RCYL
Volume 2
Chapter 4 Part 14
Translated by: june
“That damn bitch…!”
The professors left and Franz started yelling and running at me. But Billy and Peter grabbed him from both sides and stopped him.
“If you assault that girl here, you will be disqualified!”
“Yeah, calm down!”
Franz was courageous, but he was led out of the venue by his gang. The gossiping students also noticed and disappeared one by one and I took my dish away. The hand holding the plate trembled slightly. Hands that were burned while cooking, wrists that was swollen from spinning heavy pans, seemed to scream tiring.
‘It’s okay, it’s okay.’
I repeated to myself over and over again. I got a chance to cook again. There was a time here I didn’t even have the opportunity because I’m a women with weak stamina or a poor orphan without parents.
‘Compared to back then, it was heaven.’
I am free to do what I want to do. When I turned around while rubbing my nose with the back of my hand-
“Oh my god!”
Aso was looking at me. I pressed my pounding chest tight and looked at him.
“Why?”
“Don’t you feel its unfair?”
“Of course its unfair.”
“Then go and grab the vice-principal by the collar. Weep and scream that this is unfair.”
“What?”
“I saw you making the dish. I will help you if you want.”
“….”
I have been staring at him for a while. He was expressionless as usual, but somehow I feel like he got a little angry.
“Thanks. But I won’t go.”
“Why?”
“Then there won’t be a second chance.”
“You…”
“What I need now is ‘proof that Franz stole my dish,’ not a ‘witness who saw me cook first’.”
Since there is no other person who see he stole it, it is of no use except without his own testimony. Even if Franz revealed to be someone who is unrelated with the Franciff, the vice-principal will still keep his mouth shut. The fact that he’s an accomplice doesn’t go away.
‘Besides, I’m not sure if they’ll believe me.’
To make them believe me, I have to reveal that I am the young lady of Franciff. And it should be enough to show Grandfather in person.
‘Then Grandpa will know about this. Then I have no choice but to leave the academy… ugh.’
I shook my head at the feeling of misfortune biting my tail.
“Thank you so much for thinking of me.”
As I smiled, Aso turned his head.
“I wasn’t thinking of you. I just hate to see that child.”
Then, after not speaking for a while, he put something on the empty table.
‘Medicine?’
“Your burned hands, it’s unpleasant to see.”
With those words, Aso quickly left. I looked at his back and took the medicine to my apron.
The place I headed to, after coming out of the examination hall, was the school kitchen. I looked at the rest of the ingredients and swallowed a moan.
‘Its not enough!’
It is difficult to make tofu again, and also making other dishes with this amount of ingredients.
‘Still, there is something fortunate.’
Franz is on a same situation as me.
The allocated beans were not distributed all at once. There is a risk of spoilage if it left at room temperature for a long time, so only when its necessary it was taken and brought from the material room.
‘I could use other dish and there may be leftover beans after, but I cant.’
Because it’s like a confession that you didn’t makes the tofu yourself.
“I don’t have beans, so something else… should I also use the shell?”
I once ate food from haricot vert in the castle.
‘But it was a side dish, and to be called main menu…’
I groaned and gulped down while looking at the remaining ingredients.
“Oh, wait a minute, if that’s the case…”
I quickly ran to the refrigerator. It was because I had some left over in case I could use it next time. I quickly opened the box and checked.
“It’s fine! I can still use it!”
Its not rotten!
I hugged the barrel and cheered.
***
“Fra-, Franz…”
Billy and Peter looked into his eyes and mumbled. As Franz glared at them, Billy quickly held out the bean.
“This is what’s left from your beans…”
“You bastard.”
“Uh, huh?!”
“Do you think I’m like this because no beans left?! Its because there’s only beans husk that I cant even use any of it!”
Billy’s shoulders shrank as he groaned. Franz threw the Mapo Tofu on the floor. ‘Clink!’, a sharp burst of sound filled the room.
‘I didn’t even pass the preliminaries of the first test, the Royal Kitchen will fly away if I keep it like this.’
Then I wont be able to receive support from Frenciff forever. As Franz wiped his face with a dry hand, Peter opened his mouth.
“But there is no other way for that girl as well. She will also use beans husk.”
“…”
“Cooking beans hull is obvious. Most of them are seasoned with salt after roasting. Then you have a higher chance of winning.”
The more obvious the dish, the more the chef’s skill was revealed. Whether its your knife skill, or your idea range.
‘That girl hasn’t mastered the technique yet.’
It was obvious looking at her burns hand. But a more certain victory is needed. If you bring something like Mapo Tofu again…!
Franz sent a massage out. And that night, the place he went to was the grove of trees in the school where he always met the vice-principal.
“If they find us like this when the rumors are already bad…”
The vice principal spoke as if bruised, then saw his firm expression and turned away.
“Uh, what’s going on?”
“Who will be the re-test judges?”
“Ah… I was going to tell you. These three.”
After confirming the list given by the vice principal, Franz spoke in a low voice.
“Bribe them.”
“What?”
“I asked you to bribe them. I want everyone to choose my dish.”
“But that…!”
The vice principal rubbed his forehead in embarrassment. It was fine because it was just him and Franz that is on this, it was dangerous to bring in other people as well. If anyone confessed, my life will be over. The vice principal waved both hands.
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Are you going to be at the academy for the rest of your life?”
The vice principal’s expression hardened. Franz grinned and put a leather pocket in his hand. He felt a heavy clattering jewel in his hand.
“If you want to start a business, you probably need my help.”
“…”
“Or how about entering the imperial palace?”
“I am too old to enter the Royal Ktichen-”
“I’m talking about politics arena.”
“Po-, politics? Commoner like me?”
“Isn’t your father a half-noble? Even if he didn’t have any single title.”
Central politics…!
It was a place where only geniuses among geniuses gathered if not for the bloodlines of the splendid leaders. I’ve had such a dream in the past however, the imperial palace is an unreachable place. So, dreaming of the rising in status, he started cooking, but his talents could not cross the threshold of the Royal Kitchen. As the vice-principal began to shake, Franz nailed it.
“With the help of the Lord, it is not difficult.”
“…”
Vice principal’s eyes trembled with lust for power. Seeing him clutching his pockets, Franz raised an eyebrow.
***
Juneberry TL 