staff gulped and gestured Robert. He didn't want to lose his job for saying otherwise, but he discreetly activated a crystal to send a call to the kitchen.
The crow shook his head and mocked Xol for the scene he was making. Xol was surprised at the man comment and frowned
"Xol please just return the knife now and stop making a scene, else I be force to take it back forcefully." Robert said as he advanced.
"As I said this is –"
Xol was cut short receiving a wood pillar coming from the wooden flooring Robert made, hitting Xol in the chest he was sent outside of the restaurant.
Landing on the street Xol tumbled and rolled until stopping in the middle of the street, trying to stand up Xol coughed blood and tried to recover his breath.
"I gave you my hand for goodwill, but you keep wanting to pull my leg, return the knife you stole." Robert berated as he exited the restaurant.
A crowd had bee building seeing what was happening and soon some guard got close seeing the crowd and hearing Robert shouts.
Hearing Robert a guard got close to Xol and 'recovered' Robert knife.
"He's ... lying." Xol said as he recovered his breath and the guard moved to Robert side, stopping himself from returning the knife to Robert open hand.
"A friend made … it for me, you never lent me a single knife as you teach how your kitchen operated." Xol said as he barely stood up with a glare at Robert.
"Sir is that true?" the guard said not releasing the knife.
"No, I lent him this knife as is the sharpest we have so he had an easier time passing our test but failed in the end." Robert said but as he did, he bumped his free hand to the guard with some mana crystals he prepared when exiting the restaurant.
'Should I act? No Principal Zestari said I must find Xol exact bottom line.' An academy staff member using his shadow attunement to hide thought as he saw this.
'Once that happen and I calm him it wouldn't be so late to recover it right?' the staff tried to comfort himself 'Now I understand my predecessor said this was a troublesome assignment.'
As the staff member tried to comfort himself, Xol was despairing seeing what was happening as the guard accepted the bribe and handed the knife down to Robert.
"Lies! That's a hunting knife why would a restaurant have one?" Xol tried to change the guard perception.
"As I said we sometime send someone to procure specific meats from some dungeons. If it's alright would you mind if I teach him a lesson for dirtying our reputation." Robert said gesturing the restaurant. Seeing the nod of the guard and hearing it was alright as long he doesn't kill Xol Robert smiled as he rapidly created a boulder and shot it.
Dodging to the side Xol, Xol soon fired some mana bullets and created some invisible chains intended to recover his knife, if he could run to the academy and convince Kingo to speak for him as the maker all should be alright.
Seeing the bullets hit the mark Xol pulled the knife but soon despaired seeing Robert didn't budge as his mana bullets didn't do anything to Robert, taking the chance Robert sent another wooden pillar to Xol chest.
[HP: 500/1,050]
Xol crashed to the wall of building, trying to pull himself, he just saw the mocking smiles of the guard and Robert.
"Poor kid… he reaped what he sowed, stealing from the Crimson Coiling Dragon for not passing a test, pftt … what a despicable kid … ha if he had stole from me I would a least broke his teath completely." The crowd mocked. Some spitted on the ground, some shot a disdainful glance others just shook their heads.
'Kill them' a voice sounded inside Xol's head. Receiving a Mana bullet from Robert the voice became louder.
'Let me kill them.' The voice repeated while Xol vision was darkening as he glanced at the floor falling in despair from the mocking.
'Nobody is going to come; don't you remember this world is guided by convenience, one can buy their way and pull their weight like him, like that priest that had his way with you.' The voice sounded, Xol flinched and soon his consciousness was slowly fading away.
'I can't take this any longer.' The staff thought as he saw the various fire bullets Robert was preparing to shoot Xol. As he advanced, he saw another chef exit and tried to stop Robert, but he pulled his sleeve back and told him something before preparing another spell.
'Let me kill them, letss uss kill themm like those thieves, let them taste pain like we did to the priest, yes give me control, release your anger, your suffering, your pain, the despair in you.' The voice kept sounding and Xol vision was darkening slowly.
'Yees that it, let me out, let me torture them like I did to the priest, let me kill them like those thieves I killed.'
*Brzzz
[Xol -> ol
HP: 450/1050 -> 489/1089
MP: 1,900/1,900 -> 1, 990/1, 990
]
'Yees—'
"… right…" a voice sounded waking Xol slowly and his senses slowly coming back.
'let's kill everyone.' The voice in his head sounded at the same time.
'Nooo' the voice sounded feeling Xol waking up though Xol couldn't hear it as he saw something coming inside his vision.
"Xol… me" Xol heard again seeing a hand in front of him to help him stand up.
[Xol LVL 10 Apprentice
HP: 901/1, 401-> 441/1029
MP: 2, 745/2, 745-> 1, 862/1, 862]