It took Liane a little over an hour before she reached her twenty-second kill, going by the notifications I saw, and with it.
Notifications:
You have earned 100 bonus experience for a buff used in combat
You have earned 100 bonus experience for a buff used in combat
…
You have reached Level 15 in Arcane Chef
You have 2 unspent stat points
You have a new ability selection
Aw, no free ability this ti around, I excitedly pulled up my ability selection.
Congratulations on Level 15!
Choose from the following options:
Mana Pan
Skill type: Active
The perfect tool does exist.
Allows you to create a pan of various sizes out of Mana.
Fiery-sous
Skill type: Active
Add so extra heat to the kitchen.
Allows you to call forth a fiery helper to assist in cooking.
Gourmand's Insight
Skill type: Active
Everyone has taste.
Identify your target’s favourite and most hated ingredients.
Fla Control
Skill type: Active
Feel the burn.
Able to control your cooking fires and coals, allowing you to get the precise heat.
The first thing I noticed was that I had lost Handle the Heat, which was slightly disappointing. But going over the options, I figured I probably wouldn’t have chosen it anyway.
Mana Pan was incredibly tempting. It would solve the equipnt issues I was currently having. However, it would also be easy to fix that problem once we reached the city. Between that and Milo’s ability over stone, it wasn’t an unsolvable situation.
Fiery-sous was very interesting. It sounded almost like a summoning ability. According to the description, it called forth a helper—but it said “fiery helper,” and I wasn’t sure what that ant. I figured I might need to ask Milo.
Next was Gourmand’s Insight, and honestly, I couldn’t see much use for it. I could just ask when I needed to know sothing. It seed like a very odd thing to be a skill.
Lastly, there was Fla Control again. After reading through the cookbook I purchased, I could absolutely see the appeal. So many recipes required a consistent and precise temperature. But would it really be worth picking?
“Hey Milo, would you be able to give so advice on new skills?” I asked.
Milo shuffled closer. “Absolutely. What’s up?”
I decided to read off all four options to him and share my thoughts.
“Hmm, well, Gourmand’s Insight isn’t as simple as you think. You couldn’t exactly ask Sable what her favourite food is, could you? In most cooking situations, you won’t know exactly what people like or dislike, and you can’t always ask,” Milo explained.
“So you think I should take that one?” I asked, confused. I hadn’t really considered any of that before.
Milo laughed. “I didn’t say that, no. Even with that knowledge, I agree the Mana Pan would be nice, but it’s not overly beneficial. The Fiery-sous though—a summoning ability, even if restricted to cooking—seems incredibly helpful. Plus, it implies it’s fiery. That could an temperant or temperature. If it’s the latter, that might make the last skill pointless.” He sounded deep in thought.
I hadn’t really considered the implications of Gourmand’s Insight. It was true. Wait, could I know what the cat’s favourite food was? I quickly scratched that thought from my mind. Hopefully, we wouldn’t run into it again—we were long gone anyway.
“Okay, I know what I’m going to pick,” I said, before selecting Fiery-Sous
Congratulations! you have gained the ability Fiery-Sous
Imdiately, a small burst of fire erupted next to . I jumped back in fright as the ball of fla settled. In its place was sothing... I didn’t quite know how to describe it—a fist-sized fire creature.
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Milo looked on in awe.
“Wow, that’s a little fire elental. I’ve only seen those in books,” he said, leaning in for a closer look.
I pulled up the skill information, worried it would quickly drain my mana or sothing. But then sothing very odd appeared..
Fiery-Sous (Active)
Crisplet
Level: 1
Experience: 0/100
Abilities:
Fla Control
Fire Immunity
Fire Conjuration
Add so extra heat to the kitchen.
“Crisplet?” I said.
As I spoke, the little fla elental turned toward , letting out a small burst of sparks before floating over, bobbing up and down as it hovered. It said nothing, just hovered in front of .
“Um, I think its na is Crisplet, and it looks like it has its own level and abilities?” I said, while Milo continued inspecting the little elental.
“How curious. And it just stays out?” Milo asked.
“I guess so? It’s not using any mana to stay out right now. Er, hold on—let try to dismiss it,” I replied, attempting to dismiss the summon.
Would you like to dismiss Crisplet for 100 mana? Yes/No
I selected no. Woah, that was expensive just to dismiss it.
“Well, I can dismiss it, but it will cost 100 mana,” I said. As I spoke, a little spark flew out of the elental and hit in the face.
“Ow! Hey, what did you do that for?” I said, rubbing the spot.
Milo burst out laughing. “It has a na. Fire elentals are known to be prideful,” he explained.
At that, a tiny burst of bright yellow sparks appeared around the elental as it started to move away—exploring, maybe?
“Will Crisplet be okay just wandering around like that? Won’t stuff catch on fire?” I asked, a little worried, watching it head toward the campfire and catch the attention of everyone else in the room.
“No, I wouldn’t worry. Of all fire creatures, they have the greatest control. Does it say what abilities it has?” Milo asked.
I pulled up the information again—I'd forgotten so details in all the excitent—and repeated the abilities to Milo.
“Interesting. So, yeah, as expected, it has full control over fire. And it seems to be essentially a newly spawned fire elental, not one summoned from elsewhere.” Milo leant back, deep in thought. “Your class gets more and more interesting,” he said.
My mind imdiately started racing with possibilities. “Wait, do you think it could fight for ?” I asked excitedly.
Milo laughed. “Normally, a fire elental would be able to fight, yes. But I suspect that because of the nature of your class, this little elental won’t do any fighting.”
Just then, there was a burst of sparks at the campfire as Crisplet dove into the coals, sending a cloud of ash and sparks into the air. I saw Jordan and Saddie move back a little from the fire.
“It’s okay, Crisplet is my new summon—companion?” I said, trying to ease their nerves. The little fla elental seed to be playing in the fire, flinging puffs of coal gleefully into the air.
I couldn’t help but laugh as it settled comfortably among the coals. Jen had co over and sat next to us by now, watching with rapt attention and giggling at Crisplet’s antics.
After a short while, it seed to find a spot it liked and settled among the coals. It was quite a sight—the coals around it would brighten and dim rhythmically, like breathing.
I spent a long ti just watching before finally going to sleep. Liane hadn’t stopped hunting either. I couldn’t help but feel I’d wake up to another bag full of creatures.
The next morning, when I woke up, the first thing I noticed was that the fire hadn’t lost any heat. In fact, it looked like it was still burning at the sa rate as last night, which surprised —I’d figured the coals would have burned out by now.
I walked over to the fire and saw Crisplet still nestled in its spot. The coals had built up around it, almost like three small walls encircling the little elental.
Pulling out the leftover porridge from yesterday’s breakfast, I saw there was still enough for at least one more al for everyone. I topped it up with so fresh fruit and a little more milk to keep it from drying out, then placed it next to the coals.
My movents seed to rouse the little fla elental. Crisplet floated toward and the pot I had set down. I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with the little guy, but the skill said he—or she, or it?—was my helper, right? So, I decided to explain what I was doing.
“Morning, Crisplet. I’m heating breakfast for everyone. It’s already cooked from yesterday, but it just needs to warm up again.”
I felt a little ridiculous talking to a fire elental that didn’t speak back, but it had seed to understand us yesterday.
To my surprise, the little elental floated closer, and a wisp of fla—an arm?—extended to touch the pot. In less than thirty seconds, the porridge was gently simring.
“Woah, that’s amazing, Crisplet!” I said in awe, then quickly added, “Er—but not so hot. We can probably leave it now; it doesn’t need any more heating.”
Crisplet glowed a little brighter, almost proudly, before drifting back to its place in the fire.
This was certainly going to change things. Then the thought struck —how was I supposed to travel with it? There was no way Crisplet could keep up.
I headed outside to say good morning to Milo and Jen, who had been on second watch as usual. I figured I could also ask for advice on what to do with Crisplet during travel.
What I didn’t notice was the little fire elental darting after . As I stepped out into the cool morning air, I spotted Milo sitting in his usual place.
“Morning,” I muttered, stretching. Before I could even sit down, an orange blur zipped past my leg with a tiny burst of sparks. I nearly jumped out of my skin before my brain caught up with what I’d just seen—Crisplet had rushed past to explore outside.
“Uh, Crisplet? Don’t wander off too far!” I called out, not sure if it would understand .
Another little burst of sparks answered . I guess that was a yes? Shaking my head, I dropped onto the stone bench Milo had just summoned for .
“Crisplet is definitely going to make things interesting,” I muttered.
Milo chuckled. “Honestly, it’s more intelligent than I expected. The higher-level elentals are sapient. They don’t like other races, mind you, but they tolerate so. It’s not unheard of for them to communicate.”
“While I rember,” I said, leaning forward, “I was going to ask how you think we should handle travel with it. It definitely won’t keep up, and it’s way too expensive if I have to dismiss it every ti, right?”
Milo stroked his beard, thinking. “I’m not sure. But have you tried asking Crisplet? It clearly understands a lot of what we’re saying. Maybe it has a way to keep up.”
I froze, then groaned inwardly. Why hadn’t I thought of that? I’d been treating Crisplet like an object, not a living creature that could actually understand . Sha burned in my chest.
I let out a deep sigh, and Milo seed to pick up on where my mind was going.
“Don’t beat yourself up,” he said. “Having an elental is rare—even for the summoner class. I doubt you’ll find many instructions on what to do. But judging by that dismissal cost, I’d say you’re not supposed to dismiss it unless absolutely necessary. Just ask it questions. If you get answers, great. If not, we’ll figure it out.”
I nodded, watching Crisplet zip around the clearing, examining plants and trees. Every so often, a leaf or piece of bark would burst into harmless fla.
As the sun rose, Jen erged from the treeline. She passed by Crisplet and gave it a wave. Another quick burst of sparks shot out in response.
“I guess that’s how it says hello,” Milo said with a chuckle.
We headed back inside, and I called out, “Crisplet, we’re going in for breakfast. You coming?”
A mont later, the little ball of fire ca racing after us and zipped inside. I laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
After getting myself a bowl of porridge and watching Crisplet settle back into the firepit—rekindling the coals that had cooled without it—I decided now was as good a ti as any.
“Hey, Crisplet,” I said. “We’ve got to travel today. Should I dismiss you, or do you have another way to co with us?”
The little elental floated closer, then paused. After a brief crackle of sparks, it collapsed in on itself with a flash. In its place, sitting on the ground, was a glass-like orb.
I hesitated. It looked delicate, almost fragile, but inside it was a constant swirling fla, trapped like a raging fire in a crystal shell.
Cautiously, I reached out and touched it. Warm—not hot. srising. I couldn’t look away.
“I guess you got your answer,” Milo said with a laugh.
The mont I glanced up, the orb suddenly burst apart in a small flare of fire. Crisplet reford above my hand, bobbing happily in the air. Another playful shower of sparks followed.
What surprised most was that even this close, with the little elental hovering right above my palm, there was no searing heat—just a pleasant, steady warmth.
This was going to take so getting used to.
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