Bowen received directions to the location of the confectionery competition and, after navigating through numerous corridors and rooms, he finally arrived at a large room adjacent to the manor's kitchen. This room, previously used for storing cooking goods, ingredients, and utensils, had been transformed into the venue for the confectionery competition. It was a spacious hall with high ceilings, adorned with exquisite tapestries depicting scenes of culinary artistry and magical motifs. Long rows of tables were arranged, each with its own designated cooking area, providing ample space for participants to work on their dessert creations.
The cooking areas were equipped with mana stoves, which utilized magical energy to generate intense heat for cooking. These stoves were separate for each participant to ensure fairness and prevent interference or tampering. Each mana stove was powered by an elemental stone, specifically a fire elemental stone, which provided a controlled source of magical fire. These carefully selected and maintained stones emitted flames that danced and flickered with a vibrant orange hue, creating an enchanting atmosphere in the room.
To ensure fair judging and presentation, a separate area was designated for each participant's finished desserts. These display tables were positioned near the cooking areas, allowing participants to showcase their creations with pride. Participants were required to bring their own ingredients, while the manor provided plates and utensils. Alongside the cooking areas, there were dedicated sections for ingredients, tools, and equipment, with shelves lined with jars, boxes, and baskets. Additionally, a wide variety of cooking utensils, pots, pans, molds, and mixing bowls were available for their use.
Bowen entered the room and noticed that all the tables were already occupied, except for the first one. After all, no one wanted to go first. Bowen chose that table, as he didn't mind which one he used. Suddenly, he felt an intense glare coming from his left and turned to see Eega looking at him with complete disdain. Bowen returned the 'humph' that Eega had previously given him to mock her. Eega became even more irritated and eagerly awaited an opportunity to humiliate Bowen.
Soon, it was time for the competition to begin, and the sound of a bell marked the entrance of five people into the room. The first one was the Prince of Starfall himself, accompanied by the female knight who had helped Bowen enter the competition. Count Biron followed, along with someone dressed in butler clothes. Finally, the fifth person appeared to be a magician in a plain white robe, attempting to lower his presence in front of the prince. The tall and portly prince stood majestically in front of the participants. The butler brought a comfortable, large chair for the prince to sit down, and the prince began to speak.
"I see hundreds of participants. I appreciate your confidence, but as a prince, I don't have much time to waste. Anyone who lacks confidence in themselves, leave right now," said the prince. Everyone looked at each other, but no one moved from their positions. "Let me remind you that I am an avid lover of tasty food. I will forgive you even if you try to stab me with a knife, but I cannot tolerate anything unpalatable. I will give you another chance. If you lack confidence in presenting a new and delicious recipe that you have invented yourself, leave now. I will be here to witness your entire process, from start to finish, and if I catch you cheating, you may leave with two or three fewer limbs before you go home," said the prince, instilling fear in the participants.
Suddenly, one of the participants raised his trembling hand and said, "Y-Your Highness... I quit," his voice stammering. Soon, one by one, many others started raising their hands and quickly evacuated the room with the prince's approval. Only around 70 participants remained.
"Good. I hope those remaining will present me with several delicious dishes and surprise me," the prince said. "And for the one who creates the best dessert today, I will reward them with a normal-grade martial skill or a normal-grade beginner magic book."
"Although my reward cannot compare to the prince's, I promise a low-grade mana stone for the best dish," the count added.
The butler chimed in, "And from the Baron's side, we will grant your family a 20-year period of tax exemption once you are acknowledged by the prince and the count."
The participants became incredibly excited upon hearing about the rewards, especially the martial skill and mana stone. Obtaining a martial art skill or a magic skill book was not something easily obtained by spending money. They could only be obtained by becoming a disciple or slave of an awakener, or by joining a clan or school. This was a jackpot opportunity to obtain one with minimal effort. As for the mana stone, every awakener needed it to increase their cultivation speed. Even if they didn't need it themselves, they could sell it and accumulate a significant amount of money. The market value of a low-grade mana stone was 20 large silvers, but with demand, it could potentially rise to 25 large silvers. When compared to the other rewards, the Baron's gift may have seemed small, but considering the high residential and commercial taxes paid by the residents of Aswalt, a coastal business town, it was indeed a valuable reward. Everyone hoped and prayed for their dish to be the best among all.
Bowen, filled with curiosity, was particularly eager to obtain the mana stone as he had never seen or touched one before. He really wanted to try cultivating with a mana stone once.
"It's 10 am now, and you will have to complete your dish by 4 pm. If you have any other doubts, please raise your hand," the prince announced.
No one raised their hand as everyone had already been briefed on the rules and guidelines before giving their names. Bowen, slowly and confidently, raised his hand. It was then that the prince and count noticed a young boy standing on a wooden stool to match the height of the cooking table, participating alongside the adults.
"Are you one of the participants?" asked the count, surprised.
"Yes, I am. Oh, and I have three doubts that I would like you to clarify," said Bowen.
The count and prince were intrigued by the display of confidence from such a young boy.
"Tell me, boy. Is there something you didn't understand?" asked the prince.
"I just want to ask if we could prepare more than one dish?" inquired Bowen.
Gasps, laughter, and murmurs arose from the crowd. The difficulty of the competition made it challenging to create a completely new dessert that had not been discovered in Grimesphere. How could one produce two such new dishes simultaneously, especially with only six hours? In Grimesphere, there was a famous quote regarding cooking: "The more time you have, the tastier the dish you make." Some high-class desserts even required several months to prepare. Given these circumstances, Bowen's question seemed nothing but childish, and coupled with his appearance, it only proved his ignorance.
"Yes, you can. But both of those dishes must be new creations in this world," replied the prince, disregarding Bowen's inexperience.
"Oh! Nice, then I will be presenting three of them," said Bowen, surprising everyone in the room.
"Not two, but three of them?" asked the butler. He added, "Look, it doesn't matter how many you do, boy. If your dessert is half-assed, you won't stand a chance. It's best to focus on one dish," advised the elderly butler.
"Nah, I'm fine," said Bowen casually. His response made the butler think that Bowen didn't take his advice to heart. Even the count was dissatisfied with Bowen's tone, but he didn't intervene as the prince was present.
"What are your other doubts?" asked the prince, not minding the situation much.
"I heard that you will provide the necessary utensils and equipment for the cooking," Bowen began.
"That's true," confirmed the prince.
"I don't see a cooling system here. Can you provide me with one?" asked Bowen. This time, there was loud laughter in the room. Everyone looked at Bowen as if he were mad. "Aren't freshly made desserts hot? Why would he need a cooling system?" was on everyone's mind. In Grimesphere, only large storages used cooling systems for preserving meat for the army. The concept of cold food didn't exist.
Everyone continued to laugh, including the count and the butler. This time, Eega couldn't stay silent. She saw it as the perfect opportunity to shame Bowen. "Hey, apologize to the prince immediately. I already told you not to come without even knowing the basics of desserts. Look at you now, bringing shame to the whole competition. What if you ruin the prince's mood?" Eega loudly scolded Bowen, making sure everyone could hear her.
"What do you mean, not knowing the basics of desserts?" asked the count, curious. Eega recounted everything that happened in front of the Baron's gate. Everyone started teasing and making fun of Bowen, but he didn't care. His eyes were fixed on the prince, waiting for his answer. The prince was known to be a die-hard food fan and a famous food critic who had caused several well-known food establishments to close due to his harsh reviews. Everyone expected Bowen to be punished or, at the very least, thrown out for showing up without even knowing the basics.
"Cold dessert, huh? Interesting!" said the prince, suddenly silencing the room. Eega seemed as though she would have a heart attack at any moment. This was not what she had expected; it was entirely the opposite.
"I cannot get you a cooling system; they are considerably large and only for military use. However, I can provide you with an ice magician to assist you with the cooling method. How does that sound?" asked the prince, surprising everyone once again.
"Okay, a C-rank magician will do," said Bowen, causing the count to cough heavily. Even the prince was taken aback by this request.
"A C-ranker? I cannot provide that," said the prince. "There aren't many C-rankers in the Yuria continent, and they wouldn't come here for such reasons," he explained, not revealing that he himself was a C-rank magician.
"Then let me settle for a D-ranker," Bowen said, sounding disappointed. "Oh, and tell him to bring some mana potions with him. He can't run out of mana in the middle of the process," he added. The count placed his hand on his forehead, astonished by the audacity of a child asking for a high-ranking magician's assistance. He wondered just how respected rankers were, and here Bowen was, requesting one to serve him. Additionally, the count thought about the costliness of mana potions.
The prince also found this request to be excessive but didn't show it on his face. "Count, when is the earliest we can bring a D-rank ice magician here?" asked the prince. Everyone in the room couldn't believe what they were hearing. They didn't understand why the prince was going to such lengths.
"There must be one in the minor kingdom of Toris. It may take at least three hours to bring them," said the count. It meant that the magician could only join the competition in the second half.
The prince looked at Bowen for his opinion. "No problem, just make sure he is in a good state where he can provide magic continuously for an hour or so." Said bowen. The count gave up and immediately ordered his servant to find and bring the ice magician.
"Is there anything else?" asked the prince.
"Yes, yes, the most important of all. What time is our lunch? I cannot work on an empty stomach, you see," said Bowen.
Bowen received directions to the location of the confectionery competition and, after navigating through numerous corridors and rooms, he finally arrived at a large room adjacent to the manor's kitchen. This room, previously used for storing cooking goods, ingredients, and utensils, had been transformed into the venue for the confectionery competition. It was a spacious hall with high ceilings, adorned with exquisite tapestries depicting scenes of culinary artistry and magical motifs. Long rows of tables were arranged, each with its own designated cooking area, providing ample space for participants to work on their dessert creations.
The cooking areas were equipped with mana stoves, which utilized magical energy to generate intense heat for cooking. These stoves were separate for each participant to ensure fairness and prevent interference or tampering. Each mana stove was powered by an elemental stone, specifically a fire elemental stone, which provided a controlled source of magical fire. These carefully selected and maintained stones emitted flames that danced and flickered with a vibrant orange hue, creating an enchanting atmosphere in the room.
To ensure fair judging and presentation, a separate area was designated for each participant's finished desserts. These display tables were positioned near the cooking areas, allowing participants to showcase their creations with pride. Participants were required to bring their own ingredients, while the manor provided plates and utensils. Alongside the cooking areas, there were dedicated sections for ingredients, tools, and equipment, with shelves lined with jars, boxes, and baskets. Additionally, a wide variety of cooking utensils, pots, pans, molds, and mixing bowls were available for their use.
Bowen entered the room and noticed that all the tables were already occupied, except for the first one. After all, no one wanted to go first. Bowen chose that table, as he didn't mind which one he used. Suddenly, he felt an intense glare coming from his left and turned to see Eega looking at him with complete disdain. Bowen returned the 'humph' that Eega had previously given him to mock her. Eega became even more irritated and eagerly awaited an opportunity to humiliate Bowen.
Soon, it was time for the competition to begin, and the sound of a bell marked the entrance of five people into the room. The first one was the Prince of Starfall himself, accompanied by the female knight who had helped Bowen enter the competition. Count Biron followed, along with someone dressed in butler clothes. Finally, the fifth person appeared to be a magician in a plain white robe, attempting to lower his presence in front of the prince. The tall and portly prince stood majestically in front of the participants. The butler brought a comfortable, large chair for the prince to sit down, and the prince began to speak.
"I see hundreds of participants. I appreciate your confidence, but as a prince, I don't have much time to waste. Anyone who lacks confidence in themselves, leave right now," said the prince. Everyone looked at each other, but no one moved from their positions. "Let me remind you that I am an avid lover of tasty food. I will forgive you even if you try to stab me with a knife, but I cannot tolerate anything unpalatable. I will give you another chance. If you lack confidence in presenting a new and delicious recipe that you have invented yourself, leave now. I will be here to witness your entire process, from start to finish, and if I catch you cheating, you may leave with two or three fewer limbs before you go home," said the prince, instilling fear in the participants.
Suddenly, one of the participants raised his trembling hand and said, "Y-Your Highness... I quit," his voice stammering. Soon, one by one, many others started raising their hands and quickly evacuated the room with the prince's approval. Only around 70 participants remained.
"Good. I hope those remaining will present me with several delicious dishes and surprise me," the prince said. "And for the one who creates the best dessert today, I will reward them with a normal-grade martial skill or a normal-grade beginner magic book."
"Although my reward cannot compare to the prince's, I promise a low-grade mana stone for the best dish," the count added.
The butler chimed in, "And from the Baron's side, we will grant your family a 20-year period of tax exemption once you are acknowledged by the prince and the count."
The participants became incredibly excited upon hearing about the rewards, especially the martial skill and mana stone. Obtaining a martial art skill or a magic skill book was not something easily obtained by spending money. They could only be obtained by becoming a disciple or slave of an awakener, or by joining a clan or school. This was a jackpot opportunity to obtain one with minimal effort. As for the mana stone, every awakener needed it to increase their cultivation speed. Even if they didn't need it themselves, they could sell it and accumulate a significant amount of money. The market value of a low-grade mana stone was 20 large silvers, but with demand, it could potentially rise to 25 large silvers. When compared to the other rewards, the Baron's gift may have seemed small, but considering the high residential and commercial taxes paid by the residents of Aswalt, a coastal business town, it was indeed a valuable reward. Everyone hoped and prayed for their dish to be the best among all.
Bowen, filled with curiosity, was particularly eager to obtain the mana stone as he had never seen or touched one before. He really wanted to try cultivating with a mana stone once.
"It's 10 am now, and you will have to complete your dish by 4 pm. If you have any other doubts, please raise your hand," the prince announced.
No one raised their hand as everyone had already been briefed on the rules and guidelines before giving their names. Bowen, slowly and confidently, raised his hand. It was then that the prince and count noticed a young boy standing on a wooden stool to match the height of the cooking table, participating alongside the adults.
"Are you one of the participants?" asked the count, surprised.
"Yes, I am. Oh, and I have three doubts that I would like you to clarify," said Bowen.
The count and prince were intrigued by the display of confidence from such a young boy.
"Tell me, boy. Is there something you didn't understand?" asked the prince.
"I just want to ask if we could prepare more than one dish?" inquired Bowen.
Gasps, laughter, and murmurs arose from the crowd. The difficulty of the competition made it challenging to create a completely new dessert that had not been discovered in Grimesphere. How could one produce two such new dishes simultaneously, especially with only six hours? In Grimesphere, there was a famous quote regarding cooking: "The more time you have, the tastier the dish you make." Some high-class desserts even required several months to prepare. Given these circumstances, Bowen's question seemed nothing but childish, and coupled with his appearance, it only proved his ignorance.
"Yes, you can. But both of those dishes must be new creations in this world," replied the prince, disregarding Bowen's inexperience.
"Oh! Nice, then I will be presenting three of them," said Bowen, surprising everyone in the room.
"Not two, but three of them?" asked the butler. He added, "Look, it doesn't matter how many you do, boy. If your dessert is half-assed, you won't stand a chance. It's best to focus on one dish," advised the elderly butler.
"Nah, I'm fine," said Bowen casually. His response made the butler think that Bowen didn't take his advice to heart. Even the count was dissatisfied with Bowen's tone, but he didn't intervene as the prince was present.
"What are your other doubts?" asked the prince, not minding the situation much.
"I heard that you will provide the necessary utensils and equipment for the cooking," Bowen began.
"That's true," confirmed the prince.
"I don't see a cooling system here. Can you provide me with one?" asked Bowen. This time, there was loud laughter in the room. Everyone looked at Bowen as if he were mad. "Aren't freshly made desserts hot? Why would he need a cooling system?" was on everyone's mind. In Grimesphere, only large storages used cooling systems for preserving meat for the army. The concept of cold food didn't exist.
Everyone continued to laugh, including the count and the butler. This time, Eega couldn't stay silent. She saw it as the perfect opportunity to shame Bowen. "Hey, apologize to the prince immediately. I already told you not to come without even knowing the basics of desserts. Look at you now, bringing shame to the whole competition. What if you ruin the prince's mood?" Eega loudly scolded Bowen, making sure everyone could hear her.
"What do you mean, not knowing the basics of desserts?" asked the count, curious. Eega recounted everything that happened in front of the Baron's gate. Everyone started teasing and making fun of Bowen, but he didn't care. His eyes were fixed on the prince, waiting for his answer. The prince was known to be a die-hard food fan and a famous food critic who had caused several well-known food establishments to close due to his harsh reviews. Everyone expected Bowen to be punished or, at the very least, thrown out for showing up without even knowing the basics.
"Cold dessert, huh? Interesting!" said the prince, suddenly silencing the room. Eega seemed as though she would have a heart attack at any moment. This was not what she had expected; it was entirely the opposite.
"I cannot get you a cooling system; they are considerably large and only for military use. However, I can provide you with an ice magician to assist you with the cooling method. How does that sound?" asked the prince, surprising everyone once again.
"Okay, a C-rank magician will do," said Bowen, causing the count to cough heavily. Even the prince was taken aback by this request.
"A C-ranker? I cannot provide that," said the prince. "There aren't many C-rankers in the Yuria continent, and they wouldn't come here for such reasons," he explained, not revealing that he himself was a C-rank magician.
"Then let me settle for a D-ranker," Bowen said, sounding disappointed. "Oh, and tell him to bring some mana potions with him. He can't run out of mana in the middle of the process," he added. The count placed his hand on his forehead, astonished by the audacity of a child asking for a high-ranking magician's assistance. He wondered just how respected rankers were, and here Bowen was, requesting one to serve him. Additionally, the count thought about the costliness of mana potions.
The prince also found this request to be excessive but didn't show it on his face. "Count, when is the earliest we can bring a D-rank ice magician here?" asked the prince. Everyone in the room couldn't believe what they were hearing. They didn't understand why the prince was going to such lengths.
"There must be one in the minor kingdom of Toris. It may take at least three hours to bring them," said the count. It meant that the magician could only join the competition in the second half.
The prince looked at Bowen for his opinion. "No problem, just make sure he is in a good state where he can provide magic continuously for an hour or so." Said bowen. The count gave up and immediately ordered his servant to find and bring the ice magician.
"Is there anything else?" asked the prince.
"Yes, yes, the most important of all. What time is our lunch? I cannot work on an empty stomach, you see," said Bowen.
