Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

Four hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Soren managed to cook three different Superior Grade meals and pass the exam with flying colors. He was asked if he wanted to take the exam for a Senior Chef, but Soren declined since he was a little exhausted from the intense work and felt this was already enough. He made an excuse that he wasn’t at that level yet, though deep down he knew he wasn’t that far off.

Regardless, they proceeded with his certificate, and before lunch, he was officially registered as an Expert Magic Chef. The certificate itself looked similar to his hunter license and ID card, with his name, rank, issue date and place, and unique identification number etched into its surface.

However, the happiest with the results wasn’t Soren or Ethea but Doran himself. He beamed with joy as if he were the one who had passed the exam, leaving the two a little baffled. Because Doran already knew they were foreigners as well and had arrived in the city just two days ago.

They guessed there must be some reason for it, like one would get a bonus or a reward for recruiting a new talented member to the Association.

Whatever the case, they’d got what they’d come for, and before leaving, Soren had pulled Doran aside to ask if it was possible to find a private viewing room available for Ethea during the tournament, somewhere safe and away from the crowds.

”Sure thing,” Doran told him. ”I’ll make sure you get a reserved seat with a good view of the stage.”

With that settled, Soren and Ethea left the Association building and walked back out into the streets of the festival.

They had lunch together before heading back to the hotel. They chose to rest for the remainder of the day, as the competition was scheduled to begin tomorrow morning at 8 am.

Along the way, Ethea shared what she learned from Doran and told Soren he might be able to win a good prize if he participates seriously.

”Alright, I will research a bit more then,” Soren promised, and they arrived at their room. ”You should rest while I study. I don’t want you exhausting yourself before tomorrow.”

”Mm, but remember to take a break too.” Ethea gave him a small smile before closing her eyes and sinking into her soul space to continue her mental cultivation.

’I will...’

───────

”Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the grand opening of the Golden Ladle Championship!”

The announcer’s voice boomed across the arena, amplified by special arrays that carried every word to the farthest seats. The crowd roared in response, a sea of faces filling the stands around the massive open-air arena. At the center, dozens of cooking stations had been arranged in neat rows, each one equipped with enchanted tools and ingredients. Massive floating screens hovered above the arena, broadcasting the stage from every angle.

”I’m your host, Faris Renn, and joining me today is none other than former Golden Ladle winner, now Master Magic Chef, Lady Layla Voss!”

A second voice, gentler and feminine, joined in.

”Thank you, Faris. It’s an honor to be here.” The voice carried a hint of nostalgia. ”I still remember the first time I stood on this very stage as a contestant. The nerves, the excitement... it never really goes away.”

”Well, of course, you ended up being the champion on your debut after all.”

A ripple of laughter passed through the crowd at Faris’s remark.

Layla let it settle before replying. ”That was a long time ago. The competition has grown fiercer since then. Even I would think twice before stepping into the arena now.” She paused, then added with a wry smile. ”I can see how terrifying this year’s lineup is.”

”That’s right!” Faris exclaimed. ”After all, we’ve got contestants from all over the continent this time. Some are seasoned veterans, and some are fresh faces hoping to make a name for themselves. It’s definitely going to be an exciting tournament!”

”Without a doubt.” Layla agreed. ”But... I think there are too many participants. Do you think they’ll be able to finish the preliminary round in one day?”

”I’m not exactly sure either.” Faris rubbed his chin. ”But I’m sure the organizers have everything under control. We just have to trust them and do our job!”

”Haha, you’re right. Then should we begin by reminding everyone of the rules once more? I heard there were small changes to them this year.”

”Mm, but let’s keep it short and not bore our audience. Right, guys?” Faris flashed a smile at the cameras, which earned another round of applause and laughter.

Layla also chuckled before looking at the papers in her hand. ”Let’s see... Since the participants are over six hundred, the time limit had been decreased from ninety minutes to one hour. But the task remains the same; they have to cook a meal using only the ingredients provided at their stations. No outside ingredients allowed.”

”If anyone tries to smuggle in some, they will be punished accordingly,” Faris added with a stern expression. ”You might even end up losing your certificate and get banned. So I recommend that our participants think before acting.”

Layla nodded in agreement. ”Fortunately or unfortunately, there was no change in the theme for the preliminaries. But considering the festival celebrates the harvest, it makes sense that they kept it. It’s tradition at this point, and changing it would feel wrong.”

”As expected of Lady Layla. She keeps spitting facts!” Faris grinned once more. ”But there is also good news. The number of participants who can advance to the next round has been increased from fifty to a hundred. So don’t lose hope just yet!”

”That’s indeed good news. But...” Layla paused, flipping the page. ”I think they will extend the next round because of this.”

”Well, that means we get to see more incredible dishes before the tournament ends.” Faris turned to the crowd with a widening grin. ”And speaking of incredible, we have a very special guest here today to officially open this year’s Golden Ladle Championship!”

”A special guest?” Layla raised her brow. ”Why don’t I know about it?”

”Well, it’s because...” Faris leaned in closer to the camera, clasping his hands, his expression turning serious as if he were about to reveal a massive secret.

A few seconds passed.

”...Because?” Layla repeated.

”...It’s because I... I forgot to tell you.”

”...”