Two years passed by in the blink of an eye.
Kenji had just arrived back at the house Master Fubara had bought for him. And he couldn't lie—it was very luxurious.
In the two-year span, Kenji had amassed a fortune and traveled to several towns, preparing exquisite meals for nobles from different families.
He had built a solid reputation over the years and even managed to increase his rank level by one.
> [ A/N: Sorry for the rank confusion. Classes have ranks like F, D, C, B, and A. Each rank has six levels: 1-3 are called the normal levels, 4-5 are the advanced levels, and 6 is known as the impossible level due to the extremely small number of people capable of reaching it. Increasing your level isn't impossible, but it requires an astronomical amount of resources and a suitable environment. ]
They were right—it did take an astronomical amount of resources to rank up. Almost all the money he had received from the king had been depleted the moment he purchased the necessary materials, leaving him with only twelve gold coins.
But thanks to Kenji's cooking skills and Master Fubara's support, he had earned a lot more money recently, making the loss feel less painful.
And it was worth it. Kenji could now tame up to two animals at once, an ability usually reserved for C-rank and higher Tamers. The fact that he achieved this with just a single rank increase was unheard of!
Over time, Kenji began using his ability to tame smaller animals—those meant for kitchen use, whether as assistants or as livestock for meat.
With this, Kenji had truly become a master chef, learning from Master Fubara while also teaching him in return. The two often joked about how they were both the teacher and the student.
It turned out that Kenji's meals always had an exceptional taste. Some people had even increased their ranks after eating his food, further solidifying his reputation.
Kenji also kept in touch with Raphael using the transmit crystal. It reminded him of the phones in his previous world, except it couldn't take pictures, and there was no Facebook or Snapchat. The crystal worked by recognizing a person's Mana DNA and linking it with his own, allowing them to communicate instantly. The best part? No network issues!
A few months ago, Kenji had even heard rumors about his former co-workers going on mysterious adventures, vanquishing demons, and paving the way for humanity's conquest over the Demon King.
But Kenji no longer cared. They were part of his past, and the past would always remain the past.
Kenji had slowly integrated himself into this world, realizing that this was where he was meant to be. His former world had been cruel and unkind to him.
But this world... this world was perfect.
He had grown to love its people. Even if most of their affection stemmed from his cooking, that love had helped him push through difficult times.
The people of this world weren't bad. He had just been unlucky to meet the wrong ones at first.
And the nobles? They were nothing like the corrupt aristocrats from the stories he had read. In fact, they were far better than the government of his previous world.
Everything was working out great.
Until a crazy idea popped into his head.
"What?! You want to become an adventurer?!" Master Fubara nearly shouted, his mouth hanging open as if he had heard wrong.
But when he saw Kenji nodding in confirmation, it felt as if his world had just collapsed.
He immediately fell to the ground, but one of the kitchen staff caught him just in time.
"Master, please tell me... What did I do wrong? What have I done to make you want to leave? If I've done anything, let's resolve it with words, not like this. I can't lose you, Master. Things are just starting to get great—I can't lose you now!" Master Fubara pleaded, distress written all over his face.
Kenji shook his head slightly. "Fubara, you've done nothing wrong, so don't feel alarmed." His expression was calm.
"If I've done nothing wrong, then why are you thinking of leaving this great life for one filled with danger?" Master Fubara asked, clearly concerned for Kenji's safety.
"First of all, I'm not leaving you," Kenji reassured him. "I promise to visit as often as I can. Second, the life of an adventurer may seem dangerous, but it depends on the quests they take. I'll only accept low-risk missions—gathering herbs and such."
Even as he spoke, Kenji felt his heart race.
He had already lived out his childhood dream of becoming a renowned chef. But he felt there was more to his life—more to see, more people to meet, and more bonds to form.
And he knew he wouldn't find that here. Not in this town, where everyone already admired him.
Eventually, Kenji managed to convince Master Fubara to let him go—not without a heartfelt hug, though, and some parting gifts. Fubara gave him safety armor and extra money, even though Kenji already had plenty.
"Goodbye, friends. I promise—we shall meet again." Kenji slung his bags over his shoulder and waved at Master Fubara and the other townsfolk. The warm evening sun cast a golden glow over the heartfelt farewell.
Kenji stepped forward into the horizon, excitement coursing through him.
With nothing more than a smile and a little money, Kenji was ready to open a new chapter in his life.