Chapter 18 ： Accident

"If you really want to learn how to cook, it would be best to find a mentor. Of course, finding one is difficult. After all, not many chefs are willing to take on apprentices," Larkin said earnestly, wiping his mouth.

"If you truly want to know… there is another way," Rufus glanced at Perry, hesitating as though unsure whether to continue.

A glimmer of hope flashed in Perry's eyes. He leaned forward eagerly, "What way? Tell me! Is there an easier way? I really need to start cooking without breaking any laws."

Rufus paused, then finally said, "There's the Underground Kitchen. It's kind of a gray area, and they specialize in handling magical ingredients."

"Underground Kitchen?" Perry furrowed his brows in curiosity, unfamiliar with the term. "What's that place?"

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure." Rufus shrugged. "I overheard Arno talking about it once. If you're interested, you could ask him. He might know more."

"Arno, huh? Got it." Perry made a mental note to look for Arno when he returned to the village. There was clearly more to this underground world than he had imagined.

At that moment, Rufus stood up, brushing the dirt off his clothes, and began packing up his knives. "We've rested enough. Before the rain hits, let's check out that cliff I found."

Perry quickly followed suit, shaking off the dust from his clothes. He tried to communicate with the system in his head, but it still couldn't provide much useful information about the Underground Kitchen. Perry felt a twinge of disappointment at not learning more.

He glanced up at the sky, now covered in dark clouds that blocked the sun, casting the forest into a dim, foreboding gloom.

"How far is the cliff from here?" Perry asked.

"I've marked the trees with yellow paint. You'll see glowing arrows. Just follow them, and we'll reach the cliff," Rufus pointed to a nearby tree, where a bright, glowing yellow arrow shone on the trunk.

Perry's curiosity piqued. "What did you use to mark that? It looks like it glows."

Rufus smirked proudly and pulled out a small, wiggling yellow worm from his pocket, holding it up for Perry to see. "It's a glowworm. I caught a bunch. Want one?"

Perry instinctively took a step back, wrinkling his nose in mild disgust. "No, thanks."

Toto, on the other hand, was thrilled, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the glowing worms. "Whoa, glowworms! Where did you catch them?"

Rufus chuckled and handed a few to Toto, and the two of them excitedly began talking about worms, while Larkin kept his distance, clearly uncomfortable with the squirming creatures.

As the sky darkened further, Perry's unease grew. The thick, swirling clouds were a sure sign that a storm was coming. Fortunately, the glowing arrows marked their path through the increasingly dark forest.

"We should hurry," Rufus urged, a sense of urgency creeping into his voice. "The rain's going to get heavy soon."

"Right," Perry nodded, and the group quickened their pace, following the glowing arrows toward the cliff.

After about fifteen minutes of walking, Perry suddenly noticed something darting quickly through the tall grass. He squinted, trying to get a better look, but whatever it was, it moved too fast, appearing only as fleeting shadows.

"Looks like something's running," Larkin observed. "Why are they all rushing ahead?"

"Be careful, we're close to the cliff," Rufus warned, slowing his pace but keeping a sharp eye out for any dangers.

Suddenly, a soft rustling came from the bushes, and a creature with cat-like ears and a mushroom cap popped out from the undergrowth—it was the mushcat they had been talking about earlier.

"There it is!" Toto shouted excitedly, lunging forward in an attempt to grab the little yellow mushcat. But the nimble creature easily dodged his grasp and quickly scampered off.

"Fast little thing!" Toto exclaimed, frustrated as he slipped and fell, much to Perry's amusement. Even the mushcat seemed to pause for a moment, as if mocking Toto before running off again.

"They're jumping off the cliff!" Perry exclaimed, running ahead to see a group of mushcats leaping down the edge of the cliff. To his surprise, the drop wasn't as steep as he'd feared. Instead, there was a ledge below, with the faint outline of a cave.

"So, that's where they're hiding," Rufus joined Perry, peering over the edge. "But jumping down is risky. There might be more mushcats down there, but it's dangerous."

"Yeah, better to stay up here and wait for them to come out," Perry agreed, thinking it was the safer option.

Just then, the first drops of rain began to fall, tapping against Perry's face. The drizzle soon turned heavier, and the sense of unease in Perry grew. He didn't want to be stuck in the forest during a storm.

Suddenly, a red mushcat darted past Perry's feet. Without thinking, Perry reached down to grab it, but the ground had become slippery from the rain. His foot slid in the mud, and before he could catch himself, he lost his balance.

"Perry!" Larkin's voice cried out in alarm, but it was too late. Perry's body slipped uncontrollably, sending him tumbling down toward the ledge below.