Perry and his friends finally returned to the town. The familiar streets and voices around them made them feel at ease. Fatigue inevitably came over him, especially after a long climb and tension that made his legs feel a little weak. The little black cat always followed closely at his feet. No matter how difficult the road was, it could maintain an elegant and agile pace. Occasionally, it would stop and look back at Perry. Its bright eyes seemed full of spirituality, as if to confirm whether he could still keep up.
When they arrived at the school, the afterglow of the setting sun sprinkled on the gate of the campus, dyeing it a warm orange glow. Mike stopped and patted Perry on the shoulder, with an unconcealable tiredness on his face, but his tone was still relaxed: "Henry, Moon Shadow Just hand over the Grass to Crocker. I have something else to deal with."
Perry was stunned for a moment and looked up at him: "Now? Are you sure you don't need to come together?"
Mike shrugged and smiled a little helplessly: "Indeed now. I still have to sort out some records for today."
Joyce also nodded at the side. His tone was calm, but there was a little disgust in his words: "I have to go back and take a shower first. The smell of sweat and dirt on my body really makes me unbearable. I don't like the sticky feeling."
Perry was slightly stunned after hearing this, and then showed a bitter smile: "Okay, then thank you for your help. This time it's really thanks to you."
Mike waved his hand, his tone casual: "You're welcome, okay, no more, I'll leave first."
Joyce waved her hand and took over the conversation and said: "Let's talk again when we have time."
Watching the two people leave in a hurry, Perry couldn't help but sigh. He looked down at the little black cat at his feet and whispered, "It seems that there are only two of us left. How about you come with me to find Crocker?"
The little black cat raised its head and responded to him with a crisp "meow", and its tail swayed gently, as if it had no resistance to the next journey.
Perry couldn't help but smile, and reached out to gently rub its head: "Okay, let's go."
The little black cat narrowed its eyes slightly, as if enjoying his touch, and then jumped nimbly, jumped onto Perry's shoulder, and snuggled up to him with its warm body. Perry shook his head helplessly, but didn't intend to drive it down.
Perry stood in front of Crocker's office door, knocked on the door but no one responded, pushed the door open, and found that there was no one in the room.
"It seems that they haven't come back yet..." Perry muttered softly, and glanced at the empty office. He sighed helplessly, and just as he was about to turn around and leave, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind him: "Henry? Why are you here?"
Perry turned his head suddenly and saw the chef Oliver standing at the door. He was holding a basket full of ingredients, and in the basket, he could vaguely see several rare herbs and fresh monster meat. Seeing his familiar figure, Perry was stunned for a moment, and then showed an uncomfortable smile: "Uh... Chef Oliver, are you here to see Dr. Crocker too?"
Chef Oliver walked into the office, gently placed the basket on the table, and began to arrange the things inside one by one, while casually saying: "I'm not here to see him, I just sent some ingredients. He mentioned that he needed these for experiments before, and I just happened to be free, so I brought them by the way."
Perry scratched the back of his head, stood there a little awkwardly, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Well... I couldn't take your class before... I want to explain to you."
Chef Oliver stopped arranging the ingredients and looked up at Perry, his expression not fluctuating too much: "No need to say more, I've heard from Fido. Your situation is indeed special, and it can't be considered as intentional absence."
Perry breathed a sigh of relief, but still asked tentatively: "Then... can I still continue to take your class? I really don't want to miss any learning opportunities."
Chef Oliver's mouth corners slightly raised, and he said with a smile: "Of course, but... you have to solve the curse on you first and get back to your original state. After all, I don't like students who are always absent."
Hearing this, Perry's face changed slightly. He remembered the curse on himself and the goals that he had to complete in a short period of time, and felt even more heavy in his heart. However, he quickly adjusted his mood and asked tentatively: "Chef Oliver, do you think...is there any way for me to get the chef certificate faster? I want to achieve this goal as soon as possible."
Hearing this, Oliver stopped what he was doing, turned around and looked at Perry, with a somewhat sarcastic smile on his face: "You want to be faster? Henry, your cooking skills are so weak, taking it slow is the best choice. Want to learn quickly? You are too anxious."
Perry gritted his teeth and insisted: "But I really need this certificate...I have limited time and can't delay it for too long."
After hearing this, Oliver stared straight into Perry's eyes, and the office fell into a brief silence for a while. After a moment, he slowly spoke, his tone calm but with a hint of severity: "Henry, do you know yourself? You have no talent. From the test results at the beginning, you don't have any particularly outstanding strengths. To be honest, you are more suitable to be a seasoning chef than a real chef. There is still a big gap, and you need to spend more time to lay the foundation."
These words were like a basin of cold water, pouring Perry from head to toe. He clenched his teeth, feeling a little unwilling, but unable to refute. After adjusting his mood, he whispered: "Then... where do you think I should start? There must be a way to improve faster, right?"
Oliver sighed, his eyes softened a little, and pointed to the basket on the table: "If you want to be a real chef, passion alone is not enough. You must first learn to distinguish the properties and uses of these ingredients, and how they can play the best effect in cooking. When you have mastered this step, let's talk about other things."
After listening to the words of chef Oliver, Perry took a deep breath, with an unshakable firmness in his eyes. He raised his head and said seriously: "Chef Oliver, if I can prove that I have a talent for cooking, is there really a faster way to pass the test for the flavorist certificate? I know this step is necessary. Only after I get the flavorist certificate can I take the chef exam."
Chef Oliver looked at Perry in front of him, his eyes slightly condensed, as if he was moved by his firm attitude. He was silent for a moment, his hands folded across his chest, leaning against the table, and his tone was a little considered: "Henry, I don't know why you are so anxious, but if you really have such motivation, then I can tell you that it is not impossible to get the flavorist certificate quickly."
Perry's eyes suddenly lit up, and he quickly asked: "Then what should I do?"
Chef Oliver chuckled, shook his head and said: "Don't be too happy too soon. The fastest way is to complete ten dishes and get the approval of gourmets. Each dish must show your unique understanding and ability, and only after being recognized can you pass the flavorist test."
Isn't this the method Rufus told me before?
Perry frowned slightly, and then asked: "Are there any special requirements for these ten dishes? Or is it enough to satisfy gourmets?"
Chef Oliver nodded and replied: "There are not many requirements. It is enough to be edible. Of course, you must also show your creativity, basic skills, and understanding of ingredients. After all, the duty of a seasoning chef is to make the taste of food even better."
Here, his tone changed, and his eyes became a little stern: "But Henry, to be honest, I don't think you are ready. You are not my formal student yet. I think you'd better keep your feet on the ground and slowly lay a solid foundation. Quick success will only make you ignore many important things."
Perry's heart sank, but he did not back down. He clenched his fists tightly and looked at Chef Oliver with a sharp gaze: "I understand what you mean."
Chef Oliver raised his eyebrows slightly, and there was a little more inquiry in his eyes. He stared at Perry's face for a moment, as if measuring his determination and ability. After a moment of silence, he finally shrugged his shoulders, his tone was a bit nonchalant, but mixed with seriousness that was hard to ignore: "Since you said so, let's try."
Perry's heart was lifted when he heard this, and he nodded quickly: "I understand, but I will definitely try my best to do it."
Oliver did not answer immediately, but examined Perry's expression again. There was no hesitation in those eyes, only determination. He finally showed a slightly appreciative smile, crossed his hands in front of his chest, and softened his tone: "Very good, Henry. Then, this is your first challenge."
As he spoke, he took out a notebook that recorded ingredients from the basket next to him, flipped through a few pages, and took out a piece of paper and handed it to Perry: "Find these ingredients and bring them to me within a week. The next time you see me, bring the results. If you can succeed, I will recognize you as my student and help you pass the seasoning test quickly. But if you can't do it——" He paused and looked at Perry meaningfully, "Then you should follow the normal process obediently, learn down to earth, and don't think about shortcuts."
Perry took the paper, looked down, and the expression on his face froze. The paper had the names of five ingredients written on it, and each one was marked with "Grade S" behind it. His heart sank, and he couldn't help asking, "Grade S ingredients? Chef Oliver, isn't that too difficult?"
Chef Oliver's mouth curled up slightly, with a sly smile: "Of course it's difficult. I won't just accept students casually, you have to show some strength to prove yourself. However, although S-grade ingredients are rare, they are not completely impossible to find. Don't you have that talented little black cat with you? Maybe it can be your helper."
Perry glanced at the little black cat standing beside him. It was licking its paws gracefully, and seemed completely indifferent to this conversation. Taking a deep breath, Perry clenched the paper in his hand, looked up and looked straight at Oliver: "I will find these ingredients! I will bring them to see you in a week!"
Chef Oliver raised his eyebrows, and a playful smile appeared on his face: "Okay, I'll wait. But don't blame me for not reminding you, S-level ingredients are not ordinary prey. Not only are they difficult to catch, they may also endanger your life. If you really plan to try, be fully prepared."
"Thank you for your reminder, but I won't back down." Perry answered firmly.
Chef Oliver didn't say anything else, just nodded, turned around and left the office, leaving Perry and the little black cat to face this headache task. Perry lowered his head and glanced at the paper again, silently thinking about what to do next. He knew that this would be a great challenge, but he had no intention of backing down.