The Cooking Princess - Chapter 64

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Princess Who Cooks

 

Episode 64

 

“That’s not allowed. Rules are rules.”

 

“But the sugar was perfectly fine when we checked before the competition, and now it’s suddenly like this – isn’t that too strange!”

 

“The competition hall has been strictly managed and supervised by the Imperial Court. Are you now claiming that the Imperial Court was negligent in its duties?”

 

“That’s not what I meant, but…”

 

“I’ve repeatedly told you that ingredient management is also part of a participant’s qualifications. Unfortunately, we cannot provide new sugar.”

 

Chloe went to the attendant holding the pitch-black sugar and pleaded, but the attendant coldly refused without batting an eye.

 

“Either complete your cooking without using sugar, or withdraw from the competition.”

 

She couldn’t claim that someone had tampered with her ingredients. Chloe herself knew best that no one had approached her ingredients during the competition.

 

‘I was most careful about this because I expected something like this might happen.’

 

Even while frantically cooking, she always kept the ingredient box within her sight. During breaks, she never let it out of her arms.

 

Moreover, as the attendant said, the Imperial Court was managing the competition hall, so if she claimed something had happened while they weren’t watching.

 

‘It would mean I’m accusing the Imperial Court of being negligent.’

 

If that happened, the Empress would be delighted and persistently attack Chloe for insulting the Imperial Court. She couldn’t take such a risk.

 

In the end, Chloe had no choice but to retreat with the discolored sugar.

 

The other participants looked sympathetic seeing Chloe’s pitch-black sugar, but they offered no particular comfort or help.

 

While it was unfortunate that she had encountered trouble, they were all Chloe’s competitors. They had no reason to help her, and in fact, there was no way they could.

 

This round’s theme was dessert. Everyone was in a situation where they absolutely had to use sugar.

 

Chloe desperately took a small taste of the sugar.

 

‘If the taste is okay, maybe I can use it like brown sugar.’

 

But that hope crumbled like melting snow the moment the sugar touched her tongue.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Far from the sweetness of sugar, she only felt a strong bitter taste that absolutely shouldn’t go into food.

 

What could have suddenly happened to the sugar that had been perfectly fine when she made bread and sweet potato mousse in the second competition?

 

She couldn’t understand why, but in any case, it had become unusable for this competition.

 

A dessert without sugar.

 

‘I can’t even use honey.’

 

There was no honey in the ingredient box. Even though it wasn’t particularly forbidden for ceremonial use, seeing that it wasn’t there, this too might be the Empress’s scheme.

 

She had been completely outmaneuvered. Chloe sighed.

 

Was this kind of result inevitable in the Imperial Palace, which was essentially the Empress’s home ground?

 

Whether Chloe participated in the competition or not, it was a game where the Empress could do as she pleased.

 

Since it was like this anyway, she had wanted to participate and show proper cooking.

 

‘To think I’d lose the opportunity to cook like this.’

 

It felt empty and futile.

 

‘Should I use only fruits for flavoring? Should I try making savory cookies instead? But I can’t completely leave out sweetness. What should I do…’

 

Chloe’s mind raced desperately. But when none of it could be resolved and things only became more complicated.

 

“Um, Duchess.”

 

Chloe, who had been in a panic, was startled by the voice calling her and quickly raised her head.

 

“Chef?”

 

It was Imperial Chef Vance.

 

Vance cautiously offered something to Chloe.

 

“Well, it’s not a generous amount, but… please use this together.”

 

It was half of Vance’s portion of sugar.

 

“…Why this?”

 

When Chloe looked at Vance with eyes asking what he would do if he gave this to her, Vance avoided her gaze as if embarrassed and cleared his throat.

 

“Ahem.”

 

“Why are you helping me?”

 

“…All the ingredients for this competition were prepared by the Imperial Kitchen. Only our kitchen staff could have tampered with the ingredients.”

 

Vance let out a deep sigh as if ashamed.

 

“The final responsibility lies with me for not properly managing my subordinates. I know I should give you everything, but I can’t give up against that guy either… Please forgive me.”

 

Vance’s gaze as he spoke was directed toward Daniel, who wasn’t even looking this way and was turning away.

 

‘The Chef is also trying to stop the Empress in his own way.’

 

If Chloe dropped out here, the strongest candidates for victory would be Vance and Daniel, who had experience making food at the founding festival.

 

As such, Vance would be thinking of doing his best in cooking and receiving good evaluation to prevent Daniel’s victory.

 

‘Of course, since the Chef refused the Empress’s proposal, the Empress must have done something to make the Sous Chef win.’

 

Since the evaluation was done anonymously, Vance would have a chance too.

 

“But then won’t you need sugar too, Chef?”

 

“I may not look it, but I’m someone who has only cooked my whole life. I have methods, so don’t worry.”

 

Vance eventually pressed the sugar into Chloe’s hand and returned to his place. Though she couldn’t be sure, the weight in her hand felt heavy, as if it was more than half.

 

“Since it’s come to this, I absolutely have to win.”

 

Chloe gripped the sugar tightly in her hand and steeled her resolve.

 

The third competition was about to begin.

 

She had to create an overwhelmingly delicious dessert with less sugar than expected.

 

‘I can’t use the menu I originally thought of.’

 

She had originally planned to make crème brûlée, but with this amount of sugar, she couldn’t achieve sufficient flavor.

 

Chloe’s mind began working busily again.

 

But this time, unlike before, it was a lively movement trying to find a breakthrough in a situation with possibilities.

 

***

 

‘Chef, you’re interfering with me until the very end.’

 

Imperial Palace Sous Chef Daniel gritted his teeth watching Vance and Chloe.

 

It was Daniel who had let the Empress’s attendant into the kitchen the day before the competition, following the Empress’s orders.

 

In fact, for someone who had joined hands with the Empress, Daniel knew nothing at all.

 

He didn’t know that the Empress was scheming to check Chloe, didn’t know who Chloe was, and didn’t know exactly what the Empress’s attendant intended to do to the ingredients.

 

Following orders from superiors without question when told. That was Daniel’s virtue. Vance had also viewed this favorably and promoted him to the position of Sous Chef.

 

But Daniel wasn’t satisfied with just that.

 

They said he would become the next Chef when Vance stepped down, but when exactly?

 

Daniel had followed Vance because he was the person who would promote him to Sous Chef, and now he was loyal to the Empress because she would give him the Chef position.

 

So when Vance approached the unfamiliar girl and shared his sugar, he guessed.

 

The problem with that girl’s sugar was the Empress’s will, and Vance was rebelling against it.

 

‘But it’s too late, old man.’

 

Daniel smiled bitterly. If he had given all that sugar away, the girl might have had a chance of winning.

 

However, the Empress had a very thorough personality. She had already made moves to ensure Vance absolutely couldn’t win.

 

Vance, who wouldn’t be able to cook properly, and the girl who had to make dessert with half-portion sugar.

 

Daniel was confident that if he eliminated those two, there would be no one in this competition hall who could beat him. Having made food for the founding festival every other year, it wasn’t baseless confidence.

 

‘I’ll just pretend I saw nothing and only follow Her Majesty the Empress’s will.’

 

“We will begin the final competition!”

 

With the attendant’s shout, the final hour began to pass.

 

Since desserts required a lot of work, the participants’ movements became more hectic than in previous competitions.

 

Right at that moment.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Vance collapsed, clutching his lower abdomen.

 

“Gasp…!”

 

“Are, are you alright?”

 

“Excuse me, someone collapsed here!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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