Primordial Draconic Incubus With A Gourmet Chef System

Voidtear Essence, though it was rare, it was not a poison that was unheard of. If not all, many Mages had heard of it.

Hated and despised by many. It was the bane of all Mages.

Rightfully, so as well. After all, a single drop and a Mage would be as good as dead. Even more frightening was its undetectable and odorless properties.

Meanwhile, Mei's expression darkened as her left hand shot up to grasp her right arm's elbow. Then, she started scratching as if trying to relieve an unbearable itch.

'How will I answer to Branch Leader? How can I? She trusted me with such a big deal… a deal that would have elevated her status and brought her so much fame. Yet, what did I do? I couldn't even protect the food. I let a bunch of scum poison the food.'

With each word she spoke, the itch increased in intensity, and so did the pace at which her fingernails scraped her now reddened skin.

She had been tasked with watching Lucian cook, yet under her watch, she allowed Ghouls to poison the food.

Seeing this, Lucian wondered, 'Is that an unconscious reaction to stress?'

However, since it was irrelevant to him, he quickly lost interest.

With his face still pale, Duan Mu asked, "Master, how could Ghouls infiltrate the kitchen without us knowing? No… since Master is telling us about them, you knew they entered the kitchen… but why didn't you stop them?"

"Do you know how Ghouls are born?"

It was not Lucian who answered, but Mei.

Her question confused Duan Mu. Shaking his head, he wondered out loud, "Are they not born like the other Races? Also, is that relevant?"

Mei blinked, then replied bluntly, "If you think all Races are born from the union between a male and a female, you are dumber than you look."

Duan Mu blushed both from anger and embarrassment. It was true he was not knowledgeable about the ways of the world. But was there a need to mock him?

"I would appreciate it if you don't mock my disciple."

Lucian's voice sounded out, causing Mei and even Duan Mu to shiver. Though his voice had been indifferent, for some reason, they briefly felt a bone-chilling pressure.

Acting clueless to their frightened expressions, Lucian explained, "Like Miss Mei somewhat said… not all Races are born like us Humans."

Of course, Lucian was not Human, but for his safety, they did not need to know that.

Once Lucian had Duan Mu's respectful and thankful attention on him, he continued, "For example, Ghouls are one of the Races that can only be transformed into Ghouls as such, they are unique among the Races. Even the way they are born is unique. The process can only be done by a Ghost via their Unique Skill, 'Ghoul Conversion'."

Lucian paused, letting it sink into his disciple.

"But how is that relevant, Master?" Duan Mu asked again.

"It's relevant. Be patient." Lucian eyed him lazily and then continued, "The Skill twists and corrupts the Being. At the same time, a part of the Ghost's essence fuses into them. In other words, the Ghouls become an extension of the Ghost. Because of that, the Ghost can allow their Ghouls to use their Skills. And the one Skill that all Ghosts have is Dimension Step.

A Skill that allows Ghosts to enter an alternate Dimension. That's how those Ghouls slipped into the kitchen without alerting us."

Learning Ghosts and Ghouls could slip in and out of the physical realm, unsettled Duan Mu. It made him feel vulnerable.

Meanwhile, Lucian continued, "As for why I didn't stop them? It's simple. Though I can see into the alternate Dimension, I can't interact with it. Due to that, I made the decision to act as though I was oblivious to their actions. On one hand, I can use that to observe why they were sneaking around. On the other hand, they wouldn't feel threatened and attack as a last resort.

If that were to happen, you two would be as good as dead."

Mei nodded appreciatively.

"It was the right decision. Thank You."

Simultaneously, Duan Mu said, "Thank you, Master."

Although Lucian did not explicitly state it, they finally understood why he was able to tell the Siren's Melody Eggs were poisoned with Voidtear Essence. If he could see into an alternate Dimension, it was not farfetched to say he could see the Voidtear Essence.

Without an ounce of shame, Lucian took in their gratitude.

"What about the Siren's Melody Eggs? If even one guest doesn't receive the Siren's Melody Poached Egg, it would be disastrous." Mei suddenly said, then sighed as she glanced at the eggs in the pot. "But with the way they are now… If anyone eats these eggs -"

"Don't worry." Lucian interrupted her. "There's still a way to salvage it. The Voidtear Essence hasn't fused with the Siren Melody Eggs yet. I can purify it."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Mei said in a slightly raised voice, which she quickly regretted. Smiling awkwardly, she apologized.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, Chef Lucian. I'm worried about the consequences if the guests are angered. The Branch Leader will be demoted for sure. After everything she has done for me, I don't want to see that happen."

Lucian shrugged.

"I don't mind."

He then asked Duan Mu, "Do you have an ingredient that enhances effects? Preferably, an ingredient without flavor, texture, smell, and other properties?"

"An ingredient that enhances effects… without flavor, texture, smell, and other properties…" Duan Mu pondered for a few seconds. Due to his limited wealth, strength, and connections, he could never get his hands on worthwhile ingredients.

Before he even caught wind of the news, the ingredient would be snatched up. Moreover, he did not have a farm like most restaurants.

His lack of Mage Rank also limited him. Without sufficient strength, he could not handle ingredients above Grade 1.

That was when his eyes lit up.

"Yes, Master. I have something that might work." Duan Mu said excitedly as he ran to the storage shelves in the back of the kitchen.

As he rummaged through the crates of ingredients, he continued, "One day, while I was strolling through the food market, an old lady sold me something strange. She said it was a rare ingredient called Essence Silk Saffron. I had never heard of it before. Even now, I still don't know if what she said was the truth. But the properties she described were intriguing and it's just what Master wants.

According to her, it's flavorless, textureless, and odorless, and when combined with other ingredients, it amplifies the effects without altering their natural qualities."

Lucian nodded approvingly. He was pleased with his disciple. He was useful, after all.

"Perfect. Bring it here. We don't have much time."

Duan Mu nodded with his back turned. Soon, on the top shelf, he found what he was looking for. A small brown pouch tied by a red ribbon.

Meanwhile, Lucian asked the System, [Is what he said true?]

The System replied instantaneously, [Yes, the Essence Silk Saffron does exist, and its properties are exactly as he described. When combined with other ingredients, it amplifies their natural effects. It is a Grade 2 ingredient with a Grade 5 limiter. In other words, the lowest Grade the Essence Silk Saffron can be is Grade 2, while the highest possible Essence Silk Saffron can reach up to Grade 5.]

"Master, I found the Essence Silk Saffron. I hope I wasn't scammed."

Standing in front of him, Duan Mu held out a brown pouch respectfully on both hands.

Lucian nodded and grabbed the pouch from his hands. Untying the red ribbon, he looked inside. Golden strands of fine silk scattered haphazardly.

Lucian counted with his Mana Sense.

'Ten. Not bad. But I wonder if it will be enough.'

Lucian then brought the pouch to his nose and took a deep whiff.

It was just as Duan Mu had described, the Essence Silk Saffron was odorless, completely different to saffron from Earth, which had a strong floral scent.

'I guess there's only one way to find out.'

With that in mind, Lucian grabbed a small mixing bowl and filled it with Starlight Vinegar. Like always, the Starlight Vinegar was like a starry river. It was both beautiful and dazzling to the eyes.

He then glanced at the golden strands of saffron. The longer he stared at it, the deeper his frown became.

Noticing his expression, Mei became increasingly worried. Her already pale face lost its remaining drops of rosyness.

"Chef Lucian… will the Essence Silk Saffron work?"

Without turning his head around, Lucian nodded.

"It will. I'm calculating how many strands of Essence Silk Saffron I need for the purification. For now, worry about the time."

He paused for a moment, then glanced at her, "In fact, I would appreciate it if you could inform the Branch Leader of what happened and ask her to buy us some time." Your journey continues on empire

Mei swallowed nervously. She had been hoping she would not have to inform her friend this entire time. But it seemed, she had no choice.

Sighing lightly, she summoned a Long Distance Communication Talisman. Then with trembling hands, she activated it and waited for her friend to pick up.

A second or so later, a voice came from the Talisman, "Mei, what's taking you so long? Where are you? Are you still at Duan's Restaurant? The intermission period starts in a minute. Has Chef Lucian finished the order?"