Surviving the Liebringer Mansion, Part II

"Ah, a doneness level of four? I understand."

That was a lie. Of course I didn't understand.

What is this, America? What the hell is a "doneness level"? Rare, Medium, Unique, Well-done, Legendary. Why couldn't they use intuitive, cool-sounding terms instead of some obscure jargon only they knew?

"Do you require anything else?"

Seeing me stand still instead of starting to cook, Yena asked as she pushed up her glasses. The lenses caught and reflected the light. She looked every bit the strict head maid managing her staff.

"Pardon? Oh, no. It's just... I was thinking how remarkably excellent the ingredients and facilities are."

I stepped closer to the workstation, which was structured similarly to a modern kitchen. In the spot where a hearth or a gas stove would normally be, there was a device with a design strikingly similar to a gas range. Its actual function and operation were almost identical to one as well. It seemed to be a sort of magical stove crafted through magic engineering. If it runs on electricity, it's an electric stove. If it runs on gas, it's a gas ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stove. Then that thing must be—

A Mana Range...!

Amazingly, the Mana Range was a product of high technology that even allowed precise heat control. I quietly watched the flames, which shrank and grew at my will. Then, I placed a skillet onto the burner. Hovering my hand over the pan, I calculated the time it would take to heat up. I sniffed the oil sitting nearby, checked its viscosity with my fingers, and poured it in. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I swirled the pan to check the oil's flow. A series of actions performed almost unconsciously formulated into an equation in my mind, yielding a single result. It was the perfect way to sear that meat. In other words, I had just realized exactly how to cook this meat to absolute perfection under the given conditions.

Haha.

A talent bordering on a miracle, courtesy of my trait. At this point, I wasn't even surprised anymore. Though, a thought did cross my mind. Could I use this for alchemy too? Well, I could satisfy my curiosity later when the opportunity arose. For now, I needed to focus on the task at hand. A doneness level of four? I still had no idea how cooked that actually was. But one thing was certain.

Right now.

Putting the meat in the pan right now would make it taste the absolute best. Whether the doneness level was a one or a hundred, as long as it tasted delicious, who cared? That was my philosophy. Anyone who disagrees is welcome to bring their own Unique-grade cooking trait.

Sssssss.

Adjusting the heat, flipping it, letting it be, flipping it again. It looked simple enough on the outside, but for a while, I poured an immense amount of concentration and meticulous detail into the process.

Thud.

Soon, I plated the meat, which now boasted a lethal golden-brown crust and an equally lethal aroma. Normally, my trait dictated that I should let it rest, but given the circumstances, I figured Yena would take that into account during her evaluation.

"Hmm..."

Holding her fork and knife with practiced elegance, Yena sliced the meat with disciplined movements and inspected the cross-section. Then, her glasses flashed.

"Lord Sillon, I clearly requested a doneness level of four. However, this meat has been cooked to a level of six."

She sounded exactly like a head maid reprimanding a servant who had made a blunder. But there was no need to shrink back when I had done nothing wrong. I scratched the back of my head and gave an awkward smile.

"Haha, well, I did intend to cook it to a level of four as you requested, Miss Yena. But... the more I thought about it, the more it felt like a waste."

"A waste? What do you mean by that?"

"I realized this particular cut of meat is far better suited for a doneness level of six rather than four. To cook such a fine piece of meat in an suboptimal way... wouldn't that be a terrible waste?"

Yena's sharp eyes narrowed. She clearly thought I was just making up excuses on the spot.

"And what led you to that conclusion?"

I explained the exact reasoning my trait had provided.

"..."

A flicker of surprise crossed Yena's face. Seizing the opportunity, I quickly pressed on.

"Why don't you try a bite first, and then make your judgment?"

"Hmm."

Though clearly displeased, Yena brought a piece of meat to her mouth. Perhaps this was what they called noble etiquette; even the simple act of slicing meat and chewing it exuded discipline, dignity, and grace. Fascinating. What was even more bizarre was that while she was clearly chewing, she made absolutely no sound, and her jaw barely seemed to move. At that point, it wasn't etiquette—it was practically magic.

"..."

After chewing for a few moments, Yena's eyes behind her lenses shook. Since it was just seared meat, she didn't have a dramatic, over-the-top reaction like someone eating a legendary dish in an anime, but given her strict personality, this was a highly positive sign. Then, Yena walked off somewhere. When she returned, she held another cut of meat identical to the first.

"Would you mind cooking this to the exact same doneness level as before?"

It seemed she wanted to verify whether my previous success was a fluke or genuine skill.

She said what I just did was a level six.

In my mind, I divided the cooking process I had just performed into six distinct stages. The fourth stage was likely the "doneness level of four." I decided to be a bit more ambitious. I cut the meat in half, planning to cook one piece to level six and the other to level four (or what I assumed was level four).

"..."

I stole a glance at Yena as she watched me. There was an emotion in her eyes that hadn't been there before. It was curiosity. Just moments ago, this strict maid had glared at me with flashing lenses when I did something unprompted. Now, she was watching me do another unprompted task with genuine interest.

"Please, help yourself."

I presented the level six meat first, followed by the level four meat. Without a word, Yena sliced into the cuts, inspected their cross-sections, and quietly tasted them.

"Indeed,"

She murmured after finishing her tasting. She stared at me.

"Have you ever formally studied culinary arts?"

This was the first time she had asked a question out of pure curiosity rather than as an interrogation. In other words, she was intrigued. A positive kind of curiosity. And a positive curiosity meant positive interest. It was an excellent sign. Fortuitously, I knew exactly how to pique someone's curiosity.

"That..."

I raised my index finger. As I paused, a subtle tension filled the air. Feeling her curiosity peak in that brief silence, I continued,

"...is a secret."

"..."

Yena's face instantly contorted. The secret to my culinary skills was entirely due to my trait—there was no actual foundation to it. If I tried to fabricate some elaborate explanation for this baseless talent, it would surely arouse suspicion rather than curiosity in this sharp-witted maid. In times like this, playing mysterious was the best policy. Now I understood why those squinty-eyed characters with secrets always gave a sly smile and brushed things off. It was incredibly convenient. I was definitely going to abuse this tactic in the future.

Sigh.

Yena let out a weary sigh. "Very well. Since you wish to keep it a secret, I will not pry."

"Haha, thank you for your understanding. So, how is it, Miss Yena? Did my skills manage to earn a bit of your trust?"

Yena fell into deep thought. Soon, she pulled a slip of paper from her breast pocket and handed it to me.

"What is this?"

"This is the dinner menu that was originally planned for tonight. The time-consuming and labor-intensive preparations have already been completed, so you only need to handle the finishing touches, Lord Sillon. Since these are all common dishes, I assume you are familiar with them. You may apply your own variations as you see fit, but please refer to the selection of wines prepared for today. Do you have any questions?"

It seemed I had cleared the first major hurdle. If I could just get the young ladies to say it was delicious, it would be a perfect clear. Satisfied, I nodded immediately.

"No questions."

Yena nodded and snapped her fingers twice. As if they had been waiting nearby, five maids filed into the kitchen in an orderly line.

"These girls will assist you with your work, Lord Sillon. If you have any additional requests, please call for me at any time. Now, if you will excuse me."

Yena bowed slightly and left the kitchen.

"..."

The five remaining maids stared at me silently. I assumed they were waiting for instructions.

"..."

First, I checked the note. Written on it were the dishes Yena had confidently asserted were common enough for me to know.

"Hmm."

I nodded. Then, showing the note to the maids who were waiting for the chef's orders, I asked,

"Does anyone here know how to make these?"

"""..."""

"Sillon...! Did you really make this soup yourself?!"

These were the words of our Lady Drin, who had just spent the last ten minutes delivering a grand lecture on how incredibly picky her palate was, how difficult it was to satisfy her with food, and how I would never, under any circumstances, get a positive reaction out of her. The moment she took a spoonful of my soup and put it in her mouth, her eyes went wide.

"I hope it is to your liking, my Lady."

"..."

Lady Drin took another spoonful of soup. She closed her eyes, savoring the flavor, and nodded.

"My goodness. Heavens. To think you possessed such a talent...!"

"Haha, I am delighted that you enjoy it."

As I felt a genuine sense of pride watching our Lady Drin eat so happily, she suddenly looked up at me with a frustrated, grimacing face.

"It is my defeat...!"

"Huh?"

Leaving behind Lady Drin, who had started a bet all on her own and conceded defeat just as unilaterally, I checked the reactions of the other guests.

"Lady Aidrin, is the food to your liking?"

"Mph?!"

With her cheeks stuffed to the brim like a hamster, Lady Aidrin looked at me and shook her head vigorously while mumbling,

"Mmh-mmh-mmh!!! Mmh!"

"Ah, I see. Quite so."

Good grief, Lady Aidrin. This is the Liebringer Mansion; you should at least try to maintain your dignity. Fortunately, looking at Yena's reaction, Aidrin's gluttonous behavior didn't seem to be an issue.

...Wait, really?

I expected Yena to be incredibly strict about etiquette, so this was surprising. The world of nobles was truly a complicated place.

Next, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠asked Miz.

"Lady Miz, is the food to your liking?"

"...Does the Liebringer family eat like this every ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠single day?"

Miz muttered, her utensils trembling.

"In my next life... I will absolutely be born a Liebringer..."

I wondered if I would even still be with the Liebringer family by the time Miz reincarnated. Shaking off that thought, I turned to Adela.

"Is the meal to your liking, Lady Adela?"

"..."

Adela stared at me, her face still frozen in utter shock.

"Sillon, by any chance... would you be interested in working for my family?"

"Haha, even if it is just a polite gesture, I am deeply flattered. Thank you."

"No, I didn't mean it as a polite gesture—"

Leaving behind a flustered Adela, I walked over to the strict maid standing in the corner of the dining hall.

"..."

I stood beside her, hands clasped behind my back, wearing a sly grin.

Sigh.

Soon, a soft sigh escaped her lips.

"Lord Sillon?"

"Yes?"

When I turned to look at her, Yena bowed politely.

"Thank you for saving Lady Drin's honor today."

Saving Lady Drin's honor. She was likely referring to how the dinner party our Lady Drin hosted had almost fallen through. By salvaging the ruined dinner, I had preserved her master's pride.

"There is nothing more meaningful than serving a meal to wonderful guests. I am merely grateful to Lady Drin and you, Miss Yena, for arranging such an occasion."

Yena stared at me for a moment before shifting her gaze back to Lady Drin, who was happily eating. Though she didn't say anything, I felt it clearly in that moment: the cold hostility this strict maid had previously harbored toward me had almost entirely vanished.

"Come to think of it, Lady Drin mentioned something earlier."

"Yes?"

"She said you achieved exceptionally high scores on the Academy entrance exams, and that your admission is practically guaranteed."

"Ah."

As I gave an awkward smile, Yena asked directly,

"Just how well did you perform for Lady Drin to speak of you in such a manner?"

She asked with the tone of a mother inquiring about her daughter's friend's grades. Seriously, is she her mom or something? Regardless, this was the perfect opportunity to score some points. I decided to pull out my ultimate move to wrap up my "win over the strict maid" operation. I subtly hinted that I had placed first in both the second and third exams. At that, the coldness in Yena's gaze—

"..."

Uh-oh. Yena's gaze was suddenly filled with a different kind of chill. It wasn't quite the same negative feeling as before, but... what was this?

"So, what you are saying is... you defeated our Lady Drin to take first place in the Academy entrance exams?"

"Ah."

Oh, boy. It seemed I had stepped right on the landmine of this overprotective maid.

"No, that's not quite—"

Just as I was frantically trying to come up with an excuse to salvage the situation, a voice interrupted.

"Mmm...! It makes sense."

A strange voice, belonging to someone who shouldn't have been in this room, echoed. This must have been the source of the faint presence I had been sensing for a while. Before I knew it, an unfamiliar man had taken a seat at the dining table and was vacuuming up the food. All the while, his gaze was locked dead on me.

"It makes sense that you beat my sister for first place."

His blue, four-white eyes, though structurally beautiful, possessed a bizarre, unsettling quality. I knew the owner of those eyes—once you saw them, you could never forget them. Ledare Liebringer. The eldest son of the Liebringer family. At this point in time, right after the entrance exams, he was a monster who already ranked among the absolute strongest in the world. And his signature ability was his eyes. The Omniscient Eye, which could pierce through anyone's true essence. He was someone I should never have crossed paths with at this stage of the story. Yet, there Ledare Liebringer sat, holding a chicken drumstick in one hand, capturing me entirely within his Omniscient Eye.

Gulp.

Swallowing his food, Ledare paused for a moment before speaking.

"What are you?"

What do you mean, "What are you?" Why the hell are you even here right now?!