Chapter 131: Master Has Been Patiently Waiting for Your Amazing Tongue!?

Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Master Has Been Patiently Waiting for Your Amazing Tongue!?

Ingredients covered nearly every inch of the kitchen counter by the time Lucien stepped back to survey his work.

"Its been a while since I’ve cooked properly," he said, thinking back to the last time he remembered cooking for the girl’s.

He then pulled up the cooking manuals knowledge from his memory, the one he had learnt thanks to the System pouring it into his head and the same one he’d barely had an occasion to use besides once or twice.

At the same time he also pulled up the manuals system description.

[Rare Culinary Manual — Feast of the Mana Chef]

[Teaches mana infused cooking, ingredient compatibility, mana circulation, magical preservation, and recipes built around cultivation itself. Properly prepared dishes may grant minor temporary effects depending on ingredients, complexity, and the chef’s mastery.]

’Mana cooking isn’t just seasoning with extra steps. Every ingredient’s got its own affinity, its own concentration, throw them together wrong and you get a very expensive and very wasted meal.’

’That’s why there is an entire profession for cooking and chefs like there are for alchemists, blacksmiths, array masters and so on.’

’Each of them focusing on their craft with their own sub divisions and each with their own way of advancing.’

’I wonder where I would rank as a chef.’ He thought though he didnt quite know the rankings of professions.

"Let’s see how rusty I’ve gotten, can’t be that bad." he muttered going back to his dishes.

First up was a thick cut of a flame beast meat, marinated in ember peppers and mana infused seasoning, thankfully this continent was advanced enough that most things could be bought like the seasonings.

’From what I’ve heard and read, the human continent and the dwarf cities are the most technologically advanced, wonder if they have cars or do they also use carriages?’

He held his palm above the meat and released a thin thread of his crimson mana into it without forcing it in but just guiding it along the meat’s natural pathways.

He was patient and careful as a single mistake could ruin the meat, a faint crimson shimmer rippled across it’s surface and sank in further which according to the manual would improve the meats taste and texture.

"Good, that wasn’t so hard, seems like I’m a natural." He said transfering it to a pan.

He seared it until the crust charred just enough and the inside staying tender under it, he then sliced off a corner to taste.

"Not bad at all." His said licking his lips.

The dish he had prepared was called the Emberfang Seared Bloodhorn Steak, though the meat he used was a bit different from what was needed, though it turned out good.

It provided a minor boost to stamina regeneration and a slight increase to physical recovery, with a minor resistance to fatiguing.

’Aurelia’s going to love this, I even added extra pepper’s to hers since she loved the spice last time.’

Next was a tender poultry roasted with Moonflower Honey and a scatter of fragrant herbs, the mana circulation this time being slower, gentler and coaxing rather than searing.

The dish was called the Moonveil Honey Glazed Roast Fowl and gave a minor boost to mana regeneration, a slight mental fatigue recovery and a minor improvement to mana circulation.

’That’s for Seraphina.’

Then the one he’d been looking forward to most made up of Starfall Milk, Moonflower Honey, and finely ground Starfruit which was was whipped into a pale golden pudding flecked with something that looked suspiciously like tiny trapped stars.

’Starfall Honeycream Pudding that gives a minor vitality recovery, a small stamina regeneration boost and improves clarity.’

He made sure to portion out an extra bowl without even thinking about it.

’Obviously, since she’ll want seconds and maybe even thirds.’ He thought laughing.

A mixed roast of magical root vegetables came next, lightly seasoned and mana touched called a Sunroot Herb Medley that gave a minor mana recovery effect and was very nutritious.

And finally a pitcher of freshly pressed shadow berries blended with mana infused water and a thread of honey, Shadowberry Mana Nectar that improved sleep and had a calming effect.

None of it had powerful effects as none of the dishes were meant to be to replacement for potions or pills according to the manual but just a delicious meal with a little extra magic sprinkled in, as a chefs main focus was the food itself with everything else coming second.

"Haven’t lost my touch." He said as he surveyed the almost finished spread, satisfied at his work.

While the food finished, his mind wandered to somewhere less edible.

’Now how exactly am I going to explain going from F Rank to Peak S Rank in ten hours to Carmilla?’

She’d been helping the girls most of the day, especially Evelisse and she was definitely going to notice the second she got close enough to actually feel his mana properly.

’Maybe Phantom Veil Skill could work, I haven’t actually looked at that properly since I claimed it besides running it in the background.’ He thought.

He pulled up the interface, selecting the skill he’d got after investing the Auraveil Skill into Evelisse before heading to the Bloodmoon Ruins Dungeon.

’What did the shop attendant say about that skill?’ He thought recalling the description they provided for it.

’Auraveil a Rare Rank Skill that suppresses and disguises the user’s cultivation and with sufficient mastery the user can mimic a lower rank’s mana presence but only up to two ranks below the user’s own.’

"That’s what I remember, it was definitely something along those lines." he murmured nodding his head.

He then pulled up the higher ranked version’s system description.

[Skill: Phantom Veil (Epic)]

[Suppresses, conceals, and disguises cultivation. Usable against targets up to five ranks higher. With sufficient mastery, can mimic a lower rank’s aura, up to five ranks below the user’s own.]

"Oh?"

’Two ranks only became five, the mimicry range doubled right along with the rank change.’

’It’s not as powerful as I thought an Epic Skill would be.’

"But it’s still quite the upgrade."

"But what’s this five ranks, what is five ranks higher than S Rank, surely it can’t work on those higher than SSS Rank right?" He wondered.

With a Peak S Rank cultivation, hiding from anyone up to five ranks higher is genuinely useful, but anyone five ranks higher would be above his realm.

’Well, just have to find out or maybe get a better skill, preferably one that focuses on concealment and another on cultivation disguise.’

’But it probably still won’t fool actual higher ranked appraisal skills or bloodline and talents that are focused on sensing, as it only disguises just the aura itself.’

’Would this even work on Carmilla?’ He thought.

If it was her real body, he stood no chance, obviously as she was a literal Goddess and an Epic skill wasn’t fooling divinity.

’But the fragment, the tiny soul bound version that followed him around making fun of his life choices?’

’No idea but only one way to check and do I even want to keep it from her?’ He thought as it would be better if she knew as she could provide better guidance to him.

’Still gotta disguise it, don’t want anyone knowing that I can jump ranks and then get kidnapped and experimented on in some seceret nobles lab’ He thought jokingly.

He activated Phantom Veil, feeling his mana presence recede rank by rank Peak S, High S, A, B, C, D down to the lowest floor the skill allowed.

[Ding!]

[Phantom Veil Skill Activated.]

[-500 Mana/hour]

[Displayed Rank: Peak E Rank]

"High E-Rank," he said checking with his own mana perception.

’Good enough,’ he thought. ’If someone really is out there then there’s no reason for me to advertise how far I’ve actually come.’

He left it running, 500 mana an hour was basically nothing to him as just his mana regeneration would make back more than that, and then went back to finishing dinner.

"All done," he said, surveying the finished spread with real satisfaction.

’Ladies, dinner’s ready.’ He said as he reached inward through the contract to his first two wives and Carmilla.

’Gotta get that upgrade for Eve.’ He thought as he would love to be able to talk and tease his cute wife anytime and from anywhere.

The reply came back almost instantly.

’Made dinner disciple?’ Carmilla asked and informed Evelisse who was beside her.

"Dinner?!" He could hear Evelisse scream.

’Yes.’ He laughed.

’Seems like she’s excited."

"I’M COMING HUBBY!"

Two more responses followed way more calmer Aurelia and Seraphina as both acknowledged and saying they’ll wash up first.

Upstairs, Evelisse was already off of her bed.

"Finally!"

Carmilla, mid explanation of the Twilight Genesis Scripture’s third circulation gate for the ninth time, blinked at her.

"Are you so hungry little Eve?"

"Yes!" Evelisse said closing the technique’s manual.

"I’ve been studying for hours."

"...You’ve been studying for two hours since the last snack break you had." Carmilla glanced at her then at the clock.

"Exactly! Hours!"

She was already at the door.

Carmilla floated after her busy laughing. "You’re certainly enthusiastic."

"I’m hungry, big sis, you do know there’s a difference between enthusiasm and survival."

And with that, Evelisse escaped the room like she’d just been summoned.

By the time Lucien finished arranging the last plate, Evelisse had already claimed the sofa in the living room with TV running, Carmilla parked on her head apparently equally invested in whatever was on screen.

Aurelia and Seraphina arrived a few minutes later, hair still damp from washing up. Seraphina reached him first and wrapped him in a quick hug.

"Thank you for cooking, darling."

"Its been some time, since you took up the chef’s knife." he said smiling and returning the hug.

"Smells amazing." Aurelia inhaled deeply as she passed the table with the spicy dishes.

"Let’s hope it tastes that good too." Carmilla said as she had only eaten Seraphina’s cooking since she arrived.

"You’re in for a treat big sis." Evelisse said.

Everyone settled into their seats as Carmilla drifted over to him immediately and hovered expectantly beside his shoulder.

"Now, now, sugar disciple." she said.

"Before we start, isn’t someone forgetting something?"

"What?" He sighed knowing where this was headed.

"My taste, Lucien, your dear master has been patiently waiting all day for your amazing tongue."

He sighed as Seraphina giggled and let her open the connection so she could share his sense of taste.

"Wonderful!" Carmilla’s eyes lit up instantly.

"You’re really doing this every time now?" Evelisse asked.

"Of course, why wouldn’t I?"

"You’re a Goddess big sis, don’t you have a way to do it yourself?"

"I could." Carmilla said and tilted her head, considering it with far more gravity than the question deserved.

"But teasing my disciple is way too good to pass on, oh and his reactions are funny."

"Can’t argue with that." Evelisse smiled at Lucien, then shrugged.

"Let’s eat before it gets cold," Lucien said sighing, already anticipating a certain wonderful chime.