Kai moved quickly. The wild mint the girl had given him wasn't much—but it sparked an idea.
He laid out his final ingredients:
Half a potato
Faint pork grease left in the pan
One wilted cabbage leaf
The girl's wild mint
Pinch of salt
Three dishes. That was the goal.
He boiled the potato slices first, softening them gently. While they cooked, he shredded the cabbage leaf as finely as he could, almost paper-thin. He dropped it into the pork fat to crisp lightly, letting it catch just a whisper of char.
He mashed the potato with a dash of salt, folding in a bit of the pork grease for body. Then, right before plating, he tore the mint leaves—fresh, clean, wild—and mixed them in.
The aroma hit him instantly.
The sweetness of cabbage. The earthy base of potato. The unexpected bite of mint.
It was... rustic.
He placed the mash in the chipped bowl, garnished with crisped cabbage strands and one bright green mint leaf.
He slid it across the counter.
The girl's eyes lit up. She picked up the spoon and took a bite.
Silence.
Then her shoulders relaxed. Her lips quirked into the smallest smile.
"It's warm," she whispered. "Like something my mother used to make."
Kai felt something twist in his chest. She didn't say another word—just finished every spoonful slowly, like it was a treasure.
She left the bowl on the counter and whispered, "Thank you."
Then she was gone.
[System Notification]
Dish Logged: Minted Potato Mash with Crispy Cabbage
Flavor Balance: 74%
Cooking Technique Bonus: Knife Mastery Applied
Customer Satisfaction: Moderate
[Dish Quality: 7.0/10 – Acceptable]
+6 XP
Progress: 3 / 10 Satisfying Dishes
📈 XP: 17 / 20
[Flavor Sense I – Progress: 22%]
Kai leaned on the counter, exhausted—but proud. Every movement, every cut, every grain of salt had been chosen.
He'd served three dishes. All acceptable. All his.
Three left to Level 2.
But no more ingredients.
Then—
DING!
A soft pulse echoed in his vision as a glowing icon blinked in the corner of his eye.
[System Notification]
Milestone Detected: First Three Consecutive Successful Dishes
+3 Bonus XP
XP: 20 / 20
⚡ LEVEL UP! ⚡
Kai Elgren has reached Level 2!
+5 Stat Points Earned
New Feature Unlocked: System Tips (Passive)
Kai staggered back, stunned as the glowing window unfurled before him.
📜 Status Window: Kai Elgren
Name: Kai Elgren
Level: 2
XP: 0 / 150
Class: Apprentice Cook
Reputation: 6 (Rumors Stir)
System: Culinary Ascension Protocol
🧠 Attributes(Stat Points Available: 5)
Culinary Sense: 6
Knife Technique: 5
Heat Control: 4
Stamina: 7
Focus: 8
Mana: 1
🎓 Skills
[Basic Knife Mastery](Passive) – Boosts cutting precision and reduces mistakes.
[Flavor Sense I](Passive) – Detects basic flavor imbalances in food.
(Skill Slot 2 Locked)
🎯 Active Quest
Savor the Start
Progress: 3 / 10
Create 10 satisfying dishes using the Culinary System.
Reward: +50 XP, Unlock Skill: [Ingredient Recognition I]
🎒 Inventory(Updated)
Empty. No usable ingredients left.
2 Silver Coins
1 Chipped Ceramic Bowl
Mint Leaf Stalks (dried)
Kai grinned as the system screen faded.
He had nothing left in his kitchen. But now he had stats, XP, and a path forward.
He could rebuild.
"Let's get supplies," he muttered, sliding the two silver into his pouch. "I'm just getting started."