Chapter 389: Lonely...

Since there was about ten thousand mana left to reach the mana capacity limit, Soren decided to cultivate till evening and even activated the Synchronicity effect. As his cultivation speed increased dramatically, he took out more than enough mana crystals and began cultivating.

Time passed, and evening eventually came.

[Mana Capacity: 877,704 / 880,000]

’...Not bad,’ Soren thought as he stretched his muscles. ’I can easily fill the rest up at night.’

There was also an ongoing investment for Ryan, which would likely finish soon. The upcoming returns might include enough mana and spare him from cultivating the remainder himself.

’...Hah,’ Soren sighed softly, shaking his head slightly. ’I shouldn’t rely on returns for every minor step.’

He then picked up his phone from the nightstand and noticed a few calls and unread messages waiting for him. He opened the app and began reading them one by one.

The first message was from Ryan, explaining that he wouldn’t be able to make it for dinner this evening. His parents were taking him and his younger sister on a city tour to celebrate his admission, and he apologized for canceling on short notice.

Soren smiled as he typed back a reply.

’No need to apologize or worry about it,’ he sent. ’Just make sure to enjoy the time with your family. I’ll save some food for you so you can eat tomorrow...’

The next message was from Zura, telling him she might arrive half an hour or so late. He also replied to her appropriately and read the next message.

Surprisingly, it was from a recent acquaintance, Mr. Doran, the head of the Bagdad Magic Chefs Association.

’...Let’s see...’

Soren narrowed his eyes and started reading the rather long message. It began with a polite greeting and added that he was writing a message since he couldn’t reach him by phone. He expressed that he didn’t want to disturb him if he was doing something important or still resting.

Then he stated why he was reaching out.

He first explained that Soren’s original recipes had all been formally submitted, reviewed, and accepted into the association’s database, meaning they would now be available for other magic chefs to learn and share. He offered his warmest congratulations and praised Soren for such a noble deed, expressing his belief that Soren’s name would eventually echo across not only the Temur Empire, but the entire continent or even the world.

Furthermore, Doran mentioned that after extensive discussion with the other branch heads, they had unanimously decided to promote Soren’s official rank directly from Expert Chef to Senior Chef, waiving the need for another practical evaluation. He closed the message with another set of hearty congratulations and well wishes for Soren’s continued well-being.

’...So it’s finally wrapped up.’ Soren thought, relaxing his shoulders as he finished skimming the text.

A small smile touched his lips at the thought that Doran still believed he was resting and recovering from severe injuries. Misunderstandings aside, the branch head had proven himself to be a man worthy of respect once again. He had faithfully executed every detail of their arrangement, honoring his word without hesitation and personally reaching out to keep him informed.

’I even got to increase my rank easily thanks to him.’

He didn’t doubt it was Doran who must have pushed the idea and made others agree.

’I should respond properly too.’

Tapping on the screen, he typed out a polite reply thanking Doran for his immense help, for handling the submission so smoothly, and for his thoughtful well wishes. He added a brief reassurance that his recovery was progressing smoothly so the old master wouldn’t worry.

After sending the text, his thoughts naturally drifted back to the broader impact of the release.

’Hmm...’

He wondered how his authority would process this development. With his recipes now circulating among magic chefs across the region, the prospective returns could prove substantial. It was still uncertain exactly how those yields would take shape, but there was no reason to rush.

’I will find out when the time comes,’ he reasoned. ’Most likely, the messages will start flowing in once I step out of seclusion.’

As for his name making waves, Soren didn’t care much about it, nor did he expect things to go quite as far as Doran had hoped. Still, having a higher rank and a recognized reputation would certainly open a few doors, making it easier to acquire rare ingredients or handle matters in the culinary world down the line. That alone was enough for him.

’...Then again, I wonder if Lady Nuelia has arrived safely at her home.’

Soren narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, pulled up her contact, and tapped out a polite message asking about her journey back and a few other things. Once the text went through, he nodded to himself in satisfaction, slipped the phone back into his pocket, and stepped out of the bedroom.

Since Zura had mentioned that she would be running a bit late, he decided to get a head start. He made his way to the kitchen and set to work, organizing the ingredients, prepping the cookware, and setting the dining table so they could dive straight into cooking the moment she arrived.

Not long after he finished prepping, Zura arrived with her usual lively energy. They gently ’woke’ Ethea from her rest, and soon the kitchen filled with familiar warmth as the three of them set to work cooking dinner together, seamlessly repeating the pleasant routine of the previous evening.

However, once they sat down to eat, Soren decided to bring up the matter.

"I think I’m going to break through soon."

Zura paused mid-bite, her spoon hovering inches from her mouth as she blinked in surprise. "Huh? Already? Didn’t you say just yesterday that you’d need a few more days?"

Soren nodded and set his cutlery down. "It’s largely thanks to the meal. I managed to absorb a solid amount of mana from it, which sped things up considerably. If I cultivate seriously, by tomorrow morning, I should reach my capacity limit."

He turned his gaze toward Ethea, a fleeting trace of reluctance softening his expression. "My only concern is leaving her alone..."

"...Dear," Ethea’s expression softened with affection at his words. Then she offered him a reassuring smile. "Please don’t worry about me. Focus on yourself, and I’m sure you’ll get through this successfully."

"She’s right," Zura piped up, tapping her chest confidently with her spoon. "I’ll look after her myself, so you can focus on breaking through."

Soren looked back at Zura. "...Will it really be alright?"

"Of course! It’s not as if we haven’t stayed under the same roof before," Zura replied with a playful smirk, then her expression grew curious. "More importantly, where are you planning to do it? Did the Vice Principal approve your request?"

"Yes," Soren replied with a small nod. "I’ll be holding the breakthrough within the academy’s grounds."

"Oh, then that works out perfectly," Zura grinned. "Ethea and I can just stay at my academy villa while you’re in seclusion. We will be right nearby if you need anything, and we can easily meet up the moment you finish."

"That’s good." Soren smiled and paused. "You have a villa in the academy?"

Zura tilted her head, blinking in slight confusion. "Huh? I didn’t tell you before?"

Soren shook his head. "No. And if you have a villa there, why aren’t you staying in it instead?"

"Well, it’s pretty big, and I really don’t feel like taking care of a whole house by myself," Zura explained with a casual shrug. "So I just stay at a small apartment nearby instead. It’s much easier."

"I see," Soren nodded understandingly.

"Hey, don’t misunderstand it!" Zura hurriedly added, waving her hands defensively. "It’s not that I’m lazy or anything — it’s just practical! Managing a large place all alone takes way too much effort, so saving that energy for cultivating makes far more sense."

Soren let out a quiet chuckle, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he decided to tease her back.

"Mm, I understand. It must be quite a chore, managing all that extra space when you could just stay in a cozy apartment..."

"Hey, it really is!" Zura puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms. "You’ll see when we get there. It’s way too big for just one person!"

"It must be lonely too..."

"That’s right!" Zura nodded enthusiastically, as if he had finally caught on to her logic. "It’s way too boring on your own. But now I have Ethea staying with me! So it won’t feel empty at all while you’re tucked away in seclusion."

"...Am I just entertainment to you, Zura?" Ethea asked coldly, raising a brow.

"Huh? No, why are you-!" Zura cut herself off mid-sentence, catching the amusement in their eyes. She let out an incredulous laugh. "Haha, look at you two! Joining hands to gang up on me now, huh?"

Soren and Ethea exchanged a glance and shook their heads in perfect unison, innocence written all over their faces.

"Well, laugh while you can!" Zura puffed out her chest and smirked evilly. "Once he leaves for seclusion, let’s see how it feels to be lonely~."