Ken was up before the sun.
He wasn't about to let down his regular customers—but today wasn't a normal market day.
Today, he had to prove himself to the village council.
As he stirred his morning broth and finished kneading his flatbread dough, he mentally prepared the day's menu. It would be split in two:
One set for his returning customers—handheld, familiar, satisfying.
The other, a trio of bold, creative, festival-worthy dishes to impress the council.
Before starting his usual food prep, he slipped out with bow in hand for a short, focused hunt.
---
The woods were cold, and quiet—ideal.
He moved with deliberate care now, the lessons from his father burned into his memory: stay low, keep the wind at your face, and observe everything.
-----
> [Basic Archery EXP +10% → 20%]
[Perception Buff: Active – +5% accuracy and sound awareness for 1 hour]
-----
After an hour of cautious travel, Ken reached a narrow game trail. The underbrush was trampled, droppings fresh. He crouched low, breath steady. A soft rustling echoed from beyond the trees. He moved silently, ducking behind a rotting log and peering through a gap in the ferns.
There, no more than thirty meters ahead, stood a young buck, no more than two winters old. Its coat shimmered in the golden shafts of morning light.
Ken reached for an arrow, careful not to make a sound. He nocked it, drew the string slowly, and squinted down the shaft, lining up just behind the shoulder—the heart-lung zone his father had drilled into him.
But then… the buck moved.
Not away, but forward. Closer.
Ken's breath caught. He adjusted, recalibrating his aim, letting the string tighten just a fraction more.
Snap.
The arrow flew.
The buck jerked—then stumbled forward with a muffled cry. It staggered a few steps before collapsing, legs folding beneath it in a quiet heap.
Ken sprinted forward, heart hammering. The animal lay still. The arrow had pierced clean through its ribs—a near perfect shot.
---
> [Basic Archery EXP +20% → 40%]
[New Item: Deer Meat (Fresh, Lean)]
[Butchering EXP +10% → 65%]
[Seasoning Sense EXP +5% → 100% → Skill Level Up!]
🎉 Skill Up! – Seasoning Sense Lv. 2 Unlocked
You now instinctively understand ideal flavor pairings and can detect seasoning potential in raw ingredients.
----
It took him over an hour to field dress the animal and drag the choice cuts back using a rough sled fashioned from rope and sticks. By the time he returned to the village, he was tired—but beaming.
---
His three council trial dishes:
1. Smoked Venison Ribs with wild horseroot glaze and garlic fennel rub
2. Grilled Flatbread Tacos filled with herbed deer loin, pickled crownroot, and tart plum glaze
3. Sweet Onion & Venison Pottage slow-cooked with wild greens and a pine-mint broth
Each dish was prepared with precision. He tasted everything, adjusted seasonings instinctively, and plated each one with care.
---
[Ingredient Prep EXP +10% → Lv. 2 – 10%]
[Fire Control EXP +10% → 100% → Skill Level Up!]
🎉 Skill Up! – Fire Control Lv. 2 Unlocked
You now manage multiple temperatures and heating zones simultaneously with greater precision.
---
With time ticking, Ken handed his usual dishes to customers lined up at his makeshift stall—flatbreads and dumplings ready to go. He set a small dish of grilled pine-rubbed fish near the fire to attract more foot traffic. It worked.
He sold out again by noon.
Then, as the clock neared the afternoon dinner bell, he gathered the three festival dishes, arranged them neatly on a tray, and headed to the village hall.
---
The village council sat in a semicircle—five elders and representatives of the town's major trades. Mr. Hanley gave him a small nod as he entered.
Ken placed the food on the table and stood quietly.
One by one, they tasted.
The room was silent except for the sounds of chewing and the occasional hum of approval.
Finally, the blacksmith spoke. "You're how old again?"
"Just turned eleven," Ken replied.
"And you made all of this yourself?" asked the seamstress.
"I had some help with the firewood and carrying, but the cooking was all me," Ken said honestly.
The baker leaned forward. "Where'd you learn to cook like this?"
Ken smiled. "I just experimented with things on my own. I didn't always have a good sense of taste… so I've had to learn fast."
The elders exchanged glances, then turned to whisper among themselves.
The wait felt like forever.
Finally, the head councilman stood.
"Ken of Alderbrook," he said, voice steady, "we, the village council, are unanimous in our decision."
A pause.
"You are officially appointed as Head Cook of the Alderbrook Harvest Festival."
---
The crowd outside the town hall erupted in applause as the notice was posted to the board. People rushed to congratulate him.
Ken stood there, stunned. The tray of now-empty dishes trembled slightly in his hands.
---
> KEN — STATUS (End of Chapter 18)
Level: 5
EXP: 40/100
Unspent Attribute Points: 0
Skills Unlocked:
Ingredient Prep (Lv. 2 – 10%)
Fire Control (Lv. 2 – 0%)
Seasoning Sense (Lv. 2 – 0%)
Ingredient Identification (Lv. 1 – 91%)
Basic Gardening (Lv. 1 – 43%)
Basic Trapping (Lv. 1 – 67%)
Butchering (Lv. 1 – 65%)
Meal Preservation (Lv. 1 – 62%)
Food Packaging (Lv. 1 – 55%)
Clay Crafting (Lv. 1 – 4%)
Basic Archery (Lv. 1 – 40%)
---
His journey was just beginning.
But now, everyone in the village was coming along for the ride.
------------------------------------------------