Investing In My Crippled Wife Every Return Makes Me Stronger Chapter 261

[ … words ]

The exam started, and time passed.

Soren cooked while the examiners, Ethea and Doran, observed him work. The examiners whispered to each other from time to time, discussing his technique and the process itself.

Ethea could hear their conversation and managed to pick up a few things related to grading magic chefs and meals.

She heard about five ranks for chefs, starting from Apprentice Magic Chef to Junior, then Expert, then Senior, and Master Magic Chef. As for meal grades, they started with Common, then Fine, Superior, Exquisite, and finally Masterwork. Though Ethea preferred to call it by numbers.

And right now, Soren was taking an Expert Magic Chef’s exam, so he must be able to prepare at least three Superior Grade meals. From what she heard, a Superior Meal was required to reach perfect integration of the ingredients and mana while bringing out their full potential.

She didn’t understand other parts since she didn’t know much about cooking, but looking at their expressions, it was obvious Soren was doing a good job.

“Don’t worry, he is gonna pass it easily.”

“?” Hearing the sudden remark, Ethea looked to her right. It was Doran who spoke, staring at Soren intensely.

“I am sure about it now.”

“…I know,” Ethea replied, feeling a little happy. “…You must be a chef too, right?”

“Oh,” Doran’s eyes lit up as he turned to Ethea. “Was it that obvious?”

“…Yes.” Ethea barely stopped her lips from twitching as she didn’t expect him to react like that. However, since the man had initiated the conversation, she decided to fish for some information. “Mr. Doran, are you a Master Chef?”

“Huh? You think I’m a Master?” Doran’s smile widened even further. “I’m flattered, but no. I’m a Senior Magic Chef. Have been stuck at it for nearly a decade now.” He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. “The jump from Senior to a Master is… well, let’s say it’s not something most chefs ever manage in their lives.”

“I see… But I think you will be able to achieve it.” Ethea replied. “It’s obvious how much you love cooking. Anyone who watches you talk about it can tell.”

Doran blinked, then let out a genuine laugh. “You know, most people just tell me I talk too much. But thank you, Mrs. Everly. That means more than you know.” He turned his gaze back toward Soren, who was deep in focus at his station. “Your husband has that same passion. I could see it the moment he started cooking yesterday. That’s why I’m sure he’ll pass.”

“Then… what do you think about his chances at the tournament? Do you think he can win it?”

“Hmm… While he certainly has talent and passion for cooking, I don’t think he’s at that level yet. However, I don’t know much about him or his real capabilities, so it’s hard to tell. Perhaps there is a chance for him to rise as a dark horse and make a name for himself, but winning… It will be extremely difficult.”

“Why do you think so?” Ethea continued to probe.

“…” Doran paused, sensing something was wrong. But thinking she might be just curious because of her husband, he answered. “Well, there are a few reasons for it. First, I don’t know whether he participated in other contests before, but this will be a big one, with countless eyes watching him work. It might put pressure on him and mess with his concentration. Cooking around a few people is one thing, but doing it with a massive audience, judges, and competitors all around you is a completely different experience. Trust me, I’ve been there myself.”

Ethea nodded in understanding. While she hadn’t experienced it herself, she still knew how nerve-wracking it could be to perform with so many eyes watching, especially for someone who had never done it before. But at the same time, she had watched Soren face far worse than a crowd of strangers. If he could keep his head calm while fighting for his life, then cooking in front of an audience shouldn’t break him either.

“Furthermore,” Doran added, “his opponents are a force to be reckoned with. Especially the strongest candidate for this year’s championship.”

“Are they that good?”

“Mm, there are five Experts, two Seniors among them. One of the Seniors is the apprentice of the famous Grandmaster Chef Tamimi, and the other is a guest from another nation. Everyone knows about Grandmaster Tamimi’s disciple, and he is the favorite, but the other Senior is almost unknown. No one seems to know much about him, just that he arrived in the empire a few weeks ago and hasn’t participated in any public competitions before this one.”

’…Is this information public or…?’ Ethea squinted briefly at Doran’s words and guessed it was probably something he had dug up himself. As the president of the Association’s Bagdad branch, he would have access to the participant lists and background checks long before the tournament began. Still, sharing it so freely with her felt less like an official briefing and more like gossip between two spectators. She decided not to comment on it and simply filed the information away for later. ’But with this, there’s a high chance for Soren to reach the semi-finals.’

“And last but not least, there are the wild cards.” Doran rubbed his chin. “Every year there are a few contestants that come out of nowhere and surprise everyone. However, there is a high chance your husband could be one of them. He has a natural instinct for balancing flavors, and his mana control is better than most chefs I have seen at his age. If he can keep his nerve, he can go further than anyone expects.”

“I hope he wins and surprises everyone,” said Ethea. “But above all, I want him to enjoy himself.”

“…” Doran glanced at Ethea, his lips curling up. “He’s really lucky to have a supportive partner like you.”

Ethea shook her head. “I’m the lucky one.”

“…” Doran smiled and said nothing more, turning his focus back to Soren, who was already close to finishing his first dish. His expression flickered for just a moment, a brief shadow passing over his features before he masked it with his signature smile. ’…Must be nice, having someone who believes in you that much.’