Chapter 62: Cooking Magic Class

Chapter 62: Cooking Magic Class

The distance from the dormitory area to the planting area was much shorter and the paths were easier to walk, so the little witches set out half an hour early.

Continuing the tradition from their descent from the mountain at noon, the little witches all carried a Book of Witches in their left hands and parchment in their right.

The little witches were all very excited about their first magic class.

"Finally, we can learn magic! My wand can't contain its excitement!"

"Whoosh~ whoosh~ let the ingredients come to life!"

"Hahaha! Once I learn cooking magic, I'll be eating feasts every day!"

...

"Even though it's a magic class, we should still look over the textbooks! Just in case Ms. Amisha asks questions again, we'll be prepared!" Cheryl said.

The little witches were still somewhat shaken by what had happened in the theory class.

Prompted by Cheryl, they engaged in some last-minute cramming, reading the textbook *Learning Cooking Magic from Scratch* on the way.

Moran shook her head with a smile.

The textbook for the cooking magic class was aimed at little witches who knew nothing about cooking or cooking magic; its main focus was being easy to understand, making it much more accessible than the theory class textbook.

Ms. Amisha probably wouldn't ask questions like she did in the theory class.

However... it is always good to preview before class, so Moran did not stop them.

Sure enough, once class began, Ms. Amisha did not ask them to read the textbook first.

"Those with culinary foundations who can make bread, thick soup, and pan-seared steaks, sit at the very front. The rest of the little witches may sit anywhere."

The cooking classroom was located right next to the ingredient collection point and contained fifty kitchen workstations similar to those in the dormitory kitchens.

However, after Ms. Amisha arrived, only twenty-seven workstations remained, scattered throughout the room.

This time, Moran and Es were sitting at the frontmost workstation.

Sylph and Vasida were sitting just behind them.

Once everyone had taken their places, Ms. Amisha began assigning tasks

"All little witches, put down your wands first.

Do not fantasize that a wave of your wand will make the food appear. The foundation of cooking magic is cooking; there are no shortcuts!

First, follow the instructions in the textbook and try to make black bread on your own without the use of magic.

The preparation method is clearly written in the textbook, complete with illustrations.

If you encounter problems, consult the textbook first. If you cannot find the answer there, raise your hand and ask me!

I will patrol the classroom to provide guidance. You may proceed freely."

Fortunately, the little witches had previewed the material; the first chapter of the textbook covered how to make black bread, and they had all read it in advance.

Following the textbook, they began their attempts.

After arranging the others, Ms. Amisha came over to Moran and Es

"Since you two have culinary foundations, try making one of every food item recorded in the textbook for me to see!"

Having been educated by Senior Lilith, Moran knew that cooking magic was not synonymous with cooking. She nodded and began pondering how to do it most efficiently.

But Es did not know this. She said, "Headmistress, the things in this book are too simple for Es and me. How about she and I use the *Illustrated Guide to Delicacies of the Valen Continent* to learn cooking magic instead?"

"No. You are still far from fully mastering the contents of this textbook!" Amisha said.

"How is that possible! I just looked through the cooking magic textbook, and it has no difficulty at all," Es said, still puzzled.

"Moran, what do you think?" Amisha turned to look at the little witch who was already sorting through ingredients.

"I have no objection," Moran said.

"Moran..."

"Es, there is a huge difference between cooking and cooking magic. I've already tried, and it's difficult to control. It's best to practice starting from the simplest dishes," Moran said.

"Alright then!" Although she still didn't quite understand, Es felt that Moran's cooking skills were higher than hers.

Since even Moran felt that way, it probably wasn't groundless.

Amisha nodded and went to check on the other little witches.

Moran took the opportunity to tell Es about the disastrous results of her unauthorized attempts over the weekend

"Isn't your mother a gourmet witch? When she learns new recipes, does she not use cooking magic right from the start?"

Es shook her head. "I always thought that was just because she enjoys the feeling of cooking personally."

After all, her mother was already a renowned gourmet witch by the time Es was born.

She had no idea that learning cooking magic was like this at the beginning.

Her mother had kept it far too secret!

Of course, it was also her own fault for never asking!

Taking advantage of the fact that the Headmistress wasn't looking, Es secretly tried to use her wand to pick up two tomatoes at once.

Unsurprisingly, she failed.

This time, she became completely well-behaved and followed the Headmistress's instructions honestly.

An hour and a half passed.

The other little witches, in a state of frantic activity under Ms. Amisha's guidance, managed to make black bread, though the colors varied in shade and the shapes were all different.

Moran and Es, on the other hand, had made every single dish in the textbook.

"Alright! The last half hour is tasting time. Taste what you have made yourselves!"

After Amisha finished speaking, she also picked up her knife and fork and began to taste.

All the little witches served her a small portion of their culinary creations.

The little witches were quite satisfied with their own work, until they actually took a bite.

"Ack! It's so hard, I can't bite through it, I absolutely can't bite through it!"

"Is this bread or a stone!"

"Huh! Why does it seem raw on the inside!"

...

Looking at Ms. Amisha, who remained expressionless while tasting the students' work, the little witches all felt a sympathetic toothache.

The Headmistress of the cooking magic class was really suffering!

After tasting everything the little witches had made, Amisha commented

"Moran and Es, your basic culinary abilities are up to par. You may begin to touch upon cooking magic tomorrow."

Moran and Es were overjoyed.

So the Headmistress had been testing their cooking skills all along!

The other little witches couldn't help but feel nervous; having eaten their own black bread, they had very little confidence.

"The rest of you little witches will continue making black bread next class, until you can do it perfectly and proficiently!" Amisha said.

"Headmistress, then when can we learn cooking magic!" the little witches asked.

"Once you can skillfully make all the dishes in the textbook, just like Moran and Es, then you can."

Amisha left behind a cruel answer and departed.

The little witches counted while flipping through the pages

"Black bread, white bread, vegetable soup, mushroom soup, potato soup, pan-seared steak, pan-seared lamb chops... Heavens! There are so many!"

"Our black bread today was indeed unsatisfactory. The book says black bread is food eaten by the poor in the wilderness and gets very hard when cold, but ours was clearly excessively hard."

"In cooking magic class, there is only cooking, no magic."

"That's not right. It's that we only have cooking, but Moran and Es still have magic!"

...

The first practical magic class for the first-year little witches had arrived with high spirits and departed in disappointment.

(End of Chapter)