I collected orders from the last agent who came to make an appointment for the higher-level ingredients.

I came in at 1 pm and 15 minutes later there was a massive queue made up of agents who came on behalf of their masters to make orders. The queue was so big that it only ended 2 hours later.

Strangely this time most of the ingredients that were on average ordered was of Level 10 ingredients. There were about a handful of orders made for Level 11 to Level 13 ingredients.

This means during the past few months hunters have been actively sent to collect ingredients of higher level.

My first appointment was at 6 pm cooking a level 11 seafood.

I had the whole shop expanded by buying one of the nearby shop. The merchant was very reluctant to sell it, until 50 plat converted to gold notes displayed in front of him was enough to change his mind, along with a personally cooked level 3 beast ingredient.

During my refurbishment, I had the whole restaurant, made out of level 9 beast ingredient materials, that I had amassed and survived the explosion last week.

Although the shop now from outside looks like a lich fort, due to the materials mainly being bones of level 9 ingredients, but inside it is the same calm surrounding.

I had all of my tools re-made from level 9 ingredients as well. I might be the only shop in the empire to have everything in there to be made out of level 9 ingredient.

Truly an extravagant shop.

If a commoner were to take anything from here and manage to sell it in the market, then he would earn enough to live his whole life luxuriously without any source of income.

That's how expensive a high-level ingredient was. But soon that will change, as the greed of my customer will want to taste and get the effect of higher and higher-level ingredients. Causing more higher-level ingredient to be brought into the empire, and therefore bringing down the price of other ingredients, such as level 9 ingredients.

Once this happens and there is a stable income of high-level ingredients, I can then think of cooking and eating a higher-level ingredient in my full capability to evolve myself.

The door opened once again, and two people entered.

Titus ran towards the counter quickly as soon as he passed the door. "I want to make an appointment for a level 13 ingredient."

"You are too late Titus. All my slots for today are booked, you should have told me earlier if you wanted to make an appointment. I can cook for you tomorrow afternoon if you want?" I told him, while he seemed crestfallen that he couldn't get an earlier slot. I watched Ellis who was walking in slowly as he closed the door. He seemed both excited and fascinated by the shop.

"How was I supposed to know my hunting team would arrive just 10 minutes ago? They were expected to arrive 2 days later. Can't you make special consideration for me since we are in the same faction?" He pleaded to me.

"If I start showing consideration for my faction in my restaurant, then it will break the current neutral image I have inside my restaurant, which will cause many to start making their move. I don't want to break the fickle balance I have created here yet so, sorry can't do. Inside my restaurant, everyone will be treated equally."

"Darn politics. Anyway, I will take the slot for tomorrow afternoon." Most agents came to collect a list of ingredients they needed to hunt for, along with the main ingredient they were hunting for before they left to hunt those ingredients.

Otherwise, if they were to come back with a level 10 ingredient only to find that they haven't got the necessary ingredients along with the main ingredients, then it would have been a waste of time and resource to hunt for it.

I smiled as I looked to Ellis who was standing behind Titus. He bowed towards me as soon as he saw me. I nodded back while smiling back.

I turned to Titus as I asked, "Anything else for you?"

"Just whatever is on the menu for me and Ellis." He said as he passed 4 plats. I took 2 plats before pushing the other 2 back. He nodded as he understood my intention of taking care of Ellis' food from now on.

"Oh, also where do you recommend to go for a good Whizz board and also a personal customised weapon?"

Titus lifted his eyebrow at my question "From your excellent skills with the board, I would suggest you go to Dr Whizz himself for a personal, customisable board. If you want I can make an appointment for you." I nodded; the Whizz Board was only made 5 years ago by a research magi called Whizz.

He wanted to make a transportation tool accessible for all commoners, but in the end, it proved to be impossible due to its high manufacturing cost among other things, such as maintaining the perfect balance on the board while riding it.

In the end, although it didn't go out to its intended market audience, it did gain popularity among the nobles and the rich and many bought one.

Although 2 weeks after its release the empire had to make a specific law for using Whizz board due to the number of accidents caused by not properly practising it before taking it out for a ride by the heirs of nobles.

"About the weapon, what material do you want it to be made out of?" Titus asked me.

"Level 13 beast ingredients," I replied, while Titus nodded expecting my answer.

"I will send you the address tomorrow."

I nodded before going inside to cook. I brought out the 6 dishes for them, as they took it from me, while Ellis bowed as he took his dishes from me.

As Titus finished his meal and left while burping Ellis finally finished his meal. He looked around to notice Titus had left abandoning him with me. He was unsure of what to do, due to rudely interacting with me before without knowing my true identity.

"Come I will show you your new room," I said as I walked to the few rooms I built during the expansion.

"I will cook for you from now on, so just practise on training your physical body. You will need it to face the titans of the empire send after me." I instructed him as I left his room.

He bowed as finally spoke, "Thank you, your highness."

"You can use the garden for training, don't bother about damaging anything here, I can pay for it."

I walked back to the main hall while yawning. I went to lie down on the desk instead of waiting for the next customers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What is it?" The emperor asked Steven who initiated the call to him, which he answered.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend your highness," Steven answered back to the emperor's question.

"You have a way of culling that pest?" The emperor asked back.

"That is no pest your majesty, but a tiger groomed by the nature to hunt. And a dying tiger is the most dangerous in the wild your majesty, so I have a way to tame the untamed."

"I am listening."