Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Chef Hinnal descended the stage with a proud smile. Perry's eyes sparkled with admiration, captivated by Hinnal's culinary mastery, and a deep interest in the chef's exam was sparked within him. He wanted to seize this brief moment to ask Hinnal some questions about the exam, but before he could approach, two tall guards blocked his path a few steps away. Their stern gazes silently conveyed refusal, leaving Perry helplessly standing in place, watching Hinnal's figure fade away, disappearing through the backstage door.
Meanwhile, numerous reporters swarmed around another contestant, Chef Goblin. Defeated, he wore a dejected expression and answered their questions dispiritedly, his face full of disappointment. He barely spoke, giving a few brief responses before hastily leaving. Perry felt a mix of emotions, happy for Hinnal but also sympathetic toward Goblin's despair.
[It's okay, there'll be another chance to meet him. Let's head back to the academy for now.] The system's gentle voice sounded in his ear, offering comfort.
Perry nodded, feeling a little calmer. Just as he was about to leave quietly, a few sharp-eyed reporters turned their attention toward him. They hurried over, microphones and cameras in hand, flooding him with questions: "As a taster, what did you think of Hinnal's dishes? Any particular impressions?" "Could you describe the atmosphere at the event?" "What are your thoughts on Goblin's performance?"
This was Perry's first time under the scrutiny of so many reporters, and he felt caught off guard, his throat suddenly dry. Facing their enthusiastic questions, he opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words. The reporters closed in, thrusting microphones toward him as flashbulbs burst one after another, making it almost impossible for him to keep his eyes open.
Perry forced a smile but felt increasingly flustered inside. Glancing around, he noticed a small crowd still watching the direction where Hinnal had left, and an idea sparked. Taking advantage of a moment when the reporters' attention shifted to others, he discreetly moved toward the edge of the crowd, inching closer to the exit, picking up his pace bit by bit.
As the reporters realized he was slipping away, Perry suddenly quickened his steps, weaving through the crowd. Amid exclamations and a few cries of "Hey, wait!" he darted around a corner by an exit, gasping as he leaned against the wall, finally free of their questions.
"Finally got away…" Perry sighed with relief, scanning his surroundings. Nearby, he spotted a teleportation phone booth. He quickly entered, pressed a button inside, and entered the code "1020." Moments later, he picked up the receiver, and a bright white light flashed, transforming the scene around him. No longer in the bustling event hall, he now stood in the peaceful plaza of Wakdiss Academy.
Emerging from the phone booth, Perry looked around and found himself in the spacious plaza of the academy, which looked serene and mysterious under the night sky. A few students wandered here and there, all wearing magical robes that symbolized their status and rank. Perry noticed that most robes were dark in color, predominantly black, and each student wore an elegant glass device on their shoulder. This device floated and emitted a glow, displaying a number and color indicative of their level and magical attributes. The higher the number, the brighter the glow, signifying greater status and power within the academy.
Most students wore shoulder badges showing single-digit numbers, some even displaying "1" or "2," clearly marking them as beginners in magic. Occasionally, a student with a higher number passed by, their glowing badge particularly eye-catching. Dressed in simple clothes, Perry stood out among the magic-robed students, feeling out of place. Many students passing by cast curious or puzzled glances his way, some whispering or even pointing, leaving Perry feeling awkward and uncomfortable.
Around the plaza, many students held thick magic books, some discussing their magic courses as they walked. Perry overheard debates about pronunciation techniques for spells or the structural principles of magic circles, their words filled with confidence and pride. Different magical scents filled the air, some with a fresh grassy smell, others carrying a faint gunpowder scent, and even a few sparkling icy crystals hovered, emitting a soft blue glow that looked especially enchanting in the night. All of it was fascinating to Perry, but he couldn't shake the feeling of being an outsider.
[Host, let's look for a map first. In such a large academy, it's easy to get lost without one.] The system's calm voice echoed in his mind, interrupting his thoughts.
"That's true… but where do I find a map?" Perry scratched his head, glancing around in confusion. He hesitated before deciding to ask a nearby student. However, dressed plainly, he starkly contrasted the magic students around him, and many returned his inquiry with cold, indifferent stares, some even ignoring him outright before he could say a word. Perry tried asking a few people, but most students seemed uninterested in helping, and a few young magic apprentices snickered and sneered at his appearance.
"Hmph, where'd this country bumpkin come from? Standing in the middle, how ridiculous!" mocked a magic apprentice with a blue badge, sparking laughter among those nearby.
Just as Perry found himself surrounded by several magic apprentices, feeling awkward and at a loss, a clear voice cut through the crowd. "What are you doing?" A pink-haired girl with twin ponytails walked briskly toward them. Her magic robe bore a prominent black badge with the level number "20" in a glass-like device, glowing with a dark, deep light that shimmered like a star under the night sky. Her high-level presence swept through the plaza like a cold wind, causing the arrogant apprentices to freeze in their tracks. The crowd grew silent, and the mocking voices instantly fell away.
"Is that Teresa?" a few magic apprentices whispered among themselves, but as her cold gaze swept over them, they quickly lowered their heads, not daring to say more. Clearly, she held considerable authority within the academy.
With an air of authority, Teresa glanced at the apprentices, her tone sharp and unyielding. "Bullying student—aren't you afraid of losing points? Don't you know the rules?" Her words, as icy as a blade, pierced through their arrogance. The apprentices immediately fell silent, their faces showing embarrassment and fear. They muttered something under their breath before reluctantly retreating, not daring to meet her eyes. One apprentice whispered, "Just our luck, running into her…" but was quickly silenced by a companion. With a few exchanged glances, they hurriedly disappeared into the crowd.
At that moment, Perry felt a surge of respect for Teresa. The once-arrogant apprentices had been powerless against her, as if they'd been frozen in place, forced to slink away. Although the girl seemed a bit cold, she had stepped in to protect him. It was clear she possessed not only great power but also a certain intimidating presence.
Teresa then turned to Perry, scrutinizing him with a hint of confusion, her brows slightly furrowed. "Henry, what's going on with you? Dressed like this, where's your magic robe?" she asked, her tone a mix of reproach and puzzlement.
Perry froze momentarily but quickly gathered himself. To avoid her finding out he wasn't actually Henry, he decided to lie. "Uh… my clothes got dirty, so I had to change into this," he replied, doing his best to sound natural.
Teresa's expression softened slightly, and she nodded. "Really, be more careful next time. By the way, Henry, did you find the Mushcat?" She looked at him with a hint of concern.
Perry quickly took it out to show her. Teresa visibly relaxed upon seeing the Mushcat, sighing with relief. "Good, you finally found a replacement." She urged, "Hurry up and return the Mushcat to the mentor's lab—it has to be back tonight."
To save time, she took out a thick magic book from her cloak, flipped to a specific page, and chanted a complex spell. As she finished, a dazzling light flashed, and Perry's vision filled with a white glow. In the next moment, they found themselves standing in a laboratory brimming with magical plants. Perry set the Mushcat down in a flowerpot before leaving the lab.
On their way out, Perry couldn't resist asking Teresa why she was still awake so late. Teresa laughed lightly. "Did you forget? I'm dark-elemental; nighttime is when I'm most active." Perry then noticed the "20" level indicator on her shoulder, with its black color matching her attribute.
Just as Perry was hoping to learn more about Henry's memories, a girl with glasses rushed over, clearly looking for Teresa.
"Teresa, hurry up and hand in your assignment—you're the last one left!" the girl said, out of breath and visibly annoyed.
"Uh-oh, it's Molise. I've got to go," Teresa said hurriedly, and without waiting to say goodbye, she grabbed her magic book, recited the teleportation spell, and disappeared.
It seemed that the girl named Molise was Teresa's partner. Molise appeared to be hurrying Teresa to complete an assignment, but after Teresa fled, she sighed in frustration and left. In the blink of an eye, Perry was left standing there alone.
[Host, look over there—a map] System's blue orb flew over to a nearby bulletin board.
"Great, now I won't get lost." Perry quickly approached the board to study the map, and the system copied it for future reference.
"The student dormitory is quite far from here… Hm?" Perry noticed a small slip of paper in the corner of the board that read "Chef's Course Announcement."
Perry remembered that he had to complete a cooking task within three months, and for that, he needed a chef's certificate. He checked the course details and saw that each class cost a hefty 100 gold coins—a significant expense for him. The deadline to enroll was in two days.
"It's pretty late, so there shouldn't be anyone attending classes now," Perry thought. He wanted to find out if this class allowed students to cook food, which would let him complete his task even without a chef's certificate.
[The classroom is just up ahead, do you want to check it out?]System asked.
"Why not? Might as well give it a shot." Perry, curious to test his luck, headed to the classroom. As he expected, it was completely empty.
"Figures. There's no one here. Well, we just come back and apply for the course tomorrow." He was about to leave the class but a tall man blocked his way. The man wore a red "19" badge on his robe, indicating look like he is a fire-element student, and his fiery orange hair made him look imposing. Beside him stood a smaller companion with a fringe that hid his eyes and a green "16" badge, he is a wind-element student.
The tall man gave Perry a mocking look and addressed him as if they were familiar. "Have you seen the little chef? I'm getting hungry." He seemed to be looking for someone to cook for him.
"No idea," Perry replied, trying to avoid trouble by answering quickly. The man didn't press further but left with an annoyed huff, his companion hurrying after him.
Just as Perry turned to leave the classroom, a boy suddenly appeared before him, his eyes brimming with excitement as he asked eagerly, "Are you here to join this course too?"