After Mia left, Chloe, who had remained silent the whole time, looked up at Zephyr, struggling internally to make a decision.
"Um... Zephyr, you intend to continue walking the path of an Adventurer in the future, right?"
"That's right."
Perhaps, once the strength he possessed could truly determine his future fate, and he grew weary of the monotonous life of an Adventurer, he might choose a different way of living. But now was clearly not the time.
He looked at Chloe and asked without much thought, "Is there something you need?"
"How about this... you become my teacher in cooking, and in exchange, I will instruct you on how to become a qualified Adventurer. What do you think?"
Speaking of which, it wasn't exactly that Chloe was being overly serious. It was just that the blow to her culinary pride had been significant, and she had to regain face in another area. That area was, of course, being an Adventurer.
Her smile was exceptionally bright, perhaps even a bit too smug. Realizing she had gone a bit too far, she raised a hand to cover her cheeks.
"Hehe. I'm older than you, so I should be able to act as your big sister. Don't let the fact that I work at a restaurant fool you. I was a very formidable Adventurer in the past."
"Even if you lack talent in combat, I believe that after my special training, you will be able to return safely from the Dungeon in the future."
Chloe had always been quite confident in her strength. As a former member of an assassination organization before retiring, she still maintained her Level 4 status, so guiding a newcomer just starting their journey as an Adventurer was certainly not a difficult task.
What's more, Zephyr's culinary skill level had already been fully verified in the recent contest, and even she had to admit the clear gap between them. If she could trade for his cooking guidance, it would definitely be a deal where she wouldn't lose out.
Most importantly, her strange competitive nature demanded that she regain the ground she lost in Cooking in some other area.
She looked at Zephyr, her eyes filled with anticipation. "What do you think?"
The moment Zephyr heard the proposal, he was actually quite tempted.
In terms of stats, he had the shortcut provided by the Strongest Gourmet Hunter System—devouring Gourmet Cells allowed for steady growth without any pressure.
He didn't need to worry about cooking either. The recently acquired rewards containing [Absolute Taste], [Professional Chef-level Knife Skills], and [Heat Control] had already solidified his foundation.
The only issue was combat techniques. Since he had transmigrated to Orario, he had never found a suitable channel to improve them.
Logically speaking, if he asked members of the Loki Familia for advice, they would likely agree, but the problem was that Finn, Ais, and the others were still on an expedition. They wouldn't be able to return to the surface anytime soon.
If Chloe was willing to guide him, it would definitely be a high-quality educational resource. Whether facing strange Gourmet Creatures in the Dungeon or dealing with other Adventurers with whom he might come into conflict, it would come in handy.
The only thing he wasn't clear about was the specific strength Chloe possessed.
"Um... Chloe-san, is it really okay to do this?"
Chloe, realizing she had been getting carried away just a moment ago, felt her expression stiffen. She turned her head, her gaze unconsciously drifting toward Syr.
It wasn't as if this hadn't happened before. Whenever she got a little too carried away, Syr would reprimand her, and Chloe knew this was actually for her own good. However, she didn't see any desire to reprimand her from Syr.
"Um..."
She hesitated for a moment before asking tentatively, "Can I do this?"
"Of course you can." Syr smiled.
Due to her Familia's position, opportunities for her to interact with Zephyr were actually quite rare. If Chloe was willing to take the initiative to create such an opportunity, she would absolutely not refuse.
Moreover, she was curious about the secrets Zephyr shouldered—a soul unlike any she had ever seen. Hmm... and this culinary skill of his, which was exaggerated to the point of absurdity.
As long as she could create more opportunities for contact, it would be an extra gain for her.
When Syr looked at Zephyr again, her tone was extremely solemn. "I don't want Zephyr-san to get into trouble in the Dungeon, because then I wouldn't be able to eat such delicious dishes in the future."
"Then leave it to me."
After receiving Syr's permission, Chloe's face was once again filled with smiles.
She patted her chest, her tone exceptionally hearty. "I am, after all, a Level 4 Adventurer. Guiding a newcomer is no problem."
Since coming to work at the Hostess of Fertility, she had been quite satisfied with her current life and was willing to work even harder for it. Although she had long ago chosen to give up her status as an Adventurer and find a different way to survive in Orario, that extremely unforgettable experience as an Adventurer, and the strength and experience she had accumulated, could still provide help to Zephyr.
Having finished the remaining grilled pork chop, Anya, who seemed to have discovered something interesting, felt her ears twitching. She certainly couldn't miss out on something like this.
She hurriedly waved her hand and leaned in. "Don't look at Anya like she's stupid, nya. Actually, I can guide you too, nya. I was also a very formidable Adventurer in the past, nya. As long as you prepare a little more for Anya when you cook, it's fine, nya."
Upon hearing this, Zephyr couldn't quite keep a straight face.
No wonder the Hostess of Fertility was staffed entirely by beautiful waitresses, yet no Adventurer dared to cause trouble here.
So, everyone working here was actually a master?
According to the common logic of Orario, ordinary girls simply couldn't handle the high-intensity operations of this popular restaurant. Rather, retired Adventurers were the most suitable for such positions.
Zephyr looked at the cat people before him who had once been Adventurers. Since it had reached this point, he didn't reject Anya's proposal.
If it were before, he wouldn't have thought his skills could guide Chloe, but with the support of the system rewards, the situation was different. As for cooking, it was just a simple task for Zephyr.
He said, "I might come back to see you when I have free time. I have to explore the Dungeon during the day."
"No problem."
Regarding this, Chloe had no objections. For Zephyr, who was firmly committed to the path of an Adventurer, his future development direction would certainly focus on improving his own strength.
She waved her hand. "That's fine. Just come whenever you're free, I'll be here."
After confirming this matter, Zephyr chose not to linger here any longer. The evening rush hour had quietly arrived. He couldn't delay their business, could he?
Moreover, the cooperation he wanted had been preliminarily reached. By utilizing the bond of Cooking Guidance, it would be much more convenient to sell Gourmet Creatures as ingredients to the restaurant in the future.
He swept his gaze across the girls present and said with a smile, "Then I'll be heading back now."
"Alright."
Syr took the initiative to walk Zephyr to the restaurant entrance.
She stood at the doorway, and waved goodbye to him. "Um... Zephyr-san, Syr is looking forward to our future story."
"..."
I feel like things are getting a bit ambiguous?
However, Zephyr didn't pay it much mind. After all, Syr's personality was the friendly type, warm toward all Adventurers.