Fantasy Realm [One Piece] [Harry Potter] [Naruto] - [Progression] [LitRPG]

Chapter 113: Dish x Rating - Linne's Judgment

While most examinees are frantically cooking at their stations, Alex and Linus are casually stuffing their faces with steak and fries.

"This is actually pretty good, I have to say," Linus says, his mouth half-full.

"Not bad, I guess," Alex replies. "The crust and temperature could use a bit more consistency, but I feel like I've nailed it after these practice runs. That ketchup is surprisingly good too. We should serve it with the dish—it's bound to make it even better."

Shalnark walks over, eyebrows raised. "You two seem awfully relaxed. Are you already done?"

Alex smirks and hands him a plate. "We've practiced three times already. Here, try it."

Shalnark takes a bite of the fries, the steak, and even the carrots. His expression brightens into a genuine smile. "This is... honestly fantastic. The seasoning is spot-on—salt, pepper, and those spices you added work perfectly. The sauce is rich and complements the steak beautifully. The fries are crispy, and the carrots are well-cooked. If I got served this in a random restaurant, I'd be more than happy. I can't comment on technique, but everything seems evenly cooked and balanced."

Alex nods, satisfied. "Glad to hear it. We'll just cook one more batch before the judgment to ensure it's fresh. How's the pudding coming along?"

Shalnark chuckles. "That perfectionist over there is driving herself insane. The very first batch was already restaurant quality, in my opinion, but she's on her third round now, tweaking every little detail. She's used up almost all the ingredients for experimenting. Even if this third attempt flops, the second one could easily pass the exam on its own. It looks and tastes fantastic."

Linus leans back and adds, "We've got this in the bag. There are only 16 teams left, which is slightly more than I expected considering we took out two teams ourselves. Shalnark, you wiped out one solo. That means only one other team is missing. We just need to be better than six teams to make the top ten. Honestly, I took a walk and looked at some of the other stations—some of these teams are working with just one or two ingredients. They're using oil and salt in different ways to pass it off as a dish. It's pathetic."

Alex laughs quietly. I'd do the same if I were in their shoes, it's worth a try at least. Guess we're just that good and the others are just that desperate.

Finally, Alex turns to the group and asks, "Should we just present the steak and pudding? I'm not too sure about the stew."

"Rude!" Patricia exclaims, clearly offended. "Linus, slap that rude guy for me, will you?"

Linus, secretly smitten with Patricia, swings at Alex, but Alex quickly ducks and counters with a light tap to Linus's arm.

"Hehe. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see!" Alex quips, smugly borrowing Muhammad Ali's famous phrase.

"Seriously, though, Patricia, at least let us try it first," Alex says with a grin. "And by us, I mean Linus. You can try it first."

Linus looks at Alex with mock betrayal. "What? Why me?"

Patricia crosses her arms and says with a smirk, "Fine, but I'm warning you, the stew is amazing. Don't come crying to me when you realize how wrong you were, Alex!"

Linus gulps, glaring at Alex with mock irritation but still walking over to the enormous pot. He grabs a fresh spoon, dips it into the stew, and takes a tentative bite. Almost instantly, his scowl morphs into a smile. "Wow, this is unique! I really like this!" Without thinking, he takes another spoonful, then another, clearly enjoying himself.