My Pokémon Story of Seasons

Chapter 218 Mischief in the Kitchen

"Oh my!"

Just then, Sweetie and the others peeked out from around the corner of the corridor.

It had only been a short time since get out of class ended, and there were already very few students left in the hallway. It seemed that everyone had gone to the cafeteria for lunch.

Tibrim timidly hid behind the fairy tale expedition team, her little face full of anticipation.

"So it is, and so it is—"

After listening to Sweetie and the others' account, Tong Hua, Riolu, and the Forest Lizard beside her all looked at the little pink creature with some surprise.

"So—you think I'm a magician who can lift your curse?" Tong Hua crouched down, looking directly at Tibrim.

"Bri!" Tibrim nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with hope.

Tong Hua scratched his head, revealing a strange expression.

"What you're saying isn't wrong, but I'm not a magician, I'm an alchemist."

To everyone's surprise, when Tong Hua admitted that he was an alchemist, Tibrim remained calm and composed, while Sweetie and the others stared in astonishment.

"Huh?!" Tian Wu Ni looked at Tong Hua in disbelief, as if she were seeing him for the first time.

"Fufu?" Orion and the pickpocket cat curiously gathered around Tong Hua.

Tong Hua was amused by their reaction: "What's wrong? Didn't I tell you?"

"Those bottles of plant growth serum you used yesterday, both externally and internally, weren't they made by me using alchemy?"

"Oh my!" Sweetie suddenly realized and slapped her forehead, finally connecting those magical potions with the word "alchemy".

At this moment, Tibrim, who had been somewhat silent, spoke up: "Alchemist or astrologer, you are a magician, right?"

Please, please find a way to break the curse!

Looking at the little one who had jumped into her arms, and those bright, beady eyes that so easily captured Tong Hua's heart, Tong Hua knew she couldn't refuse this little guy.

"Okay, I promise you!"

However, you may have to wait a while, since I've only just started learning alchemy myself and need to study it for some time first.

Tong Hua gently picked up Tibrim and said seriously, "Alchemy emphasizes equivalent exchange. To break such a powerful curse, we must be fully prepared."

"Bri!" Tibrim happily snuggled against Tong Hua, nodding her little head like a chick pecking at rice.

She strongly agreed with Tong Hua's statement.

Anyway, she's been traveling for who knows how long, and now she's finally seen hope. It's just a matter of waiting a while, so let's wait!

"But speaking of which, isn't the curse that turns humans into Pokémon unique to your world?" Tong Hua looked at the pink Celebi, the protagonist of the Mystery Dungeon series, whose main characters were basically all turned from humans into Pokémon.

As for the world of Pokémon itself, Tong Hua only remembers that it appeared once in the original anime series, where a witch named Xiao Li made a magical potion.

What was supposed to be magic that allowed people to understand Pokémon's feelings turned Ash into Pikachu by a twist of fate.

"However, even that kind of magic can only be effective for a short period of time."

However, if it were me, I might be able to create a potion with the completely opposite effect, and one that would be permanently effective.

Thinking of this, Tong Hua revealed a confident smile, as if she had everything under control.

It's just about leveling up. Once you reach a higher level, there'll definitely be a way.

With Tibrimon joining the team, Tong Hua's group grew even stronger. He checked the time, remembered Professor Anri's suggestion, and led his Pokémon towards the cafeteria.

"After you finish lunch, you can go home."

On the way to the cafeteria, Tong Hua spoke to Tian Wu Ni, Ao Lingu, and Pickpocket Cat beside her.

"Oh dear—" Sweetie lowered her head in disappointment, clutching Tong Hua's clothes tightly with her little hands. Orion and the pickpocket cat also looked reluctant, gazing longingly at Tong Hua.

"Alright—" Tong Hua finally gave in to their insistence and agreed to let them stay until the afternoon.

"Oh my!" Sweetie immediately jumped up happily, and Orion and the pickpocket cat excitedly circled around him.

"But I have to go back this afternoon, okay? School rules can't be broken, or I'll get points deducted again—"

Upon arriving at the cafeteria, a long queue had already formed, and the enticing aroma of food filled the air. Following Ms. An Li's advice, Tong Hua approached a busybody older woman and explained her purpose.

"Okay, then go help out in the kitchen. I'll give you credits when you're done."

After the woman finished speaking, she handed Tong Hua a chef's uniform and hat, and took away Tong Hua's student ID.

All academic credits will be recorded using the student ID card.

"Oh, and don't bring Pokémon into the kitchen," the older woman added, glancing at the Pokémon around Tong Hua.

So, Sweetie and Riolu stayed in the cafeteria dining area dejectedly, leaving only Tong Hua to go into the kitchen.

The kitchen was bustling with activity, as several chefs were busy stir-frying food in front of large woks. Seeing Tong Hua enter, one of the head chefs, wearing a white apron, waved to him.

"New here? Go over there and help chop the vegetables!" The head chef pointed to the worktable in the corner, where baskets of vegetables were piled up.

Tong Hua tied on her apron and skillfully picked up a kitchen knife.

With her career change to that of a chef, Tong Hua quickly finished the preparation work after a flash of the knife.

"So fast?!"

Even the head chef who assigned the task was amazed by Tong Hua's speed, as if the ingredients had been cut in an instant in a frozen moment.

The carrot shreds are as fine as hair, the potato slices are so thin they're translucent, and even the most difficult-to-handle onions are cut evenly and perfectly.

"Young man, your knife skills are amazing!" the chef couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Tong Hua smiled slightly and asked the head chef if he could directly take charge of cooking a dish.

"Hmm—okay, then give it a try."

It's important to understand that, generally speaking, a newcomer can't be qualified to cook in any kitchen so quickly.

Moreover, this is a ranger school, and the dishes made here are for the students. The quality of each dish must be strictly controlled by the head chef.

In all my years of professional experience, I have never had a student given the right to cook the first time they entered the kitchen.

Tong Hua stood in front of the stove, her eyes sweeping over the dazzling array of seasonings and ingredients. The chef's menu offered only fried rice with eggs, but Tong Hua put her mind to something special with this most basic dish.

He didn't rush to fire, because there was no need.

Tong Hua reached out and gently waved her hand over the prepared ingredients. Then, as if by magic, all the ingredients vanished without a trace, replaced by a steaming plate of fried rice.

"It's done." Tong Hua breathed a sigh of relief and said calmly.

"Huh?" The head chef stared dumbfounded at the plate of fried rice that had appeared out of nowhere. He rubbed his eyes, then pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

The golden rice grains are distinct, each one evenly coated with egg, and garnished with bright green scallions. Even more amazing is the faint steam rising from the top of the fried rice, emitting an irresistible aroma.

"How...how did you do that?" the chef stammered, his voice trembling.

Tong Hua smiled mysteriously: "It's just that I'm fast, there's no special skill involved."

"Nonsense! You didn't even turn on the stove, how can you cook raw rice into cooked rice just by being fast?"

In fact, Tong Hua used the skill "Craftsman's Skill" to skip the processing and production process and directly obtain a D-grade quality fried rice.

"Would you like to try some?" Tong Hua said, handing over a spoon.

The chef picked up the spoon with trembling hands and cautiously took a bite. The next second, his eyes widened, and he froze on the spot.

"This is so delicious!" The chef was so excited he almost jumped up. "And what's your name?"

"Tong Hua".

"Tong Hua—" the head chef murmured, repeating the name, then suddenly grabbed Tong Hua's shoulders. "Now, make it again for me to see, anything you want!"

The other kitchen helpers were stunned; they had never seen the head chef so out of control.

"Okay." Tong Hua nodded. "Then I'll make a fool of myself."

Tong Hua looked around and his gaze fell on a basket of fresh tree fruits. He casually picked up a few oranges and peaches, and then took some flour and eggs.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Tong Hua did not use "artisan techniques" this time, but instead began to make desserts by hand.

His hands moved so fast they were almost blurry, beating eggs, kneading dough, and slicing fruit in one fluid motion. The batter seemed to come alive in his hands, falling precisely into the mold, and the tree fruits were cut into even, thin slices, perfectly embedded within.

Even more amazing is that Tong Hua secretly used the "Stride" skill during the process, which reduced the baking time from half an hour to just a few minutes.

With a "ding," the oven timer went off. Tong Hua took out the baking tray, and the golden-brown nut muffins emitted an enticing aroma.

"Please enjoy." Tong Hua handed the waffle to the chef.

The chef carefully broke off a piece, and the soft texture made his eyes widen instantly. The sweet and sour taste of the berries blended perfectly with the sweetness of the waffle, and even more surprisingly, after eating it, he felt all his fatigue disappear.

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