Two weeks had passed before his eyes, at this stage he was helping out during the evening rush, bringing empty mugs back to the bar and taking the dirty plates to the Kitchen, he had also continued to go to the Markets with Geo each morning, as before only his Knifework had increased but not his other skills, he even got a level up!

  Knifework

  Level: 5

  Experience: 542/1543

  And as he had worked out now he was getting 1 experience per item he cut up from start to finish, after from trial and error with Geo they discovered that he would get no experience if Geo cut the vegetable as well or pre peeled them or prepared them.

  Currently he was on his 14th day, which as per the arrangement with Larry was his day off, also importantly it was pay day which he received with no fuss, he was now the proud owner of 24 coppers!

  he currently sat in the Inn having lunch when through the door came 4 adventurers, this in itself was not unusual but what stood out, they were followed by a boy,

  "Lukas!" I called out, seeing my friend for the first time since we left the academy, waving to him Lukas just looked over at me then turned away following the group to the table not saying anything.

  About to get up from my seat to go over and see him I heard the older adventurer at the front ask Lukas

  "You know him kid?"

  "No" was all Lukas said, the response made me sit down immediately, unable to grasp what was happening, did he perhaps not want me to meet the adventurers?

  Or was he in trouble? He certainly didn't look like it, he was well dressed with an iron sword on his belt.

  I stared in Lukas's direction but he made no eye contact with me at all, Micca having watched it all gone down come along side the table still with mug in hand, "You know him?" she asked

  "Uh yeah, we went to the academy together for 10 years, we were best friends" I responded still in disbelief

  "Ouch, it's not uncommon a lot of adventurers see themselves above what they call the servant class and don't usually interact much outside of direct business, but I would not have expected it from a friend" she said with a clearly disapproving tone

  I honestly didn't know what to make of this, or how to respond, Do I go over there and confront him or do I let it slide, maybe he's worried if he talks to me the others will treat him differently, maybe he'll slip aside at some point and come see me when he gets a chance.

  Conflicted on what to do, I just sat there waiting confused and a little bit upset when Micca came past again and whispered "Geo gave 'em stale bread and extra salt in the their stew he said no one upsets Trev" she winked at him and carried the bowls to the table.

  After a short while they had finished eating most of their bread rolls left uneaten, so I guess Geo really did give them stale bread and they left the Inn again with Lukas avoiding eye contact and trying to hide behind the other adventurers, he made no effort to acknowledge me at all.

  Lost in my own thoughts again I was ripped back to my first few days when I was worried about my future, I had struggled through and found something enjoyable and people I got along with, do I just leave my past behind me and pretend it didn't happen?

  That was after all one of my closest friends at the academy and I was not likely to see George after he joined the military.

  I ended up wandering around the market area for the rest of the day with no real purpose in mind,

  In the end I ended up back at the Inn talking to Geo in the kitchen, where I may have helped out a little despite it being my day off before retiring early for the night to go to sleep, or so I tried.

  ————————————

  Another two weeks passed without any change, I did not see Lukas again that group never returned to the Inn that lunch time when I went to spend my day off in the Inn Micca was not there it was Larry serving at the bar, a bit confused by this since yesterday was Miccas 14th day off so she should be back I asked Larry as he walked past

  "Where is Micca today?"

  "Says she's sick and can't work" Larry answered in an upset tone before he carries two bowls out to their table, as he came back I asked

  "Is she ok?" with concern in my voice, I had gotten friendly Micca after that day she organised the bad food for Lukas and party, she always had my back when I needed it, or some cheery advice when I was down.

  "Trevor, if she's no dying she could be at work so I don't care" Larry said angrily going behind the bar, this worried him greatly, she wasn't actually dying was she? Larry is just mad that she's not here right?

  Knowing I wouldn't get much information out of Larry I slid into the kitchen where Geo was hard at work

  "Geo, I don't suppose you know where Micca lives? I want to check up on her" I asked

  Geo looked a little bit concerned, "It's for the best if you do I fear if she is not here tomorrow she wont have a job anymore" he said before coming over to where I was,

  "She lives at the Carlye Residence, it's a small house on the opposite side of the markets where we enter, you'll see a sign on the outside wall, now run along before Larry see's you in here and has you working your day off anyway"

  I quickly left the Inn heading across the market and started looking at the signs on the houses, the Carlye Residence made it sound fancy but i had never made a point to find out about Micca's living arrangements, did she share the house with someone or family maybe?

  After a short amount of time checking houses I finally found the one i was looking for, it was far more run down than those around it clearly needed some repairs.

  Heading through the gate and to the door I hesitated before knocking, it was ok for me to just show up right?

  Micca was a friends, and one of the only ones I have left now with that I steeled my resolve knocking loudly on the door.

  And nothing.

  No one answered the door, "Micca, its Trevor are you home?" I called out before knocking again

  a little bit concerned I walked outside again double checking the sign, I had the right place so heading back to the door I tried the handle, the door opened everything was dark and more than a little dusty,

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  "Micca, it's Trevor are you home?" I called out from the open doorway

  Nothing came back but just as I was about to close the door I heard some coughs coming from the other side of the house

  I couldn't leave now could I? What if she's not ok

  With that I entered the house heading towards the sound of the coughs I heard, opening the door to the room I saw Micca on a bed, she was incredibly pale her clothes soaked with sweat and she was looking like death itself

  "Oh that's not good" I muttered "Micca, it's Trevor can I come in?" I asked from the doorway

  I still received no response she barely turned her head in my direction before her eyes closed again.

  Ah damn this is not good, at the academy when kids got the fever they put a cloth with cold water on their heads, yes that's it, that's what I'll do I'll get cold water and a cloth I thought.

  Which was easier said than done as I had no idea where to get water from here or where a bucket was let alone a cloth.

  Heading out the room I started checking other rooms, quickly finding a very dusty unused kitchen, there was at least a bucket.

  through the rear entrance I spotted a pump to fill it up at, great! I thought just a cloth to go, I took the bucket back to her room where I spotted was suspiciously looked like one of the rags we used at the Inn to clean mugs.

  "That will do" I said, grabbing it and soaking it in cold water before applying it to her forehead.

  Desperately trying to think back to what else they did at the academy when they were sick he remembered they usually made a chicken soup of sorts, I could make a chicken soup surely I have seen Geo start countless soups and stews.

  Quickly wiping off all the excess sweat from Micca's face, rinsing the cloth and placing it back on her forehead he felt like he was on a mission now, he knew what to do to try and help, leaving the residence he was thankful the market was so close, and he quickly found what he was after paying for the onion, potatoes, celery and garlic which cost him 4 coppers, he got a small pouch of 'tuber starch' and salt for 2 more copper and finally he went to the poultry farmers stall, this was the part he was not looking forward to it was late in the day, there was likely no prepared chicken pieces ready to go.

  coming up to the stall he saw his fears were true he still purchased a chicken but it had just been dispatched by the farmer not 5 minutes before and bled out, he would need to defeather it himself

  another 3 copper down he went back to Micca's house with his bag of vegetables and the chicken, he went back inside calling out again in case she had come too

  "Hello, Micca its Trevor again" he called

  There was no response, leaving the veg and bird in the kitchen he went back to the room to check on Micca and change over the water seeing there was no change he refreshed the cloth then went outside looking to see if she had wood to start a fire, unlike those with the cook class he couldn't head up coals directly but that would be ok, he'd make do

  After briefly looking around he found a small wood pile that clearly had not been touched in years taking some he went back inside heading to the stove top area and starting a fire like he'd been shown by Martin at the temple after it took hold he grabbed the largest pot he could find and took it outside to the pump filling it halfway with water.

  once the fire had really picked up he placed the pot next to the fire getting the water to heat up, he had not tried this before but he was told by Martin to pluck a chicken rapidly if you place it in hot water briefly the feathers basically fall out rather than having to fight it.

  While that was heating I cleared the dust from a place so I could start preparing the vegetables, halfway through I went back to Micca's room to change the cloth, I could hear her breathing shallow breaths, this was not good at all, what if i didn't show up today? Would she really have died?

  Going back to the kitchen the water was hot to the touch now so he placed the whole headless chicken into the water giving it a short time before pulling it out and much to his surprise it was true, the feathers came straight out without issue.

  He then got rid of that water outside before placing the now dry pot back on the heat, where he cooked off the veg as he'd seen both Martin and Geo do.

  Preparing the chicken he removed the guts and unwanted pieces, throwing them away before cutting the bird into quarters adding it to the pot, swearing to himself since he couldn't find another bucket to carry water he took off his tunic using it to carry the hot pot back outside to the pump to half fill it with water before bringing it back inside and back on the heat.

  Once again checking on Micca changing the cloth he waited impatiently going between the room and the kitchen, after what seemed like forever but was realistically an hour or so when the potatoes in the soup were tender he added some salt for taste grabbing a large ladle crushing some potatoes and added some tuber starch to thicken up the soup, removing it from the head he went through all the cupboards looking for a bowl and spoon covered in dust as well.

  I made a mental note to lecture Micca about this when she was well again, why is everything covered in dust!

  Running outside to the pump I washed the bowls and the spoons ensuring I had one for myself later I didn't want to be running around in the dark after all and I had no idea how she lit the place up there did not appear to be candles anywhere,

  Serving up a bowl and ensuring it was not too hot he returned to Micca's room, sitting beside he bed

  "I'm going to try and give you some food just swallow what you can ok" I said softly, Micca's eyes barely open.

  I took a spoon of soup bringing it to her mouth slowly feeding it to her, Over the next while I got through half the bowl before she muttered her first words to me

  "Water" she said softly

  I had seen cups earlier so I quickly left the room grabbed one, again having to go outside to pump thinking Micca really needs another bucket, filling the cup, coming back to the room I see Micca with her eyes open, still covered in sweat but nowhere near as pale as before.

  "Here is you water" I said passing her the cup, before helping her sit up a little bit

  "Thankyou" Micca said softly taking a drink before it sunk in where she was and what was happening

  "Trevor?" she asked confused. "Yes?" equally confused I answered back

  "What are you doing here, did you heal me?" she asked very confused by the situation

  "No, I just added cold cloth to your head and made you some some soup" I responded pointing to the half eaten bowl of soup on the floor next to the bed

  She looked at him confused for a long moment "And you didn't add a healing potion or a poultice to it or anything?" she asked confused clearly looking over her status screen

  "No nothing outside of ingredients I got at the market, why?" I asked equally confused

  "My health is regenerating, far more rapidly than normal, like I can see it ticking up" she said firmly

  At that I was taken aback, pulling up my own status screen I fell to the floor from my kneeling position

  Notifications:

  You have earnt 25 experience for making an enjoyable meal

  You have earnt 50 bonus experience for healing someone with your meal

  pulling up his full status screen he was shocked

  Name: Trevor

  Class: Arcane Chef

  Rarity: Rare

  Level: 1

  Experience: 75/100

  Hit points: 140/140

  Mana: 45/50

  Stamina: 90/140

  Basic Meal Prep

  Level: 1

  Experience: 25/100

  Butchery

  Level: 1

  Experience: 25/100

  Knifework

  Level: 4

  Experience: 96/1056

  "I.. I earnt experience!" I basically yelled, "I earnt experience in my main skill"

  While he had been floor Micca had picked up the bowl of soul and kept eating letting him celebrate

  "It said I earnt 25 experience for making a meal and 50 experience for healing someone with my meal" the celebration quickly turned to confusion

  "I also got experience in Basic Meal Prep and Butchery, but this makes no sense, I've been making meals for weeks, and butchering stuff" I sat there confused for along while,

  "Well I don't know what you did but this soup is great and if its healing me as well, it might be the best dish I have ever had" she said finishing her bowl of soup, "wait how did you even get here?" she said suspiciously

  "Uh yeah sorry I let myself in, Geo told me where you lived when you didn't come to work he was worried Larry would fire you if you didn't come back" I said sheepishly

  "Oh, Geo was worried was he, not you?" She said smiling now with a small laugh.

  "Thank you for coming and for helping, I fear if I would have made it if that fever continued on much longer, I was at 34 hit points when I noticed it was ticking up, so I don't know how low it actually got"

  It was at this time she seemed to realise how bad her state was, she was still soaked in sweat, and looking an absolute mess, "Right out of my room I need to clean up and get out of these clothes" and just like that he was promptly expelled from the room, he went back to the kitchen finally taking a bowl of soup for himself, as he sat on a nearby chair eating he was looking over his status for any explanation why this time was different.

  Clearly the bonus experience was due to healing it said as much, but I had used mana today during cooking, I have never used mana before today i also gained Butchery and Basic Meal Prep experience what was different.

  That's when it all clicked

  This was the first time he'd made a dish by himself from start to finish.. and equally once that bird was killed no one else had any part in butchering it, I had worked out with Geo if he cut or semi prepared any vegetables before I finished cutting them I would not receive Knifework experience, It made sense that I would need to cook something from start to finish then right?

  Also the wording of that notification was odd, I got experience for making an enjoyable meal, not just a meal, so if I made something that someone didn't like, would I still get experience?

  And lastly I noted that I did not get any experience when I ate it myself so was it one lot of experience per meal even if its a large pot, or do I just not count.

  So many questions, So much to test