The Cooking Princess - Chapter 98

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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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Chloe’s mouth fell wide open at Shurya’s request for help.

“Wait, are you asking me to take your place right now?”

“Yes. Someone like you could definitely become a focal point for the people. You’ve been doing charity work and donations without discrimination.”

Chloe was dumbfounded by Shurya’s quick answer without any hesitation.

‘So she’s saying she declared herself a fake saint because she had me to rely on.’

In other words, she had influenced Shurya’s decision.

Although Shurya hadn’t said it with that intention, that’s how it sounded to Chloe who knew the original story.

Having thought that far, Chloe could only blink in bewilderment.

Shurya, seemingly just realizing that Chloe might not help her, looked around nervously and asked again.

“You’ll help me… right?”

Chloe immediately answered Shurya’s uncertain question.

“I’ll help you. But I have conditions.”

“Conditions?”

“Yes. From now on, don’t act on your own and talk to me about it. And tell me your ultimate goal too.”

Shurya fell silent at Chloe’s reasonable words.

Worried about potential leaks, she had kept her mouth shut except to the Mage Tower master who really needed to know, but this made it look like she was forcing Chloe to help after acting arbitrarily without informing her.

If she wanted to continue getting Chloe’s cooperation, Shurya needed to start telling Chloe her goals specifically.

‘Since the original story is gone, I need to hear Shurya’s real purpose too.’

Chloe listened to Shurya’s words with subtle tension.

After thinking for a moment, she answered Chloe.

“I want the people of this land to be at peace. I hope they won’t be sacrificed to the selfishness of those in power.”

Even though she was a ‘fake’ saint, her heart was that of a real saint.

“And my goal is for Prince Shuel to become crown prince and ascend to emperor.”

Having said that much, Shurya added her reasoning.

“If Claude becomes emperor, the future of the Luzhiere Empire is obvious. It would be caught up in endless wars.”

Saying this, Shurya continued her explanation more kindly.

She had been gradually changing the temple with her supporters.

Whether that success would allow her to maintain her position even if she couldn’t reach the papal seat, or whether she would escape to the Magic Tower under Eshir’s protection, was still unknown.

Shurya added that whichever way it went, the temple would suffer a major blow.

“If I do become Pope, please prepare the food for the coronation ceremony, Chloe.”

Chloe knew this was Shurya’s declaration of war.

“Please.”

It was a sign that she would somehow become Pope, so please help her.

And there was no way Chloe would refuse the hand extended by the female protagonist.

“What else would I say? We have the same goal, don’t we? Of course I can agree to that. I’ll look forward to you becoming Pope.”

Chloe answered spiritedly while holding both of Shurya’s hands.

Even if Shurya didn’t become Pope, her amazing buff magic would be tremendously helpful when Shuel faced Claude later.

Chloe thought there would realistically be many difficulties for Shurya to become Pope, but she didn’t say anything about it.

However, not long after, Shurya actually succeeded in becoming Pope.

In the conclave held when the existing Pope stepped down, the cardinals designated Shurya.

“Huh?”

***

Though people didn’t seem to know yet, Chloe, who had deployed informants everywhere to put Shuel on the emperor’s throne, obtained the information faster than anyone and felt dizzy.

‘No, does this actually make sense?’

A fake saint actually ascending to the papal seat?

Bewildered, Chloe hosted a salon a few days later and subtly probed the influential nobles.

The gathered opinions were brief but clear.

The previous Pope had been excessively cruel and inhumane, and the temple’s corruption was worse than expected, so people were now serious about papal succession.

Chloe, who obtained information faster than anyone but lacked the ability to compile it and draw conclusions, asked in bewilderment.

“Even… so, wouldn’t there be great burden in putting forward Shurya, who was a fake saint, as Pope?”

When Chloe, who was close to Shurya, rather expressed confusion and doubt, a noble with a somewhat puzzled look said.

“That’s true, but the problem is there’s no alternative besides her.”

“Ah.”

Certainly.

With corrupt papal lines controlling the temple, it was a situation where the old papal forces and new forces were clashing.

And Shurya had subtly spread rumors to the Mage Tower master about being fake, giving strength to the new forces.

The problem was that those new forces had no one capable of replacing the existing Pope.

And Shurya revealed that she had deliberately leaked information to the Mage Tower master, showing repentance for cooperating with the existing forces’ deceptive acts.

Her persuasion that if given another chance, she wanted to become someone who truly helped people rather than being a victim used as a figurehead, apparently worked.

Chloe pressed her dizzy head and thought again.

‘The original story has really gone completely missing.’

But the original Shurya was heartbroken until the very end about deceiving the people, so this would be a better direction for Shurya personally.

Come to think of it, Shurya was a serious criminal who had impersonated a saint who hadn’t properly appeared for hundreds of years, yet she could now steal the papal position from the existing Pope.

‘Was the world this beautiful?’

Though bewildered, if it was a joint work by Eshir, the current Mage Tower master, and Shurya, the original female protagonist, nothing seemed impossible.

‘Then I should try making food suitable for a papal coronation now.’

The situation inside the temple currently looked very complicated.

Whatever ulterior motives other people in the temple had, that was for Shurya to worry about, not Chloe.

Chloe just needed to do well with what she was asked.

Basically, churches aimed for frugality on the surface regardless of what was inside, so excessively greasy and fancy food wouldn’t do.

‘Since Shurya directly promised to support Shuel, I should prepare properly this time.’

First, meat was out.

‘No, but turkey should be okay, right?’

Clergy were still people, so they should eat adequately to live.

‘Mashed potatoes and cranberry jam, and bread to spread it on… Ugh.’

Having thought that far, Chloe held her head.

“When I think of temples, I only get the impression of being excessively frugal, so it’s tricky to plan a menu.”

But if she served fancy food, she would surely be criticized along with the corrupt previous Pope.

Serving commoners generously, no matter how lavish, would earn praise for being kind-hearted.

But a papal coronation was different.

Because what ‘showed’ was important.

It shouldn’t be so frugal as to look shabby,

nor so fancy as to seem extravagant.

Organizing her thoughts, Chloe first asked Shurya if meat dishes would be okay, and got the answer that one meat dish among several foods would be fine.

‘For a high-level party that’s not completely fancy, yet not completely shabby either… that’s the only option, isn’t it?’

Since it was winter, the timing helped too.

Concluding that others wouldn’t complain if she decorated it like a Christmas party, she began thinking hard about what other foods besides turkey and potatoes would be needed.

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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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