Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Feast for the Children
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To an 8-year-old boy named Leo, every day at the temple was a monotonous shade of gray.
Gray stone walls, gray floors, and children dressed in gray training uniforms.
Praying, cleaning, eating tasteless porridge, sitting through boring lessons, and praying again...
Dry days devoid of any anticipation or excitement.
To Leo, it all blurred into a hazy gray fog.
"Look at him, all alone again."
"He still hasn't gotten over it, huh? Just ignore him."
That day too, as he trudged alone toward the dining hall.
Sharp mocking jabs from the other children drifted in from behind him.
Or perhaps they were deliberately shouting loud enough for him to hear.
Because to them, Leo was an outsider.
Most of the orphans had been abandoned as infants at the temple's doorstep, unable to even remember their parents' faces.
To them, the temple was home, the priests were parents, and the friends beside them were siblings.
But Leo was different.
Just a few months ago, he had a warm home and parents who loved him.
Until the horrific plague swept through his village.
'Mom...'
The vividness of his memories made the cold reality hit even harder.
The other children, already bonded like brothers, had no intention of letting a newcomer like him into their tight-knit group.
So Leo chose to be alone.
It hurt a lot less that way.
Then one evening during dinner.
As Leo sat blankly in front of his watery soup, the priest who taught the children spoke up in a solemn voice.
"Children, I have good news today."
All eyes turned to him at once.
"In two days, we're all going out together. We've been invited to a royal cooking competition. You'll get to eat all the delicious food you want."
"Really?"
"Wow!"
"Will there be chocolate?"
The dining hall erupted in excitement, nearly shaking the rafters.
The scraping of wooden chairs, the clatter of spoons, and thrilled laughter filled the air, mingling with anticipation.
But Leo, sitting in the corner, just stirred his thin soup with his spoon, his expression apathetic.
'They'll probably just hand out leftovers and pat themselves on the back.'
That was how noble charity events always went.
They'd toss out half-eaten bread or cold meat and boast about their generosity.
Getting his hopes up would only lead to bigger disappointment.
Two days later.
"Alright, pair up in groups of ten for the trip. If anyone from your group goes missing, report it to the adults immediately. Got it?"
"Yes, Father!"
The children buzzed with excitement, as if they were heading out on a picnic.
A few at a time had gone outside the temple before, but this was the first time every single child was going out together.
Amid the hyper kids thrilled for the outing, only Leo shuffled along with a sullen pout.
He had no expectations for the food anyway, and no friends to share the joy with.
But the moment they arrived at the destination.
Even the indifferent Leo gaped in awe at the magnificent sight.
Enormous white tents stood in neat rows, and the air was tickled by rich, oily, sweet aromas wafting from somewhere.
Hundreds of outdoor tables were impeccably set with crisp white tablecloths and gleaming cutlery arranged perfectly.
It felt just like stepping into one of those noble banquets he'd only heard about in stories.
No way this was some handout of scraps.
"Are we eating there?"
"I want meat!"
"I want chocolate! I only had it once, but it was so good."
"As long as they give us a lot. I'm starving..."
The children gulped and took their seats at the tables.
A faint spark of expectation flickered even in Leo's pessimistic heart.
'Are they really going to give us something delicious?'
Thinking it might turn out to be a better day than expected, Leo unwittingly let a faint smile slip onto his face.
Rewinding time a little, one hour before the children arrived.
Inside the competition venue, it was a total cauldron of chaos.
Because Lucius had taken the stage to announce the mission.
"Today's theme is 'Cooking for Children'!"
His voice boomed through the venue.
"Today, you all must serve a meal to over 130 children. Picky, blunt, and fickle judges."
Disbelief flashed across every participant's face.
Children, out of nowhere?
"And this mission is a three-person team battle! Three people drawn by lot form a team and must produce at least 10kg of a single menu item."
Mass cooking wasn't just multiplying a single portion by a few times.
You had to subtly adjust ingredient ratios, ensure even cooking as the volume increased, and distribute seasonings evenly— all tricky tasks.
And one tiny mistake could mean the food burning to the pot bottom or the seasonings charring black. That was why mass cooking was so challenging.
The participants' expressions darkened at the high-difficulty mission.
But the shocking announcements didn't end there.
"Finally, the most important rule!"
With a grave expression, his brother paused dramatically before declaring in a chilling tone.
"Any team whose food is left with 20% or more uneaten by the children will be entirely eliminated!"
"No way!"
"Entire team eliminated? All three?"
"It's not just about doing well myself!"
Screams erupted from the participants here and there.
A simple calculation: 15 teams making 10kg each meant 150kg of food total.
No matter how much the kids ate, they couldn't devour 1kg apiece... so some teams' dishes were bound to go mostly uneaten.
'What do kids like? Sweet stuff? Maybe bake a cake?'
'Gotta make something universally appealing that everyone can eat a ton of.'
As the participants racked their brains, Lucius added one more thing.
"Oh, and before you start cooking, there's something I need to mention upfront."
As the clamor died down, he pointed to the empty judges' table and declared.
"Today, there's no Sir James, no Marquis Frederick, no Princess Yuria! Only 100 children and their honest tastes will decide pass or fail."
A mix of relief and tension sighed through the participants.
They'd dodged the picky gourmets, but facing unpredictable kids was no small burden either.
"However! Since this is food for children, the cooking process must be monitored more strictly than ever. That's why we've brought in a 'special supervisor' today."
At Lucius's gesture, spotlights illuminated the side of the stage.
There sat a middle-aged noble in a crisply starched uniform without a single wrinkle, posture ramrod straight as he scanned the participants.
"The guardian of our kingdom's order, Court Count Del BlackStone!"
Thunderous applause roared from the participants.
Del BlackStone rose from his seat, raising a hand solemnly in acknowledgment.
He looked every inch the epitome of dignified nobility.
But inside, his heart churned like a candle in the wind.
'...How the hell did it come to this?'
Cold sweat trickled down Del's back.
He'd arrived at the venue and followed his son's instructions this way and that, only to suddenly find himself in this position.
All he'd wanted was a delicious meal.
While Del BlackStone was lost in serious anguish, the participants finished drawing lots.
"Ah, we're screwed..."
Most were fine with their teams, but a few shot dissatisfied glares or started power struggles with their new teammates.
Cooks with clashing styles got grouped together, or strong performers were stuck with weak links, leading to grumbles and irritation.
Among them, one team was grinding gears especially badly.
Dave's group, one of the top contenders.
"We're making cookies."
Dave declared firmly to his teammates, arms crossed.
"Kids go crazy for sweets without fail. Cookies are the safest bet."
Jackson, the veteran chef with 30 years of experience, frowned at the arbitrary decision.
"Young master, think realistically. We only have one oven assigned. It's impossible to bake 10kg of cookies in that tiny thing in two hours!"
"It's possible."
"No, physically impossible! When do we even prep the dough? How do we time the baking?"
"My hands are fast, so no problem. Just do as I say."
Caught between the two men's tense standoff, the female participant Emily fidgeted anxiously, stamping her feet.
In the end, unable to break Dave's arrogance, Jackson bit his lip and backed down, starting off in an already uncomfortable atmosphere.
On the other hand, Meylin's team was perfectly harmonious.
"Wow, our team's super strong! You all cook so well! Looking forward to working with you!"
"...The pleasure's mine. That monkfish dish of yours last time was truly impressive."
"Little miss, let's survive this together."
Former Royal Chef Samuel, rising star Meylin.
And the reliable ex-army cook Joel.
They all shook hands, mutually respecting each other's skills. With Meylin's natural charisma lightening the mood, team synergy was already forming.
The other participants watched with eyes full of envy.
With that lineup, advancing to the next round was basically guaranteed.
Assuming no unexpected variables, that is.