"That sounds good, but isn't it a little overkill just for a beer-brewing machine?" Mag raised an eyebrow with a skeptical expression.
"Please do not doubt the system's decision-making skills!" The system's serious voice sounded.
"Alright, alright." Mag rolled his eyes before asking, "If beer-brewing is so simple, then would I still have to practice it in the test field for the God of Cookery?"
"The beer-brewing method is quite simple, but the proportions of the ingredients used must be regulated by you. There are also certain storage methods to use after the beer has been brewed, so you'll have to work hard to create the most perfect beer. As such, it should still be practiced in the test field for the God of Cookery," the system replied.
Mag contemplated momentarily before arriving at a decision. "Brewing beer in the kitchen would just be a waste of space. Your beer-brewing machine may not be as big as a full-sized industrial one, but it's still about as big as a fridge. Why don't we put it in that spare room on the third floor? That will be wine cellar from now on."
"Alright. Would you like to enter the test field for the God of Cookery now?" the system asked.
"Let me have a look at the beef kebab experience bag first so I can decide whether I want to work on both of them at once tonight," Mag replied as he opened the other shiny golden experience bag in his mind.
Experience and techniques related to cooking beef kebabs flooded into his mind, creating a stark contrast with the simple beer-brewing method, and catching Mag completely off guard with the massive influx of information. Only after about two minutes did he manage to return to his senses.
"Wow, I didn't think a beef kebab recipe would be so complex. I feel like this is the biggest challenge I've ever faced." Mag shook his dizzy head with a surprised expression.
The kebab appeared to be a simple food item to produce, but everything involved in marinating the beef, skewering the meat, moderating the flames and heat, the timing when applying condiments... all of those factors required extremely precise and stringent control.
Extreme proficiency in roasting meat was required of a chef if they wanted to cook a perfect kebab. They had to perfect every single step in the process, and it was clearly a level of skill that an average streetside vendor could never hope to reach.
I'll start with beer-brewing today, then use the remaining time to consolidate my newfound strength. I'll focus on optimizing the training in my sword forms and learn to cook kebabs tomorrow. Mag made up his mind after a brief period of contemplation.
Cooking kebabs was a whole new test for him. Very little of the cooking experience that he had accrued thus far was applicable here, and he didn't how much time and effort he would need to expend to master this new dish. In his past life, he had had kebabs countless times, so he had surely given a lot of criticisms toward the dish. He feared to imagine what kind of insane demands he had stated when it came to his image of the ideal kebab. If he were to be trapped in the test field for the God of Cookery for an entire night just to work on making kebabs, it would be quite a waste.
After taking a quick shower, Mag put on his pajamas before tucking the corners of Amy's blanket more firmly around her. A smile appeared on his face as he looked at her adorable sleeping face, and he retired to his own bed. He closed his eyes before entering the test field for the God of Cookery with his consciousness.
A white light flashed, and he arrived in a small room. This time, the venue was not a kitchen. Instead, it was that spare room on the third floor. To the left, a silver metallic contraption that was taller than a grown man was positioned against the wall. All types of metal tubes and funnels were attached to the contraption, giving it a very high-end, cutting-edge feel.
Beside the beer-brewing machine, there were a few wooden barrels containing malt, hops, and yeast. Beside those barrels were a few more wooden barrels, but those were empty, and were most likely designated for the beer that was to be produced.
Using such cutting-edge technology to produce a beer-brewing machine is a horrendous waste. Mag strode over and began to inspect the high-tech beer-brewing machine. As a man who was well-versed in mechanics, he had a lot of insight to offer on this subject. Furthermore, he had visited Germany's Erdinger Brewery in his past life, so he also had some knowledge about beer-brewing.
"System, can this machine produce beer that's as good as Erdinger Brewery's?" Mag asked internally. The Erdinger Brewery was the frontrunner when it came to beer-brewing in Germany, with a status that was akin to that of Tsingtao Beer in China. It wasn't an extremely high-end brand, but they produced a few beers that Mag thoroughly enjoyed.
He wasn't a fan of premium beer like Budweiser and Carlsberg. Instead, he preferred draft beer like Snow Beer and Tsingtao Beer. Those types of beer with a few ice cubes were Mag's image of the ideal summer beverage.
"Please do not compare beer produced by the system to other inferior products. The cutting-edge technology utilized in creating this machine ensures perfection in every single facet. Furthermore, aside from that, the system has also carefully sourced ingredients from all over the Norland Continent.
"The barley planted in the Northwestern plains of the Twilight Forest receive over 16 hours of sun exposure per day, allowing the crops to accumulate incomparable sugar content. Only the best of those crops were chosen for cross-breeding to produce the perfect barley.
"The hops were planted in the Merlo River region, and went through several generations of selective breeding to create the ideal crop. The hops have a really outstanding aroma, and produce an abundance of bubbles; they can truly be referred to as a supreme breed of hops.
"The yeast was produced after combining many types of different yeasts. Countless experiments were conducted to create the perfect combination, allowing it to drastically shorten the brewing period and also give the beer a superior taste."
The system's voice was very smug as it launched into a detailed introduction, and it sounded as if it were begging Mag to praise it. "That's alright." Mag nodded in response.
"That's all you have to say?" The system was in disbelief.
It was unwilling to accept such a blasé answer, and continued, "Such a superb beer-brewing machine, such high-end beer-brewing ingredients, so much hard work and dedication..."
"That really is quite alright." Mag nodded earnestly.
"Would it kill you to pay the system a compliment?! So much time and effort were expended to produce the perfect beer, and all of you have to say is... 'that's alright'?!" the system roared with indignation.
"Then... Woah, not bad." Mag nodded with a smile.
"Not bad? Not bad my a*s!" The system's enraged voice sounded as an angry emoji floated through Mag's mind.
Mag did his best to suppress his laughter. As expected, irking the system was always a pleasant experience. It was quickly becoming his favorite pastime.
"System, you're going to charge for those ingredients, right?" Mag asked.
"Of course!" the system snapped in reply. It was clearly still very angry at Mag's reaction, or lack thereof.
"If you're selling it to me, then don't expect compliments. You're getting paid for your efforts, so your products should always be the best." Mag pursed his lips in response.