Standing at the sides, Rock and Jarek looked at Veer with a rather strange expression. He looked like a mad scientist experimenting with something forbidden, complete with his goggles and evil laugh.
Jarek gulped and asked, pointing at Veer, "Are you sure we will survive?"
Rock shrugged and said, "Do you have any other option?"
Sighing, Jarek nodded. They could only hope that whatever Veer was planning would work.
In the next moment, they saw Veer take the mixture he had on the plate and knead it into a smooth dough. However, he didn't stop there as he began to make several small balls of light red dough.
Veer wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled, looking at the seven red balls on the plate with a satisfied expression. He was afraid it would fail, but it worked on the first try.
He turned around and called his two friends over. He pointed at the balls and said, "Rock, mix these balls properly into the Synth Soup."
Rock nodded, and after opening the container's lid, he dumped all seven balls into it and closed the lid tightly. Then, he picked it up and began shaking the whole container violently.
Veer and Jarek could only look at his strength in admiration. Veer rubbed his chin and thought, 'He would be a good tank for the team. Unfortunately, we already have Elara.'
With a thud, Rock put the container down and asked, "Is that all?"
Veer nodded and picked up the plate from the table. After opening the container, he filled the plate with the Synth Soup, which looked no different than before.
Jarek and Rock even began to think that Veer had gone insane. Who would do such nonsensical things?
Understanding their thoughts, Veer smiled. "As I said, trust me. Take a bite, and if you aren't satisfied, you can kill me right here."
Although still sceptical about the whole situation, Jarek and Rock nodded. Taking the spoon from the table, Jarek scooped a portion of the thick liquid.
His hands trembled slightly as he looked at the soup in despair. Taking a deep breath, Jarek put the spoon in his mouth, praying to all the gods.
All of a sudden, his eyes snapped open in delight as his body shivered. With eyes shining brightly, he turned towards Veer and asked, "W-What is this heavenly dish?"
Rock got confused by Jarek's reaction, and a small flame of hope ignited in his heart. As there was no spoon, he just used his hands to eat the soup.
In the next moment, he felt his whole body as if it had just received the best pleasure known to mankind. His mind went blank as he tried to focus on his taste buds, which were sending jolts of information to his brain.
"Tasty! Delicious!"
He hurriedly took the plate from Veer's hands and gulped down all the contents in one go. His gaze then settled on the big container, full of hunger.
"Oi! Don't eat your friend's share," Veer lightly chopped Rock's shoulder, bringing him out of his daze.
Feeling two hungry pairs of eyes on him, Veer scratched his cheek and said, "Guess it worked, huh."
"Boss! What is this?" Jarek asked, his lips stretching into a wide grin of delight. Finally, the torture was over.
"Yeah, how did you even do that? What was that mixture you made?" Rock asked, still glancing at the container.
Shrugging, Veer replied, "It's a simple trick of mine. And I'm sorry, but it's a secret."
Although disappointed, the two didn't press the matter as they knew it could backfire. Besides, they had lived in the dormitory long enough to understand everyone's true nature.
While they trusted the majority of the students, it was still risky to share secrets like these. So, they didn't ask anything else.
"Anyways, let's go. We should let our fellow brothers have the best feast."
The three of them brought the container back to the dining hall, where everyone was eagerly waiting for them. Their eyes, full of hope, dimmed slightly when they saw the familiar container, but they still kept praying in their hearts for the best.
This time, Veer didn't speak. Instead, he gestured toward Jarek and Rock. Understanding shone in their eyes as they finally realized why Veer had called them for the first taste.
Nodding at him, the two stood before everyone, with Jarek climbing onto a table so everyone could see him. The dining hall was packed with all the boys of the Second Dormitory, eager to taste something good after months.
Jarek was the first one to address the crowd. "I know how you are feeling, as I have lived the same life. And because of that, I ask you to remain calm and do as we say."
He sighed and patted the container's top. "Don't judge a book by its appearance, okay? As proof, Rock and I have already tested what Boss prepared."
Rock nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. "This is the best thing I've eaten in my life, so try it before you say anything. If I see anyone cursing or anything before that, I will challenge them to a duel."
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines when they heard Rock's words and swore not to speak a single word, even if the results were the worst.
"Good! Now, all of you can come in a queue and take your breakfast," Jarek clapped his hands and gestured to his brothers, who also began handling the situation.
In a silent, solemn atmosphere, the food was served to everyone. Seeing the familiar Synth Soup on their plates, the boys lost whatever hope they had and became lifeless.
They would have jumped on Veer to beat him up or at least question him, but Rock was standing in the way, and no one dared to say anything to him.
Slowly and reluctantly, they went back to their tables and sat. Not a single one of them tried to eat, as they had lost their appetites and couldn't be bothered to eat the soup again.
Veer sighed, as he had already expected such a situation. Synth Soup was like a trauma to everyone who had lived in the Second Dormitory.
Still, he wasn't worried, as he knew his plan would work. It was guaranteed.
'After all, this is something I have made myself.'