TWOD 06
Chapter 6: The Chef
“While great aristocrats don’t like mages, masters like Plato are the exception. The old headmaster’s visit would certainly elevate the reputation of the Dolphin River. But how can you make that happen?” Kelton asked.
“I will try to,” Su Ye said, his voice firm and confident.
“I’ve tried,” Kelton responded with a knowing smile.
“That’s my second reason for coming to you, fellow student Kelton. I’ve heard you also briefly studied at Plato’s Academy. With your foresight, you must understand the future of a mage,” Su Ye said.
“You’re very good at changing the subject. Let’s get back to the point,” Kelton said, expertly controlling the flow of the conversation.
Su Ye replied, “This is the point. Because what I’m saying is that our relationship isn’t just a monetary transaction; it’s a value exchange. The friendship of a future mage is worth more than a thousand Golden Eagles. Any wise person with foresight wouldn’t focus solely on money.”
“Thirty Golden Eagles. I believe you’re also a wise person with foresight,” Kelton said, a smile returning to his face.
“I’ll be wise in the future, but for now, I only have foresight,” Su Ye said without batting an eye.
The middle-aged head waiter looked at Su Ye in disbelief. He never imagined that a boy so young could hold his own against Kelton, something he himself could never do.
Kelton raised his arms, and the two maids immediately moved closer to help him adjust his white robe. He looked up and said, “You are an interesting one. Tell me the recipe, and I’ll give you a reasonable price.”
“Eight hundred Golden Eagles, no less,” Su Ye said, feigning a look of pain.
“Thirty,” Kelton replied.
Su Ye fell silent. It seemed Kelton was more formidable than the rumors suggested. Kelton flicked his arms, and the two maids withdrew.
“Fifty Golden Eagles, plus you’ll help me take care of a person when you’re capable,” Kelton said.
Su Ye immediately retorted, “Fine, fifty Golden Eagles, and you’ll help me take care of a person today.”
Kelton burst out laughing. “Sharp-tongued. As long as your recipe satisfies me, I can give you a satisfactory price. However, my patience is about to run out.”
“Then let’s sign the Four Gods’ Pact,” Su Ye said.
The head waiter was fuhttps://orangenuna.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/woman-traveling-in-france-2023-11-27-05-16-47-utc_Easy-Resize.com_.jpgus and was about to step forward, but a quick glance from Kelton silenced him, and he froze.
“Alright. Someone!” Kelton said, looking at Su Ye with interest.
Su Ye nodded slightly, secretly relieved. Everything he had just done was to demonstrate his value. Kelton wouldn’t risk offending a thug like Ravens for an unproven recipe, but with the added value of a promising future mage, it was a different story. For a sixteen-year-old to display such maturity beyond his years was a sign of high potential in anyone’s eyes.
A maid brought parchment and a charcoal pencil. Su Ye and Kelton signed the Four Gods’ Pact, writing the names of four relevant deities at the end of the contract.
The first deity was Zeus, the King of the Gods, to witness everything. The second was Themis, the goddess of justice, to witness the contract itself. The third was Athena, the goddess of wisdom and patron of Athens, to witness all things in the city. For the fourth, Su Ye could have chosen Hermes, the god of commerce and messengers, but he chose Vulcan, the god of craftsmen and fire. Kelton didn’t object.
The contract was simple: if Su Ye’s recipe genuinely satisfied Kelton, then Kelton had to fulfill Su Ye’s request under reasonable circumstances. If he refused, he would incur the wrath of the gods. Any contract involving the gods was effective in Greece, and no one had ever dared to go back on a pact involving four gods. Therefore, Su Ye wasn’t afraid of Kelton playing word games. If he did, Su Ye could summon the priests of the Four Temples to intervene, and at that point, it wouldn’t be something that could be resolved with money.
“It will be hard to satisfy me,” Kelton said with confidence.
Su Ye solemnly placed the parchment aside. “I don’t want to lie. I know the recipe and the method, but I can’t guarantee success every time yet. Of course, with a few more tries, I can ensure consistent success. However, I need five people with agile hands who are not only loyal but also willing to stay at the Dolphin River until the recipe is leaked.”
“It seems you understand why I’m not offering a high price,” Kelton said.
Su Ye smiled. “Unless a legendary archmage or a temple priest uses the power of a god, no one can decipher the secret of this dish in a short time. Also, I have a personal request: to be allowed to buy this dish from your restaurant at cost in the future.”
“As long as I’m satisfied, everything is negotiable. Hark, choose five trustworthy men,” Kelton said.
Soon, Hark returned with five strong, adult men.
Su Ye said, “To maintain secrecy, please find us a separate room, preferably close to the kitchen. Of course, as the future namesake of this dish, Mr. Kelton is also welcome to be present. We also need a chef to taste the food. After all, I only have the secret recipe, and I still need a chef’s help to achieve perfection. I’ll tell you what we need to prepare next.”
“Understood.” Kelton glanced at the middle-aged head waiter. The head waiter immediately went to prepare everything as Su Ye requested.
Soon, Su Ye, Kelton, the Dolphin River’s head chef, and the five men entered a room next to the kitchen. Hark stood guard outside the door. Su Ye looked around the room. Four tables were pushed together, covered with ingredients, spices, and kitchen utensils. Kelton had even hung a magical crystal lamp from the ceiling, a luxury item that used magic crystals as fuel and was worth at least fifty Golden Eagles.
Su Ye chose a spot to stand, and the other five men also went to the tables. Across from Su Ye, Kelton and the head chef, Master, sat on chairs, waiting in silence.
Chef Master was a sehttps://orangenuna.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/woman-traveling-in-france-2023-11-27-05-16-47-utc_Easy-Resize.com_.jpgus middle-aged man with a fair complexion and a neat, dark mustache that curled slightly upward. He looked to be in his forties and was immaculately dressed. His hands were particularly unique; though covered in knife scars and calluses, they also had an inexplicable, refined cleanliness. The nails on each finger were perfectly trimmed, forming a single, gentle curve.
In ancient Greece, a chef, also known as a “kitchen supervisor,” was in charge of cooking, but also acted as a butcher and a priest for sacrifices, so their status was quite high. Master was the only person at the Dolphin River restaurant who didn’t have to worry about Kelton’s opinion. Kelton listened to Master on all matters related to the kitchen. This was because while Master wasn’t the best chef in all of Athens, he had the sharpest sense of smell and a keen eye. Any dish he praised was guaranteed to be popular, and any dish he disliked was almost universally disliked. Every time the Dolphin River developed a new dish, Kelton would sincerely praise it. If there were a cooking competition in Greece, Master would undoubtedly be the champion.
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