Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

’Whoa! These are the Glacial Lotus Petals! Remember the broth I cooked when Sister Zoe visited?’

’Yes.’

’This was one of the main ingredients and was really expensive. But these are even higher in quality! At least three times.’

’Then we should buy it.’

’Of course! I am gonna stock up some for the future. In case we end up running out of food to eat at the Tower in the future.’

’Mmm, I agree.’

***

’Whoa! Is this what I think it is?!’

’...What is it?’

’Ah, it’s called Thunder Fruit. One of them costs a million at least!’

’Oh, it’s a treasure then.’

’It’s a treasure indeed. If you eat it, your body becomes more attuned to lightning mana. For someone with a lightning affinity, it’s worth every credit. But those without lightning affinity might develop a minor resistance to lightning.’

’So, we’re buying a few?’

’Definitely!’

***

’Ethea! I found a real treasure!’

Soren mentally exclaimed again for the umpteenth time since they started the treasure hunt.

’...What is it this time?’ Ethea asked helplessly. ’Another fruit that increases your life force?’

’No!’ Soren shook his head. ’It’s even better! I found one of the ingredients I was looking for.’

’Oh, that’s great news. Which one?’

’It’s the Inferno Cabbage.’ Soren explained. ’It grows in volcanic soil and grows by absorbing the pure fire mana around it.’

’Oh, is it for the meal you are trying to create for your sister?’ Ethea’s eyes lit up.

’Mm,’ Soren confirmed, recalling his failures over the past month. ’This should be the correct replacement for the Cinderbuds I couldn’t find. It has a similar effect, but it’s more potent and won’t burn out during cooking like the last substitute I tried.’

’Good, I hope we can find the rest too.’

’Mm, let’s buy a few and keep going...’

Soren purchased three heads of Inferno Cabbage after haggling for a few minutes and stored them carefully in his ring before pushing Ethea back into the flow of the crowd.

The hunt continued.

Stall after stall, his eyes searched through piles of goods with the precision of a chef who knew exactly what he wanted. And at last it was time for lunch.

However, Soren only stopped after some time passed, because he kept finding one interesting thing after another and couldn’t bring himself to walk away from a good deal. Besides, all the food stalls had been packed with people during peak hours, and while there were probably a few high-end restaurants nearby with open tables, Soren decided it was better to wait until the crowds thinned out rather than fight for a spot.

By the time the midday rush had faded, they found a spot in an open-air dining area tucked between two pavilions. Long wooden tables stretched under shaded canopies, and the smell of spiced broth and freshly pulled noodles drifted from the kitchen at the back.

Soren ordered two bowls of the festival special and brought them to the table. ”It’s been a long time since I last ate one. What about you? Do you like noodles?”

”I don’t have any problem with them.” Ethea nodded and raised her hand to pick up the chopsticks.

But Soren was faster. ”No, I’ll feed you myself. Noodles a bit hard to eat with your hands still recovering.” He picked up a portion with his chopsticks, blew on it gently, and held it out to her. ”Besides, it’s a lot hotter than it looks.”

”...Ok.” Ethea complied, and they started eating, Soren alternating between feeding her and taking bites from his own bowl. The broth was rich and carried a warmth that spread through the chest, the mana infused in it gentle rather than overpowering.

Soren also kept his ears open as he ate, catching snippets of conversation from the tables around them. Most of it was the usual festival chatter, but one topic seemed to come up again and again.

”Hey, who do you think is gonna win the Golden Ladle Tournament?”

”I heard Chef Tamimi’s disciple is entering the tournament again. He got second place last year, and perhaps he can win it this time.”

”True, but there are many contenders this year. I heard there are even some magic chefs visiting from other nations.”

”Oh, I heard about it too! I guess they must have come for ’that’.”

”Ah, you mean the entry ticket for the Grand Magic Chef Tournament.”

”Yes, that. After all, the winner of the Golden Ladle gets an automatic spot in the preliminaries.”

”Not to mention the other rewards. You can...”

”...”

’...Ethea, do you know about the Golden Ladle they are talking about?’ Soren asked, his curiosity piqued as he kept listening to the gossip.

’No, but it’s probably an annual competition that happens during the festival.’ Ethea replied. ’What, are you interested?’

’It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t,’ Soren smiled. ’But it’s probably too late to register by now.’

’Let’s ask around. Perhaps it’s not too late yet.’

Soren paused, then shook his head. ’Maybe, but the tournament is probably gonna take a few days, and we can’t afford to lose any more time. So, let’s just finish what we came here for and continue our journey.’

’...Are you sure?’ Ethea asked again, blinking. ’Losing a few days is not that serious. We can use Teleportation Gates after all.’

’...Alright, we will ask around and decide after finding out the details.’ Soren sighed in defeat. But deep down, he really wanted to give it a shot too.

’Good, don’t go back on your word later,’ Ethea smiled, a warmth settling in her chest. She had been feeling guilty for a while now. Ever since they left Kalmira, Soren had spent every waking moment focused on her recovery, her safety, her meals, her comfort. There was never time for himself or the things he enjoyed. Maybe now, even if it was just for a few days, he could finally have that.

’I really hope he can enjoy himself for once.’