The gates to the castle towered above him, majestic towers glimmering in the setting sunlight. There were about a hundred other people participating in the commission set out by royalty. Some looked eager, others bored.
Jake had gotten here early, mostly because he wanted to check out the competition but also because it didn't mention an exact time to meet. From what he gathered, participants would gather, probably to get the rules explained, and then set off to gather ingredients or other preparation.
While he waited for the doors to open, he decided to familiarize himself with the surroundings.
First, he strolled around the area. A long road led to a huge garden filled with flowers, trees, and bushes, all of which seemed to be well-maintained. Next to it, a small lake reflected the sun, while the other side was lined with a miniature forest holding several animals and a couple of streams, almost like an actual ecosystem. The whole place was dotted with small hills and mountains, which were covered in grass and certainly felt like a fairytale land.
In front of the entrance, a large fountain created a circular pool, spewing water further up than any he had ever seen. It was surrounded by a few slick benches, and in the center stood a beautiful statue of a girl carved so elegantly that her hair appeared to be flowing like the water. Her eyes shone bright, and she had a smile that radiated warmth. It was a genuine masterpiece, a chef-d'oeuvre if you ignored the art from her head and below. For some reason, the statue wore nothing but socks.
"That's Gwen, the youngest princess, I think," sounded a voice behind him. He turned around and saw a man with a ponytail resting his body on a tree. "She's gorgeous, isn't she? That's why there are so many participants."
"True. Definitely my type."
"She's the most popular princess in the kingdom. She's known for her kindness, strength, and beauty, but seeing her in public is a rare sight. If you ask me, she's perfect."
Jake had heard about her, but he had never seen her face. Apparently, she was a symbol of the royal family.
"What about the rest of the family?" he asked.
"They're not bad, but they don't stand out much. The king is a bit of a dandy; his wife is nice but a little stuck up. His daughters are the same. I don't know about his sons, though."
"Makes sense, makes sense. Thanks, man."
"Sure, anytime. Though you should brace yourself. I'm planning on winning this contest."
"Sounds like fun. I'll watch out."
"Don't worry, I'll have plenty of time to chat up girls once I win."
"You're such a douchebag," Jake snorted.
The gates finally opened, revealing the figure of a middle-aged man dressed in a suit. He has followed by a dozen other men in similar attire.
"Welcome to the Royal Castle," the middle-aged man announced. "Before we begin, allow me to introduce myself: My name is Gilbert, and I will be your guide. This contest has been held every generation since the creation of Ludron. It's an honor to host it today."
He paused for a moment, looking around at the crowd. "As you all must know, we have invited chefs from throughout the kingdom to compete against each other. For the next seven days, you may prepare a dish using any ingredients you wish, and you will be judged by the youngest princess, Gwen Isadora von Ludron. And one more thing: you must be able to easily replicate the dish. That's all. Good luck."
Then the gates shut, and most of the contestants stood in confusion. The others had already dashed off the castle for preparation, all of their eyes brimming with a sense of victory.
"Wait, that's it?" Jake muttered. "We didn't even get the chance to get inside or meet the princess. This is the most NPC interaction I've seen so far."
"I wouldn't expect much from a royal family," the man on the tree shrugged. "Well, whoops, I can't say that here, can I? I don't want to risk losing out on that juicy, juicy price."
"The 1000 gold coins?"
"Nope, the princess herself and her juicy thighs, ahah," he laughed lustfully.
Jake looked at him, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Yeah, I'm definitely not letting this weirdo win," he thought.
With another chuckle, the red-haired man left the scene. "You better start preparing. You aren't the only one who wants to win."
"Good point," Jake waved. If he were to serve gourmet sushi, he'd need tons of variety, at least four types of meat, not to mention the rice seasoning. "Ughh, what a pain."
***
Most of the vendors had unfortunately closed, but strolling around town, Jake was still able to locate a couple of stalls that he could purchase from another day. That is if Alea could lend him some money. Otherwise, he had to grind other commissions, already setting him at a major time disadvantage. He had no idea where to get rice vinegar or soy sauce, and wasabi was definitely impossible to find nearby.
Still, the vendors he did find had plenty of ingredients.
As the night approached, Jake returned to Alea's house with a map of the vendors in his mind. He had to quickly mark their locations down in case he forgot, which he likely would.
As expected, the lights were off in the house, even though the curse no longer affected her. "She must've gotten used to sleeping early," he thought.
But from a distance, he could catch a shadow standing at the door, waiting for something. The figure wore a cloak, concealing its entire body, so it was impossible to tell who it was.
"Who are you? Who is there?" Jake called out, but approaching closer, he immediately recognized her.
"It's me, Eiltris," came the reply. "The door isn't locked, but I wasn't sure if I could enter."
"I didn't expect to see you here, Eiltis. What are you doing here anyway?"
From inside her cloak, she pulled up a thin piece of paper. "You needed a ship?"