The Gourmand System

[SuperNova681]

Darkness. It was all that I could see when I woke up, if you can call it that. All I know for sure is that I died and that this void has become my home, so to speak. I'm not entirely sure how long it has been, but to pass the time and stay somewhat sane, I've been going over the details of my life.

My name is Aaron Franklin and I'm, no was, 28 years old. My parents are David and Kathleen Franklin, though she preferred Kate. Dad runs a mechanic shop and Mom was an English Professor. They met when Mom was in college getting a Master's and Dad was in trade school. It was one of those real life rom-com moments, where the guy stumbles into a girl and they both feel a connection. Dad accidentally bumped into Mom in a café, she spilled her coffee and he offered to pay for a replacement. They started talking and eventually he asked for her number, which led to a date and then they became a couple. At least that is what Dad told me when I asked him. They got married after Mom finished college and Dad had scrounged enough money from savings and a small loan from Grandpa to start his own shop.

They were about 26 at the time and a year after that, I came into the world. From what I remember, their marriage wasn't absolutely perfect but no relationship is. They would bicker and sometimes got to the point of yelling, but they would always apologize an hour or so later. Mom taught me to read at a young age and Dad would let me watch him at work. That all changed when Mom started getting sick when I was eight.

The first symptom was fatigue, she was seemingly always a bit tired. Never enough to warrant a hospital visit, but she stopped doing the little things. She didn't tuck me into bed anymore and she almost completely stopped cooking, which was one of her passions. Her college students noticed the lack of her usual energy in her lectures, and Dad would talk about her decreasing displays of affection. A month later, she collapsed in the middle of the campus and an ambulance was called. Nobody could figure out what was wrong, it was as if her brain was shutting down for no reason. Fortunately, or unfortunately, her disease progressed extremely slow. All it did was cause her to sleep more and more until, when I was eighteen, she finally slipped into a coma.

By that time I had gotten frustrated with Dad, in that common teenager way. I regret now what kinds of things I said to him. He had switched his priorities from Mom to me, and I felt like he was neglecting her. Any time he did something nice for me, my teenage mind declared it a slight against Mom. I had rationalized it as, 'If he can afford to do this for me, why can't he do it for her?' and that wasn't fair. In this void I've found myself in, I've apologized to him countless times, but I don't think they'll ever reach him. It's one moment in particular that I regret most. My sixteenth birthday had my Dad pull out all the stops, including cooking my favorite dish of Mom's.

She always made an incredible beef stew to celebrate my accomplishments and she had the recipe written down in a compilation of index cards. Dad found it after searching for hours and bought all the ingredients to make it. When I got home from school that day, I was greeted by that beef stew. I wasn't appreciative, in fact, I was belligerent. I mocked my own father for his effort in trying to make me happy. I stayed in my room for the rest of the day, watching old home movies on my TV. I only realized how terrible I was the next day when I mentioned it to my friends, who pointed it out.

When I went to apologize, he wasn't there, he had gone to the hospital to see Mom. At that point she was sleeping 20 hours a day, and she had lost a drastic amount of weight. I thought that maybe he had brought up what I had done with her, but as the minutes ticked by, there was no call on the phone. When Dad got home, before I could even get a word of apology out, he said he forgave me. After that day I started treating him better, but I still can't help but to feel ashamed of the things I did. By the time I turned eighteen, I had decided what I wanted to do with my life.

I wanted to be a chef, since it was Mom's cooking that got me started on loving food. I went to a culinary school for four years and managed to become the apprentice of Two Star Michelin Chef, Francis Lynch. Chef Lynch was brutal in his teaching, but not unfair. If I made a mistake, he wanted me to understand what I did wrong. He also taught me not to stay confined into one style of cooking, often taking me on trips to exotic places to try the cuisine. Five years I spent under his tutelage, and on my final day he rewarded me with a specially made knife and a job at one of his restaurants. I wasn't immediately made Head Chef, mainly because I didn't have enough experience to lead, but I was the Sous-Chef.

The night of my one-year anniversary we had a break in. I had stayed late to help pack up for the day when a man dressed in a hoodie, jeans, and a balaclava rushed into the kitchen with a pistol. He wanted me to open the safe in the office and I cooperated, so the remaining staff member could escape. I led him to the back and slowly put in the combination and when it opened, that was when the sirens could be heard. The robber panicked and, in doing so, pulled the trigger.

Then I was here, floating, in the darkness. I always secretly hoped there would be some kind of afterlife, even if it wasn't Heaven, but I never would have guessed this. I suppose this is Limbo, or some variation of it. I wasn't bad enough for Hell nor good enough for Heaven. It was at that moment a flash of light illuminated the entirety of this black space, blinding me in the process.

A flood of new memories came rushing in, memories of a young boy slowly progressing into the man he'd become. They start off with said boy born to a minor mercantile family, enough wealth to not go hungry but not so much that they have an army of servants. The child was cheerful and was friends with the surrounding neighbors' children, their group patrolling the streets for adventure. One day a strange boy dressed in a plain cloak appeared, the memories showing the two becoming close. Obviously, the face of the strange boy is never shown, but I knew they were best friends. It was a few weeks into this new relationship that the memories depicted an increased number of guards in the vicinity and they were overtly searching for someone. From these new memories, I could tell that it was my new friend they were looking for, as whenever they would pass by, he would hide. It was an hour later that he got caught and escorted away, while the merchant's son tried to plead with them not to harm him.

Years later, the memories depict the point of view of a teenager who is working in his family's shop, stocking new goods on the shelves. The door opens and in walks the First Prince, Diedrich Dreyar, who reveals himself as the cloaked boy from his youth. He gave thanks for being his first true friend and he wanted to reward that friendship. He offered a position at his side, something that paid well and was effortless. There was soon to be an opening for the Royal Palette, which is the one who tastes the menus to check for quality. The current one was nearing retirement and wanted to spend the rest of his time watching over his grandchildren. The teenaged merchant's son would be taken under his wing and trained for the next few months, after that he would finish his duties and turn the title over to his pupil. The memories begin to fast forward through said timeframe, but I do catch a few glimpses of the apprenticeship, which involved training his sense of taste and smell to their limits.

At the end of it, he could discern the type of egg used in a dessert from the scent alone. His taste buds could detect a single gram of sugar in a glass of water. Of course, that wasn't the only knowledge gained during this period, he also had to take etiquette and manners classes. When the apprenticeship was over you could scarcely tell the difference between him and a noble. But he wasn't one, and plenty of the nobility and some of the royalty never let him forget that. It was minor things at first, poorly-hidden sneers and off-handed comments. Eventually it progressed into physical harm, but only that which could be easily seen as accidental.

Tripping and shoulder checking were the common methods, but there was one time where he was pushed down the stairs. These hadn't deterred him from my duties and he stayed strong, which was made all the easier by two members of the royal family: Prince Diedrich and King Abelard Dreyer. Obviously Diedrich was a friend since childhood and he treated the man as such. He would host small luncheons where they would talk and drink tea. He also made sure to treat the small injuries his friend would accrue from the bullying he endured. His father was a just and noble man as well as an exceptional ruler. He made sure the people were treated well and that the laws were fair. Of course, he couldn't keep track of all the bad eggs in his Kingdom, so there were some who would spoil the pot. Diedrich was the child born between him and his First Queen, Frieda, who died in childbirth.

Abelard raised him with great care, making sure he was taught good morals and provided with the best tutors. It's why the King didn't send the guards immediately after discovering the Prince's absence. He knew that the boy was exploring the capital and learning by experience. It was the Second Queen, Verena, and her children who were vicious. She is the daughter of Marquis Bardulf Martin, a decorated officer in the Royal Army. Verena is ambitious, so much so that there are rumors that she poisoned the First Queen in order to usurp the position, but no official investigation was conducted. She was merely a mistress before the tragedy, but when she got pregnant she rocketed on to the throne. Nine months later, she gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The First Princess was named Ada and her brother, the Second Prince's name is Sigmund.

The twins were true terrors in the eyes of the staff, myself included. From what information I pieced together from the various testimonies of the maids, it seemed even from a young age they were absolutely horrible. Their mother was in charge of their education, but it was clear that she taught them that anything is fine since they were royalty. Ada was known to cut the hair of maids with particularly beautiful locks as well as purposefully break fine china and make the staff pick it up barehanded, often causing them injuries. Sigmund was a bully, often resorting to violence if his whims were denied. This usually was things like slapping or kicking, only punching the male staff members. In his teenage years, he could also be found harassing the younger maids.

While terrible at the time, they ramped up in maliciousness when the new Royal Palette arrived. The royal staff were part of a long line of servant families, but he was a commoner picked up off the streets in the eyes of the Second Prince and First Princess. All their attention was focused on him from then on, they truly wanted him gone. The memories began fast forwarding again, leaving these painful times behind.

He was brought to another life-altering decision, one which would have had him assassinate the King and Crown Prince. He woke up in a cell, surrounded by shadowed men. A harsh voice began ordering him to assist them in the goal of changing the kingdom's leadership. They wanted him to slip poison into the King's dinner and they'd finish off Diedrich. He refused to bow to the demands of these assassins, which led them to torture. He was lashed, beaten, starved, and drowned, but he never gave in. For weeks this went on, until one day he was told terrible news. They had gone through with the assassination when he had first woken up, they were only pretending to need his help. The bastards were just toying with him, giving him false hope that as long as he didn't help, Diedrich and King Abelard would be alive. He knew in his heart that he had been framed as well. After that visceral emotion, the only thing he remembered was getting beaten and then being dumped on the side of the road.

I opened my eyes for the first time in what felt like decades. I now knew what that barrage of memories was: I had reincarnated and those were the echoes of the life I lived before I recalled my first life. My new name was Klaus Southers but I felt more like Aaron Franklin than Klaus. Either way, I shall use this new life to live to the fullest. Before that, however, I should take stock of my surroundings. It appears that I am in some sort of inn, judging from the minimal furniture. There was just the bed I'm currently occupying, a nearby mirror, a table, chair and a chest of some kind. Looking over my body, I was obviously taken care off by a doctor, considering how heavily bandaged my wounds are.

I look at the mirror, staring at my reflection. My face is covered with wrappings, giving me the appearance of a mummy. I was severely malnourished, further nailing down my almost stereotypical costume. I was lucky to find I had some underwear on as I threw off the covers to try and stand. The moment I tried to put weight on my feet, I was assaulted by the feeling of pure agony. I realized that there may be the possibility that my legs are broken or it's just severe bruising remaining from my torture. I had to accept that there is a nonzero chance that I've been in a coma.

All of a sudden, I hear the doorknob turning and quickly, I put the blankets back on and laid back down. An older man walked into the room, his salt and pepper hair and wrinkles proof of his extended life. His age didn't detract from his physique though, as he was at least 6 and a half feet tall and was built like an Olympian God. He was carrying a tray of food, which contained a hunk of bread, a glass of some unidentified liquid, a bowl of soup and a few slices of cheese. His voice was deep and calm, "You might want to stop pretending, I can tell you're awake. I also heard you getting up, so I brought some food."

As I was about to answer, my stomach made itself known. A loud growl thundered through the room, making me feel a little awkward. The man began to chuckle at that moment, obviously it was all confirmation he'd needed. He set the tray on the table and took a seat in the chair. "Well, I haven't heard another man's stomach growl that loud since I was still in the army. I may not be an expert cook but this humble meal should be serviceable," He chortled.

I tried to speak, attempting to introduce myself but the first thing to come out was a hacking cough. The man quickly handed me the glass, in which was a tannish liquid I still hadn't figured out. Nonetheless, I chugged the beverage, not even bothering to taste it. The slight coolness rushing down my throat was an absolute delight, giving me the courage to try speaking again. "My name is Klaus, what is yours?" My throat was still obviously scratchy with how my voice sounded.

"My name is Leon Mayer, the owner of this inn. I must say it's quite a surprise that you're up this soon, the village apothecary said it would be at least a week before you'd wake. Do you happen to have any training in Aura?"

Aura? That term didn't show up in any of my memories, although there are some gaps. Maybe it's something only a select few know about? Either way I can't lie and say I do, they probably have a way to detect that sort of training. I decided that I should just tell the truth.

"I don't know what Aura is, sir. I guess I just wasn't as hurt as the apothecary said," the words flowed out in my raspy voice.

"Hmm, you don't seem to be lying, but it's odd that you've never heard of Aura before. Judging from what remained of your clothes, you appear to be a noble of some sort."

Ah yes, my former attire was something only nobles or rich merchants could afford. "Speaking of clothes, you wouldn't happen to have a spare set lying around, would you?"

He gestured to the chest at the foot of the bed and said, "Yeah, I figured that you'd need new ones once you awoke, but hold off on changing before taking a bath and replacing your bandages." This made me pause and realize something: How long had I been without access to proper hygiene? I sniffed my bandages and I could detect a faint odor of sourness but it was mostly covered by the smell of medicinal herbs. Most likely an ointment of some kind, it had a nice scent akin to pine.

"Well, the apothecary and I did try to clean you up as best as possible to prevent infection, our little village doesn't have the best access to things like soap," he obviously noticed me checking how bad it was. Leon looked at me and hummed, "I suppose I should let you eat, start with the soup and then after that maybe a few bites of bread. Work your way up, and let your stomach stretch back out a little. The cheese is for a snack later on, it should keep for a little while."
Sitting up, I receive the tray he hands to me and place it on my lap. Leon exits the room as I begin to scoop a mouthful of the soup. The broth hits my tongue, and I am quickly introduced to the faint taste of chicken and almost rotten vegetables, along with being over salted. I gag but swiftly force it down as I don't want to be seen as ungrateful. The next bite has some meat in it, but I can tell it has been cooked too long because it disintegrates into pulpy mush with the slightest pressure. The vegetables follow the same path, as well as having that near rotten taste. Overall, this soup is insipid and foul, but I needed to eat. Looking at the bread, I proceed to tear off a chunk which was honestly harder than I thought. Taking a bite, I discovered my fears were well founded, it was tough and chewy and the flavor was nothing to write about. Dipping it in the broth improved the texture and flavor slightly, but overall if I had been given this meal at a restaurant back on Earth, I'd have been very upset. I know that my tastes have been colored by my past life, where the culinary arts were just that, an art. Here it seems that good cooking is a thing only the truly rich or noble can pursue. The lower-class just throw whatever into a dish to make a meal and never complain about it. They cook to fill their bellies not to seek flavor.

It's a shame, especially since simple dishes can be some of the tastiest. Maybe
I should start introducing some of the culinary advancements from my first life to this new one? It would be a fun goal, and I could make it so no one ever has to taste "cuisine" like this soup ever again. Yeah, I think I'm going to make that this life's purpose.

*Ding*

What was that?

Spoiler: Author's Note

I'm posting this as my mother is undergoing heart surgery. I'm not asking for sympathy, I just need to get it off my chest. I'm scared to death that she'll disappear from my life today but I want to feel like I tried to do something before that inevitability. So up this story goes before I lose my resolve. Also, this is my first story here so any advice is welcome.

 

[SuperNova681]

This chapter is an infodump. You have been warned.

Rapidly turning my head to determine where the sound came from, I finally am brought face to face with a panel that looks like it was ripped straight out of a video game, specifically an RPG. The window was a similar color to sapphire and its text was white with a black outline. [Welcome, User Klaus, To the Gourmand System.] That was all there was, until a button appeared with [Continue] written out, which I hesitantly pressed. A new text box sprang up with a wall of words posted upon it. Hah, this was similar to reading the manual, one of my least favorite things. But, if I was going to be stuck with this "System", it would be prudent to read the instructions.

[This System is being provided as a means of growth in this Dangerous World you've arrived in. Its main functions are to record your 'Stats' and 'Skills' in a form which can be easily understood, as well as present a way to increase them in the form of a special currency known as: 'Gourmet Points'. This currency is earned by completing 'Missions' or by killing Beasts in the wilds or 'Dungeons'. Both Missions and Dungeons are rated in terms of difficulty by Tiers. Tiers go from 1 all the way up to 10, though there is technically a Tier 0, known as the 'Tutorial'. With the GP you earn, you can directly upgrade your Stats which are denoted in letter grades. H being the lowest with EX being the highest.] Scrolling further down I am presented with the next section.

[GP can also be used to either upgrade or generate new Skills. Purchasing a Skill will cost a certain amount of GP depending on what grade the Skill starts at. H Grade Skills cost exactly 10 with the EX Grade easily costing 2 Billion.] I paused at that price point, wondering how much grinding it would take to even begin to afford such a Skill, and how strong said ability would be. I suppose I would find out in the future as I didn't currently have a gauge on what the Grades denoted. EX might only be strong here, and somewhere else it might be relatively weak.

['Missions' can be found in their own tab, which is divided by Tier. New Missions are added periodically, but old ones won't disappear until completed. Dungeons are based on locations in the Gourmet World, recreated in a metaphysical bubble. Time in the real world is paused whilst the User is in a Dungeon, so feel free to take as much time as you want to explore. Beasts in a Dungeon are rated via a system called Capture Levels, which are based on the Beast's Strength, Rarity, and how dangerous the Habitat and neighboring Beasts are. The scale goes from 1 to 100, but there are exceptions, especially in the Tutorial and Tier 10 Dungeons.] Well, at least I'm getting an unlimited amount of time in these Dungeons. I wonder what this so-called Gourmet World looks like, judging by the name it seems to be a place of spectacular cooking.

[GP may also be spent in the 'Store', where many special tools and Ingredients can be found. Basic supplies are always available for cheap, but you can also find daily deals for more rare items. Occasionally, the User may also find Skills in the Store, where they are cheaper than if you tried to create them yourself. Purchased items may be stored in the 'Inventory' as well as Ingredients you harvest in the wild and in the Dungeons. This storage space is nearly limitless, but do try not to clutter it up. A starter package has been given to you as a gift, you can find it in the Inventory. It includes a knife, portable stove, fuel, and a set of pots and pans. Additionally, it contains a special pill which will infuse the User with Gourmet Cells, a unique form of cell which can grow and evolve endlessly. They will grant you increased strength, speed, stamina, senses, and a powerful healing factor. The downside is that you'll need to consume mass quantities of calories to deal with the heightened metabolism they possess.] Gourmet Cells? That sounds like something out of a shounen manga, but if they can allow me to fight on an equal playing field to whatever dangers I find out in this world, I will take them.

[This concludes the Gourmand System User's Guide, the next step is the Tutorial Missions and Dungeon.] I suppose that's that, now I can use the system properly. This whole scenario is giving me flashbacks to those manhwas I read as a teen and young adult. As a matter of fact, now that I think about it, Aura was a very common trope in those. Its definition changed from story to story, but generally it was a form of Mana used by physical fighters to vastly improve their strength. Am I in one of those worlds? Shit, those tended to be pretty dangerous for those who couldn't fight. Monsters were also pretty common in them, so I shouldn't be surprised if I come across one in the future.

It was time to see what the Gourmand System was all about. Opening the Menu I was greeted once again by a screen straight out of an RPG. There was even a portrait of what I presumed to be my face with my Stats written next to it. I had been curious about what I looked like without the bandages, so this was a welcomed feature. This picture was indicative of my current condition, so I wasn't currently looking my best. The face was gaunt and pale, my cheekbones clearly visible. The once well-kempt red hair was long and disheveled, unwashed for far too long. Near lifeless amber irises stare back at me, the sclera bloodshot. The portrait also displayed the scars that now littered my torso, the most prominent being a pair in the shape of an x over my sternum. They were large and jagged, caused by a special whip employed by the main torturer.

My Stats weren't a much better sight, H- across the board. My guess was that H was the standard for the average human, so I was weak. Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, Intelligence, Sense, Luck, and a grayed out part called Gourmet Cells. Those were the seven stats that I could upgrade. Obviously I had to open up the starter package to get the Gourmet Cells unlocked, but the others should be easy to understand. Strength should be a measure of my physical power, whereas Dexterity should be how flexible and agile I am. Vitality denotes my stamina and durability and Intelligence is probably how quickly I process information. Sense most likely affects my five senses and Luck is obviously how lucky I am. I should go ahead and go to the Inventory to open up that gift.

Clicking on the Inventory Tab, I am greeted by a 10 by 10 grid of empty squares. All except for the very first one, which has the picture of a present on it. Hovering my finger over it, a description of what it is appears. [A gift box containing items vital for survival in this dangerous world. Specifically, a chef's knife, portable stove, 1 months' worth of fuel, one frying pan, one cast iron skillet(pre-seasoned), a stock pot, a dutch oven, a wok, and lastly, the Gourmet Cell pill.] I went ahead and opened the present, depositing all the items in my Inventory, but I didn't take the pill immediately. Honestly, I wanted to wait for a bit, at least until after I bathed. That way, I'd be marginally more comfortable than now. There was a distinct possibility that this whole process could go sideways and I end up in a worse position than I already am. If these cells do what the System said and evolve endlessly, I could become some mutant monstrosity.

It did seem unlikely, as the System was also acting in my best interest when it gave the pill to me. I think I can infer from said gift that I might not be able to cultivate strength the same way as everyone else in this world. It shouldn't be much of an issue, these Systems tend to give their users rapid increases in power. Moving forward, I should figure out how to invest my future points and accomplish my goal of improving the culinary level of this world. Before all that, however, I should ask Leon where the bath is.

Opening the chest at the foot of the bed, I grab the spare clothing which consisted of a "white" linen shirt, worn leather boots, and a pair of brown linen pants. There was also a belt underneath the rest of the clothes, most likely because these were some of Leon's garments. They were much larger than my body currently, so the pants would fall down if I didn't use the belt. Thankfully, the boots were an appropriate size and comfortably hugged my feet. I had just finished pulling out the outfit when I spotted a cane in the corner, which probably had been left to help with my mobility as every step was like shoving knives in my calves and thighs. Even with its support, walking down the hall and the stairs to get to the main desk was agony. I had to stop several times just to catch my breath, my wheezing gasps audible for all the guests to hear. Or at least that was my worry, but I didn't really hear anybody else.

Finally, I reached Leon at his desk, where he was talking to a cloaked figure. I sat down on a nearby chair and waited for him to finish his conversation. I did catch the tail end of what they were discussing.
"I told you that I've retired from the Army, Rudolf. There is no incentive you could give me to make me come back. I'm done fighting and I just want to live the rest of my days in peace."

"Leon, the Dreyar Kingdom is in shambles after the assassinations of the King and Crown Prince. We need your strength now more than ever if we want to prevent an invasion from the other kingdoms. If you really don't want to fight, you could teach the next generation of soldiers." The mention of the deaths of Diedrich and Abelard shot a sting of sadness through me.

"If I didn't want to take on students back then, what makes you think I'd change my mind now? I refuse to dedicate anymore of my life to this Kingdom, I'm old and tired."

"With all due respect, you're more fit at 68 than you were at 40. I would know, I was your squire."

"I'm not coming back, and that's the end of this conversation Rudolf." Leon was very curt as he said this, obviously irritated by this exchange. The cloaked man, whom I now know as Rudolf, locked eyes with me as he left. I looked back at Leon, who was rubbing his forehead and then released a long sigh. His eyes finally focus on me and widen slightly.

"Sorry Klaus, I hope you weren't waiting too long. Just my past trying to catch up with me. Don't suppose you'll be willing to forget whatever you might have heard? That information is better left buried in my old life."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it Leon, I only caught the very end. Even then, I would never do something like blackmail nor would I try to pry into something you don't want to remember."

"Well, thank the Gods for small mercies, but enough about that. What did you come here for?"

"I just need to know where that bath you talked about is and maybe some information on where I am exactly." At this request Leon seemed to pause and scratched his beard, then leaned down to grab something from the desk drawers. After the brief sound of paper rustling, he came up with a roll of parchment. After unfurling, it became very apparent what it was: a map.

It was fairly crude, obviously someone's first or second attempt at drawing one, but it did highlight the village we are currently in. Located in the Kingdom of Dreyar was a quaint little hamlet named Schattenwald due to its proximity to the titular forest. Even through the map you could feel the enormity of the woodland, easily a hundred times larger than the village. What kind of dangers could lurk within its depths?

"Seems like you're curious about Schattenwald Forest, but I must warn you that it's not for the weak to enter. Inside that place are countless Magic Beasts, and possibly Demon Beasts. Only an Aura Count could stand even the slightest chance of surviving, and even then it's not a very high chance. It's unknown how strong the Beasts are, but there have been a significant number of reports of Five Star Magic Beasts," Leon's voice was grim.

"Magic Beasts? Aura Count? Five Star? What do these terms mean?" My voice wavered a bit when I said that.

"Oh right, I guess that was kind of hard to follow for a civilian, but even a civilian should know about Magic Beasts. How sheltered were you raised?"

Shit, I need to make up something quickly. What about my late teens? That should throw him off.

"My first trip outside my house was in my late teens. Even then I wasn't allowed to go very far, just the market."

"I suppose that is quite sheltered. What kind of parent locks their kid away from the world for so long?" Sorry Mom and Dad, I think I just gave Leon a terrible impression of you.

"Anyway, to answer your questions earlier: Magic Beasts are animals imbued with Mana, causing them to grow far larger and stronger than their normal counterparts. They also generate something called a Magic Core, which contains their Beast Mana. It also is inscribed with their Inherent Magic, a special ability that can be considered their trump card. Magic Beasts are ranked according to their strength via Stars, with One Star being the weakest and Ten the strongest."

"Wow that's impressive, but that doesn't really give me a gauge of their strength. I understand that 1-star is weak, but how strong is that?"

"A proper 1-star Magic Beast can easily shred steel armor as if it were cloth and steel weaponry can't reliably pierce their hide. There is an exponential growth between each Star, so a 2-star can cut through 20 trees with a single swipe of their claws and a steel sword imbued with a 1-star Aura Soldier's power is barely enough to leave a scratch on them."

"So a 10-star could easily destroy a country, but why haven't they?"

"Hah! There would have to be one first, and both our kingdom and our neighbor's take the safety of their borders very seriously. Every ten or so years they send out their strongest Warriors and Mages into known breeding grounds for Magic Beasts to cull the population of high level Beasts. The only place that could generate such a Magic Beast is Schattenwald, considering its dense vegetation and the near perpetual darkness that place exists in. It's hard to send any kind of venture there, but even so it's beyond difficult for the Beasts to grow to such a level."

"What do you mean? Is there some kind of bottleneck for Magic Beasts?"

"Well, they grow stronger in three ways: First is passively through age. Every year of life a Magic Beasts lives, they get a bit stronger. Since they can live for centuries, it isn't too hard to accumulate strength this way, but it's excruciatingly slow, so most of them choose the other two ways. Second is by devouring the Magic Cores of other Beasts. Doing so directly adds Beast Mana to their own Core, causing it to grow larger. This is much faster, but they have to be careful not to overindulge as too much too fast can create a crack in the Core. This results in them slowly leaking Beast Mana, which can lead to death in time. The final method is the consumption of Humans and Demi-humans. This is by far the favorite practice as it is safer than the second but faster than the first. Humans naturally contain Mana within their bodies, even if they don't actively use it. A Magic Beast can convert this into Beast Mana and add it to their Core, albeit it is small amounts at a time. This is much easier to stabilize, so there is basically no chance of causing a crack to form from strain. Of course, usually this method's danger comes in the form of retaliation from the Adventurer's Guild or by the nation's army." Leon takes a second to take a drink of water, his throat dry from his dialogue.

"Then, the reason for culling every ten or so years is to snuff out the Beasts that rely on the first two methods?"

"More often than not. These Magic Beasts tend to be the more crafty sort and generally they manage to get to the level where they develop a sentience."

"Wait, they can become sentient? Now I'm really surprised they haven't destroyed the kingdom!" My voice nearly raises an octave.

"Again, it's very rare that a Magic Beast actually develops that level of intelligence. They have to grow to at least 6-star before that happens, and you know that either Adventurers or the army will eventually come to kill all Beasts above a certain strength."

My anxiety slowly dies down when he says this, my heartbeat coming under control. I take a steadying breath. After a few seconds of centering, I decide to ask my next question.

"What are Demon Beasts then?"

"Think of them as a corrupted Magic Beast brought into being by polluted Mana. Generally they are stronger than their counterparts, but highly unstable and unable to develop any sort of intelligence."

"What about the levels of Aura? And I believe you mentioned something about Mages?"

"Right, I'll start with Aura as that's what I'm most familiar with. Aura is the physical application of Mana in the user's body, which slowly increases their strength above a normal Human or Demi-human. The first step is to create an Aura Heart, which is done by stuffing an overwhelming amount of Mana into the actual organ. This Aura Heart will slowly pump Mana throughout the body slowly nourishing the muscles and bones. This stage is called Aura Initiate, due to the user just starting their journey. Once Aura permeates the entire body, they move onto the next stage Aura Practitioner. The goal of this stage is to develop the ability to actualize their Aura outside of the body, creating a membrane of defense while also further increasing their strength. Perhaps a demonstration?" He slowly clenches his fists and appears to flex his whole body. A red mist forms around him, becoming more solid the longer it stays. Quickly it shrinks and conforms to him, an outline of red energy.

"May I try tapping it with the cane?"

"Sure, it won't hurt me at all." Leon's tone was even, which let me feel the truth in his words. I took a swing with the cane and surprisingly even with how gently I hit him, the cane rocketed back and I fell backwards. Leon quickly took action and stopped my fall, chuckling all the while.

"Heh heh, sorry kid, I should have been a bit more careful how much Aura I used. I'm a bit out of practice." His chest was rumbling with his attempts to stifle his laughs.

"Well it sure didn't help that I'm almost at the level of an invalid."

"Anyway, the next step is being able to infuse Aura into their weapon of choice. Once they are able to accomplish this, they are an Aura Soldier. Once again, I'll demonstrate, if you're willing to hand me the cane." I do as he asks, and watch as the film still surrounding him is redirected to the rod. Leon stabs the cane into the floor, burying it up to the handle. Pulling it out he shows that there is no damage to it, and the only sign that it was ever used in such a way was the perfect hole in the ground.

"As you can see, imbuing a weapon with Aura dramatically increases both its durability and destructive capabilities. That's why it's necessary for at least an Aura Soldier to be around when heading through known Beast territory. It's also why the Adventurer's Guild only accepts those of this level or higher."

"That's certainly impressive, but what are you going to do about the hole in your floor?" My words seem to stun Leon for a second before a bead of sweat runs down his forehead.

"Shit, my partner is going to nag me for that. I guess I'll have to fix it before they find out."

"With how confident you are in your ability to repair the flooring, I'd wager you've done it before. Both breaking and fixing."

"Well, I used to have to take care of the troublemakers when I first started the inn, so some damage was unavoidable. I'm also the one who does the normal maintenance, and I've gotten pretty good at it over the years." He puffs out his chest a little with craftsman's pride.

"I'm sure you are, but let's get back to the discussion about Aura."

"Right, an Aura Soldier works on increasing the density of their Aura. An apt comparison would be that it starts off similar to mist or air and through a cycle of compression and absorbing ambient Mana, eventually it becomes more like water. At this stage an Aura Soldier becomes an Aura Knight. But the work doesn't end there, as in order to become an Aura Baron, they must continue the cycle. After this process, their energy will gain the consistency of honey, the sign of an Aura Count."

"Let me guess, after that they have to do the same cycle? Eventually their Aura becomes solid, which is an Aura Duke?"

"Well, I suppose that part of Aura Cultivation is pretty monotonous, and yes the ranks follow the curve of nobility. Either way, the next few levels are nearly impossible for those without talent to reach. Even then, you have to be lucky to find rare treasures that boost your cultivation. Dukes, due to their super dense Aura, are able to create weapons out of said energy. These arms are superior to normal steel, but can fall short of special metals like Mythril and Orichalcum."

Ah, those are two fantasy metals I recognize. If they are similar to their counterparts, Mythril should be an extremely light and durable metal with great conductivity of Mana, whereas Orichalcum should be on the opposing side of weight. The only other types of fantasy metals I can think of are Adamantite and those special versions of iron like Black Iron or Cold Steel. Obviously, I can't just come out and ask about them directly, but I could instead question him about other special materials.

"So, Mythril and Orichalcum are unique metals, but are there any others that are well known?"

This question makes Leon pause and rub his beard, seemingly trying to recall what he can about the subject.

"Well, there are the materials that can be obtained from Magic Beasts, bones and hide. Another metal that can be mined is Adamantine, but that is so rare it is reserved for Legend-Grade Weapons and higher. There is a rumor going around about a tree that produces a wood so strong that it could rival Orichalcum in durability. Personally, I wouldn't put too much stock in hearsay but it is interesting enough to mention."

There's another familiar trope: Graded Weapons. Judging from what I know from the manhwa and manhua I've read, Legend should be relatively high in the tiers, if not the highest.

"You mentioned Legend-Grade, what do you mean by that?"

"Ah, the Grading system for equipment, I should give you some context. It begins with Low-Grade, which is basically worthless and not something to entrust with your life. They are cheap, plentiful, and best used when nothing else is available. Middle-Grade is generally where you find decent steel and good quality leather goods. Not so expensive you'll break the bank, but also not complete trash. High-Grade is the starting point for skilled blacksmiths and other talented craftsmen. The armor and weapons supplied to the army were of this caliber. The Artifact-Grade is where the truly spectacular items begin to emerge. For a smith to create such a piece is a great honor, and a mark of their prowess. Usually these pieces are forged or made with the more exotic materials like we just finished talking about. Next is Relic-Grade, which further marks the mastery of a craftsman. There's only 10 people alive who can make such wonders. Next is Legend-Grade, these are generally Relics which have absorbed huge quantities of Aura or have been branded with special enchantments using Mana. There are only 25 known Legend-Grade Weapons, and everyone would kill to get their hands on one. Finally, there is the Mythic-Grade which is so rare there are just Five of them."

"What makes the Mythic-Grade special?"

"They've existed long enough to gain an Ego of their own and can choose who wields them. I can tell you right now, rumors say that the Crown of Dreyar is one of the Five Mythic-Grades. At least that's the belief of many of the noble folk. All I know for sure is that it was forged from the bones of an ancient 9-Star Magic Beast and that it's a symbol of power for the Dreyar Kingdom."

His voice was even as if he was just reading a passage from a book, but to me, the words seemed to echo in my mind. 9-Stars was the second highest level of Magic Beast, something that could be likened to a living apocalypse. It'd be akin to someone smithing Godzilla's bones into a piece of jewelry and that thought scares me. Both the fact that a human managed to kill such a beast without hyper-advanced technology and that they proceeded to waste such priceless materials on vanity.

Leon notices my pause and decides that now would be a good time to leave the discussion. "Let's shelve this conversation for now, I can tell that you're digesting what you've learned so far. To answer your very first question, the baths are right down the hall to your right, there will be a sign on the door leading to them. I've got to start the prep for the dinner rush in my partner's stead, and I'm not quite what you'd call a professional."

I could feel some energy rush into my body along with the smile that crept onto my face as I said, "You know? I think I can help you with that. If you can wait until after I finish cleaning up?" He looked genuinely happy for the offer.

Spoiler: Author's Note

Sorry I didn't post this yesterday, I was busy taking care of my mom. Her surgery went well and she just needs to recover. The cultivation system is very generic so if you want to give me some pointers, I won't say no. Like I said previously, this is the last complete chapter I had written and Chapter 3 still needs to be finished. I'm not going to set a schedule, as I can't force the writing process, so it's done when it's done. Again, any advice or constructive criticism is welcome.