Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

”...I forgot to tell you.”

”...”

The arena went deathly silent for a moment and then erupted in laughter. Layla kept staring at him, her expression caught between disbelief and the urge to smack him right then and there. But recalling they were on a live broadcast, and thousands or even millions of people watching them, she held back. Taking a deep breath, she ’smiled’. ”Alright, I won’t hold it against you and think you just wanted to surprise me.”

Faris’s eyes lit up, and he bowed a few times, wiping away the nonexistent sweat on his forehead. ”Thank you for your mercy, Senior!”

”Now, hurry up and introduce them.” Layla urged him. ”Just who is this special guest?”

”Right, right. Ahem.” Faris coughed a few times and cleared his throat, his usual enthusiastic expression returning. ”Ladies and gentlemen, throughout the history of this great empire, there are figures who embody its very soul. Our guest is one such figure. She carries herself with a grace that captivates every eye, a wisdom that silences every doubt, and a kindness that lifts every heart. She is beloved not because of her title, but because of the light she brings to all who stand in her presence.”

He paused for effect, letting the anticipation build.

”She is a patron of the arts, a guardian of our traditions, and a voice for the voiceless. Her beauty is spoken across nations, her intellect respected by scholars and warriors alike, and her heart... her heart belongs entirely to her people. There is no one more fitting to open this year’s tournament than the woman we are about to welcome.”

Faris rose from his seat and spread his arms wide.

”Everyone, put your hands together for the jewel of the Temur Empire, the star of the imperial family, Her Highness, Princess Roya!”

As soon as Faris finished speaking, the arena erupted once again.

The applause rolled through the stands like a wave as the spectators rose to their feet. Camera drones swiveled toward the Celestial Pavilion, capturing every angle of the royal viewing gallery as the crimson and gold lights brightened. A soft fanfare echoed through the arena, and every screen flickered before focusing on the figure stepping out from the pavilion’s shadow.

It was Princess Roya.

She moved with an easy grace, her dark hair falling past her shoulders and a delicate golden circlet resting on her brow. She wore a gown of silver and deep crimson, embroidered with patterns of wheat and leaves. Her features were refined and elegant, and there was a warmth in her eyes that made her feel less like a distant royal and more like someone genuinely happy to be here.

She approached the edge of the balcony and lifted a hand in greeting.

Faris placed a hand over his heart and bowed deeply. ”Your Highness, you honor us with your presence.”

”The honor is mine.” The princess Roya smiled. ”Both the Harvest Festival and the Golden Ladle have always held a special place in my heart. The harvest is the lifeblood of this empire, and today, we celebrate the hands that feed us.”

Layla inclined her head as well. ”We are grateful for your continued support, Your Highness. The chefs are ready, and with your blessing, we can begin.”

Princess Roya lifted her hand once more. Golden light gathered at her fingertips, shimmering like wheat in sunlight. ”Then let us not wait any longer. I hereby declare this year’s Golden Ladle Championship... officially open!”

”WOOOH!”

”YEAAAH!”

The crowd roared even louder, and the screens above the arena flickered as the first group of contestants started working.

[59:59]

The countdown appeared on the main screen, ticking down in glowing golden numbers.

”That was one of the best openings I had ever witnessed in my life!” Faris quickly got back to his job. ”Thank you, Your Highness.”

Roya subtly nodded.

Faris cleared his throat before turning back to the camera. ”And now, let’s take a look at our contestants and see what they have in store for us...”

Layla joined the commentary as well, and the competition continued smoothly. Group after group took their places on the stage, with one hour given to show their skills and another half for judging. It came to a stop at lunch and picked up right after. And a few hours later, it was finally Soren’s group’s turn.

As Soren entered the arena, he was immediately hit by the breathtaking sight. While he had already seen everything from the waiting room, experiencing it himself was vastly different.

However, he managed to recover quickly and kept walking while taking in his surroundings. His gaze stopped briefly at one of the private watching rooms, his lips curling. Ethea was in there, watching him. That thought alone settled his nerves more than any breathing exercise Doran recommended could.

’...Huff.’

After taking his position, Soren took a deep breath and let his gaze sweep over everything. Perhaps because he had already taken two tests in the last two days, he was already used to the setup and the feeling of being watched. He also didn’t feel any nervousness, probably because of his high mental power.

’Alright, the theme is ’harvest’, and we are free to cook whatever we want.’ He squinted as he recalled the ideas he came up with while waiting and watching. ’Hmm... this will be a good opportunity to test out that recipe. But... it might be a bit too risky...’

He had just one hour, and the aim was to break the top hundred. A new dish could impress the judges, but if mistakes were made, there wouldn’t be enough time to fix them. A proven and dependable recipe was more secure, but it also risked being overlooked among the other contestants.

’...Let’s go with something in between.’ He decided. ’A dish I know well, but with a harvest twist.’

His eyes roved over the ingredients and his hands picked up whatever caught their approval. In a few minutes, he had gathered all he needed and spread it out in neat order on the counter, the vegetables washed and the meat put aside to rest.

’...Good, let’s get started.’