Enforcer Manual
Chapter 642: High-end ingredients often only need..._1

Chapter 642: Chapter 642: High-end ingredients often only need..._1

This was the first time Song Lan had given out false identity information in a heart-to-heart exchange, but before coming to the Second Zone, he had heard that there was no such thing as true sincerity among the great families, and that a sincere heart could only end up being met with a stab in the back.

Now, it seemed that even the Head Maid of the Iris Consortium was no exception.

She never intended to tell him her real name, so from now on, he was Rob Lucci, a man with a talking vulture perched on his shoulder.

In the time that followed, Song Lan gradually discovered the unusual aspects of the Head Maid.

For instance, she had a thigh ring hidden under her skirt, in which were tucked a total of five shiny throwing knives.

No wonder Ms. Kalida’s Personal Guard felt so comfortable entrusting him to the care of the Head Maid—it appeared that the Head Maid was also a fighting maid.

"It’s truly amazing. I had never thought there could be such cooking techniques."

The Head Maid had watched the entire process of his cooking.

Unlike the knights of the Guard, however, she stood less than two meters away from Song Lan throughout, meticulously observing every action he made with each ingredient, those sapphire-like pupils emitting a gentle glow, and Song Lan knew the Head Maid was recording everything with her cybernetic eye.

When she encountered something she didn’t understand, she would humbly ask for guidance, until she fully grasped the purpose of every seasoning Song Lan brought.

The Head Maid was very smart.

And she had a deep understanding of cooking, as could be judged by the questions she asked—she was clearly not someone who was lazy or ignorant about the basics of food.

Song Lan couldn’t help but think of the 13 chefs she’d mentioned and suddenly realized that during the time they were sent back home, it was very likely the Head Maid herself who took charge of the consortium executives’ meals.

True to form for a leading consortium of the United Government, they had such a life-skilled maid who also possessed beauty and grace as a combat maid.

Unfortunately, Song Lan found it difficult to feel much fondness for the Head Maid.

Although she constantly maintained a soft-spoken manner and showed him enough respect, she now reminded him of a scene from "Breaking Bad."

The Head Maid was sincerely learning from him, but her goal was probably to kick him to the curb once she had learned all his techniques.

"I didn’t think you’d be interested in cooking as well."

"It’s part of my job. I admire your skills, so it is essential for me to ensure that if you were to meet an untimely death one day, I could retain these techniques."

There it was again.

The dark-hearted Head Maid would always smile while casually uttering a chilling statement.

Then she laughed like a silver bell, "Just kidding, just kidding. I don’t always learn from others. Like the 13 chefs previously hired by the consortium, they had nothing worth my time to learn, but I saw something different in you."

"What are you referring to?"

"Artisanship. I think only those who have dedicated their lives to the culinary arts could possibly fathom this knowledge."

To be honest, Song Lan blushed at the Head Maid’s compliments.

He did not possess artisanship; he had merely copied the recipes left behind by seasoned craftsmen, nor did he ever intend to dedicate his life to the culinary arts.

After a few exchanges, the Head Maid returned to the essence of the work, "Chili, cumin, Sichuan pepper—these are all very pungent spices. Why did you focus on using them in all the dishes? I remember you telling me earlier that balance in flavor is very important in a perfect recipe."

"Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"

Song Lan joked back at her.

"The truth."

"It’s because of my personal desire."

"Personal desire?"

"The 13 chefs you previously hired all presented their signature dishes to the young mistress, but how many of them has she actually tasted?"

"...None, the young mistress has been relying on nutrition injections lately."

There was a strong sense of defeat mixed in the Head Maid’s tone as she answered. It wasn’t just those 13 chefs; even the meals she painstakingly prepared were only coldly glanced at by Isabella before being set aside.

"Right, no matter how delicious the food is, its mysteries can’t be appreciated if the other party doesn’t taste it."

Song Lan continued, "From what I’ve observed, your cooking methods are mostly roasting, which undoubtedly maximizes the original characteristics of the ingredients. But once it cools down, it completely loses its appeal... So as a chef, my first concern is how to make the young mistress interested in the dish."

As Song Lan spoke, he poured the chopped Sichuan peppercorn and chili flakes into the wok, and a tantalizing aroma instantly filled the air, causing the Head Maid’s heart to quiver. She couldn’t help but sniff several more times, overwhelmed by the powerful scent.

As the ingredients continuously sizzled in the wok, the entire kitchen was enveloped in this appetite-stirring fragrance.

She even forgot to note down Song Lan’s techniques for a moment, her gaze lingering on his profile for a long time. Perhaps it was an illusion, but there seemed to be an indescribable aura about this chef who had traveled all the way from the Neutral Country. His extensive knowledge in the culinary field made her yearn for a deeper conversation with him.

"Flavor must be appreciated through taste, but sight and smell are different—they are the first layers of impact that true cuisine provides. The spices I’ve selected are specifically chosen to maximize the characteristics of ’color’ and ’aroma’."

This had been the result of Song Lan’s long-term practice because, to him, fine food was closely linked to the level of happiness in his life.

In the past, he had to bribe Director Lu just to get a vacation.

However, Director Lu was always a person of strong will and had scolded and rejected his bribery attempts, saying even if he went without dinner and starved tonight, she would not approve another vacation day for Song Lan.

He had faced the same dilemma before.

For this, he wracked his brains and pulled out all the stops, eventually using Sichuan cuisine to break down the director’s psychological defenses.

Thinking of this, Song Lan suddenly felt a surge of strength. Although Lu Xiang was not here right now, he suddenly had the sensation of fighting side by side with her.

"The characteristics of ’color’ and ’aroma’..."

The Head Maid murmured to herself.

This was a realm she had never touched before, yet it seemed so simple and understandable when Song Lan talked about it.

The aroma had already captivated her, and the glossy, vibrant dishes seemed to be calling out to her with an invisible voice, tempting her to cast aside her role as the Head Maid for a moment and personally explore the crystallization of Song Lan’s knowledge and theory.

No, this was the young miss’s dinner.

Perhaps it would truly reawaken the young miss’s appetite!

She silently chanted this in her heart and developed an unprecedented confidence in Song Lan’s creations.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of an uninvited guest.

—"The aroma is coming from here."

A young man strode into the kitchen, followed by two Personal Guard Knights.

Song Lan noticed that the emblem on the knights’ chests was different from the ones he had seen before and guessed that the young man must be from another family within the Iris Consortium.

The Head Maid quickly confirmed his guess by courteously bowing to the young man, "Young Master Franthing."

"It seems you have finally found a decent chef."

After sizing up Song Lan, the young man eagerly turned his attention to the freshly cooked dish beside the stove.

"Young Master Franthing, this is intended for the young miss..."

"Hmm? Did you say something?"

Franthing ignored the Head Maid’s efforts to intervene, picking up the eating utensils and starting to indulge in the food in front of her.

Seeing this, the Head Maid said no more. She lowered her head, a shade of bitterness crossing her eyes.

For a while, the kitchen resounded only with the sounds of the young man chewing.

"Not bad, the Common People can finally bring some new variety," he said after tasting a bit of each dish. He then instructed the knights behind him, "Take these back, let others try them as well."

The knights diligently began packing up the dishes, following the young man’s orders, and the young man glanced at Song Lan arrogantly and said, "I am Franthing Monk. I appreciate your skills, but you shouldn’t waste them on those who don’t know how to appreciate them. Come work for us... Don’t rush to answer, you can think it over."

...

The Personal Guard Knights not only packed up the dishes but also took away the remaining ingredients.

This made Song Lan realize that the matter was not simple.

Franthing Monk wasn’t just a glutton lured here by the aroma; everything he did seemed to be aimed at making sure Isabella wouldn’t have her dinner.

Or more precisely, he was simply trying to provoke Isabella and the entire Gilvez Family.