CHAPTER 11: PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT

Night settled over the city by the time I returned home. The lamps along the street glowed softly, while faint lights from neighboring houses flickered through their windows. This was the first time I’d be ending the day inside a place that actually belonged to me.

I washed up, changed into something more comfortable, and walked into the kitchen.

After today’s bland lunch, cooking felt... necessary.

I prepared a simple dinner: stir-fried vegetables with sliced beast meat, lightly seasoned and cooked on the mana-stone stove. Nothing fancy, but it tasted leagues better than anything at the cafeteria.

Once I cleaned my plate, I didn’t stop there.

Tomorrow, I planned to bring my own lunch, and I wanted something that reminded me of home.

A hamburger.

I mixed flour, warm water, and yeast that I bought on way back, in a bowl to prepare dough for the buns. Kneading it brought back memories of late-night cooking on Earth. When the texture felt right, I covered the bowl with cloth and set it aside to rise overnight. Tomorrow morning, I would bake the buns and assemble everything before heading out.

Efficient. Tasty. And far cheaper than paying sixty coppers for boiled vegetables.

When everything was prepared for tomorrow, I sat at the dining table and opened the small pouch of coins I received from selling Lucien’s belongings.

Four hundred gold left.

Three days ago, that number would have felt infinite.

Now?

Not so much.

At the pace I was spending money, I’d run dry sooner than expected. And I didn’t have anything left to pawn.

Two options came to mind:

Ask Count Darius Ashborne for money.

A ridiculous idea. Judging from Lucien’s memories, his father wasn’t the type to go back on a decision. If anything, being only exiled and not disowned was already more mercy than Lucien deserved.

His mother, Countess Lyriana Ashborne, was a possibility. She adored Lucien — probably the only reason the punishment wasn’t harsher. I was certain she would help if asked.

But relying on my mother’s money wasn’t a future.

Which led me to the last option.

Starting a business.

With Cooking Level 7, opening a restaurant would be easy. I could serve hamburgers, noodles, curry... foods this world had never tasted. Even a small food stall could earn a fortune among nobles.

But that created another conflict.

I wasn’t here to become a chef.

My first priority had to be increasing my strength and skills.

Not profit. Not cooking.

And... as much as I pretended to ignore it... I had knowledge of everything that was coming. The world was heading toward chaos. If I focused only on business, I would be making money to die rich.

I leaned back and took a slow breath.

"So we’re back to step one..."

Before money, I needed points.

The System shop, bullets, skills — everything required points.

If I wanted to stand a chance, I needed more.

One problem piled onto the next.

I didn’t have answers yet.

"Sigh..."

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

Eventually, I rested my head on the table, still thinking through possibilities... until the thoughts grew hazy and slipped away completely.

Before I knew it, sleep took over.

Tomorrow would come with its own challenges.

****

Morning came quietly.

I woke up a little earlier than usual, baked the dough that had risen overnight, and prepared my lunch. The hamburger patties sizzled on the mana stove, filling the kitchen with a nostalgic smell. I packed two soft buns, the patties, sliced vegetables, and a small jar of sauce into a neat lunchbox. Today’s meal would be a reminder that I still had something from my old world.

After getting ready, I left home feeling more positive than usual.

*****

Class began with Samantha entering, her steps steady and imposing as always.

"Cadets, today I have an announcement."

The room instantly went silent.

"Next week, there will be a Practical Assessment. You will be entering an officially supervised dungeon — F-class difficulty."

Murmurs filled the lecture hall. Even beginners knew that F-class dungeons weren’t jokes. Low risk didn’t mean no risk.

"You will form groups of four. Team formation will be decided among yourselves. Anyone left without a team will be placed wherever needed."

So, group selection was now a popularity contest.

Instructor Samantha continued, "The assessment will be graded based on overall performance: monster subjugation, teamwork, resource management, and survival judgment."

Then came the kicker.

"We expect results from all of you."

She left the room without another word.

The moment the door closed—

DING

A System notification appeared directly in my view.

[New Mission: Practical Assessment]

Objective: Rank Top 3

Reward: 5,000 points

(Bonus rewards depending on higher placement)

I sat perfectly still.

"...Points?"

A slow grin tugged at my lips.

Points meant growth.

Growth meant power.

Power meant... fewer humiliations.

This was the kind of opportunity I needed.

"Alright. I’ll go all out."