The Chef took a shiny metal fork and wrapped the spaghetti around it, watching as the cheese melted from the heat of the noodles. It clung to them, yet it wasn't dry; the tomatoes acted as a moisturizer and the sauce added a layer of flavor that amounted to the perfect combination.
"I haven't even taken a bite yet, but I can already see that it's going to be good," the Chef said before eating a mouthful of it.
"This is amazing. The spaghetti has a nice texture—just a little dry—which Laniakea used to make it absorb the sauce's taste and the tomato juices for a refreshing finish. To ensure the flavor didn't fade too fast, he used the cheese to leave a taste that gently settles in the mouth. I'm surprised he made such a dish in this short amount of time with so few ingredients."
The Chef looked up. "Laniakea, the test is concluded. You're going to be an official chef at this estate. I hope to see more of these dishes from you."
"Thank you, Chef," Laniakea replied.
"Call me Chef Brandy. I don't want you mixing me up with the others."
"Yes, Chef Brandy. Is there anything else I can do for now?"
"Not for today, at least For now, go make yourself at home. Joha, bring Laniakea to the chefs' quarters; he'll be staying there."
"Chef, you can't just let him become a chef that fast!" the trainee, Joha, protested. "What about the others? We've been trainees for around two years, and you're just going to approve someone this young to become an official chef?"
Chef Brandy merely shot him a glare. Joha instantly fell silent and led Laniakea to the quarters in visible frustration.
"This is where you will be staying. Your room is on the second floor, the second door. I won't tell you again, so remember it," Joha said.
"Sure," Laniakea answered. He entered his room, lightly slamming the door behind him just to annoy Joha. Hearing the trainee storm off, he decided to unpack. He hadn't brought much—only what he deemed important: the necklace matching Jessica's, the bracelet from the head chef at the tavern, a few clothes, a box of matches with some candles, and his dagger.
As he looked deeper into his bag, he noticed something strange. "What is this?"
It had a wooden frame with black strings on the left and white on the right, building a pattern. A feather of the opposite color hung on each side, with a gray one in the middle. Wait—the middle string wasn't a string at all; it was made of beads.
"Is this... a dream catcher? Why is this in my bag? Maybe Sister or Jessica put it in here." He inspected it closely but noticed nothing off, so he hung it on the wall as decoration.
Laniakea heard noise from outside his window. Looking out, he saw guards and knights training. "A few of them have awakened Aura, but the one instructing them is definitely stronger than all of them combined."
Laniakea imbued his eyes with Aura. To his shock, he couldn't see any Aura circulating through the instructor's body. "What? How can there be no Aura? This has never happened before... No, he has Aura, I can feel it. Yet for some reason, I cannot see it."
He closed his eyes and focused his energy more carefully, more precisely. When he opened them again, he saw it: the instructor possessed Aura, Aura of a different color, resembling a light orange. Just as Laniakea began to observe more closely, the instructor looked directly at him. Laniakea ducked away quickly, hoping he hadn't been noticed.
He decided to finish settling in and leave the rest for tomorrow. After neatly sorting his clothes and hiding his dagger under his bed, he headed back to the kitchen to greet his new mentor.
"Hello, Chef Brandy."
"Hey, what are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to get used to the place?"
"I'm most used to the kitchen, so I came back. After all, there are a lot of ingredients here I've never used before."
"That's the best response I've heard yet," Brandy said, pointing toward the other trainees. "Unlike those guys who can't wait to get off work, you can't wait to start."
"Excuse me, Chef Brandy, I have a question about the cutting board I held earlier when I first came in. I wanted to know who it belonged to. If nobody is using it, then could I have it?"
"Oh, that one? It was used by my teacher. He was an amazing cook, but it's not in use now. I don't mind you taking it—just don't break it. Actually, don't worry about that; it's so old it might break at any moment anyway."
"Thank you, Chef Brandy," Laniakea said with a smile. He wasn't worried about it breaking; he could feel that the wood itself wasn't normal. Also having been used by a master chef, it had been strengthened over time.
"This might sound weird," he muttered to himself, "but I've gotten my hands on an amazing cutting board. You don't even have to get close to smell the seasonings used on it. It's a testament to the skill of the master who owned it."
He looked around the kitchen, his eyes bright. "I wonder what else is here that I haven't used before. I can't wait to try them all."