The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]

It was not a stretch to say that Empress Gisella and Emperor Xavian were thought to be receiving the empire’s best since they sat on the throne.

Well, ideally, they really should have had the best of everything.

Treasures, opportunities, people, and definitely food.

But after seeing the blinding sight before them, the couple who had been concerned about making mistakes earlier could not even remember what those mistakes were supposed to be, not after seeing what was called ”dinner.”

All their worries about proper etiquette when meeting in-laws, and all the disadvantages of going in blind while hoping not to let their son down, had been rattling in their minds when they first greeted everyone after arrival.

But suddenly, it was as if those worries had been swept clean by something far more powerful.

Clearly, that could wait. Because appreciating all of this should really take precedence over anything else.

And yet, to their surprise, even the others looked similarly awe-struck.

Apparently, Luca’s preparations had been kept under wraps, save for the cadets who had been allowed to help him.

It was an experience in itself as everyone sucked in a breath while their eyes and noses feasted on what Luca had painstakingly set before them.

”Wow!” Cece whistled, her hands on her hips as she openly admired the sight. She had helped create the tools and was even informed about how they would work.

And yet she didn’t think it’d be like this. She hadn’t experienced Imperial banquets, but if she had to imagine, then surely it’d look something like this, right?

But then the people from the Imperial palace would tell her how impossible that would be.

Because even actual royals hadn’t seen such a thing, after all, it was one thing to place plates and plates of food, but another thing to match the appearance with the alluring scents that would undoubtedly be telling of their wonderful flavors!

Long tables stretched before them. Several wide pots sat bubbling and waiting, each surrounded by plates upon plates of glorious, vibrant things.

In Marshal Julian’s opinion, it would be wise not to use visual resonance lest they risk blinding themselves permanently, because even without that, he felt that if he ate here tonight, he would likely be ready to march to the frontlines immediately.

That was, of course, provided he survived the current assault on all his senses.

Similarly, Uno thought that if he were to perish today, it would be worth it so long as it happened right after this meal. He admitted to himself that it would be a shame not to be able to have another go, but how selfish would it be to wish for seconds when the luck of one round was already divine?

Duke Leander, who had already suffered more than enough stress in the day, felt his throat tighten with the urge to shed tears. The spread before him looked absolutely mouthwatering.

Had it been before, he might not have recognized a single thing on the table. But now, after having been spoiled by his precious son, the Duke believed he was cultured enough to identify good food at a glance. And even if he could not, it hardly mattered. If it were from his son, he would gladly swallow it whole regardless.

Ollie and Jax were the same in their own way. What difficulty was there in memorization when they could now identify ingredients with their eyes closed? If only the academy had taught classes like this, they would have voluntarily enrolled in extra reviews.

Rows and rows of thin slices of meat, rolled neatly like ribbons, decorated the tables. Plates of them were everywhere, and it was hard to miss how Luca had carefully arranged each section so that every person had access to the same things.

There were identical stacks of spinach, cabbage, baby bok choy, golden corn, and pale potatoes, their colors making the entire table burst with life.

And mixed among them were plates that clearly carried shrimp and scallops. Beside those sat mushrooms of different shapes, mounds of noodles, steaming rice, and plump dumplings waiting to be dropped into the broth.

It was abundance itself.

At first, no one moved.

The long tables gleamed invitingly, steam curling upward from the pots, yet every person remained standing by the doorway as if they had stumbled into a sacred chamber instead of a dining hall. The air was thick with hesitation, and no one seemed to know what to do next.

It took Luca softly clearing his throat for their attention to shift. His cheeks pinked as he lifted a hand and said, ”Please... grab a seat. I’ll try to explain what we’re having tonight.”

Chairs scraped as the group slowly sat, backs straight, eyes bright with anticipation, like students about to hear a divine lecture.

Amid the stares of his family and friends, Luca smiled nervously, his ears already red at the tips. ”I thought it would be the perfect time to eat something like this... because it’s a family gathering. And with everyone here, it feels right.”

The crowd collectively melted. Even the Empress pressed a hand to her chest, whispering something about their son’s remarkable choice in partner.

Luca pressed on, determined despite his embarrassment. ”Tonight, we’re having hotpot. Think of it as a big shared meal. Each pot is filled with broth that keeps boiling, so the food cooks right in front of us.”

Gasps rippled across the table, particularly from those who hadn’t experienced something similar.

The Emperor blinked hard. ”Cooking... in front of us?”

”Yes, Your Majesty,” Luca promised with a small nod. ”It’s important to note that we have a clear broth and a spicy one. Everyone is free to choose what they want to eat, but please remember that several people share the broth.”

The diners nodded furiously, as though Luca had just imparted military regulation.

”And while the pots are shared, each of you will still be able to customize the experience. You can decide what to eat from all the things we’ve set out and then combine them with different dipping sauces you make yourself.”

He pointed toward a rack of condiments gleaming under the lights. Rows of bottles, bowls, and jars shimmered like treasure.

”Ahhh!” came the chorus of coos.

Several of them leaned forward, utterly enchanted by the shiny assortment of oils, herbs, and pastes that they didn’t actually recognize and yet felt like priceless artifacts. Marshal Julian even muttered that it looked more complicated than piloting a mech.

Luca cleared his throat gently, drawing them back. ”Different things have different cooking times,” he explained. ”The books I read had so many tips and traditions that people follow to improve their hotpot parties.”

There were things about starchy food, things like the order of when they should put what, exactly how many seconds to cook what, and the best dips people could possibly come up with, yet Luca opted not to mention all of those.

He paused, rubbing the back of his neck with a shy grin. ”But every family makes their own traditions. Since this is our first time, we’ll only find out what works for us by experimenting. So, all I hope for tonight... is that you enjoy our experiments.”

Silence.

Then, all at once, they were struck.

He wasn’t just serving food. He was inviting them to create a memory.