Catgirls and Dungeons

Now, Gordon’s eyes are on me, Eris’ eyes are on me, Lily’s eyes are on me.

In front of me, a big pile of green onions, twenty regular onions, twenty carrots, and twenty potatoes sits, staring back at me.

The challenge? Show off my knife skills and prep them all in ten minutes!

I tighten the apron around my waist, close my eyes, and take a deep breath. The pressure feels heavy, but I know I can do this.

Come on, Felicia, you’ve got this! I say to myself.

I may be in a different body.

But I am still me!

My hands still remember how to work a knife!

Thus, I open my eyes,

And boom!

Confidence surge! Spirit fired up!

God-mode prep cook activated!

LET’S GOOOOOO!!!

But first, rule number one: You need a sharp knife to cut anything properly.

The knife on the counter looks decent, but it’s definitely not sharp enough. So, I reach for the sharpening rod nearby without hesitation.

Schwengschwengschwengschweng!

With a few swift strokes, I sharpen the blade to perfection. I test its edge—yup, it’s good to go now!

“Ho ho!” Gordon’s amused voice breaks the tension. He’s standing next to me, watching intently.

Ah, I see now! This must’ve been his first test—checking if I knew the importance of a sharp blade. If I hadn’t sharpened the knife, I’d have failed right there.

After all, a blunt knife is a dangerous knife.

A sharp knife is a must!

Every cook in the kitchen must know that. It’s rule number one!

With that out of the way, it’s time to slice and dice.

But where should I start? The carrots or the green onions?

Rule number two: If unsure, ask!

“Mr. Gordon,” I call out, glancing at him confidently, “there are many types of cuts. What would you like me to show first?”

“Oh?” Gordon raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “If you can, show me everything,” he says, crossing his arms and leaning forward.

“ALRIGHT!” I respond enthusiastically, accepting the challenge.

Thus, I reach for the carrots first.

Now, how do I hold the knife?

I grip the knife properly—fingers wrapped securely around the handle, my index finger resting along the side of the blade for balance and precision. My thumb presses against the opposite side, ensuring control. This grip gives me both stability and finesse.

I place the carrot on the cutting board, holding it steady with my free hand, fingers curled inward for safety. The blade rests lightly against the vegetable, and I’m ready to go.

Prepcookknifeskill, first technique—BRUNOISE!

Pap! Pap! Pap!

I cut off the rounded sides, squaring the carrot so it’s stable and won’t roll. Now, there’s no wobble—it’s perfectly flat.

Then, Shhhhck! Shhhhck! Shhhhck! I slice the carrot into thin, even sticks

Next, I line the sticks up neatly and start dicing—Pap! Pap! Pap!—creating small, uniform cubes no bigger than 1-2 millimeters. The tiny orange cubes fall in a perfect pile, each identical to the last.

I glance at Gordon—his eyes widen slightly. There’s a glimmer of acknowledgment in his expression.

A smirk tugs at my lips.

But I’m just getting started!

Prepcookknifeskill, second technique—SMALL DICE!

Pap! Pap! Pap! The knife moves faster, but still controlled. I dice the next carrot into slightly larger cubes, just as precise.

Third technique—JULIENNE!

Shhhhck! Shhhhck! I cut the carrot into long, thin matchstick-like slices, each one consistent in size.

Fourth technique—BATONNETTE!

Pap! Pap! The thicker, rectangular sticks are done in moments.

I’m in my zone now, the rhythm of the knife flowing effortlessly as I work. My movements are swift but exact, the blade slicing through the vegetables with machine-like precision.

In just one minute, I’ve finished all the carrots.

Another minute passes, and I’ve already tackled the potatoes!

Haha!

I grin. Somehow, I’ve never feeling so good like this before.

For some reason, this is fun!

I’m absolutely destroying this test!

——————————————-

Less than five minutes later…

“FINISHED!!!” I exclaim, putting the knife down, proudly eyeing the majestic piles of perfectly diced and sliced vegetables in front of me. The time limit is 10 minutes, but it only took me half of that.

Oh boy… I haven’t been in a kitchen in a couple of years… but it looks like I’ve still got it!

But as I turn to look at everyone standing around me…

Eh???

Eris is frozen.

Lilly is frozen.

Even Gordon is frozen.

It’s like they’ve just witnessed something terrifying.

“Ehhh…” I stammer, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. “H-how did I do? Did I meet your qualifications?”

“Y-yeahhh…” Lilly finally says, her voice shaky. “I-I think you didn’t just meet the qualifications—you crushed them…”

“WOW!” Eris then yells loudly. “What the heck was that, Felicia? That was amazing!!!”

Hearing that, my cheeks flush with warmth, the praise sending a wave of pride through me. A shy smile forms on my lips.

But…

The final say belongs to Gordon.

He still hasn’t said anything.

“Ermmm… Mr. Gordon?” I ask.

For some reason, he’s still standing there, frozen in place.

But then, suddenly—

“LILLY! GET THE PAPERWORK!!!” the inn owner roars, his booming voice shaking the room!

“Y-YES, FATHER!!!” Lilly squeaks, immediately rushing toward another room in the back.

“Eh? Does that mean….” I

“Yes! You are hired!!!” Gordon declares with a grin.

“YEAAAAAAAHHHH!!” I jump for joy, shout with excitement.

Eris leaps up with me, just as excited. “Congratulations, Felicia!” she grins, her eyes sparkling.

“Thanks!” I beam back at her, my heart swelling with joy.

Ahhhh… I’m feeling so happy right now.

Getting a job on my first day reincarnated as a catgirl?

Am I not awesome???

HECK YEAH!!!