Chapter 26: Is There Something Wrong With a Viscount Knowing How to Cook?

"Sigh, is everyone still not back yet?"

Ya'er opened the door and walked in. Seeing the house still shrouded in darkness, with not even the magic stone lamps lit, it seemed her companions had yet to return.

*Clink.*

Li Si set down the ingredients he was carrying and looked around. The interior of the elegant little building looked quite nice, though the weapon rack, monster tusks, and other items scattered about still carried a distinct mercenary flair. It was certainly rare to be able to rent such a place near Gedo Street in the West District.

"Not bad, this place. Did you and your teammates rent it together?"

Ya'er nodded, gently placing the sword she had been carrying on her back onto the weapon rack in the living room, and then helped Li Si carry the items into the kitchen at the rear. She then watched with wide eyes as Li Si began his work.

Li Si didn't hesitate. Although he hadn't cooked since transmigrating, the skills from his previous life remained sharp. He rolled up his sleeves and began his preparations.

The sound of clattering echoed through the kitchen.

He first removed the heads and deveined the fresh shrimp he had bought, placing them in a bowl. He seasoned them with salt and rice wine to remove any fishy odor. Next, he cut potatoes into fine shreds, rinsing them in water to remove excess starch. He deep-fried the potato shreds in oil heated to medium temperature until they turned golden, then lifted them out to drain.

He then coated the marinated shrimp in a batter made of flour and eggs, fried them until golden, and then gave them a quick second fry. Finally, he coated the crispy shrimp in salad dressing, rolled them in the fried potato shreds, and a dish of golden, crispy, and fragrant Golden Silk Shrimp Balls was complete.

He arranged the shrimp balls on a platter, garnished with a few sprigs of fresh mint; the shrimp balls, with their tails curled upward in a row, looked quite cute and exquisite.

Ya'er, who had been waiting impatiently nearby, immediately grabbed a shrimp ball by its tail and popped it into her mouth.

"So hot!"

The Golden Silk Shrimp Ball was still quite hot from the fryer, but even though she was scalded, Ya'er couldn't bear to spit out the delicious treat, though a thin mist of tears welled up in her beautiful eyes.

One bite of the golden shrimp ball revealed the tender, succulent shrimp paired with the crispy potato shreds—a rich and unique texture profile, the very pinnacle of "crispy on the outside, tender on the inside." The sweetness of the salad dressing perfectly masked any residual greasiness, and the aroma was so intoxicating it was impossible to stop.

As she savored the food, Ya'er felt intoxicated, as if a surge of power were rushing through her body (metaphorically speaking). Having grown up pampered and well-fed, it wasn't as if she hadn't tasted delicacies before, but she had never experienced a dish like this; it was a novel and marvelous experience.

Coming back to her senses, Ya'er looked at the remaining shrimp balls with glowing eyes, feeling as though she could devour the entire platter.

Li Si smiled as he watched the girl's endearing behavior. It reminded him of his younger adoptive sisters from his previous life, who would always circle around him, begging for his cooking. After all, what chef doesn't love a customer like that?

He reached out and pushed the platter toward Ya'er, saying, "If you like it, eat more. It's all yours."

Looking at the abundance of remaining ingredients, Li Si figured that since he was already at it, he might as well make a few more dishes. He told Ya'er to take the Golden Silk Shrimp Balls to the dining area, and he began to display his full culinary prowess, his movements becoming even more fluid and joyous.

Before long, Li Si had prepared honey-glazed carrot-seared meat, a cold meat platter with dipping sauce, baked vegetables with crab roe and ham, and finally, a large portion of vegetable and fruit salad.

Done!

Li Si washed his hands. Since he hadn't prepared in advance, he couldn't make many of his specialty Chinese dishes, but next time, he could have Joyce help him prepare a set of specialized kitchen tools and unique seasonings.

However, Li Si discovered that the zero-level cantrip "Mage Hand" was truly useful. It felt like having an extra pair of dexterous hands, which not only greatly increased his cooking speed but also served as a great way to practice multitasking.

In the living room, Ya'er, who was slowly savoring the shrimp balls, watched as Li Si brought out dish after dish. Each one was a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, clearly the work of a master chef.

Ya'er slowly turned to look at Li Si. In her eyes, Li Si seemed to be radiating an endless light.

*Could this be an angel sent by the God of War to save our adventuring party?*

Li Si felt a bit strange under the gaze of Ya'er's glowing grey-purple eyes. *What's wrong with this big shot? Is the taste off? That shouldn't be.*

"Li Si, you are amazing!" Ya'er slammed her mostly empty plate down and said to him, "Since you want to be a mercenary, why don't you join my adventuring party? You don't have to do anything but cook; I'll handle everything else."

It wasn't just that she was a glutton; the truth was that none of her teammates knew how to cook. Every time they went out to complete a commission or explore, she had to gnaw on hard, unpalatable dry rations, which was truly miserable.

As Ya'er pondered this, she looked at Li Si with pathetic, pleading eyes, hoping he wouldn't refuse her only request.

Before Li Si could answer, they heard the sound of the door being pushed open; it must have been Ya'er's companions returning.

"Ya'er, you're back already!"

A boisterous voice rang out, and a group of three walked into the living room, chatting and laughing.

Leading them was a dwarf in full plate armor carrying a half-human-sized warhammer. The loud voice must have been his. He was rugged, hairy, and sported a long beard—a classic dwarven warrior. Dwarves were relatively rare in Radiant City; they were more commonly found in the kingdoms of the central Fannor Continent, as the dwarven kingdom was nestled within the Jano Mountains between the central and western parts of the continent.

Following him was a dashing elven beauty with a bow on her back. Her golden hair could not hide her pointed ears. She appeared to be an elven ranger, and her exquisite features were worthy of the race renowned for its elegance and beauty. If dwarves were rare, elves were almost never seen operating within human kingdoms. Because of their beautiful appearance, they were often captured as slaves by smugglers, so most elves were inherently hostile toward humans and generally stayed within the Navia Forest in the south of the continent.

As for the last one, he was an acquaintance: Yassen Hade, the youngest son of Duke Hade.

"We have a guest?" The elf immediately spotted Li Si sitting at the dining table with Ya'er and asked with a hint of vigilance.

"Elina, come and eat something delicious! My apprentice Li Si made this, isn't it amazing?"

Yassen, walking at the back, poked his head out to take a look. *Li Si? Is this the Viscount Li Si Kane I know? What is going on?*

Li Si turned back and cast a sidelong glance at Ya'er. *When did I become your apprentice? How come I didn't know about this?*

Ya'er ignored Li Si's reaction entirely, happily beckoning everyone to sit down and enjoy the food before them.

Yassen pulled out a chair and sat down, looking at the table full of delicacies. He gave Li Si a strange look.

*Good grief, you, a Viscount, can actually cook?*