Soren and Doran exchanged greetings, and Doran’s eyes landed on Ethea. "Good morning to you too, Mrs..."
"She’s my wife," Soren introduced Ethea.
"Oh, I see." Doran nodded and greeted her correctly this time, though his gaze lingered on her for a bit longer. ’...I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.’
However, he couldn’t remember it well, probably because she was wearing a mask and a headscarf. And knowing it wouldn’t be appropriate to keep staring at another person’s wife, he coughed and turned back to Soren. "Mr. Soren, like I promised yesterday, I prepared everything."
Soren nodded. "Then, let’s not waste any time and start."
"In that case, please follow me." Doran smiled and, with slight difficulty, got out of his chair.
"Mr. Soren, do you know anything about the association?" He asked as they left his room.
"I researched it a little yesterday," Soren replied and, reading Doran’s emotions, added. "However, I would be happy to learn more."
"Hehe, then let me give you a proper introduction," Doran slightly puffed out his chest, visibly pleased to have Soren paying attention. "Where should I start... Hmm, do you know when it was founded?"
Soren nodded. "According to what I found, the Magic Chef Association was founded more than a century ago, when mana-infused cooking was first recognized as a distinct discipline."
"Right, but what most people don’t know is that high-ranking Awakened played a big role in it." Doran raised his index finger as if to emphasize his words. "They weren’t satisfied with regular meals, and after learning about magic meals, they sponsored the first magic chefs, funded their research, and some even became testing subjects for the new recipes. It was all thanks to the collaboration between the two sides that the Association reached its current state."
"I really didn’t know about that," Soren replied, genuinely surprised. "But if you think about it, it does make sense. Cultivators constantly seek methods to become stronger, and meals that enhance their mana or accelerate recovery simply add to the supply and demand dynamic. In fact, enjoying a nice meal with similar benefits might be better than drinking bitter potions."
"Oh, that’s a nice way to put it." Doran smiled. "Speaking of which, let me tell you about the benefits you will get once you join the association."
"Mm."
"Benefits vary depending on your rank as a magic chef and your contribution to the association. However, each member gets access to the Association’s internal marketplace and affiliated merchants for purchasing ingredients at discounted prices. They will also be able to learn from other experienced chefs during weekly seminars. More importantly, they will get legal certification to sell magic meals commercially."
Soren nodded in understanding even though he already knew them. He also knew they would be able to participate in any contest as long as they met the other requirements.
"...And for mid-tier ranks, they will be eligible to take apprentices or even open schools. They will also be able to work for noble houses, high-ranking guilds, and wealthy clients. But the most noteworthy benefit is... they will be able to submit original recipes for review and earn royalties if they wish to retain ownership while allowing the Association to distribute them, earning a share of each sale. Or, they can just choose to sell everything too, though that’s a very rare case."
"I see..." Soren nodded, his mind racing with this new info. If he could somehow turn this into an investment, what would the returns be?
’...Let’s give it a try after joining.’
Doran noticed the interest in Soren’s expression, and his lips curled up. Satisfied with the result of his plan, he continued. "As for high-ranking members, they obviously enjoy the most benefits. Along with what I mentioned till now, they will acquire voting power in the Association’s decisions and leadership elections. They will also get high-tier access to the recipes library and sponsorships or funding to develop new recipes, cooking techniques, or even equipment. They will be protected by the Association and its partners, and can even work for royal families..."
Doran went on to explain the remaining details, then finally came to a stop and turned to Soren with an expectant look.
"...What do you think?"
"Honestly, I’m really impressed. It’s more than I expected. Thank you for taking the time to explain everything." Soren bowed politely.
"Hehe, as long as you are willing to join us, my time was well spent." Doran laughed and came to a stop in front of a door. "This will be where your exam takes place. Let’s go in..."
He pushed the door open and led them inside.
The testing room was larger than Soren expected, filled with stations arranged in order. There was enough space for both the cook and any observers. The stations were equipped with all the necessary tools. There were a few people inside, probably the examiners or other test-takers.
"?"
They quickly noticed their arrival and immediately greeted Doran before giving a nod to them.
"This is the young man I talked about yesterday," Doran said. "He already passed the beginner rank exam yesterday. So you can start with the 3rd rank examination directly."
"Understood, President." One of them turned to Soren and briefly explained the process, what was expected of him, and the criteria for passing.
Soren listened carefully, nodding along. When the explanation was done, the examiner stepped back and gestured toward an empty station.
"Whenever you’re ready."
Soren glanced at Ethea, who gave him a small nod, then walked over to his station, rolled up his sleeves, and donned the apron.
’Hmm... I guess there were really grades to meals.’ He thought as he prepared the tools. ’I wonder what grades the meals I got from the returns are...’
He knew they were probably rare recipes, considering their effects, but without a proper benchmark, he had no way of knowing where they stood on the Association’s scale. Maybe after passing this exam, he could look into it further. For now, he pushed the thought aside and focused on the task at hand.