Xenia's confidence spiked at the praise. If this was all that cooking was about, she was probably already halfway there.
"Cooking is more about discipline than skill, Xen," Darius chimed in from behind her. "For one, it's fairly easy."
"Indeed," Osman sagely nodded. "And preparing the ingredients is only the first step, Princess."
She scoffed, "I know that at least. I'm not that naive."
"Ah, but before this, you didn't even know how to properly chop vegetables."
Xenia clicked her tongue as she heard Darius chuckle at Osman's remarks. The admiral got her there, she supposed.
"Okay, fine. I need the help, but at least I learn quickly," she protested with a pout. "Now, what's next?"
The admiral smiled at her as he led her towards the stove, a fire already brewing as a pot of boiling water sat over the flames.
