Ryan quickly rinsed himself and changed into clean clothes.
The flowing water washed away all fatigue, leaving him feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Wearing an apron and a tall hat, he watched Eula baking the Moon Pies, golden and plump.
The kitchen was filled with a sweet aroma.
It was a traditional Mondstadt staple made from marinated meat, butter, eggs, and Flour.
Ryan really had no confidence in winning.
He couldn't even think of what to make.
Memories in his mind opened, and videos and images he had seen before his Transmigration played out before his eyes.
He casually picked a dessert.
Portuguese egg tarts made with Milk, sugar, eggs, Flour, cream, and butter…
He happened to have the molds for egg tarts; to expand his chef business at Good Hunter, he had previously asked Alchemy shops to make many dessert molds from his memories.
In the future, he would try some Western dishes to attract Mondstadters who liked sweets.
At worst, if he didn't have time to make them himself, he could sell the recipes.
Starting from scratch, the steps for egg tarts were a bit numerous, and the puff pastry really took a lot of effort from Ryan.
After putting the egg tarts in to bake,
The group sat at the table, deciding to first sample the Moon Pie made by Eula.
"Then I won't be polite!" Amber, as the judge, sat at the head of the table, with Ryan and Eula facing her, one on each side.
Amber had eaten Moon Pies made by Eula many times before, but each time she ate it, she felt a pleasant surprise.
The taste was as delicious as ever, and it was even constantly being improved, with precise measurements for each ingredient, and exact baking temperature and time.
"Eula's skill is as good as ever! Every time I bake following the notes, I can't replicate this taste."
Amber gave her great praise.
A smile appeared at the corner of Eula's mouth, proud like a peacock.
"You try it too!"
Ryan looked at the Moon Pie in front of him and accepted it respectfully.
He picked up his chopsticks and brought it to his mouth.
Biting through the golden crust, the rich, moist, and sweet flavor of the meat inside exploded, and the taste was quite unique to Ryan.
The cuisine of Teyvat is truly wonderful!
Eula's cooking skills are truly amazing!
To eat this today was truly a gain; winning or losing was completely unimportant.
In the future, there might not be another chance for Eula to cook for him.
Such an honor was entirely thanks to Amber.
"Young Miss Eula's craftsmanship, Ryan truly admires it! I hope in the future, we can have more exchanges and try each other's dishes!"
With a foxy smile, Ryan put down his empty plate.
"Dream on!" Eula saw through Ryan's intentions; this fellow wanted to treat her as his personal chef!
However, for a Sinner of the Lawrence Family, an aristocrat with almost no friends, having someone acknowledge and taste her desserts was a happy occasion.
Ryan checked the time, estimating that the egg tarts would be ready soon.
He went over and, after a while, took out ten egg tarts.
"Come on! My World's Old Master Fried Chicken Shop's dessert, suitable for all ages!"
Eula commented lightly: "It looks good! I wonder if it tastes as good as it looks?"
"Please!" Ryan said to Amber and Eula.
Amber enjoyed this atmosphere very much.
Eula, who could compete in cooking like this, must also find tonight very memorable!
Both reached out, took two egg tarts from the side, and tasted them carefully.
Crispy and soft, the aroma of egg and Milk burst in their mouths, layers of crust mixed with the slightly hot filling, sweet but not greasy, making one want to eat another after finishing one.
Eula said nothing after eating!
Amber, as the judge, looked at the two people staring at her, hooking her chin with her hand.
With a troubled and conflicted expression, she said: "It's a delicious draw!"
Ryan immediately stood up and shook hands with Eula: "I concede, I concede!"
"Hmph! Sly Amber!" Eula's hand touched Ryan's then separated, "I'll remember this grudge!"
Amber chuckled.
"How about you two compete again next time?"
"Best two out of three?"
"Best three out of five? Only then can the true winner be determined?"
Ryan nodded: "This time, I took advantage of Amber never having tasted this otherworldly dessert. The novelty added a lot of points."
"Only by competing a few more times can our cooking skills truly be reflected."
Eula was not very impressed by Ryan's modesty: "Not winning means not winning!"
"However, I accept the challenge of continuing the competition!"
"Wait for my revenge!"
Ryan suppressed a smug smile: "I'll be waiting!"
After finishing the remaining egg tarts,
The night outside the window was already very deep!
Eula also didn't plan to go home. She grabbed Baron Bunny, who had been ignored because the atmosphere was too good.
"Now it's ladies' time. Gentlemen, please return to your rooms."
"Baron Bunny, guard the door!"
"If he makes any improper moves, we'll give him a Melt combo!"
Eula carried away the dining plates.
Ryan was sent into the room, bewildered, and locked from the outside.
Only the last four sentences came through.
"I heard you've already learned Favonius Bladework."
"Amber's house is too small; it's not enough space to practice!"
"Tomorrow, I'm free. You can come to my mansion, and I'll give you some pointers!"
"Coward, don't you dare fear my revenge!"
Ryan lay on the bed: "Revenge?"
"I couldn't ask for more!"
His breathing was steady, each inhale and exhale long and continuous.
Westwind Breathing Technique, a knight's breathing method that complements Favonius Bladework.
It can be Cultivated whether in motion or at rest.
It stimulates blood flow and the burst of power with a large amount of air.
During this, some mysterious element of Teyvat will enter the body, flowing and continuously growing in the lungs, abdomen, and meridians of the body.
The most suitable place for Cultivating is a windy area with fresh air flowing.
Ryan liked to call it the "Drinking Northwest Wind Breathing Technique."
He left a gap in the window, allowing the night wind to enter.
Before falling asleep, a faint sensation of Qi, like an illusion, appeared.
Early in the morning,
Ryan woke up and didn't encounter Fischl knocking on the window.
She had taken a commission from the Adventurers' Guild and was going on a long adventure outside the city.
So she didn't have time to send Oz to bring him breakfast.
In the morning, he practiced swordplay, cutting down wooden stakes.
At noon, he saw Noelle.
Noelle, with averted eyes, set down three buckets of lunch for him and ran back to the Claymore Training Field.
Ryan waved awkwardly.
Then, he took two buckets and squeezed next to the other trainees.
Under their horrified expressions of "Don't come near us!", he held the buckets and devoured the dishes.
Ten minutes later, he happily rubbed his stomach and strolled around the Training Field.
In the afternoon, he continued to chop wooden stakes.
He chopped one per hour, all sliced into pieces!
In the evening, he helped Noelle, who remained silent and stared at the rose on her gauntlet, clean up.
The day ended, and he got into a carriage, heading to the tall mansion of the Lawrence Family, the aristocrats that Mondstadters avoided.
"Mr. Ryan! Dinner is ready. After you finish eating, Young Miss will be waiting for you in the Martial Arts Training Ground!"
"Thank you!" Ryan entered the dining room and found the dinner quite abundant.
One plate per person, Western-style individual servings.
"I didn't expect Eula to be quite considerate!"
Ryan praised as he ate.
This meal was entirely pleasant, if not for a man next to him constantly speaking Yin and Yang, "What kind of riff-raff comes to the Lawrence Family!"
"He doesn't know any etiquette! Holding a dining knife like a butcher!"
"Eating as if he hasn't eaten for ten days! Truly a country bumpkin who has never seen noble dining!"
Ryan let the words enter one ear and exit the other. After eating his fill, he went to find Eula.
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Thank you for following the story this far.
If you want to read the later chapters in advance, I've uploaded more chapters to Patreon.
You can find them here: [patreon.com/Greyhounds]