Qualification Before the Fire

The first chef selection competition began more quietly than I expected.

The nobles who had come to watch sat in the viewing area prepared behind the annex of Marquis Reinfeld's estate.

Count Kleber, the Marchioness Reinfeld, several counts and barons, and even a representative of the Rosenhart family were there.

It wasn't a large crowd, but that was actually more troublesome. The fewer people there were, the sharper their gazes became.

There were six applicants.

Two came from inns in the capital, one from a restaurant run by a southern merchant guild, one was a noble household's assistant chef, one came from a village restaurant, and one was a wandering chef.

They all looked nervous.

With me in front of them, nobles behind them, and magitech recording equipment running beside them, it would have been strange not to be nervous.

If someone wasn't nervous in this situation, they were either a veteran among veterans who had seen absolutely everything or simply a crazy bastard.

The former had no reason to come to our kitchen, and I didn't want to work with the latter...