Zeo was ecstatic to find his long-lost dad and learn to cook from him after his mom passed away.
As Zeo hadn't yet activated the mana circuit in his body, his father starting teaching him the basics of cooking. His dad had offered to unlock it with a great demonic beast core, but Zeo wanted to chat with the man before replying.
The man told him to turn down his dad's offer since he had something even better for Zeo if he passed the test thus Zeo turned down his father offer.
Even though Zeo never let the man down with his meals, the man's feedback has never progress. The man said he had already tasted the food and he advice Zeo's cooking could improve if he was exposed to different recipes.
No matter how hard he tried, Zeo couldn't manage to pass the test, and the comment on the meals stayed the same: "I've had this before." So, he decided to take action and investigate the guy who was so determined to prove his worth and sharpen his culinary skills. To get his revenge, he hoped to amaze the man with a meal he had never tasted before and impress him with his credentials as an apprentice.
His father had previously suggested that the best way to get the most out of a demonic beast was to cook it with mana. But now, all he was after was the taste of the demonic beast food, not the benefit. So, he went back to the butcher shop and asked about the usual demonic beast meat that the guy was always after.
"Hi there, young man. It's been a while since we last talked. "Are you here to get some meat?"
"Hey, Uncle Butcher, I'm doing great, but I'm looking for meat from a demon-like creature that's common in this area; I heard you only purchase the rarest meats." "Are you following me, Uncle Butcher?" Zeo asked the butcher.
"He was rather disgusted when he saw the usual cuts of meat that I had displayed around. The most common demonic animals around here are Fearless Sheep, Ruin Crabs, and Sabre Ants. Are you thinking about buying one of them?"
Zeo studied the Ruin crab, which appeared to be a mutant crab the size of a 12-year-old kid, with three pairs of sharp legs and a spike coming out from its torso.
The Fearless Sheep is the same size as a normal sheep, but it has blood-red eyes, a horn protruding from its nose, and lots of battle wounds all over its body.
The Saber Ant has huge mandibles resembling swords on its head, apart from that, it is just a normal giant ant.
The bodies of the demonic beast are full of wounds, which indicate the fierce battle they were involved in before their demise.
The merchant usually decides the sum of the carcasses depending on the severity of the injuries of the demonic beast body.
"Yes, uncle, I'd like to buy all of them," Zeo inquired from the butcher.
"The cost of a complete Ruby Crab is five hundred coins, while the grains cost ten coins. Each Fearless Sheep corpse is worth 800 coins. The Saber Ant is priced at 1,000 coins per carcass," the butcher replied, counting their values on his hands.
The butcher informed Zeo that the cost of the demonic beast he had chosen came to a total of 2,300 coins and offered him a sack of grain as a free gift.
Zeo then handed over three gold pieces and the butcher said he had 700 coins left for his balance and that he would arrange for the items to be delivered to his home without charge. Zeo received seven silver coins from the butcher.
Upon thanking the butcher for his purchase, Zeo headed back to his home with a smile, remembering the words of his father about cooking demonic beast with mana for them to be edible and for the effect to be possible. "I only want the flavour of what I obtained for that dumb task," Zeo mused, "Maybe I can work out a way to cook demonic beast without using mana based on my experience."
Zeo's face lit up with joy as he contemplated what he was about to do. He was convinced that the dish he was creating would be an amazing success.
First, he boiled, then cleaned and finally chopped the ingredients he had taken from the butcher.
Through multiple techniques he modified, it took a week for the components to become soft and ready.
"Finally, the ingredients are ready to be cooked! Let's get on with the fun part," Zeo thought.
When he saw the meal he cooked, he was simply awestruck, particularly by the Saber Ant, which had a fiery flavour and crunchy texture that blended perfectly with the other elements of the dish.
With a satisfied sigh, Zeo realized he had completed his first demonic beast dish. He grinned with delight.
Zeo was able to customise a dish to his liking, thanks to the knowledge he gained from his dad. Even though he didn't stick to the recipe instructions the second time he prepared them, he was determined to make it even better.
His father noticed that Zeo had a natural talent in the kitchen. It wasn't the way he handled all the culinary equipment that surprised Arthur; it was the way he could make a perfect harmony out of each meal he cooked.
His father had never seen him discard something he had cooked, even if the flavour wasn't up to the mark, he would modify it making sure the final product was amazing.
"Wow, this is amazing!" exclaimed Zeo. "I can't wait to see the expression on his face when he takes the first bite," he added, with anticipation. Zeo smiled, before putting the dish on the table and serving it with some fresh bread made from newly bought wheat.
"Before I give this to the man, I need to get Father feedback first".