Chapter 25

[AUTHOR'S P.O.V]

The following week, Minjoon and Yumi attended a conference meeting in the royal castle with the contestants.

As Angela indicated, the King and Queen planned a meeting to inform the contestants about the program flow and the contents of the first two rounds.

But, thanks to her, they were aware of this ahead of time and were able to rest a day before the event.

Following the conclusion of the meeting, all of the contenders were kindly invited to have a small lunch with the King and Queen. But first, Minjoon went to the restroom to relieve himself, while Yumi went to the dining table.

Minjoon left after doing his quick business. When the chef emerged from the restroom, he was met by another contender immediately outside the door. His arms were crossed as he leaned calmly against the wall.

"Seo Minjoon?" he said.

The chef lifted his brows at the person who had called him. "Yes?" he asked, smiling warmly.

The man in front of him was a few inches shorter than he was. His hair was pitch black with two blond braided strips on both sides in front, and he had cool but lovely hazel eyes, a little nose, and a fair complexion.

His appearance and height would lead you to believe he was a celebrity. He was an extremely attractive man.

"You're Seo Minjoon?" He questioned, deadpan.

"Yes, that's me. Do you need anything?" he inquired.

Instead of a traditional greeting, the man scoffed in disbelief as he stared at Minjoon. "Just because you're part of a band and a hunting group here in this village doesn't make you talented in the cooking category," he said to him.

Minjoon was taken aback by the man's audacious statement. What happened to a simple 'how are you' or 'it's wonderful to meet you'?

He had received a lot of hate comments when he pursued a career as a chef years earlier, but being called an insult to his face was not what he expected. Especially from a stranger you've just met.

"I'm sorry, who might you be?" he said, his brow furrowed in bewilderment.

"Ghuine Shirét, with a silent t. The number one chef in Moses Kingdom," he buffed. "Sorry to burst your bubbles, but I'll be winning this competition."

He then walked away, aggressively nudging Minjoon on the shoulder, and the chef was once again taken aback by the guy's arrogance.

He didn't say anything else and only winced at Ghuine apathetically. He comprehended that the contenders he was with in this meeting were all his rivals, but he wasn't expecting to be treated like that.

He knew he wasn't going to get along with Ghuine right then and there. Not after the way the man treated him.

He returned to the dining room and chose to remain silent about what had occurred. Yumi was shocked that it took him so long to piss when he sat down beside her.

"That sure wasn't just piss," she said.

"It was a long one."

"You must be holding it back then," she replied, then Minjoon snickered in response.

Being reunited with his friend helped to relieve the pressure he was experiencing. He knew he shouldn’t take a stranger's word to heart. He has learned his lesson, and this time he's not going to back down.

After everyone had arrived in the dining room, the mid-afternoon feast began. Everything was going swimmingly, and Minjoon opted not to make eye contact with Ghuine, who was happily seated a few seats away.

However, when the third meal was served, Minjoon made unintentional eye contact with his adversary.

The chef shook his head slowly, trying not to think about it too much. It was better not to reveal how much his adversary's words were affecting him.

Butler Smith announced, "This next meal is made by yours truly, Chef Ghuine Shirét," as the chef who made the dish stood up.

"Please enjoy!" Ghuine remarked as everyone grabbed up their spoons to eat the delectable soup.

Minjoon was hesitant, but he had no other option but to consume what his adversary had prepared and, of course, taste the flavor of his abilities.

With a single slurp of the creamy soup, the taste buds exploded in their mouths. Yumi's brow furrowed in surprise at how exquisite a simple soup can taste.

"This is pretty good," she said, taking another slurp. Minjoon went in for a spoonful of soup after hearing her complimentary comment about the cuisine.

But as soon as he swallowed, his eyes widened in horror. He couldn't believe what he was tasting, and just to make sure he wasn't delusory, he examined the contents of the food.

This soup, as he suspected, was made of seafood. To be more specific, shrimp.

Looking up at Ghuine, he noticed him smirking at his reaction, pleased with what Minjoon had done, and he instantly knew the reason for his rival’s smugness.

He did it on purpose, but how did he know he had a seafood allergy?

As Yumi and the other contestants were enjoying the dish, Minjoon felt sick.

She turned to her companion, expecting the youngster to enjoy the dish, but instead saw him ventilating, which alarmed her.

"Are you okay?" she questioned.

"Shrimp. This soup has shrimp," he remarked, taking deep breaths.

Hearing that, her eyes widened in shock, and she discreetly utilized her 'SCENT' power to discover that he was correct!

The soup was fragrant with shrimp and filled the entire room. This was not looking well.

He became increasingly uncomfortable as time passed, until he could no longer contain his dizziness. Minjoon jerked up from his seat, drawing everyone's attention to him, and swiftly excused himself from the dining room.

Yumi bowed and followed him behind. As soon as the youngster entered the restroom, he began vomiting on the toilet seat. His weakness for shellfish had an immediate effect, and he felt extremely sick.

"Here, let me help," she said as she caressed his back softly, then took her handkerchief and wiped the excess vomit from his lips as the youngster rested his head on her shoulder, completely worn out.

She quickly placed her hand on his tummy and murmured, "Heal." A glow of light appeared on top of it, healing him.

"I don't know if this will do. This is my first time healing someone who ate something they're allergic to."

She knew it wasn't enough to properly heal him, and her magic against his weaknesses was ineffective, but it was the best she could do for him to alleviate his agony.

"It's fine," he answered, his voice trembling. "This will buy me some time before I die," he said, dreadfully chuckling.

She felt sympathy for her friend's suffering, wishing it would transfer to her instead to end his misery. Once she saw Minjoon in this condition, she thought it was best for them both to return home.

Grabbing her phone out of her pocket, she messaged Joseph about what had transpired. To assist the chef as soon as they reach home.

"Is there a problem here?" A voice inquired, and Yumi turned her head to see the king enter the washroom, as concerned as she was.

"Your majesty. Uhm…" she said, unsure of what to say and searching for words to reply.

Minjoon stood up immediately, but he was too weak to stand on his own. Yumi helped him up with his arm on her shoulder.

"Are you okay, Minjoon?" the King inquired when he noticed the boy in a ghastly state. The man stood straight, claiming to be alright despite the fact that every inch of his body was in excruciating pain.

He was ready to respond positively, but Yumi thought otherwise.

"Yes sir—"

"Actually, he isn't." She jumped in. "You see, he's allergic to seafood, and the soup had shrimp in it, your highness."

"Good heavens, why not tell us sooner? We'll call a physician at once!"

"That won't be necessary, your highness. We'll just skip the feast and go back home. I'm sure our zoologist, Joseph, will do something about it, and we also have Angela to help, our herbalist," she quickly added.

"Then please, let me at the very least escort you back home. It will make your excursion back a lot smoother."

"Thank you, your highness; we'll take that offer." Yumi bowed as King Schmmok left to prepare a carriage for them, while she assisted Minjoon in walking to the front gate.

They were on their way back home in a matter of seconds, and Minjoon couldn't help but feel nauseated.

"N-noona, I'm not feeling well," the youngster said in a soft, breathy tone.

"Lay on my lap, Minjoon."

Yumi could feel his body temperature rise as he laid comfortably on her lap. His complexion was turning purplish as he sweated profusely, and he was gradually losing strength.

These could be symptoms of his allergy, and he could die in just seconds.

She laid her hand lightly on top of his tummy and repeatedly chanted a healing spell.

Afterwards, she grabs her handkerchief and transforms it into an ice pack, which she then applies to Minjoon's scorching forehead.

"Hang on, Minjoon. We're almost home," she said softly, trying to comfort the sick boy.

The moment they arrived home, the three elders were waiting for them outside. And as soon as they opened the carriage door to exit, Joseph approached them and assisted Yumi in bringing Minjoon inside the living room.

"His forehead is cold," Seungjae exclaimed when he laid his fingers on the chef's brow.

"I tried to help by putting an ice pack on him, but instead of healing, it made things worse, I’m sorry." Yumi replied as she bowed her head, feeling helpless.

Jiwoo gently strokes her back while giving her a reassuring glance. "You did your best, Noona. Thank you," he said.

Joseph returned seconds later with a bottle of green liquid and knelt near the sick boy. "Here, Minjoon. Drink this," he said as he assisted him in sitting up.

"What's that?" the chef inquired.

"It's medicine to cure you," Joseph said, and the boy chugged the bitter liquid without hesitation.

After drinking, he went back to resting, as he couldn't help but recall what happened between him and Ghuine. Even though he was in pain, the guy's grinning expression as he watched him take a taste of his dish stayed with him.

Minjoon vowed to seek his vengeance by winning this cooking competition and watching Ghuine suffer as he does today.

The pain became terrible for him seconds later, and he eventually passed out from it.

***

Minjoon awoke the following afternoon to find himself still in the living room. When he awoke, the smell of fresh herbs and the sound of muted chatter could be heard.

When he looked around for the others, he found Queen Aurora sitting next to him. Quietly enjoying her afternoon tea alone.

"Your Highness," he said raspily as he sloppily hauled himself up the couch to sit and gave a slight bow.

When the Queen saw the boy awake, she flinched in surprise, and seeing him force himself to sit up because of her made her panic. "No, no, no, please, lay down, I insist. You don't need to be so formal," she replied.

"May I ask what you are doing here, your highness?" he inquired.

"I came here to see how you were doing after hearing from my husband about what had occurred," she responded.

"In addition, my daughter and son wanted to spend time with your hunt-mates." She said, "They're in the backyard, swimming in the pool."

Minjoon shifted to the backyard, where he discovered them having fun. Angela and Heric were also present.

Mr. Smith then approached them with a tray of water and medicine for the chef to consume. He brought them to the Queen, who mixed the herbs into the warm water.

"I sincerely apologize, Minjoon. We had not been aware of your allergy to seafood," the Queen said as she handed him his medicine glass.

"It's no problem, your highness," he said as he gently took the cup from her and took a sip. It tasted just like what he had before passing out the day before.

"The cooking competition is tomorrow; Would you want me to reschedule?" she said.

"That won't be necessary, your highness; I'll be fine by tomorrow, Yumi, and I will not disappoint you," he assured with a comforting grin.

"Very well. I'll be in the kitchen to prepare food. Is chicken porridge good enough?" She inquired.

The boy was startled that the queen would prepare his lunch. Having royalty serve him a supper was something he never expected to experience in his life.

"Yes, your highness, thank you for your assistance," he spluttered.

The queen smiled as she stood up and strolled to the kitchen, Sir Smith trailing behind her.

Minjoon reclined on the couch and noticed his partner, Digger, on his chest, concerned about his health. He smiled sweetly and lovingly petted him.

"I'll be fine, Digger. Thanks for your concern," he replied quietly as his buddy whimpered in response.

The chef spends the remainder of the day resting until the next day, which is the day of the cooking competition.

It was one of the most anticipated events of the day, as well as one of the most nerve-racking events Yumi and Minjoon had ever participated in.

Everyone gathered in the large arena built specifically for this competition. They were able to create a copy of what you'd see in modern times back on Earth with the assistance of Angela and Heric.

The contestants waited near the entrance while the crowd sat on the bleachers. Yumi was terrified to see all of these people watching and the vastness of the arena.

The lights faded to signal the start of the event.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first ever cooking competition here in Houndlet Kingdom!" Angela exclaimed joyfully, receiving an uplifting roar from the audience.

"I am Angela York, your host for this cooking competition. Joining us, we have six paired contestants, but only one lucky and talented pair will go home with the trophy and be the first ever to be deemed chef masters!"

Minjoon and Yumi exchanged glances as the audience yelled once again. They were proud of how their friend was handling the event, but it also made them very nervous.

"For our first pair, our bakery goddesses, please give it up for Taila Lore and Emily White!" Angela exclaimed, receiving applause from the audience.

"For our second pair, our pork masters, please give it up for Key Fain and Star Light!" The audience applauded enthusiastically once more.

"For our third pair, Moses Kingdoms Seafood Master Chefs, please give it up for the Shirét brothers!" Angela said.

After learning what had happened to Minjoon and who had done it, Arkane and Heric refused to cheer for their entry while everyone else did.

Ghuine walked boldly into the kitchen with his younger brother, smiling and waving to the audience.

Yumi and Minjoon were the last of two pairings to be called. Waiting for their turn should not have been such a stressful ordeal, but it was for them. They were feeling the rhythm of their hearts with their palms on their chests as they waited.

"And our final contestant! Our talented hunters and performers, please give it up for Minjoon Seo and Yumi Mizukasa!" Angela ecstatically announced as the audience applauded. They waved to the crowd before proceeding to their allotted kitchen table.

Angela started explaining how their score would be handled once each contender had arrived at their designated table.

Taste, originality, and presentation are the criteria for every dish being served.

Two pairs will be eliminated from the starting lineup of six, leaving just four winners to advance to the second round. Each pair had their own area of specialization, and Minjoon was beginning to feel the pressure of competing against such professionals.

"The main ingredient for this first round is tomatoes," she said, raising her arm as the theme displayed on the flag above the judges, "and you'll have an hour and 30 minutes to prepare and cook!"

"Get Ready, Get Set." Trumpets then sounded: “Start cooking! "

Minjoon and Yumi did the same as the chefs began gathering all of their ingredients for the opening round.

They planned to bake pepperoni pizza for the first course. It may be a popular food on Earth, but it does not exist in this universe.

Yumi made the dough, while Minjoon made the sauce and prepped the toppings. The team's supporters were nervously watching for them, hoping they'd be able to finish the dish on time.

She then lightly greased the pan and let the dough rise for a few minutes before shaping it, amusing the audience with her small performance.

Minjoon then loaded it with tomato sauce, cheese, and garnishes before setting it in the oven to bake.

Only this took them 45 minutes, but don't worry; baking the pizza to perfection only takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Allowing them plenty of time to prepare the two sauces separately in a small bowl to serve with the entrée.

They took the fresh, hot-cooked pizza out of the old oven and sliced it into triangles after waiting. They were both overjoyed to see that their pizza was both visually appealing and delicious.

Everyone in the game was taken aback and stunned to witness something like this. The people from the earth realm, on the other hand, couldn't help but drool as their tummies grumbled in hunger.