You Passed!!!
On the table were two fresh fish, ginger, garlic, spring onions, mushrooms, carrots, salt, pepper, wild herbs, ginger juice, crushed garlic, honey, a little vinegar, and finely chopped spring onions.
Those were the ingredients required to make the fish soup and sauce.
It was going to be easy for Ella.
She would use the method Tyla had taught her when she once craved a fish dish.
It was a simple method, and these ingredients were more than enough.
Desmond leaned close behind Ella and whispered in a tone that sounded almost like a plea.
“We are counting on you. Please don’t let us down, huh?!” he said.
“Don’t worry. Just prepare the ingredients and leave the cooking to me,” Ella assured them.
Both Eric, Zeliah, and Isabel were in her group, so it was easier since she would not have to deal with distractions from someone like Selena.
“What are you doing?!” Ella nearly screamed when she saw Desmond cutting the carrots.
The pieces were far too large, and there would be no extra ingredients if they were wasted.
“Chopping the carrots, of course!” Desmond replied with a serious expression, as though he knew exactly what he was doing.
“Not like that! Cut them into smaller pieces!” Ella corrected.
“Okay, okay!” Desmond said and continued.
“If you can’t do it, then leave it,” Eric said calmly.
Desmond immediately stood up and shoved the knife toward him.
“Do you think we have all the time in the world?! If I fail this class, you’re going to compensate me!”
He bent down and continued chopping.
“I also want to make my father proud!”
Isabel nearly laughed.
Desmond?
Make his father proud?
Someone who spent most of his time arguing with his father whenever he was caught idling around instead of studying?
In fact, he had originally planned to deliberately fail the academy entrance exams because he did not want to attend.
However, after learning that his friends would be joining as well, he quickly abandoned that idea.
“You should stop idling around and help. Let’s make the fire,” Ella called out as she carried over the firewood.
When everything was ready, Ella began cooking.
First, she cleaned the fish carefully and separated the bones from the meat.
Instead of throwing the bones away like most of the students, she placed them into a clay pot filled with water and set it over a gentle fire.
She added slices of ginger, crushed garlic, and a handful of wild herbs.
As the water slowly boiled, the flavors from the fish bones blended into the broth, creating a rich aroma.
While the soup simmered, she sliced the mushrooms, carrots, and spring onions into thin pieces.
After nearly half an hour, she strained the broth and returned it to the fire.
The vegetables were added first, allowing them to soften before the fish meat was gently placed into the pot.
She sprinkled in a little salt and pepper before covering the pot once more.
Soon, the fragrance of fish and herbs drifted across the cooking yard.
For the sauce, Ella crushed fresh garlic and ginger into a smooth paste.
She mixed them with a spoonful of honey, a little vinegar, and finely chopped spring onions.
The mixture was stirred until it became smooth and glossy.
When the fish soup was ready, she poured the sauce over several pieces of fish and allowed them to absorb the flavor.
The golden sauce coated the fish beautifully, giving it a sweet and savory aroma.
Even before tasting it, the students nearby found themselves swallowing nervously as the delicious smell filled the air.
Nora watched as everyone became captivated by the aroma of Ella’s food, and annoyance filled her heart.
She was supposed to be the center of attention.
Although Ella was not as beautiful as she was, it seemed that all the young masters were interested in her despite the fact that she was already married to the king.
There were even rumors that Ella wished to leave the marriage, giving the young masters hope that they might one day have a chance with her.
Nora gritted her teeth.
She had been engaged to Eric since childhood, yet he had never shown the slightest interest in her.
He barely spoke to her and often brushed her aside, claiming that he found being around ladies irritating.
Yet now he stood comfortably beside Ella and Isabel.
His face remained as expressionless as ever, but Nora could still notice the faint traces of a smile that appeared whenever Ella spoke.
Since she had failed to gain the king’s attention, Eric had become her only hope for marriage.
She refused to let anyone steal him away.
When the day of their wedding arrived, she wanted him to have no choice but to marry her.
Why does everyone like her?
Nora clenched her fists.
I am more talented than her.
I possess powers.
I wasn’t born under a curse of misfortune.
So why her?
“My lady, don’t be troubled. I can cook. We will pass,” one of Nora’s supporters said confidently.
Nora immediately forced a smile.
“Let’s begin,” she said.
She did not want anyone to view her as jealous the way they viewed Selena.
She wanted to surpass Selena in every way and always be considered better.
To achieve that, she had learned to swallow her anger, endure her frustrations, and strike only from behind the curtains.
A damaged reputation would only make her a laughingstock in front of Selena and her father.
“You said you could cook. It seems that was true!” Mrs.
Jasmine complimented.
“No problem!” Desmond chimed in before Ella could respond, as though he had been the one who cooked the meal.
Isabel immediately pinched his ear and pushed him aside, making room for Ella.
“Thank you for trusting me,” Ella said politely.
“Look, she really can cook!”
“That’s true!”
Murmurs swept through the room.
“You all know that Ella’s team passed the class—”
“Yes!” Desmond interrupted loudly.
“Where are your manners? Mrs. Jasmine is still speaking!” Isabel scolded.
“Sorry, sorry. I left my manners at home today!” Desmond replied cheerfully.
Ignoring him, Mrs.
Jasmine continued.
“Ella’s team passed the class. It is important to learn how to cook. Even if you pass the scholar examination and attend the scholar academy, there will be no cooks there to prepare your meals. You will have to take care of yourselves. Do you understand the purpose of this lesson now?”
“Yes, Madam!”
The students answered in unison.
“Good. Since it is almost dark, we shall have a feast with your teammates. Mrs. Polina will bring the wine, and each team may find a suitable place within the academy grounds to enjoy the food you have prepared together.”
The students immediately began chatting excitedly.
“Yes, Mrs. Jasmine!” they chorused.
“You may go now.”
As everyone began cleaning up and leaving, Ella noticed that one of the dishes was missing several pieces of fish.
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Her gaze immediately landed on Desmond, who was quietly fanning himself behind Eric.
“Desmond, who ate the fish?” she asked.
“Well… er…”
“I can’t hear you.”
Ella crossed her arms.
“Well, the fish looked lonely sitting there by itself, so it called me over and I answered the call. Don’t blame me. I told you already, I left my manners at home.”
He carefully avoided meeting her eyes.
“You’re such a headache,” Isabel laughed.