Chapter 102 Second Offense
"Senior, what is the Mage Rank requirement-
for the dishes and how much do they cost?"
While their friends were cheering, the twins asked the two most important questions, which could decide their fates. Most of them were poor and were close to running out of Low-Grade Mana Stones.
Therefore, the price of the new dishes could decide whether they could continue eating Chef Lucian's delicious and fragrant food.
Realizing his next words could decide their fate, Lucian felt a sudden urge to destroy their hope.
'A little tease won't hurt anyone.'
[Both dishes are priced at one hundred Gold Coins.] The System announced, knowing its Host had yet to open the recipe.
[So cheap!] Lucian then adopted a serious expression, letting the suspense build for a few seconds. "The new dishes require a minimum of Mana Condensation Realm to safely consume. As for their price…" He deliberately paused with a shit-eating grin. "They will be priced at one hundred Gold Coins."
"Senior, why are the dishes so cheap?" James frowned.
"Oh? Do you want me to change the price to Low-Grade Mana Stones?" Lucian indifferently asked him.
[The Host is forbidden to change prices.]
[I know that. Can't you lighten up once in a while?]
James shrugged, "Senior, for me, money isn't the option. I'm even willing to pay in Peak-Grade Mana Stones if the dishes are worth that price. I'm just worried that since Senior is charging so low the dishes won't be as delicious as the other two menu items."
"You don't have to worry about the quality of my dishes. All of my dishes are the best. If you don't believe, you can taste them tomorrow." Lucian frowned. He did not like that someone had questioned his ability to cook. As a chef, it was the same as someone slapping him across the cheek.
Realizing he had offended his Senior, James hastily stood up and bowed in his direction.
"Senior, I didn't mean to question your cooking abilities. I was merely-"
Before he could finish, Lucian raised his hand and coldly interrupted him, "You don't have to apologize, this is your second offense. One more and you will be blacklisted from my restaurant."
James gulped and nodded before sitting in his chair quietly.
"Does anyone else have anything to say?" Lucian scanned each customer with his deep blue eyes.
However, they all remained quiet.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Lucian nodded.
"Good." Then he looked at Li Yong and the bald monk. "Your food will be out shortly."
After returning to the kitchen, Lucian began preparing two servings of Siren's Melody Poached Egg, while back in the dining area, the customers all let out a breath, which they had not realized they were holding in.
Garrett gravely stared at Lucian's face through the serving hatch.
"Remember not to anger Chef Lucian." He said to the rest of the Lions Liver.
They nodded, without a doubt they could not mess with Lucian. He was too scary despite not even a hint of aura had been released from his body. Just his natural presence was enough to intimidate them.
"If you are scared by just that little bit of force. Then, you'll probably be scared to death if you see his true form's eyes." Fenwick said to them after noticing their scared expressions.
"True form?" Garrett frowned because he felt his uncle's words had been directed at him.
James, still shaken from the earlier event, answered in Fenwick place, "As a merchant I've traveled all over Aetheria Continent and spoken with a few of the strongest Mages our continent has to offer. However, none of them had caused me to feel as much despair as yesterday night. Even now I can still remember those reptilian vertical eyes.
Without a doubt, Chef Lucian is a very powerful Magical Beast in humanoid form."
"Sir James, are you saying Chef Lucian is a Mana Soul Realm Mage?" Lane asked in his usual cold voice.
"I'm not quite confident," James answered truthfully. "But a notable characteristic about Magical Beasts in humanoid form is that they look exactly the same as a Human. Hence, why it's called Humanoid form. Only when they use a Skill will their Magical Beast form show."
"Does Sir James know
what kind of Magical Beast Senior is?"
The twins asked curiously.
Magical Beasts having a limitation on their Mage Rank was common knowledge to all Arcadians. Therefore, they were curious about what kind of Magical Beast Lucian was.
In fact, after the twins had spoken the others became curious as well.
However, there was one exception.
"Big Brother Lucian is Big Brother Lucian. No matter what he is, it won't change anything." Lily pouted with a roll of her eyes. She was a bit unhappy with how they were speaking about her Big Brother Lucian. It was as though in their eyes, her Big Brother Lucian was a monster.
Lily looked at each customer, daring them to contradict her. She did not even spare her uncle and brother.
"You're right, miss. Regardless of what kind of being the Senior is, his skills as a chef are unmatched." James paused and continued after swallowing his saliva, "We should be grateful we have a chance to eat his dishes."
Just then, a rich fragrance drifted out of the kitchen as Lucian placed two plates of Siren's Melody Poached Egg onto the serving hatch.
"Hey, you do know I can hear your conversations, right? I'm not deaf." Lucian was speechless, were they idiots? If it had been anyone else, they would have killed them to silence them.
Only a dead man could keep secrets since Souls sent to Heaven or Hell could not leave the special Dimensions.
Surprisingly, James chuckled, "Believe it or not, I'm quite good at judging people. I can tell Senior is the type who cares little. Otherwise, I would have never spoken."
Lucian shrugged, he was right in his judgment.
While he had been cooking, it was hard not to hear their conversations. Witnessing Lily protecting him like a mother hen had given him a pleasant feeling. It was a nice feeling having someone stand up for him.
After a moment, Lucian gently called out to his mother hen. "Lily, the dishes are ready,"
Lily quickly moved to the serving hatch, carefully took the two plates, and placed them before the customers.
Now that she was working on a full stomach, her movements were smooth and graceful. Sadly, no one could see her beautiful appearance, due to the Mosaic Skill.
"Enjoy your meal," Lily said as she stepped back.
Anselm smiled at the waitress, "Thank you." Then he ignored her and stared at the plate of food before him.
White steam rose from the hot plate of food, caressing his face and bald head. If not for the pleasant feeling the steam brought him he would have felt violated.
Unlike the ravenous wolf beside him, he took his time enjoying the fragrant aroma.
'What a delicious fragrance.' He mused as he finally pierced into the poached egg, causing a puff of steam and a liquid blue river to release.
"Amitabha, Buddha is merciful. Please forgive this bald monk. I did not kill this poor Siren." He said as he picked up a piece of poached egg coated in delicious runny egg yolk and placed it in his mouth.
"Wow." Anselm closed his eyes as his taste buds were enveloped in a sweet and spicy flavor.
The nobodies who came with them enviously glared at Li Yong and Anselm. Unconsciously they swallowed their salivas as they moved their gazes between the ravenous wolf and the shameless monk.
The aroma and appearance of the dish were too much for them. They felt like instead of food on the plate it was a beautiful woman beckoning them to come over, promising a night of untold stories.
Soon, one of them could no longer hold his temptation in. His stomach growled audibly. He grabbed a fork and while Anselm was eating with his eyes closed, sneakily took a small piece of poached egg from his plate.
Because everyone in the restaurant had long since finished their meals his sudden action did not go unnoticed by them. However, they did not say anything and wanted to see how Chef Lucian would handle his restaurant's rule being broken.
Instinctively, they turned their heads to look at Lucian's reaction. Even Lily was curious, but when she and the others saw Lucian's expression they were shocked.
They had expected him to be furious or at the very least displeased his rule was broken. However, Lucian was calmly standing against the kitchen door with his hands behind his back.
'Could it be he's so stunned someone dared break his rule that he can't believe it?' They wondered.
Needless to say, that was not the reaction they had expected from Chef Lucian.
The corner of Lucian's mouth curled as he gazed at the brown-haired young man with a harmless expression. He looked as if he had never even harmed a fly before.