4: Kitchen Hand

Early the next morning, I arose from a restless sleep, with many thoughts running through my mind. The predominant one was that I had made the right choice. In the end, it seemed correct, and worst case, I could save up my money and figure something out.

I packed my belongings, which comprised just an old, tattered academy uniform I hadn’t worn since I left, the spare tunic and trousers provided by the temple, and my five copper coins held in a tiny leather pouch Martin had given to me.

With that, I left the room for the last time. Heading into the main hall, I decided not to say goodbye to Martin again—though it certainly crossed my mind—so I instead headed out of the temple into the town. Even at this early hour, the streets were bustling with activity.

After making my way to The Roaring Inn, I walked inside and was greeted almost immediately by my new boss, Larry, who was behind the bar.

“Ah, you’re here early. That works. Follow me!” Larry called out upon noticing me. “Come, let me introduce you to Geo. He’s working in the kitchen, and you’ll be working alongside him, as well as Micca, who rounds out our team.”

With that, Larry went through the door to the kitchen, and I quickly followed him. I was immediately struck by two things: how small this kitchen was compared to the temple’s, and how chaotic it looked in comparison. There were pots and pans hanging from the walls, a variety of utensils on hooks, and what looked to be meat drying on hooks near an air vent.

“Geo,” Larry called out, grabbing the smaller man’s attention. “This here is Trevor. I’ve hired him as a kitchen hand and all-rounder, so when you need help, he’s your man. And I don’t want to see you try to put a kitchen knife in my hand again,” Larry added with a chuckle.

“Trevor, this is Geo. He’s the cook here at The Roaring Inn, and he works wonders most of the time.” Larry grinned, clearly hoping to get a rise out of the cook. He was unsuccessful.

“Hello, Trevor. It’s great to finally have some help,” Geo said, holding out his hand to shake.

With the introductions done, Geo went straight back to work.

“Right, there’s rarely a quiet moment here,” Larry said. “I’ll show you where you’re sleeping. It’s not much, I’ll warn you, but it’s better than nothing.”

Larry led me through another door, heading deeper into the inn. “On the right is my office. It’s off-limits unless you need me—always knock. On the left is the kitchen pantry. Geo will show you all of that when you start with him.” Stopping before a room barely larger than the flat roll-up mattress on the floor, Larry added, “And this is yours. I gave you some fresh bedding, but it’ll be your job to keep it clean from now on. There’s a hook up there for any belongings you’ve got.”

I looked at the space. It was tiny, but how much room did I really need?

“Thank you,” I said. “What would you like me to do first?”

Larry thought for a moment. “I’m heading back to the bar, but I’ll leave you with Geo to show you the ropes. For the lunch rush, I’ll have you out front. I’ll show you how to pour a drink, and you can help Micca.”

I was guided back to the kitchen, left feeling a little lost as Larry returned to the front of the inn, heading back to the bar “You don’t look like a boy with the cook class—far too built for it.” He paused, studying me with a critical eye. “Ever worked in a kitchen before?”

Before me stood a short stocky man, who clearly looked like he’d been in his fair share of fights, or burns, I couldn’t really tell, his clean white jacket really didn’t match the rest of the appearance though, shaking my head I quickly responded,

“Yes, sir. I spent the last two weeks in the Temple kitchen. I’ve got a cooking class, but I can’t seem to gain any experience—except for my Knifework skill,”

“It’s not ‘sir.’ You’re in a kitchen, not a nobleman’s parlor. Call me Geo—or G, if you like. I don’t much care.” His brow furrowed. “And what do you mean you can’t gain experience? Just cook. It’s simple enough.”

“I have a rare class,” I admitted. “Arcane Chef. But I haven’t been able to level it, even after cooking at the Temple.” The words felt heavier than they should have, with a quiet embarrassment creeping in.

Geo’s eyes widened. “Did you say rare?” His voice carried genuine surprise. “Well, that’s something you don’t hear every day. Never come across a rare class myself, so I can’t say I’ll be much help with experience gains. What skills do you have, Trev?”

I pulled up my status sheet and held it out for him to see.

Basic Meal Prep

Level: 1

Experience: 0/100

Can craft basic meals at an increased pace.

Butchery

Level: 1

Experience: 0/100

Able to identify usable parts. Increased yield from target.

Knifework

Level: 4

Experience: 84/1056

Efficiency with a kitchen knife.

“I had the chance to butcher the rump of a boar at the Temple as well, but I got no experience for that either,” I said after showing him my skills.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“That’s it?” Geo asked, looking genuinely surprised. “Are you sure you’re telling me the truth, Trev? Those skills don’t look very rare.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “You didn’t lie to Larry, did you?”

“No, sorry—I’ll show you,” I replied quickly, panic creeping into my voice. The last thing I wanted was to be thrown out.

Name: Trevor

Class: Arcane Chef

Rarity: Rare

Level: 1

Experience: 0/100

Hit points: 140/140

Mana: 50/50

Stamina: 140/140

Strength: 13