Mars crossed his arms, leaning against a corner of the stall. His gaze, filled with amusement, rested on Perry as he asked, "So, do you have a question to ask? Funny timing, I actually have a bit of free time now, thanks to the little scene earlier. It scared off some of my customers, so I might as well take a break."
Perry hesitated, carefully weighing whether he should voice his curiosity. He couldn't help but recall the earlier conversation about dual- element ingredients, especially the rumor that Master Chef Dyram had successfully created dishes capable of granting a second attribute to those who consumed them. Such cooking sounded like something out of legend, and it fascinated him deeply. Summoning his courage, Perry finally spoke. "Earlier… about dual attribute. I want to know more. For example, is it really possible to use dual-element ingredients to create dishes that grant people a second attribute?"
Mars blinked in surprise, then broke into a chuckle. In a teasing tone, he replied, "Now that's unexpected. I thought you'd ask how to get your hands on rare ingredients or how to convince Chef Rona to cook something for you. Are you planning to become a chef yourself?"
Perry nodded, his expression serious and determined. "Yes. I want to become a chef."
Mars's smile faded slightly as he fell silent, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he spoke slowly. "That's… quite the challenging path." He gave Perry a once-over, sizing him up before continuing. "You look like a magic apprentice. At first, I thought you were just running errands to buy things. I didn't expect someone like you to set your sights on becoming a chef. That's rare."
Perry lowered his head slightly, a hint of bashfulness in his demeanor, but his resolve didn't waver. "I know it's a difficult path, but I believe I can stick to it," he said firmly. After all, his survival depended on it.
Mars raised an eyebrow, a flicker of admiration glinting in his eyes. With a chuckle, he said, "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But do you truly understand how much effort it takes to become a great chef? Especially for someone with magical aptitude. Most people in your position would choose to become a mage or an adventurer—respectable, promising careers. Being a chef… well, it's hard work."
Unfazed, Perry looked up, his gaze steady. "I know it's not easy, but I'm passionate about cooking. I don't just want to make ordinary meals, I want to create dishes that can help people level up quickly."
Mars froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Dishes that help people level up quickly? That's a lofty goal! Kid, you're something else." He laughed a little more before his tone turned serious. "But let me warn you—dual-attribute cooking isn't for everyone. The rumors might be true, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Dual-attribute ingredients are incredibly rare and even more dangerous to handle. One wrong move, and you could destroy the ingredient or worse, yourself. Are you sure you want to go down this road?"
Without hesitation, Perry replied, "I'm sure."
Mars studied him intently, his gaze probing as if searching for cracks in Perry's determination. After a long pause, he sighed, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Since you're so set on this, let me ask you, what made you choose this path?"
Perry answered simply, "To survive. Oh, I mean… I want to use cooking to level up myself and help others level up too. And, well, to make some money along the way."
Mars stared at him, momentarily stunned, before breaking into a hearty laugh. "Ha! That's one of the most straightforward reasons I've ever heard. You want to be a chef just for that? I've got to hand it to you——you're very clear about your goals. And I can't deny it, being a chef can definitely make leveling up easier, especially for someone with magical skills like yours. Alright, since you're interested, I'll tell you more about this."
His laughter subsided, and his tone grew more serious. "Master Chef Dyram has indeed made a major breakthrough recently. He's already a legend in the culinary world, but this latest accomplishment is unprecedented, he's solved the problem of dual- element ingredients. You know, before this, every dual- element ingredient had to be specially treated to remove one of its element before it could be used. These ingredients are far more potent than single-element ones, but that same potency makes them extremely difficult to handle.Worse, whenever chefs tried to neutralize one of the elements, they had to add certain materials to do so. And the result? The dishes ended up… well, let's just say they weren't exactly palatable."
He paused for a moment, his tone carrying a hint of amazement. "But just three months ago, Master Chef Dyram successfully developed a groundbreaking cooking technique that allows the full absorption of the power in dual-element ingredients without removing either element. This discovery shocked the entire culinary world. Every chef's guild was ecstatic, and many people have traveled specifically to learn this technique from him. This is big news! Are you didn't know about it?"
Perry was startled and immediately flustered. He waved his hands, hastily explaining, "I… I've been busy lately and didn't have time to follow the news, so I missed it." His tone was hurried, worried that Mars might misunderstand him as being indifferent to the culinary world's updates.
Mars raised an eyebrow, a meaningful smile appearing on his face. "Is that so? Then I suppose you're really dedicated to your work. But… if you're serious about becoming a chef, missing such critical news is inexcusable. A chef needs not only skill but also a keen awareness of information. Don't let something like this slip by next time."
Perry nodded earnestly. "I'll make sure to pay attention in the future."
Mars chuckled, his tone light as he continued, "If you truly want to dive deeper into this dual-element cooking, you might want to observe Chef Rona in action. I can ask if she'd allow you to watch. After all, you heard her earlier, she might help that Norman fellow cook his octopus. It's a rare learning opportunity."
Perry's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "Really? That would be amazing!" He hesitated for a moment, then thought of Fido, who might also be interested. Carefully, he added, "But… I have a request. If she agrees, could I bring a friend along? He also wants to become a chef and might find it interesting."
Mars raised an eyebrow, glancing at him with a hint of playful amusement. "Oh? A fellow aspiring chef? Interesting. I can ask, but you'll need to leave me your contact bead so I can notify you."
The mention of a contact bead made Perry's face stiffen slightly. He lowered his head, rummaging through his bag, searching frantically. After a long while, he still hadn't found it. His expression grew increasingly awkward until he finally looked up, embarrassed, and said to Mars, "I… I think I forgot my contact bead. Uh… is there another way to get in touch?"
Mars stared at him for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. "You're a strange person. In this day and age, hardly anyone forgets their contact bead, especially young folks like you. You're truly unique. But fine, I'll wait for you. Just remember, I'll be here only until 8 p.m. After that, I have other errands to run. This is your only window for today."
Perry quickly nodded. "Understood! I'll bring my contact bead back before 8!"
Mars seemed satisfied and nodded. "Alright, any other questions? I've got time today to answer them."
Perry hesitated briefly, as though deliberating on his next question. His expression grew serious, making it clear he wanted to make the most of this opportunity to learn from Mars.
Before Perry could decide on his next question, a sharp alert from the system rang in his mind:[Host, this is bad! Lionel is on his way here. You must hide immediately! If he sees you, it could lead to unnecessary trouble.]
Upon hearing the news, Perry immediately tensed up. He instinctively scanned the area, checking if Lionel had spotted him. Fortunately, Lionel was walking toward him, engaged in a conversation with someone else. Despite the regret that filled his mind, he knew the priority was to avoid a direct encounter with Lionel, as it could lead to a series of problems.
He quickly gathered his thoughts, trying to find a plausible excuse to leave. Grabbing his stomach, he slightly hunched over, putting on a pained expression, and hurriedly said to Mars, "Sorry, Mr. Mars, I suddenly have a stomach ache. I might have eaten something wrong this morning. I need to leave for a while, sorry!"
Mars was taken aback for a moment, then his face showed a touch of concern as he frowned and said, "A stomach ache? You don't look well. Shouldn't you see a doctor? I know a few good ones here…"
"No, no!" Perry quickly waved his hand to interrupt, his voice filled with urgency. "It's just a small issue, I'll go back and rest for a bit. Really sorry about this, but if I get the chance later, I'll come back and ask you more questions!"
With that, Perry didn't wait for Mars to respond, swiftly turning and leaving. His steps were hurried, as if his discomfort really was the reason he couldn't stay longer. He kept his head down, avoiding any chance of making eye contact with Lionel, his mind replaying the system's instructions as he quickly found a secluded alley to hide in for the time being.
After confirming there were no unusual signs around, Perry finally relaxed a little. He raised his head and muttered quietly to the system, "What a waste of a good opportunity to ask about cooking! Seriously, why did Lionel suddenly show up here in this time?"
The system's voice sounded again in Perry's mind, tinged with a bit of teasing and reassurance: [Host, don't be too upset, maybe it was just bad luck. But… you only have five minutes left until the two-hour mark.]
Perry froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered the time limit for his task. He slapped his forehead, his voice tinged with resignation. "What? Only five minutes left? Looks like I won't be able to sell the remaining ingredients for a higher price."
He sighed but quickly adjusted his mindset. Shrugging, he said, "Oh well, today wasn't a total loss. At least I got some useful information about dual-element cooking, so it's still worth it. Now, let's go pick up the gold coins first."
Perry murmured to himself, "But how am I supposed to get the contact bead?"
The system's voice quickly responded, offering some practical advice: "Host, you can try the nearby stores. Based on the conversation earlier, the contact bead should be a common item, and you might find it in specialty shops or stores. After all, it's used for communication, so it's widely needed by many people."
Perry nodded, agreeing with the system's analysis: "Hmm, you're right. Since it's a daily-use item, it shouldn't be as hard to find as other rare items. But for now, I should focus on getting the gold coins, buy the ingredients Chef Oliver requested, and after meeting Fido at the café, I'll have some time left to get the contact bead once I drop off the ingredients in the classroom."
He began to quicken his pace, heading to the designated location to collect the gold coins. In his mind, however, he hoped that Chef Rino would allow him and Fido to observe her cooking process. After all, establishing a connection with Chef Rino, or even just observing her cooking, would be an incredibly valuable opportunity for him.