Chương 97: CHAPTER 87 — Grand Harvest

After a five day trip Mark had finally made it home. He had gone on ahead, leaving the rest of the recruits and animals behind. He had stopped at Cave Camp just to let John know he was back and scheduled a sit down with him tomorrow after he slept. He heard a disturbance next to the cave where a group was about to go into the instance and went over to see what was going on. It turned out the group was Dale with two of the cooks, Risa and Milo, whom he had helped train up, and also the two kids, Clara and Ben.

Ben said, "That is so stupid that the instance won't let me in just because im 9 Dale keeps telling me I do the work of 2 grown men." Dale replies, "I am so sorry Ben no one your age has tried before to enter the cave how could we know it would not let you in?" Mark walked over and asked, "What's going on what's this about an age limit?" Dale said, "We are scheduled for the next Profession Instance; the requirements are five person teams.

My two best cooks and I wanted to do it and see what cooking related things it might give. The two kids planned to join us, but the instance says Ben is too young at 9; you must be 10 to do an instance." Clara said, "Now they want to cancel our slot; it took a week to get to our turn, and the next opening won't be for like 100 years from now." Dale said, "We were told we have only 20 min, or they will give the slot to the next team, which they already sent runners for."

Clara said, "Mark, why don't you come with you could be our fifth person." Mark replied.

"I would be no help. Dale once told me I could burn water." Clara said, "We need to go now or not at all." Dale said, "Come on, Mark, it would be fun you don't want to make Clara cry, do you?" Clara said, "Don't you mean you cry, Dale? You're the one that wants this so bad." That's how Mark found himself tired, exhausted, and worn out after a five day trip walking into the cave Profession Instance. The next thing Mark knew was that it was hot. People were yelling back and forth at each other.

There was steam everywhere, and he was in a kitchen. [Instance Accepted] Profession Instance: Grand Harvest Banquet Recommended Roles: • Cooking • Preparation • Baking • Preservation • Kitchen Support Participant Count: 5 / 5 Primary Objective: Successfully prepare and serve the Grand Harvest Banquet before the final bell. Failure Conditions: If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

• Food safety collapse • Major banquet disruption • Guest dissatisfaction exceeding acceptable limits • Kitchen operation breakdown Estimated Duration: 3–5 Days Dale was the first to react; there was a pan boiling on the stove in front of him, and if the smell meant anything, it was burning. Dale grabbed the pot and pulled it off the stove; the other 3 pots he stirred to prevent the same thing from happening to them. Dale said, "Okay, everyone, look around you, find the problems, and start fixing them.

Risa, it looks like they need some help over there with the ovens; if my nose is not wrong, I think it's burning or going to catch fire soon. Milo, the meat table looks like it needs your attention." Dale quickly looked around the kitchen and saw the prep table with potatoes and onions that needed pilling and cutting. Then he pointed at the prep table.

"Mark, you and Clara go start peeling and chopping potatoes." Mark just stood there looking around the kitchen. It was not a modern kitchen like at home, but it was a serious step up from what they had at Forest's Rest. This place looked so real he could see real knives and pans on the stove. The stoves were not electric or gas like back home, but they looked way better than the stuff they had created.

Clara kicked him in the foot and said, "Move it you heard Dale get over to the table and help me prep the potatoes and onions." Mark finally snapped out of it and moved he found a knife and a potato and stared at it. He was wondering where the potato peeler was. Then Clara said.

"Have you never peeled a potato before, Mark?" Mark replied, "Of course I have, but where is the potato peeler?" Clara said, "Mark, where do you think we are? You're the potato peeler. Pick up the knife and start removing the skins." Clara picked up a knife and a potato and started peeling them. She was on her second by the time he finally picked up his knife and started. He held the knife against the skin and pulled, taking a huge chunk of potato off along with a patch of skin.

He turned it and did another cut down it he was almost done when Clara stopped and glared at him. Clara said, "Mark, you better not let Dale see you wasting all that potato; he might skin your hide." Clara continued with her next couple of potatoes, and Mark grabbed the next one and tried again. He did better this time but was still struggling. He had just finished that potato when he noticed Clara had stopped again. Clara said, "Okay, Mark, apparently you have no clue what you're doing. Watch me.

Slow small cuts, not giant chunks you have to keep the knife at an angle like this." As she showed him how to properly hold the knife, going slow enough that even a five-year-old could do it. Those were her words, not his. He felt terrible; he was being schooled by a child, and the sad thing was she was right; he just had no clue what he was doing. This torture went on for the next couple hours.

Each time he thought the potatoes were finished, Dale or one of the other kitchen staff would bring over another bag and set it next to them. He had so many cuts and knicks on his hands. There were almost more bandages than fingers at that point. He reached down for the next potato and found an empty bag. He looked over, and Clara was glaring at him again.

Of course she did not cut herself once, and her potatoes when peeled looked twice the size of Mark's even though before the skin came off, they both started the same size. Mark looked around for a chair; he was tired; it was time for a break. Clara looked at him with another glare and said it.

"What do you think you're doing? That was the warmup we have carrots and onions next; don't even think of stopping until we are done." Mark was so exhausted he had spent the full day traveling across the western zone. His plan had been to go to his bed and sleep and not do anything till morning how the heck did he get stuck in this kitchen disaster? Before he could think more, he felt the kick of Clara again and that smug look on her face.

Mark went back to work and spent the rest of the day cutting vegetables, washing dishes, cleaning pots, and scrubbing floors. He even spent a full hour pumping water from the well and hauling it to the kitchen. By the time he finally got to go to bed, he had been in this kitchen disaster for almost 10 hours of nonstop work after a full day of travel. He then received a system message. [Kitchen Operation Stabilized] He fell asleep before he even remembered climbing into bed.

His last thought was that Clara was a slave driver and he did not think he could survive another day of this.