"Hugo?" Paul rubbed his eyes to check if he was dreaming.


    Wasn''t he sick? Why was he here? Wait a minute! How was he even here?


    Paul''s eyes widened and he looked at the man as if he was a ghost. "How did you...What... When... Oh my God!"


    His mind was a mess and he didn''t know what he was even saying.


    "Paul, thank you so much. Thank you," Hugo held his palms in his hands and expressed his gratitude, his eyes brimming with tears. Even though he looked sickly and weak, he looked better as if he had inhaled loads and loads of vitamins and sick-relieving pills.


    "Huh?" Paul couldn''t discern what was happening and he looked at him blankly.


    "Your soup is wonderful, magical. I was not able to eat anything for days. Everything tasted bland, like wax. The medicines the healer had prescribed were not working on me. It was all your soup. Your soup healed me."


    Hugo took a breath while his eyes sparkled with tears. "It has to be your soup. Otherwise, I would still be lying in bed and counting my days."


    "No, no...." Paul shook his head, too flummoxed to make sense of anything.


    "I will be eternally indebted to you. Thank you for saving me." Hugo patted Paul''s hand and turned around to look behind him.


    Thankfully, it was still early in the morning, and not many people were on the road. So, no one heard him.


    "Paul, I will not ask you how you did it. But I hope you will remain low until you are capable of handling all dangers."


    "What?" Now, Paul was completely taken aback and he became wary at once. Did he find out something?


    "Shall we talk inside? My words could be..." Hugo looked behind him again and Paul bit his lower lip before he opened the door wide, allowing him to enter.


    Hugo gestured for Paul to move back and once he did, the man closed the door.


    "You must have your own secrets. I will not probe more into how you were able to cure me. But I hope you will remain low-key until you are capable of defending yourself from all danger," Hugo warned him while Paul looked on silently.


    "The people here could be quite evil and I do not want you to fall into any kind of danger."


    "How do you know all of this?" Paul narrowed his eyes and observed him, studying him carefully as if he were seeing through his soul.


    "I happened to meet someone who did not seem like a human once. So, I know there are forces that are beyond my imagination."


    "Where did you meet them?"This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "In the capital. You might find quite a few of their kind in the capital. In the towns and the villages, no. But in the capital, you will come across a lot of powerful and capable people."


    "Why do you feel it was my soup that cured you? It might be the medicine you took."


    Hugo smiled and shook his head. "I know my condition, Paul. Do you think it would have been possible for me to stand on my feet when I could not even move the night before if it was just some measly medicines?


    "Your soup did not taste how it usually does," Hugo continued. "It tasted different, like a miracle."


    Paul remained silent as he tried to analyze him.


    "I mean you no harm, Paul. All I wish for is for you to be safe. Just be cautious of the people around you. You are the first person I know in our village and maybe in all the villages nearby who might not be a normal human," Hugo cautioned him and Paul nodded once he was sure the man wasn''t of any threat to him.


    "Lily is waiting for me. I need to return home. Although I have recovered, I am still weak," Hugo stated and took his leave and Paul closed the door after him before leaning against it.


    "What is happening? How did Hugo recover this soon?"


    [Host, I think it was your mana essence. It healed him this quickly]


    Paul was tongue-tied. Was something so bizarre possible?


    [Host, I forgot to tell you something]


    "Oh, what is it?" Paul rubbed his face, still unable to believe how quickly the man had recovered.


    [All the recipes you create will have different effects on you and other people]


    Paul sprang to his feet instantly, his eyes rounding in shock.


    "Why didn''t you tell me sooner?"


    [Umm...I forgot]


    "So, you mean to say the recipes I create will have varying effects on different people?"


    [More or less. The effects may be the same when it comes to all people but will be vastly different if we compare the people and you, Host]


    Paul sighed defeatedly and leaned forward, his shoulders dropping tiredly. "What do I do now? Should I continue following your recipes or..."


    The system went silent for a moment and Paul bit his lip while he too thought of a solution. Following the recipe would only push him to the limelight sooner and he wasn''t prepared to face the world in his current circumstances. He was far from capable and would be squashed to death by evil hands before he even adapted to the world he was in.


    [Host, here is a solution. You can dilute the mana essence when you are cooking for somebody else]


    "Will that work?"


    [Yes, Host. It will. You will have to dilute your mana with clear, pure spring water. I am not sure of the ratio though]


    "Fine, I''ll give it a try. Now, my priority is to find SilverRoot Spade."


    [Why don''t you ask Hugo, Host? He seems to have some knowledge. Maybe he can guide you]


    Paul too had the same thought. Among the people he knew, Hugo seemed to be the only one who had some knowledge about people who possessed magical abilities. Maybe he could help him with his mission.


    Paul didn''t waste time dilly-dallying. After freshening up, he retraced the same path he had taken the previous evening.


    It was Hugo who opened the door for him. Lily was nowhere in sight.


    "Paul, what''s the matter?"


    "I have something to ask you."


    Hugo realized the matter was important. Paul''s serious expression said it all.


    "Do you know any blacksmith?"


    Paul had an inkling that Hugo wouldn''t know much about SilverRoot Spade. So, he didn''t even bring it up.


    "Blacksmith? Yeah, I do know someone. Why do you ask? Do you want to get something forged?"


    "Yes. But it is not the kind you are thinking. It is not a normal tool. I need..." Paul hesitated. But Hugo was quick to understand and his lips parted in realization.


    "I may know someone."


    Paul''s eyes lit up instantly and he looked at him expectantly.


    "But it has been a long time since I met him. I do not know if he is still living in the same place I previously found him."


    "Not a problem. You can give me the address. I''ll look for him."


    "Sure. But be careful. He could be quite eccentric," Hugo cautioned.


    "I''ll be careful." Paul didn''t care how whimsical the man was. If he was willing to help, he didn''t mind enduring his temper tantrums.