Chapter 133: A Peculiar Relationship

Zhao Tianhe felt his cheeks flush slightly as he looked at the elf standing before him, dressed in a deep-V maid outfit with a micro-skirt.

"Ah, yes, I am Zhao Tianhe," he replied, nodding.

Nearby, Pixie, startled by the smell of something burning, looked up from her phone screen. Seeing Zhao Tianhe’s infatuated expression, she took a photo of him with a look of pure annoyance.

"You shouldn't be here," the elf said, her brow furrowing. Her eyes were a beautiful gold, and the scowl only added to her allure. "This is my territory. I am Tina, the head chef of the Hero Apartments on Island No. 3!"

"Oh, is that so..." Zhao Tianhe scratched his head with a smile. "But my hobby is cooking."

"A hobby? Hmph, and clearly only at a hobbyist’s level at that." Tina looked at the charred mess in the pan and flicked it into the trash can nearby.

The elf race possessed naturally high agility; it was a racial talent.

*However, I won't lose when it comes to agility now!* Zhao Tianhe thought. With a flick of his invisible blades, he processed all the ingredients in an instant. His body pivoted, seasonings were added, and the pan was set to the flame...

Ten minutes later, a table full of dishes that looked, smelled, and tasted divine appeared.

Zhao Tianhe looked at Tina with a grin. "How is it?"

Tina eyed the dishes, her expression unreadable. "You’ve never been formally trained, have you? No, this seafood is decent; you must have had guidance from an expert. But this preparation method is not suitable for the marine life of the Ink Sea."

"You..." Zhao Tianhe froze, a jolt of shock running through him.

It was true. All this time, he had relied on knowledge from the internet back on Earth, some home-style recipes from this world, and his own trial-and-error. Aside from a brief stint learning seafood preparation from Li Mei’s mother, everything else was self-taught, unconventional methods.

"Your agility stat is indeed high—normal for a hero, I suppose—but high agility doesn't mean you're a good cook," Tina said nonchalantly. "There is a limit to the importance of taste and smell. As long as you can distinguish the quality and properties of ingredients, going further is purely redundant. What matters most is experience and tradition! The collective experience and heritage passed down by countless predecessors is what truly counts!"

"Ugh!" Zhao Tianhe felt a pang of realization. He knew Tina was absolutely right. Unlike combat, no matter how high his agility or how sharp his senses, there was a ceiling to how much they could improve his culinary skills.

"Let me show you what a true master chef’s cooking looks like." With that, Tina pulled a multitude of pots and jars from the refrigerator. They contained various pre-marinated meats, offal, and seafood.

As the aroma of the spices wafted toward him, Zhao Tianhe desperately tried to deduce the proportions of the recipes. Tina began to work in the kitchen, and Zhao Tianhe sealed away his own dishes, focusing all his senses on everything she did.

An hour later, another feast was spread across the table.

"I lost," Zhao Tianhe said, shaking his head with a sigh. "Even though I could replicate your movements and the marinating steps perfectly, I realize now how much I am lacking."

"Will you teach me?" he asked earnestly.

"I never refuse a hero’s request," Tina said with a smile. "Starting tomorrow, whenever you have time, I will teach you how to prepare three meals a day, along with all sorts of pastries and snacks."

"Yes!" Zhao Tianhe nodded.

"Also..." Tina looked around and asked with a bitter smile, "Why are you making so many strange swords?"

While observing and analyzing Tina’s culinary techniques, Zhao Tianhe had never stopped working with his hands, still crafting a special type of invisible sword.

"It’s my special skill," Zhao Tianhe said, holding up a rapier. "Though, you're right, the invisible blades are too dangerous. I'll stick to these; the worst that happens if someone steps on them is they trip."

As he spoke, another rapier manifested.

With the increase in his mana recovery speed, Zhao Tianhe’s training efficiency had soared. He practiced his "Infinite Soldiers" and "Supernatural Premonition" skills incessantly. Recently, he had even begun instinctively projecting them even while he slept.

"Well, I’ve never seen you so serious before," Tina said, looking at him with a strange expression. "Since you’ve come to Island No. 3, that makes you one of the 'Seal Designates,' right?"

Usually, Seal Designates were eccentric monsters like Moore—unpredictable and absurdly powerful. Effort was non-existent for them; in fact, their terrifying power wasn't something one could achieve through mere training. Tian Xie was the same—he spent his time eating, sleeping, and wandering around, never bothering with practice. Or rather, he didn't need to; his "Evil God Projection" talent wasn't something that improved through exercise.

"Oh, is that so?" Zhao Tianhe said with a wry smile. "Just think of me as an exception. Ah, my mission time is up."

Thinking of his own cooking versus Tina’s, he asked, "Can I eat all of this?"

"Hm? Of course, but it’s almost dinner time, and the remaining ingredients are running low..." Tina said, looking troubled.

Zhao Tianhe nodded, deciding to take only half and reheat his own dishes to fill the gaps.

"Mm! Ah-He, the food you made today is delicious! Your skills have improved so much!" Artoria said, praising him with a smile as she ate Tina’s cooking.

"Hehe..." Zhao Tianhe said, polishing off his own dishes. "As long as you like it, eat up."

"Hey, you didn't actually make this, did you?" Ereshkigal suddenly asked.

"Hm?" Zhao Tianhe paused, then nodded with a confident smile. "I met a great teacher today! She’s going to teach me how to cook! From now on, you can have meals this delicious every day!"

"Yes! Do your best, Ah-He!" Artoria said between bites.

"Whew..." Ereshkigal sighed. "I think Ah-He’s cooking is pretty good too, right?"

"Mm-hmm!" Artoria nodded, burying her face back into her food.

Truth be told, Zhao Tianhe always felt Ereshkigal’s attitude toward him was a bit strange. Ever since he confessed his feelings that day, she seemed distant, yet she was still clearly concerned about him.

"Seriously, is this guy really just a reptile?" Ereshkigal muttered to herself, glancing at him again.

Back at the apartment, Zhao Tianhe began to study in earnest as he watched Tina work. Suddenly, Moore walked in, grabbed a dish, ate it with his hands, and then slapped Tina’s backside with his other hand...

"Hey!" Zhao Tianhe barked, his eyes flashing with intensity. "What are you doing?!"

Tina, who had been stir-frying, flinched violently, causing the food in the pan to cook unevenly.

"Hm?" Moore paused, seemingly startled by Zhao Tianhe, but he quickly calmed down. "What’s the problem? What business is it of yours if I’m flirting with my girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?" Zhao Tianhe asked, bewildered.

"Yes, I am his girlfriend," Tina replied coldly, her hands never stopping their work.

"You hear that?" Moore chuckled smugly, caressing Tina. "I have some other things to do later, so wouldn't it be awkward for you to just stand there and watch?"

"..." Red lightning crackled around Zhao Tianhe.

Moore stopped, startled, and Tina hurriedly turned off the stove and stepped between them.

Zhao Tianhe’s expression was dark and silent. A rapier appeared in each hand. Tina said anxiously, "Don't do this! I’ll keep my word and teach you how to cook—don't start a fight over me!"

In reality, however, Zhao Tianhe was silent because his "Infinite Soldiers" skill had just leveled up.

*Although the description only mentioned an increase in duration, the 'quality' has clearly improved.* He swung his pseudo-Fish-Gut sword; he could feel the armor-piercing attribute increasing.

"Don't think I’m afraid of you!" Moore pushed Tina aside and stepped forward. "I’m immortal!"

"Yes, I know," Zhao Tianhe smiled. He looked at Moore and said quite calmly, "Then go ahead. I’m going back to rest."

"?" Moore and Tina were both baffled.

"By the way, what time is breakfast? I’m coming to learn tomorrow," Zhao Tianhe asked.

"Oh, five in the morning," Tina replied honestly.

"Great. See you tomorrow." With that, Zhao Tianhe turned and headed upstairs, planning to pick a room next to Zelretch or Li Mei.

"Hmph, he was definitely scared of me," Moore said, feeling quite pleased with himself. "Now, Tina, shall we..."

"Get lost!" Tina kicked him square in the crotch, sending him collapsing to the floor.

"I let you get away with a little, and admitting to being your girlfriend was only for your mental health management..." Tina pressed her high-heeled boot onto Moore’s head, her voice icy. "But in reality, you’re just a shameless scoundrel. Does this feel better for you?"

"Mm... harder..."

"Go die, you trash!"

"Ooh-ho~~"

"You worm, you only deserve to eat mud!"

"Keep going~~"

*Is that the kind of relationship they have?* Even from the second floor, Zhao Tianhe heard every word clearly. *I thought she was the beautiful, gentle big-sister type, but she’s a sadistic queen?*

The next morning, Zhao Tianhe arrived in the kitchen to find Tina cleaning the floor.

*The smell of blood? It doesn't smell like seafood or cooking meat...* Zhao Tianhe acutely sensed something unusual, but he couldn't be bothered to ask what had happened.

He had originally been somewhat interested in Tina, but after witnessing last night’s dynamic, all thoughts of that nature vanished. He was hungry, sure, but he wasn't a masochist.