Imperial Ingredient Storehouse

Entering the imperial ingredient storehouse involved more procedures than I had expected.

First, they verified my identity three times.

Then two imperial agents accompanied us, stamped seals on our permits, and separately explained which areas we could use and which were off-limits.

Finally, they politely informed us that touching the ingredients without permission or secretly taking any could result in punishment equivalent to treason.

Because the food would be eaten by the emperor.

I nodded right there.

“I have no intention of doing that.”

No ingredient, however good, is worth more than my life.

No, there might be ingredients somewhere in the world expensive enough to be worth a life, but at least none I would steal while knowingly taking on a charge of treason.

But the imperial chef had an entirely different expression...