“Do we really have to do this?”
A man's hesitant voice sounded.
“Yes! Hurry up and do it!”
Another man's voice urged, filled with obvious impatience.
The first man's throat bobbed. A bead of sweat trickled down his jaw and dripped onto the floor. He looked incredibly nervous.
“Then, pardon me.”
With that, under the expectant gaze of the mustachioed chef, he picked up his fork and popped a piece of meat from the plate in front of him into his mouth.
“How is it? This is my masterpiece, created after Master's meticulous guidance! It is poured full of my power of dreams!”
The mustachioed chef, Diris, clenched his right fist in front of his chest. He closed his eyes, his face a picture of intoxication and pride as he spoke.
He seemed to be reminiscing about the grueling days of training his culinary skills under his master.
The man doing the taste test put down his spoon. Looking at his boss, who had once again drifted off into his own world, he found himself temporarily at a loss for words.
He glanced back down at the dish on the table. The beef stew with potatoes was steaming hot. The chunks of beef were coated in a translucent, slightly glistening sauce. The potatoes looked soft and mushy, and a sprinkling of bright green scallions garnished the dish.
It looked quite enticing.
However, the man's expression was far from excited. He spoke in a flat, calm voice:
“Boss, I didn't taste any power of dreams. Instead, I think the ingredients are overcooked. The beef and potatoes have lost their original texture; it's like eating mush.”
Pfft!
Diris's face stiffened. He felt as if a dagger had plunged straight into his heart.
But that wasn't the end of it. The taste-tester proceeded to rub salt into the wound:
“It's also way too salty. It completely overpowers all the other flavors. And it makes you really thirsty after eating...”
Diris swayed. It felt as though several more daggers had pierced his heart, and his knees began to buckle.
Then, the taste-tester delivered the final, critical blow:
“Furthermore, Mr. Xia De didn't meticulously guide you. He only demonstrated a few times in front of you and let you figure the rest out on your own. More importantly, Mr. Xia De never agreed to take you on as an apprentice!”
Pfft—!
As if coughing up a mouthful of blood, Diris fell backward onto the floor, a trace of imaginary blood hanging from the corner of his peaceful face.
“Tasting food again, Kai? I hope Diris wasn't too traumatized by your critique this time.”
Speak of the devil. A handsome young man with black hair and black eyes walked through the door. Seeing the taste-tester sitting at the table, he teased in a relaxed tone.
However, upon entering, Xia De spotted the mustachioed chef lying peacefully on the floor.
As if completely accustomed to this sight, he didn't react at all. He casually walked around him, plopped down onto a chair, and looked at Kai.
“You really are blunt, Kai. You dare to stab the boss's heart every single time. If this were any other restaurant, you probably would've been kicked out the very first time.”
Hearing Xia De's words, Kai scratched his head sheepishly but spoke very seriously:
“I know. That's why I'm incredibly grateful to Mr. Diris. Thank you to him for giving me a chance and taking me in to work here.”
Suddenly, a large hand landed on Kai's head and rubbed his hair vigorously. Diris laughed, speaking with an air of absolute certainty:
“Working hard to give your family a better life while keeping your original aspirations—isn't that the very definition of a dream! Besides, every time you point out an issue, I can find my mistakes, correct them, and improve. I'm actually very happy about it. You're my best employee, Kai!”
“Mr. Diris...”
Kai murmured softly, his face filled with emotion.
Watching this bizarre dynamic between boss and employee from the side, Xia De blinked, his expression extremely complex.
Even though he had witnessed this scene many times, he still found it incredibly bizarre.
Spare me the melodrama!
Suddenly, Diris's expression shifted. Tears streaming down his face, he wailed and lunged toward Xia De, trying to grab him by the thighs.
“Master! Please guide me for a bit longer!”
Xia De grabbed his chair and leaned his entire body to the side, chair and all, flawlessly dodging Diris's dive.
With a loud thud, the man faceplanted onto the floor, sprawling out like a starfish.
Xia De turned, resting his arm on the back of the chair, and said:
“I am not your master, nor can I guide you in anything. At most, it's just a matter of heat control, and you should pay more attention to your seasoning measurements.”
Having said his piece, Xia De ignored Diris, who was still flat on the floor, and turned to Kai, asking:
“Kai, I remember you came from the Bezerlati Lake area, right?”
Kai was slightly taken aback by Xia De's question, wondering why he was asking, but he still nodded and replied:
“Yes, Mr. Xia De. I came from Windmill Town by the shores of Bezerlati Lake a year ago. Back then, I had my young brother with me and didn't have a single penny. I kept hitting walls trying to find a job, but Mr. Diris gave me a chance...”
“Stop right there!”
Xia De raised his right hand, cutting Kai off, before speaking:
“I've heard this story from you guys way too many times. I came today because I wanted to ask you some questions.”
“Ask me?”
“Yes. Are there any legends or famous landmarks in your hometown?”
Kai looked at Xia De in confusion, unsure why he was asking about such things. He quickly searched his memories before replying:
“If you put it that way, Mr. Xia De, there actually is one. Legend has it that back when Windmill Town was still just a village, food was extremely scarce. Their main source of food was the fish in Bezerlati Lake.”
“But back then, the lake was teeming with magical beasts. This often left the villagers empty-handed, and their lives were constantly in danger.”
“Later, a powerful mage skilled in wind magic arrived. Standing on the shore, he unleashed the power of wind upon the lake, creating massive waterspouts. In an instant, the creatures in the lake were swept high into the sky.”
“And from the sky, it began to rain fish.”
“Afterward, he taught that wind magic spell to the villagers.”
“The villagers then realized that this spell wasn't anything advanced. It merely created a wind wheel on the water's surface, and the rapidly spinning wind wheel would drive the movement of the water.”
“Even a tiny wind wheel could generate a waterspout.”
“No longer did the villagers have to risk their lives going into the lake to fish. Instead, they could catch fish just by using this spell from the safety of the shore.”
“However, not everyone could use magic. So, the mage left another item for the village: a giant windmill. Carved inside the windmill was a magic circle created by the mage. As long as someone channeled mana into it, the windmill would spin, creating waterspouts on the lake and bringing in a bountiful harvest.”
“To express their gratitude to the mage, the villagers renamed the village Windmill Village. Over time, as more and more people arrived, the village gradually expanded into a town, and it was officially renamed Windmill Town.”
“The day the windmill was completed was designated as the Windmill Festival. On that day, a grand celebration is held.”
“If I calculate the days correctly, it should be happening in the next few days.”
Xia De nodded thoughtfully. He stood up and headed toward the door, saying:
“Thanks for the story!”
Kai asked, “Mr. Xia De, are you planning to go there?”
Without turning around, Xia De simply waved his hand, leaving them with only the view of his departing back.
“It's just a small quest at Bezerlati Lake.”
Rate on N.U.
