Chapter 168 | The Food Business

Chapter 168: 168 | The Food Business

Dexter had no choice.

This neighborhood was nice but it people here weren’t that rich.

A Grade Two Enchanted Meal would sell for 12,000 to 50,000 dollars per portion. That was a month wages for many families here.

But a Grade One Enchanted Meal? could sell for 3,000 to 10,000 dollars. It was still expensive but some could decide to spend on an arcane meal for its effects.

Dexter rolled up his sleeves, tied his apron, and began pulling ingredients.

Ordinary rice, fresh vegetables, eggs, and the grade 1 arcane meat, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, nothing that would push the meal above Grade One.

He took a deep breath and began cooking but it was hard.

He had to suppress his Heavenly Gastronomy body, stop himself from using heavenly flame and even not even infusing mana into the meal.

He had to suppress all of it.

He cooked with basic techniques instead of using his various Foodsmith techniques.

The containers Tessa had provided were mass-produced thermal boxes. Just well-made disposable containers with basic insulation that could keep food fresh for one to two days.

By 8:54 AM, he was done.

Twenty containers of Grade One Enchanted Meals, neatly packed. Each portion contained a generous serving of vegetable fried rice with seared Berserk Beef, seasoned with ginger and garlic, garnished with green onions.

The aroma was rich and savory but not overwhelming.

Dexter inspected the first container and checked the system notification that appeared.

[Grade One Enchanted Meal — Comfort Chicken Rice]

[Effect: Mana Regeneration c 300%, Strength x 200%, Slight stamina boost. Improved digestion.

[Duration: 3 hours.]

’Perfect!’

He packed all twenty containers into his spatial storage. Then he paused, then ultimately decided to pack extra portions. Tessa had given him thirty containers in total, probably in case any containers turned out faulty.

Twenty for the bakery. Five for his plans.

He packed them separately and stored everything.

Then he turned around.

Two dark eyes stared at him from the kitchen doorway.

’Shit! You almost scared me!’

Lyra was standing there. Her AI glasses sat on her nose as the Primordial Beast Egg was cradled against her left hip.

She had been trying so hard to avoid Dexter all morning, but the aroma from the kitchen had been relentless.

Before she knew it, her feet had carried her to the kitchen without her permission.

She saw Dexter turn to met her and she immediately remembered the morning and her cheeks flushed crimson.

She wanted to leave but the smell was too good.

Dexter calmed his beating heart and smiled.

He pulled a container from his spatial storage and held it out to her.

"Here. I made this for you."

Lyra blinked, looked at him suspiciously but then she slowly went forward and reached for the container.

Her fingers closed around it as she took it but Dexter didn’t let go.

Lyra looked up at him with fluahed checks.

’W–hat?’

Dexter gently stared at her.

"Nothing happened between me and Selene."

Lyra’s eyes widened slightly.

"I only used my Heavenly Flame to help suppress Selene’s Eternal Winter Ice," Dexter continued.

He paused.

"Do you understand?"

Lyra held his gaze for a long moment, then she nodded.

’I believe you.’

Her sweet voice rang out in his mind.

Dexter aighed in relief and released his grip on the container.

"Good."

Lyra took it and immediately turned to leave the kitchen.

But before she crossed the door, she suddenly turned back.

"Even if you were."

Her face went even redder.

’I wouldn’t mind.’

’She is also your wife anyway.’

Then Lyra turned and fled the kitchen like a startled rabbit as the door slammed shut a second later.

Dexter stood alone in the kitchen, staring at the empty doorway.

’Even if I was what?’

’Doing what?’

’So she only looks innocent, uhn?’

He shook his head, rubbed his face with both hands, and firmly refused to think about it.

---

He changed into clean clothes into a simple black t-shirt and dark jeans, then walked to the living room.

Mira was in her wheelchair by the boarded-up window. Lyra was at the bedroom and Selene was in the backyard, cultivating.

"I’m heading out," Dexter announced loudly as it echoed through the entire house. "I’m delivering the meals to Mr. Henry’s bakery today."

Mira opened one eye. "Good luck."

Lyra’s voice echoed in his mind.

And he heard Selene muttered at the backyard.

"Thanks," Dexter said as he opened the door and walked out of the house.

Then he turned back and poked his head inside and spoke to Mira.

"Don’t open the door for anyone." he joked.

Mira’s crimson eyes snapped to him with the force of a laser beam.

"Get, out." she hissed.

Dexter grinned, closed the door, and locked it behind him.

---

He stood on the porch for a moment, looking down the street.

Grandma Lucy’s gate was open and he could see her silver hair bobbing above her garden fence as she tended her morning flowers.

Dexter walked over and knocked on her gate three times. But the gate opened before his third knock.

Grandma Lucy stood on the other side, beaming. Her bright eyes crinkled at the corners.

"Little chef! You’re here early!"

Dexter smiled and produced a container from his spatial storage. He held it out to her with both hands.

"Grandma Lucy. I promised you the first taste of my cooking. Here it is."

The old woman’s eyes went wide. She took the container with both hands, cradling it as though it were a newborn baby.

"Oh, you actually remembered!" She looked down at the container, then back up at Dexter. "Thank you, Dexter. You’re a truly good kid."

Dexter scratched the back of his head. "I try."

Grandma Lucy chuckled. "Do you want to come inside for a cup of tea?"

Dexter smiled politely. "I would love to, but I need to get these meals to Mr. Henry’s bakery as soon as possible. Rain check?"

"Of course, of course." Grandma Lucy nodded. "Next time then."

"Next time," Dexter agreed.

He waved goodbye and headed down the street toward the bakery.

[A/N: Gimme golden tickets 😭]