Inside a private room in the crimson coiling dragon.
"Principal! You meanie that was mine." Amelia pouted as she tried to recover the dish that just arrived.
"I also ordered this dish beside can you blame for grabbing it you were distracted talking with Zia." Zestari replied as she cut and ate some of the grilled fillet with medical herbs. "Also, I asked to drop the honorifics call me by my name or big sis, if you do, I'll treat you half while we wait for the other dish to arrive."
"*hmph* Big sis Zesti don't bully me please." Amelia replied as she crossed her arms.
"Good girl here." Zestari cut the fillet in half and passed it to Amelia.
"So Crystal, are you enjoying the outing?" Kenia giggled at the sight and asked the woman next to her.
Crystal was wearing a white and light blue dress, she had white long hair till the shoulders and blue eyes. She had cherry lips in her pale oval face.
"This is, how to put it, unexcepted. I never imagined everyone would be so approachable and kind." Crystal replied bashfully with a smile.
"Hehe, that's good if you need something don't forget to ask." Kenia replied cheerfully seeing the smile that made Crystal look like a snow fairy.
"Un."
"I'm going to order some more dishes. Anyone wants to add something?" the head of the administration office called as she grabbed a communication crystal in the room.
"Oh, I want a refill for my drink." A brunette-haired lady called.
"I want some…" the group added various dishes that got sent to the kitchen.
###
"Xol, prepare another smoked hundred-year sun back salmon with haze rice. Michael start making a garuda egg refreshing sandwich, then bring it to Xol so he can add the finishing touches. Lee start preparing a seven-herb steak then bring it to me." Hao commanded as he received the order and started making a salad. "Order for table 8 ready."
Xol quickly started working on the dish, manipulating his knife he changed the shape for various tasks as he prepared the salmon and the various medical herbs needed for it, inserting pure mana on the knife as he worked as Hao had instructed he finished the dish just as Michael brought the omelet. Infusing pure mana in some herbs and then cutting them, he sprinkled on the sandwich and added the side dish.
As Xol had finished the dishes Hao had prepared three more dishes. Soon the waitress came for the dishes and took them to the clients.
"Xol, how are you holding? If the formation isn't enough to recover your mana you can drink an MP potion or one of the mana refilling drink we have." Hao said as he walked to check another order and finish various dishes.
"Un, I already drank some and can maintain the rhythm." Xol replied as he took in some breath.
This image kept repeating various times as orders kept coming, Xol and Hao would take care of the more complicated dishes that magical chef need to focus from the start and just add finishing touches to other simpler dishes. Xol had already accustomed himself to the workflow, but every time a certain crystal ringed he would grimace slightly as that specific private room would order many dishes forcing him to take a mana refilling drink as he prepared the order.
###
"Ahh, this really hit the spot. Anybody wants to order something before we call for the bill." Zestari said with a smile as she scanned the room.
"Un, I left some space for dessert, I want to order this new dish glacial milk chocolate pudding." Amelia replied.
Hearing the comment some teachers also nodded and asked a full round for that dessert.
Waiting for some minutes the order arrived and as the dishes were being placed a happy feeling began floating in the room.
"Ah, before you go can you bring us the bill." Zestari called the waitress.
"Un, I'll be right back." The waitress said.
"Uhm, Zestari would it be alright if the chef came so we could thank him for the meal?" A brunette-haired lady asked.
"Well, I don't mind it but…" Zestari said as she glanced at Crystal.
"Is alright, I also want to thank the chef." Crystal said with a smile.
"Are you sure? As you know the main chef is a male, so I don't want to force you if you don't want to meet him." Zestari said with a heart warm look.
"I-I know but you all treated me so kindly to this outing, so I want to take a step to overcome my fear." Crystal said as she raised her fists and nodded to the principal. "If I´m surrounded by all you I can make an effort to meet him."
"Alright, can you ask this favor to you." Zestari said with a smile as she turned to see the waitress.
"Un, don't worry this isn't the first time a client asks for this." The waitress bowed as she left the room.
###
"Chef Hao the guest in the private room #2 has asked the bill and asked to meet the chef that prepared their meal."
"Oh, it's being some time since someone wanted to thank me. Xol come with me, you also prepared most of their dishes and it be the first time someone thanks you for a meal." Hao said as he glanced at the pale faced Xol. "It would also help catch a breather after making all those puddings."
"Un" Xol forced a smile as he had been drained with the last order but was happy that room finally finished eating.
Taking some time to finish some dishes, Hao gave some instructions before moving to the private room with Xol behind him and the waitress in front.
Xol was surprised as he entered and heard a small cry from the room, followed by surprised voices toward him.
"Xol?!" Zestari and Kenia said as they saw Xol entering the room.
"Ah, Crystal are you alright?" Amelia said as she tried to calm Crystal who had a scared expression, Kenia also came back to herself and helped Crystal calm.
"Is everything alright." Hao sent a confused expression to Zestari whom he was already acquainted with.
"Well… uhm." Zestari said as she glanced at Xol and opted to send a telepathic message to Hao as she didn't want Xol to hear. She explained that Crystal had almost be raped as she moved to the capital.
"I see, uhm wouldn't this fear affect her work as a teacher?" Hao sent a telepathic message back.
"Well she didn't have that problem in her previous school and can interact with the students, but she tries to distance herself as much as she can from any male staff members." Zestari answered.
As this happened Xol was perplexed looking at Crystal who was frightened looking at the room entrance where he was. Xol gaze focused on her white hair, he then looked at teacher Kenia with a troubled face as she glanced at Crystal's white hair again. Seeing the expression Xol was making Kenia soon understood what Xol wanted to ask and asked him to get closer.
"Crystal this is Xol, a student from the academy whom I'm teaching botany. He wants to make sure you're alright and make you a question." Kenia recomforted Crystal as she presented Xol. "Xol this is teacher Crystal, she's in charge of the ice attunement."
"Uhm, teacher Crystal did you also got bullied for your white hair as you grew up." Xol asked sheepishly as she glanced at Crystal.
"See he doesn't mean any ill will." Kenia said to comfort Crystal, she remembered Xol asked Ena this question as they ate one time, so she understood Xol would ask this question. Taking some breath Crystal calmed as she examined Xol.
"I didn't." Crystal answered with a smile.
"I see, that good." Xol smiled back.
"If you ever get bullied you can go to principal Zestari. Big brother Jun told me she's super strong and can help if you need." Xol said as she pointed to the principal.
"Un, I know thank you very much." Crystal replied.
"Sorry for reacting like that." Crystal added as she looked at Hao with an apologizing look.
"Don't worry." Hao replied.
With Crystal calmed herself the group started thanking chef Hao for the meal and where surprised when Hao also gave credit to Xol, though they already suspected he had helped, what surprised everyone was that Xol came with the recipe for the glacial milk chocolate pudding and prepared every serving of it.
"My brother had told me you were helping Xol with his constitution state but didn't said you also take him as a pupil." Zestari sent a telepathic message to Hao as Kenia introduced Xol to every member in the room. "How is he coming?"
"I already reversed some of the damage to his meridians and they no longer close to snapping. I already teach him various recipes to take of his nutrition for him to avoid returning to this condition. He should be able to class change to mana cultivator in a few days once I make sure the meridians are healthy for the class change." Hao replied with a smile as he looked at Xol's happiness for being complimented for the food he made.
"Teacher Amelia came some weeks ago and helped me understand Xol condition, we're currently devising ways to reverse her organ damage but as he suffered many internal injuries and then malnourishment it can be tricky. The best course would be to teach him the first mana cultivation technique and for him to focus on nourishing his meridians while your brother finishes his research on his new cultivation technique." Hao sent another telepathic message.
"So, he talked to you about the culivation technique he's making. I also hope Xol to become his disciple and move on from that incident." Zestari replied.