"How about I check the kitchen? There might be some ingredients left. Would you mind waiting a moment?"
Ransei wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but the halo above the girl's head seemed to... glow brighter?
"No problem at all!"
Bathed in her expectant gaze, Ransei stepped into the kitchen. Since the mysterious man had dropped him off here, he hadn't even had the chance to inspect the house. This was his first time entering the kitchen of this shop.
However, his first move wasn't rummaging through the cupboards; instead, he tore open the package Exusiai had just delivered. As the saying goes in web novels: The "System" never issues an impossible quest. This package was the key.
He sliced through the tape, and a smile spread across his face. The box was packed with ingredients—the most prominent being a slab of frozen Dragon Meat. Beside it were the various staples he had used during his training under Teig.
He sorted through the items, and the system icons popped up:
Apples (Grade: E)
Flour (Grade: E)
Rum (Grade: E)
Eggs (Grade: E)
Butter (Grade: E)
It seemed these were emergency supplies for when the "Ingredient Shop" was unavailable. But "Grade E"? Ransei had learned enough to judge quality during his training; these apples were better than anything he'd seen on Earth. If these are only E-grade, what on earth is an S-grade ingredient?
He pushed the thought aside. He had a bigger problem. He scanned the kitchen—it was spacious, but as he looked around, his heart sank.
There was no oven.
Ransei's face paled. Apple pie wasn't technically difficult, but the System had rated this quest as "D-grade" difficulty. Now he knew why—it was a trap. How do you bake a pie without an oven?
He stood in silence for a moment. Then, remembering Exusiai's sparkling eyes, he couldn't bring himself to walk out and reject her. He closed his eyes, mentally scrolling through every lesson Teig had taught him, searching for a workaround.
Sitting in the dining area, Exusiai observed the seemingly ordinary shop with curiosity.
Why "seemingly"? Because her Boss had personally ordered her to handle this delivery alone. That box was clearly special.
I wonder what's inside? This is a restaurant, so maybe rare ingredients? Or is the restaurant just a front? That owner looks like an ordinary guy, but maybe he's one of those 'Hidden Dragons' like they have in Lungmen...
With her nerves finally relaxed after the long journey, Exusiai allowed her mind to wander. As an elite courier for Penguin Logistics, she had seen her fair share of world-shaking events. Her golden rule: Deliver the goods, don't ask questions.
Suddenly, Ransei's head popped out from the kitchen. "I found some ingredients. It'll take about thirty minutes. Can you wait?"
"You bet!~"
Seeing her enthusiasm, Ransei took a deep breath and pumped his fist. I can do this.
Making an apple pie is easy if you have a manual and a kitchen. But to run a professional shop, "easy" wasn't enough. He remembered Teig's words: "A diner's smile is a chef's true pay. Satisfaction is our duty!"
"Time to show you the skills Teacher passed down to me!" Ransei muttered to the empty kitchen.
He had found a substitute for baking: Pan-frying.
He ripped open two bags of flour—one High-Gluten and one Low-Gluten. By mixing them in a 1:1 ratio, he could create a dough that was both structural and flaky. He added butter, kneading the golden mass with his powerful, blacksmith-trained arms. Within minutes, the dough was as smooth as silk.
Next, the apples. Even though time was tight, he didn't skip peeling them. A sharp blade makes for light work. The difference in texture between the skin and the flesh would ruin a quick-fry pie.
Clang!
His knife moved in a blur. Two apples were "stripped naked" in thirty seconds. Before they could oxidize and turn brown, his cleaver slammed down.
Tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk!
The apples were reduced to perfect, uniform cubes. He tossed them into a pan with melting butter. As they softened, he reached for a bottle of Rum. He bit the cork off, and the sweet, heavy aroma of fermented sugarcane filled the air.
Whoosh!
He poured the rum in, and a pillar of flame erupted as the alcohol hit the hot oil. Ransei didn't flinch; he used a wooden spatula to toss the fruit through the fire. The "flambé" burnt off the harsh alcohol, leaving behind the concentrated sweetness of the sugar and a hint of oak. The filling was done.
Exusiai sat in the booth, scrolling through her comms to chat with her colleagues (Texas and Sora, likely), but her nose kept twitching. A rich, sweet aroma was drifting from the kitchen. Her stomach let out a loud growl. She blushed, looking around to make sure no one heard, and debated getting a snack from her truck. No, I have to save room for the 'Ap-pu-ru Pai'!
The kitchen door swung open. The scent hit her like a physical wave.
Ransei walked out, looking exhausted but pleased. A system notification flashed in his eyes:
[Apple Pie (Custom Recipe) - Complete]
[Difficulty: F | Completion: 71%]
[Evaluation: Dough technique needs work; filling sautéed unevenly; frying temp too high, crust is a bit hard. However, for a novice to adapt a recipe on the fly is commendable.]
Ransei nearly dropped the plate. He realized there was a sub-menu in his Personal System:
Host: Ransei
Age: 22
Cooking Level: F | Combat Level: F
Talents:
Concentration (Rank D): Increases focus over time.
Fire Mastery (Rank D): Extreme sensitivity to temperature.
Identification (Rank S): Can view the attributes of any object.
Skills: Knife Work Lv.1, Fire Control Lv.1, Forging Lv.1.
Recipes Known: Hunter's Feast (E), Apple Pie (F).
He shook his head, clearing the UI. He had a hungry Angel to feed.