Chapter Seven: A Vacancy

Classes for that day had ended later in the afternoon, although to Alex, everything felt so slow. When last had he attended a high school class. That should be about twenty one years ago, when he was still eighteen years of age.

He couldn't focus on anything the teachers were saying as he was bothered by the multiple thoughts running through his mind. Images of the snake tattoo he saw on Harry's neck just kept on appearing every time. They were tattoos he has seen before… however, his experience of it wasn't a very good one.

For the past few years now, he has been receiving threat letters from an unknown sender. He even got attacked a few times by some masked men. The attack only got reduced slightly after he reported to the police and hired some bodyguards to protect him. However, the threat letters didn't stop. Even though it wasn't sent physically, it was sent to all his social handles; XTok, XGram, XBook, XChat, and every other handles he had.

During the attack he received from the masked men, he did notice that all of them had this similar tattoo on their neck. A snake tattoo having its fangs in display. He tried so many times to track them down, but it was all to no avail. He even tried searching a name online, having the description of a snake, still, there was no luck.

The school bell rang, signalling the end of the day. And Alex, who had been looking forward to this immediately picked up his bag. On his way back home, he got to a restaurant where a vacancy was placed at the front of the store.

"An assistant cook needed." That was all that is written on the billboard, leaving the reader curious of more.

'I wonder how much they'll be paying. I'm seriously in need of money.' Alex thought as he walked into the restaurant.

"Welcome." A voice greeted him as he entered.

He noticed that the voice was coming from the kitchen where about three females in black aprons, and white uniforms similar to that of a chef, were busy doing some stuffs.

There weren't any customers in the restaurant, in fact it seems like the place was just recently opened for business. Apart from the clean walls and newly refurbished furnitures, there was a handbill placed on the tables which had the image of the restaurant on it. Below it was a written text which read as thus;

Welcome to Stacy restaurant, we hope you have a delightful experience with us. Please invite your friends and colleagues over for a treat.

One of the ladies had instantly went to approach him after noticing his presence. They thought he was a customer who had came to eat.

"Welcome, please have your seat. We just opened for business, so everything you eat today is on the house. May I ask what you will like to order?" The lady said in a polite manner.

She seemed a bit older than the teenage Alex in front of her, although she wasn't any older than the age of twenty. She looked chubby and had her blonde hair tied in a ponytail.

'Damn, this is our first customer since morning. How is this place meant to become popular when we're competing with three other restaurants on this street.' Linda was frustrated.

"Sorry, I'm here to inquire more about the vacancy post outside. And, yeah I'll be ordering later after I get my answers. *chuckles* Who wouldn't eat a free food." Alex said, although he whispered the last part to himself.

The lady sighed after listening to what Alex had to say, then she walked back to the kitchen where the other two ladies were.

'This is the seventeenth person to inquire about the vacancy, yet no customer. How is this restaurant suppose to earn when all we got are workers not customers. Well, who cares? I'm not the owner, whether they like it or not, my salary will be paid in full.'

The lady then turned to face Alex.

"Fifty dollars on every working day. Monday to Friday, from 3 to 10pm. You can spend your weekend at home, no f'cking shit. So, are you in?" Linda replied.

"Am I starting now?"

A black apron was thrown towards him which he caught midair.

"First, you have to pass a test. That will determine whether you're fit for this work or not. Although you'll have to take another test when the boss arrives." Linda explained.

"The boss?"

"She's not around at the moment, so even if you pass my test, you'll have to come back in the evening to take another test from her. You should also know that there are sixteen other people that have taken the test before you came. So, impress me as best as you can." Linda said before gesturing for him to move closer.

He walked into the kitchen section of the restaurant and was told to stand by the side of the table. A few cooking ingredients have been placed on it. And the other ladies who have been busy doing one thing or the other had instantly stopped to look at him.

"Those are ingredients for a Shimarck Soup, I want you to prepare it within fifteen minutes."

A smile had formed on Alex's lips as he heard this, there were few things he was good at doing, and that included cooking. During his time in the orphanage, every single one of them were thought how to cook, and since then, that lesson never left his head till he grew up.

Despite being a wealthy and renown artist, Alex still cooked his meal by himself. He had no maids or housekeeper to prepare it for him. They just weren't as good as when he does it by himself. If anything, he was pretty confident in his ability to cook. And he was more excited when he realised that he'll be cooking one of his most favourite meals; Shimarck Soup.

[ New Goal! 3/3 ]

[ Become a Superstar Chef ]

[ New Side Quest! ]

[ Show how skilful you are with the dish ]

[ Reward: 100 Cheat points ]

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