New chapter of Reincarnated Hero is out! (5/10 chapters)

 

 

Piercing Through the Top of the Head

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

The creative dish made by Leon was a combination of curry and rice. He spread freshly cooked rice evenly on a plate, then poured in a hearty curry with well-cooked meat and vegetables in a bold manner.

“Certainly, it’s an innovative combination…” (Participant)

“Just from the smell, my mouth is watering…” (Participant)

Other participants, curious about the judges’ evaluation of Leon’s dish, had quietly gathered around before they noticed. As the tension rose, the judges began their tasting.

“W-well then, let’s eat.” (Judge 1)

The judges swallowed nervously and then brought a spoonful of rice and curry together into their mouths.

“““!?””” (Judges)

All of them widened their eyes at once.

“I-it’s delicious!? What a taste! The moment it enters the mouth, a variety of spices instantly dominate the taste buds, piercing straight through the top of the head!” (Judge 1)

“Indeed, this really goes well with rice! The strong spiciness of the spices is perfectly mellowed by the sweetness of this rice!” (Judge 2)

“Moreover, because the rice is granular, it blends wonderfully with the liquid curry! I see, it’s a very logical combination!” (Judge 3)

They praised it highly. Though they had already eaten many dishes for judging, the judges could not stop eating. The appetite-stimulating spices made their spoons keep moving. Before they realized it, all three had finished eating completely.

“That was delicious… No, it’s more than delicious. When you think of curry, you imagine something to dip bread in — but this revolutionary dish completely overturns that fixed notion.” (Judge 1)

“I’d bet on it. This dish will become a new specialty curry of Barbara.” (Judge 2)

“To think it came from such a young boy…” (Judge 3)

Because of their overwhelming praise, Leon started feeling a little uneasy.

(Huh? Maybe getting the [Emperor Chef] skill was too much after all…? Well, it’s just food, so it should be fine.) (Leon)

At that moment, other participants rushed in.

“L-let me try some too!” (Participant 1)

“Me too!” (Participant 2)

“Just a little bit!” (Participant 3)

Since they aimed to become first-class chefs, it was only natural for them to be curious about the dish praised by the judges.

“Sure… there’s still some left.” (Leon)

“““Then, me too!””” (Judges)

“Judges, you’ve already eaten! Those of us who haven’t eaten yet should have priority!” (Participant)

There was a somewhat ugly dispute like that, and before long, the preliminary exam had transformed into a tasting party for Leon’s dish.

 

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The next day, Leon once again visited the Restaurant Guild. He was there to check the results of the exam. Since there were many participants, judging took some time, so the results were posted not on the day itself but the following day. Probably, most participants had hardly slept the previous night. The numbers of the successful candidates were posted on a bulletin board.

Leon’s candidate number was 58. Many participants who seemed to have already known the results were standing in front of the board, looking disappointed. Apparently, most of them had failed. This was no surprise. About 60 people had taken the preliminary exam, but only six numbers were posted.

The pass rate was only about ten percent. Since the small number, it was easy to tell at a glance who passed and who didn’t.

“Number 58 is here.” (Leon)

He had somehow passed through the narrow gate and earned the right to participate in the main gourmet competition.

““Leon, did you pass?”” (Arc/Iris)

“Yeah, I passed.” (Leon)

““Ooh!”” (Arc/Iris)

The twins clapped their hands excitedly, as if thinking they would be able to eat a lot during the competition. Unfortunately, during the tournament, the twins were planned to serve as sales helpers and promoters rather than eaters. After confirming he had passed, Leon headed toward the reception desk he had visited before. Apparently, they still remembered him.

“Oh, you’re the one from before… I already said this, but you must not give up after just one failure. You’re still young, so study more and challenge again—” (Staff)

They seemed to think Leon had failed.

“I passed.” (Leon)

“Huh? Passed?” (Staff)

“Yeah, number 58.” (Leon)

“Number 58… R-really!? To think someone this young would compete in the gourmet tournament’s main event…” (Staff)

Surprised, they explained the necessary procedures for the main event.

“First, all participants receive a certain amount of financial support. We will give that to you later. The competition is judged by sales, but there is a limit on expenses. Also, you must set a sales price that ensures a profit above a certain amount. So, you will need to register your necessary expenses and sales price beforehand. If false information is discovered later, you will be disqualified, so please be careful.” (Staff)

At that point, Leon suddenly had a question.

“What if I procure ingredients myself? For example, using meat from monsters I hunt.” (Leon)

“T-that is dangerous, so please refrain from doing that. Of course, if you really have confidence in your skills and have hunted monsters yourself, it won’t be an expense. But if you hire adventurers to procure ingredients, the fees paid to them count as expenses. If you got them free from acquaintances who are adventurers, that’s negotiable. Naturally, any procurement by coercion is forbidden. If you break Barbara’s laws, you will be disqualified.” (Staff)

“I see.” (Leon)

Leon nodded inwardly, thinking this could keep his expenses quite low.

 

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(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)