Wow!! It’s a Showdown! A Showdown!

To the east, bordering the Pirel Forest, lay the kingdom of Nevant. Unlike the flashy, ornate Empire, most people here possessed black hair and black eyes. This nation, with its distinct Eastern aesthetic, had been collaborating with the Empire for decades to hold back the Magi.

In the heart of the royal castle, a man sat upon a chair draped in mother-of-pearl. He was the King of Nevant. Though he was not old, his eyes were sharp—and right now, they were sharper than ever.

“Say that again.” His voice rumbled, heavy and deep.

“The Empire... has discovered the protagonist of the oracle?”

At the King’s words, the courtier kneeling before him bowed his head low. “Yes. Information has reached us that they are currently assembling an elite knight order to head toward the Pirel Forest.”

The King said nothing. Instead, he gripped the armrests of his chair until his knuckles turned white. A moment later, he exhaled a short, sigh-filled breath.

“And that... is a dragon?”

“Yes. The rumors say it is a dragon egg.”

The King’s face hardened. As soon as those words echoed through the room, the courtiers began to murmur in unison. One official shouted, his voice filled with indignation.

“Our kingdom also shares a border with the Pirel Forest! Do they think what happens in that forest has nothing to do with us!”

Another official rolled up his sleeves and spat out, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠“If the protagonist of the oracle was in that forest, it is something we should have known about as well! Moving unilaterally is no different from breaking our agreement!”

The eldest courtier raised his voice. “Indeed! What will happen if the Empire monopolizes the protagonist of the oracle!”

The other courtiers nodded in agreement. “The moment the Empire gets its hands on the power to block the Magi, we will be forced to walk on eggshells around them! We are already losing ground in diplomacy as it is!”

“And it’s a dragon, at that! A dragon!”

“If the Empire gains the strongest existence in the world, that power could soon be turned against us!”

“It means the relationship we have spent decades painstakingly maintaining could crumble in an instant!”

The room was a cacophony of noise. The King sat quietly, listening to the din, his expression frozen in a rigid mask. Everything they said was true. Once the Empire found the protagonist of the oracle, their already stiff necks would only grow stiffer. Just thinking about them running wild, emboldened by the protagonist, made his blood pressure rise.

The King slowly opened his mouth. “Muran.”

“Meiran.”

As the courtiers carefully cleared a path, a man and a woman stepped forward. Black hair, deep black eyes, dark skin, and slightly upturned eyes. The two looked strikingly alike.

“Yes.”

“Did you call for us?”

The two bowed to the King in unison, their movements perfectly mirrored, like a reflection in a mirror. They were Prince Muran and Princess Meiran of the Nevant Kingdom. Their nickname was the Blood Twins. The name came not just from their being twins, but from their peerless martial prowess and merciless conduct.

Muran, the greatest spearman in Nevant. Meiran, said to have the kingdom’s finest mastery over poisons. Rumor had it that there was no opponent who could defeat them if they both took the field.

The King spoke quietly and succinctly. “Go to the Empire.”

The two raised their heads.

“Stop them from monopolizing the protagonist of the oracle.”

Muran and Meiran spoke at the same time. “We shall carry out your command.”

The corners of their mouths curled upward. Very, very coldly.

As soon as I opened my eyes in the morning, I checked the tip of my branch. It was now almost the size of a fist, hanging there in a very sturdy, plump state. Just looking at it made me feel its weight.

‘The fruit is coming along well.’

I immediately opened my status window.

‘My Divine Power went up again.’

It had been rising steadily, perhaps because the residents’ faith was growing. My Magi and Spirit Power were also generally stable. Just as I was about to close the window,

“Kuuung!”

“Kieeee!”

I could feel the surroundings were bustling. ‘Hmm?’ Come to think of it, it had been noisy since the morning... What was going on?

I immediately focused my vision to see.

“Kuuung!! Kuuuuung!”

“Kiet! Kieeeet!”

The Totori tribe and the goblin tribe were glaring at each ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠other.

‘Are they fighting?’

There hadn’t been any such atmosphere until now. Should I break it up? But wait—Rin, Genie, Khan, and even Hylen were watching the situation with great interest.

‘Judging by the mood, it doesn’t look like a fight...’

As I wondered, the spirits flew over to tell me.

-The Totoris and the goblins are competing!

-A cooking competition!

-Whoever does better gets to help the elves with the cooking!

‘Cooking?’

Until now, the elves had handled all the cooking. But as the number of residents gradually increased, the elves were finding it difficult to cook for everyone. It seemed they had started a competition to find residents to help them.

Just then, Tori shouted at the goblins.

“Kuuung!”

It felt like he was saying, “It’s a showdown!”

The goblin nodded with a serious expression. “Kiet!”

The spirits’ eyes sparkled.

-Wow!! It’s a showdown! A showdown!

-The ones who make it tastier win!

-This is going to be fun!

They laughed and giggled, flying between the Totoris and the goblins. “Wow! Looks fun!” Riri, watching from the side, had her cheeks flushed pink as she watched with excitement. Of course, I felt the same way.

‘Oh, a showdown...’

Sounds fun, right? It was a shame I couldn’t taste the food, but just watching it seemed entertaining enough. And so, everyone began preparing for the Totori vs. Goblin cooking battle.

First, two large tables were placed side-by-side in the wide open space. Next to the tables, a fire created by the fire spirits blazed brightly, and bowls and cooking utensils made by the elves from my branches were prepared. There were three judges: Rin, Genie, and Hylen.

Then, Rin shouted.

-Alright, alright! Then, contestants for the showdown, step forward!

From the Totoris, Tori stepped out. “Kuuung!” He puffed out his chest and waddled forward, looking very triumphant.

-And the goblins?

At Rin’s words, someone slowly emerged from among the goblins. “It is I.”

It was Khan. Tori protested with a surprised look. “Kuuung! Kuuuung!”

Rin looked at Khan as if he were absurd. -No! Someone from the goblins should come out! Why are you here!

Khan said with a very serious expression, “I, too, am a goblin.”

Rin let out a dry laugh, as if she had nothing to say to that. ‘Well... I suppose that’s true.’ He was the Goblin King, the strongest of them all, after all.

-Ugh... Fine, but you’re banned from using one frying pan!

Rin held up a pan. Khan chuckled and said, “Hmph. Do as you wish. Victory will be mine regardless.”

“Kuuuuuung!!!” Tori steeled his resolve, as if to say he wouldn’t lose. Khan looked down at Tori slowly and said, “Give it a try. But it won’t be easy.”

Provoked by Khan, Tori glared at him. Crackle! It felt like sparks were flying between them.

Then, Genie said cautiously, -Stop it now... Let’s prepare...

At those words, Tori and Khan stood before their workstations.

-Then... now...

Genie slowly uttered the words.

-Staaart!

The cooking competition had begun.

Tori picked up a corn cob first, and then—Fwip-fwip-fwip!—his fingers moved rapidly. It was an incredible speed, almost impossible to see. Looking closely, he was plucking the kernels off one by one with those tiny hands. It was a task where accuracy, delicacy, and speed were vital, and Tori was performing it perfectly.

The spirits watching were amazed.

-Wow!

-So fast!

-I can’t even see his hands!

The Totoris jumped up and down, cheering. “Kuuung!” “Kung-kung!” “Kuuuung!”

Seeing this, Khan grabbed five tomatoes at once and just squeezed them hard. Squish. Squish. The tomatoes were completely crushed, and red juice poured into the bowl. The goblins whistled and cheered at the sight. “Kieeee!” “Kieeeet!” “Kiet!”

Tori, as if to say he wouldn’t be outdone, had sparks flying in his eyes and picked up a knife. It was a knife made from the steel-attribute branch I had dropped. Tori tossed a potato into the air. And then—Fwip-fwip-fwip!—he sliced it in the blink of an eye. As the shredded potato scattered in the air, everyone’s jaws dropped.

-Wow! Tori is good with a knife!

-So cool!

Hylen also muttered with a surprised look, “I didn’t know Tori was so skilled with a knife...”

I didn’t know either. ‘Maybe he should go into cooking?’ While I was thinking that, Tori smirked and looked at Khan. “Kung~” A slight, mocking curl of his lips. It was a provocation. Khan quietly picked up a wooden knife. He stood a carrot upright and swung the blade. Fwip-fwip-fwip-fwip! Carrot fragments flew everywhere in the air. And what remained after Khan stopped was...

“Wow! It’s a tree! Mama tree!”

As Riri shouted loudly, everyone else looked at Khan. It was true. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠He had made a giant tree out of a carrot.

-Eh?!

-Is that even possible?

The spirits shouted in surprise. Clap clap clap! Everyone cheered. “Kieeee!” “Kieeeet!” The triumphant goblins showered him with support.

‘Uh...’ I awkwardly flapped my leaves. ‘That’s not cooking, that’s just a circus show...’

Even while I was thinking that, their war of nerves didn’t end. They kept each other in check while peeling potatoes, had a staring contest over the heat of the fire, and glanced at each other while seasoning, as if to say they were doing better. And how much time had passed? Both of their hands stopped. The cooking was finally finished. Almost at the same time.

Khan crossed his arms ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and said, “Obviously, I win.”

Tori also shouted confidently, “Kung!”

And as I looked at the finished dishes,

‘...’

I couldn’t help but be very, very bewildered.