Perry pushed open the door to the cooking classroom, and a rich aroma wafted out, making him take a deep breath in delight. This scent was unlike typical food aromas; it seemed to contain a unique blend of spices and slow-cooked ingredients, creating a warm and inviting presence in the air. Looking up, he saw Fido in a pristine white chef's uniform and hat, standing beside a large pot, focused on tasting the broth with a spoon.
Beside Fido stood another chef with an even more stoic demeanor. This person had strikingly green hair tied into a neat ponytail that swayed slightly with his breathing. Dressed in a black chef's uniform and hat of the same color, he radiated an air of mystery. His features were sharp yet delicate, carrying a mix of softness and intensity that made it hard to discern his gender at a glance. Perry guessed this must be Oliver, the chef Fido had mentioned.
The moment Perry stepped in, he noticed both their eyes turning toward him. He paused, then politely said, "I'm here to submit my application form."
Oliver raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression unreadable as he looked Perry over, then said calmly, "Are you the newcomer Fido mentioned?" Though his tone was neutral, there was an undeniable authority in his voice, as if this was not only a question but a reminder of etiquette. "Next time, remember to knock before entering."
"Of course, I'll be more careful," Perry replied, realizing his mistake and quickly apologizing, mentally reminding himself to be more mindful of such details.
Fido, standing nearby, gave a friendly wave and greeted him warmly, "Henry, you made it!" His smile was welcoming, as if greeting an old friend, lightening the tense atmosphere slightly.
Oliver cast a cold glance at Fido, seeming unimpressed by his warmth, before slowly walking over to Perry. He took the application form from Perry's hand and reviewed it carefully, clearly verifying Perry's information. Then, without warning, Oliver shifted his gaze from the form to Perry's hand, reaching out to inspect his fingers and nails closely. Startled by the sudden action, Perry felt a little nervous.
Oliver's gaze was mildly critical. After a moment, he commented coolly, "Not bad. Your nails are clean, and the shape of your hands is good, indicating you pay attention to hygiene." His tone was devoid of emotion, but there was a hint of approval in his words, as though he was offering a preliminary endorsement of a new apprentice.
Flustered by the unexpected praise, Perry awkwardly retracted his hand and mumbled, "Oh...thank you." He felt relieved yet surprised; to receive even a small amount of recognition from such a strict chef on their first meeting was unexpected and gratifying.
Without further words, Oliver extended his hand and said in a calm, direct tone, "Since you've decided to join the course, you should know the fee. Hand over 100 gold coins."
Perry paused, surprised by his directness, but didn't hesitate. He had prepared for this expense and quickly retrieved a small pouch containing the 100 gold coins from his bag, handing it over to Oliver.
Oliver accepted the pouch, his expression remaining unchanged. He tossed it lightly, as if gauging the weight to confirm the amount. Satisfied with the heft, he nodded slightly, appearing pleased with Perry's promptness. With no unnecessary expression, he said, "Go to the storage room to change into a spare chef's uniform, put on the chef's hat, and then come back here."
Perry nodded, relieved that he'd followed Fido's advice about Oliver's strict standards for attire. He hurried to the storage room, opened the door, and found the chef's uniforms neatly hung in a row, pristine and orderly. He put one on carefully, feeling a sense of professionalism and ritual the moment he donned it. Standing before the mirror, he adjusted his chef's hat, ensuring everything looked perfect. This self-check of his appearance intensified his feeling of nervous excitement as he prepared to step into his first real class.
After changing, Perry took a deep breath and walked toward the kitchen. Oliver was already waiting, standing in front of an array of neatly arranged ingredients, arms crossed and studying him with a calm, steady gaze. Satisfied with Perry's appearance, Oliver nodded approvingly. In that moment, Perry felt a deep respect for Oliver's pursuit of perfection in his profession.
Oliver raised a hand slightly, gesturing to the five ingredients lined up on the countertop. Each had its own unique aroma—some strong and spicy, others carrying a fresh sweetness. Oliver's eyes sharpened with focus as he spoke in a calm, assessing tone: "Now, I want you to prepare these ingredients by cutting them into small pieces. You may use any technique you see fit, but I want to see your understanding and approach."
Perry stared at the five unusual ingredients, frowning slightly. These weren't your typical foods; each had an unfamiliar and mysterious aura that piqued his curiosity about their flavors and uses. The ingredients included a "Laughing Pepper" Fido had mentioned yesterday, a white, blocky food, a strangely shaped fish with vibrant patterns, a spiky fruit the size of a watermelon, and a piece of meat covered in green scales. Each one presented its own level of difficulty and challenge.
He picked up his knife, taking a deep breath as he considered where to begin. The spiky fruit, in particular, looked incredibly challenging—just imagining the blade brushing against those dense spikes sent a chill down his spine. He realized that this wasn't merely a task of culinary skill but a test from Oliver assessing his abilities, observation, and patience.
Finally, Perry decided to start with the seemingly simple white block. It felt soft and smooth, reminiscent of tofu, but with more elasticity and firmness. He held it gently, wary of squishing it. As he carefully positioned his knife at one corner, he noticed a delicate resistance as the blade sliced through it, and a notification from the system chimed in his mind: [This is regular soft tofu.]
Perry sighed in relief, feeling a bit more confident in his ability to assess ingredients. With precision, he guided his knife, pressing it down gently to produce evenly sized cubes of tofu. He soon realized that cutting tofu wasn't merely about showing off knife skills; it demanded steady control and a sensitive touch. Holding his breath, he kept the blade level, mindful of using just the right amount of pressure to avoid breaking the tofu into irregular shapes. He carefully transferred the neatly cut tofu cubes onto a plate, as if handling delicate art pieces.
When the last tofu cube was placed, Perry exhaled, feeling a small wave of accomplishment. Looking at the plate of pristine, uniform tofu pieces, he felt a new appreciation for the skill involved in handling something so fragile. This seemingly simple task had sharpened his awareness of touch and attention to detail.
Next, he picked up the "Laughing Pepper," feeling both anxious and curious. The chili pepper looked similar to an ordinary green chili, but in his hand, it seemed to faintly vibrate, causing him to feel wary. He carefully used a knife to cut off the top of the pepper, and suddenly, a low, deep laugh came from inside the chili, sounding like a mischievous whisper. Perry jumped back, startled by the laughter. He looked around and saw Fido standing nearby, biting his lip and chuckling, as if he had known about the pepper's "special effect" all along. Oliver, though not laughing, had a glint of amusement in his eyes, clearly intending to test Perry's courage and quick thinking with this pepper.
After regaining his composure, Perry examined the inside of the laughing chili and recognized a layer of tiny seeds arranged inside, as though these seeds were the ones "producing the sound." He carefully scraped out the seeds with the tip of his knife, cleaning them one by one before chopping the pepper into small pieces and placing them in a small bowl. He couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the pepper's peculiar structure, thinking to himself that these ingredients were indeed extraordinary.
When he set the chili aside and noticed some seed fragments left on the cutting board, Perry immediately threw the seeds into the trash and cleaned the knife and board, wary of any lingering "magical" effects from the chili.
After handling the chili, Perry took a deep breath and turned his attention to the fish in front of him. Fish preparation was one of his most familiar skills. The fish in front of him looked strange, covered with shiny, colorful scales, suggesting it was a rare variety, but that didn't faze him. He moved his knife with fluidity, first handling the scales. The blade slid swiftly over the fish's body, each scale coming off smoothly, revealing the smooth fish skin beneath. Then, he carefully slit open the fish's belly and cleaned out the entrails. Throughout this step, his movements remained light and practiced, showing his meticulous attention to detail.
The most challenging part was filleting the fish. Perry slightly tilted the knife and followed the bones, slicing a whole piece of fish meat with clean, smooth cuts, leaving no bones behind. Next, he carefully removed the tiny bones from the fillets, ensuring nothing was left. Throughout the entire process, his expression was focused and steady. Though he knew Oliver was watching him closely, Perry didn't let the pressure affect him. On the contrary, he even felt a bit of confident relaxation. Oliver stood not far away, quietly observing each of Perry's moves, and a hint of approval appeared in his eyes. This subtle shift in expression did not escape Perry's notice, and he felt a slight relief. After all, he was quite confident in his ability to handle fish.
However, as he neatly arranged the fish on a plate, his gaze fell on the remaining two unfamiliar ingredients. On the table, there was a fruit covered in sharp thorns, resembling a strange variety of watermelon, with a hard, spiny exterior that made it difficult to handle. The other ingredient was a piece of leg meat with green scales, dark in color, and the thick, scaly skin made the meat appear dense and mysterious. These ingredients emanated a clear sense of danger, as if a slight mistake could lead to trouble.
He furrowed his brow, quickly thinking about how to proceed. Especially the spiny fruit—its shell was incredibly hard, and the thorns glistened faintly, making him hesitate. The texture reminded him of the hard shells of nuts he often had to crack open, but this fruit was clearly much larger than a typical nut. Cutting into it directly seemed unsafe. He even considered the possibility of wrapping it in a cloth to cut it, but he wasn't sure if that was the right approach.
Just as he was hesitating, Oliver's voice came from beside him: "The shell of this fruit is hard, but the actual edible part is inside. You just need to find the right amount of force and angle. Don't rush to use force, just follow the natural grooves in the shell."
Hearing this, Perry realized that he had been too impatient. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, and carefully observed the surface of the fruit. Finally, he found a faint line, like a natural crack. He gently ran the knife along the groove, and the fruit split open, revealing its tender, pale yellow flesh, which gave off a slight sweet fragrance. He carefully scooped out the flesh, silently relieved that he hadn't applied too much force, or he would have ruined the precious ingredient.
Next, he turned his attention to the leg meat covered in green scales. The scales seemed exceptionally tough, and cutting through them with the knife might damage the blade. After a moment's thought, he decided to try peeling off the outer layer of scales to see if he could find a softer part beneath. Using the tip of the knife, he gently pried open a few scales, revealing a unique deep red-colored flesh with a glossy sheen, clearly a rare type of meat. Oliver nodded slightly from the side, clearly pleased with Perry's handling of the unfamiliar ingredients.
With each step, Perry felt his culinary skills improving. This was not just a test of technique, but also a challenge that sharpened his ability to adapt and his keen observation of ingredients..