Elyon felt a force surging through his right hand. The burly man opposite him was exerting a pressure of around 200 pounds, a considerable feat for an ordinary person, yet it was still far from Elyon's limit.
"Can't be, the lad's actually holding his ground."
"Put some muscle into it, you oaf, don't you want the 5 pounds?"
The onlookers were riling up, seeing this as an unexpectedly even match.
"Why aren't you trying harder?" the burly man asked, his face flushed with effort.
"Oh, I was just pondering something. Here goes," Elyon replied, channeling the magical energy within him to his right hand and heart, and with a firm push to the left.
"Crack." Accompanied by the sound of the table leg breaking, the burly man was pulled off the barrel and landed on the floor. The noisy room fell silent.
Shaking his head, the man got up from the ground and said earnestly, "Aside from the captain, there's probably no one stronger than you on this ship. I was foolish to challenge you. Fair is fair. You'll find Lin Hua in the storage room over there; it's quiet enough for her to read without disturbance."
Elyon gave an awkward smile, "I may have overdone it a bit. Thank you for your understanding. Pardon me, please continue—I haven't seen anything, and I won't mention this to your captain."
The crowd of cooks and sailors parted to let Elyon pass, and once he was out of sight, they started buzzing with questions.
"Was that an act? It can't be, the lad looks as frail as a fresh deckhand."
"Nonsense, do you think my near flight was an act? This fellow must be like the boss, not ordinary. I reckon he's got at least 300 pounds in one hand, lucky for us he's not here to cause trouble; he could take us all down in this cramped space," the burly man said, rubbing his wrist, which was red with marks that proved he wasn't lying.
"Lin Hua won't be in trouble, right?"
"Shouldn't be. Maybe that young master has taken a real liking to her cooking skills, thinking to poach her for his own kitchen," the burly man didn't seem to care, quickly setting up another makeshift gambling table to continue the game.
Elyon knocked on the storage room door, the name Lin Hua exuding a familiar air. He maintained basic courtesy.
"Who's there?" A woman with short black hair, black pupils, and wearing a white chef's hat peeked out. She looked to be in her early twenties. Elyon noticed she was holding a beginner's guide to the common tongue.
"I'm looking for Lin Hua, presumably a chef."
"Do I know you? I am Lin Hua."
Elyon was surprised to find that the renowned Celestine chef was a woman, seemingly his own age.
"Ah, I was expecting a gentleman. I had the pleasure of tasting your roasted suckling pig at lunch and wanted to discuss culinary arts. You wouldn't mind sparing a few minutes, would you?" Elyon asked with a smile.
"I do mind, if you don't have anything else, I'm busy," Lin Hua's response was unexpected.
"Ah, I see you're studying the common tongue. If you're willing to converse, I can offer you some shortcuts," Elyon noted her less than fluent pronunciation.
"You can?" Lin Hua asked, intrigued.
"I am a graduate of the National University of Aegisburg, majoring in Philology." Elyon spoke with a hint of uncertainty, his knowledge from Aegisburg University mostly forgotten after his transmigration. He planned to bluff his way through with common writing techniques from Earth.
"Ah, come in then." Lin Hua stepped aside to let Elyon squeeze in.
The room was a storage for spices, shelves lined with garlic, onions, thyme, and such, a welcome change from the mix of alcohol and sweat outside.
"You're really a graduate from Aegisburg University? I heard only one in a hundred applicants is admitted," Lin Hua said with a hint of admiration.
"It's not that exaggerated. Maybe one in four or five who take the entrance exam gets in. Here's my identification, though I didn't bring my diploma. This should convince you," Elyon said, taking out his credentials.
"This is?" Lin Hua looked over the document. "I didn't realize you were a policeman. You wouldn't lie to me. Tell me about your techniques or shortcuts."
"I need to assess your current level first," Elyon replied, retrieving his identification. "Are you struggling with basic reading and writing?"
Lin Hua shook her head, "I've only been recruited by Captain Burke for half a year, previously working in a restaurant kitchen in the Southern Continent. I can barely speak the common tongue of the mainland, still fumbling with the language of Bruges."
The so-called common tongue of the Western Continent was akin to Latin on Earth, with the languages of kingdoms like Bruges and Luke being similar, all sharing a common alphabet. The differences lay in specific words and slight pronunciation variations.
"If you have no other ambitions, knowing the common tongue is sufficient," Elyon said, looking at the young chef before him.
"No, I don't like being a chef. Captain Burke only values my Celestine heritage, using it as a selling point. The diners come for the novelty of Eastern cuisine, praising it regardless of the taste."
Elyon agreed with the chef's sentiment, having found the main course at lunch unremarkable, his thoughts having dulled his appetite.
"What's your dream then?" Elyon inquired.
Lin Hua's eyes lit up, "An architect. I want to design buildings that merge the best of East and West. Eastern architecture has a clear sense of space and harmonious color coordination, while Western structures are grand and minimalist. A combination should enhance beauty."
Civil engineering, one of the notorious 'pitfall' majors from his previous life, who would have thought he'd encounter an enthusiast here? Elyon scratched his head. "Female architects do exist, but in Bruges, it's mostly older men who take on such responsibilities."
"Haha, that's progress. My father told me that in Celestine, women weren't allowed to show their faces in public, destined only to be full-time housewives. It's only in the past few decades, with the spread of steam technology and textile factories hiring female workers, that women were allowed to work outside and gradually gained the right to education."
Financial independence leads to personal independence, Elyon thought but didn't voice it; he wasn't there to discuss equality. "Why haven't you sought opportunities in the East?"
"No, my father tragically leaped into the sea after pirates ransacked us. With no savings or family in the East, there's no future for me there. At least in Bruges, it's one of the few places where women are allowed to enter university for further education. I plan to enroll in an architectural design program."
Elyon's heart sank upon hearing this; relying on Lin Hua for clues seemed unlikely. Still, out of kindness, he said, "You'll have a lot to catch up on. Architecture isn't just about design; you'll need a strong grasp of mathematics and mechanics. Language is the least of your concerns. By the way, how's your drawing?"
"Mathematics too? I'm quite confident in my drawing skills. Take a look at my work," Lin Hua said, pulling out a sheet of paper and handing it to Elyon.
Confronted with the distorted lines and unrealistic perspective, Elyon felt Lin Hua might be better off continuing her promising career as a chef.
"This is a spring outing scene, right? The little dogs by the picnic table are quite charming. The gazebo is nicely done," Elyon tried to find something to compliment.
"That's a deer, and the main structure next to it is Monkey Hill. It's a life drawing of a zoo," Lin Hua explained.
Elyon struggled to recognize the animals, quickly returning the drawing, "If you're aiming for an architecture degree, your first priority should be saving money. How much do you think a student from Aegisburg University spends in a year? Think big."
"50 to 100 pounds?" Lin Hua guessed confidently.
"Tuition alone is 100 pounds, thanks to university subsidies. Private schools may charge more, and living expenses in Aegisburg aren't cheap. Even with frugality, I spend about 100 pounds a year. Assuming a girl eats less, doesn't dress up, and doesn't chase the latest fashions, it won't be less than 80 pounds. Considering additional design materials, I think you should save up 600 pounds and enroll in a three-year specialized design college," Elyon advised, grateful for the Thane couple's support, which had cost them 800 pounds over four years, delaying his brother's wedding.
"Six hundred?" Lin Hua was shocked. "Does that mean I have to live frugally for ten years?"
"Well, self-study might get you to a reading and writing level. But to pass mathematics and mechanics, you'll need tutoring, which costs about five pounds a week. It seems you'll need another 200 pounds for that."
Elyon's words left Lin Hua deflated, like a frostbitten eggplant.
"Can't I ask someone on the ship to teach me?" Lin Hua asked, not giving up.
"Hmm, most sailors and chefs probably won't understand such subjects. You could try the navigation officer; he's likely the most knowledgeable person on the ship. But for mechanics, you'll probably need to shell out five pounds a week. Oh, and there's plenty of room for improvement in your drawing skills," Elyon added kindly.
"Alright, any tips on making money?" Lin Hua hadn't given up yet.
"Improve your cooking skills, and negotiate with the captain to personally introduce your dishes to the guests," Elyon suggested after some thought.
"Why?"
"If you happen to serve a generous guest who likes your cooking, a personal introduction might lead to a tip. The captain doesn't take those, does he?" In the Kingdom of Bruges, it was customary to tip waitstaff in restaurants.
"No, I'll talk to the captain tonight. What did you want from me? You didn't really come to discuss cooking, did you?" Lin Hua fulfilled her end of the bargain and turned the question back to Elyon.
"Give me a piece of paper and a pen. Do you recognize these characters?" Elyon asked for writing materials and began to scribble.
"Characters?" Lin Hua asked curiously, the first person to come to her with such a request. There had been those who wanted to poach her for other restaurants, those who asked about smuggling, and even one who was so enamored with the East that he proposed on the spot.