Chapter 165 – Largo(3)

The day of the Festival .  

Various noisy festivities began since the morning within the city of La Grange . Sungchul was in Section 4 within the crowd watching the Imperial Cooking Competition . Over 100 participants were working on the challenge given by the examiner, using dozens of prep spaces with bountiful ingredients . The topic of the breakfast competition that was being held as the preliminaries was ‘vitality’ .

Countless chefs were creating their own interpretations of ‘vitality’ in the form of a dish . Sungchul looked over each of the participant’s dish like a hawk . Chefs with originality, but lacking the foundations . Chefs with solid foundations, yet stuck in their ways . Chefs with outstanding talent that have interpreted the topic incorrectly . All kinds of chefs caught his eyes .

‘I can’t find anyone that’s better than me . ’

Sungchul made his mind after a brief observation, and the evidence for his conclusion was the broach . A minority of the participants carried the broach signifying the Chef class, but the majority of those people had been with colorless or brass colored broach; not a single one of the chefs had the bright golden broach that Sungchul carried . He couldn’t discount the possibility that some of the Chefs might have hid their broach in order to conceal their abilities, but he couldn’t concern himself with every little possibility .

The preliminaries were slowly drawing to a close . Once a dish’s score was announced by the judges, it was shared with the audience, and so everyone was eyeing each other already . Sungchul stood in between the pushy mob and stood in queue for the participants . He was fortunate to be able to get his hands on the final dish .  

It was a type of baked potato gratin made by finely chopping the potato and baking it with milk, spices, and cheese in an oven .

[The score of this dish is… 38 points!]

It was a lukewarm score . The main flair of the dish was to express the topic of vitality through a sweet and sour taste with its precipitates, but it worked against its overall flavor . Trying to force the topic onto the dish had only resulted in a dish that couldn’t help but be not all that good .

‘Is it only at this level?’

Sungchul who had completed his food even as he complained tried to flap open his coat jacket out of habit, but the broach wasn’t there . Bertelgia had hidden the broach away within her pages . It was strange enough that Sungchul began to wonder how she managed without any fingers, but it was completely necessary as well . His entire day would have been ruined had he garnered any unwanted attention in this kind of place .

“Now, aren’t you satisfied yet?”

Bertelgia spoke with more wariness than before .

“Truthfully, it’ll be lacking to expect everything from just the breakfast dishes . ”

The cooking competition that spanned through breakfast, lunch, and dinner was only just warming up with breakfast which acted as the preliminaries . Everyone was expecting the highlights of the competition that would trump all other dishes to be prepared during the dinner course . However, the meeting of the Cult of Extinction was scheduled in the afternoon, making it impossible to attend . Sungchul was planning on watching through the lunch qualifiers bearing the disappointment, since every citizen, including the gangs of Section 8, were taking the day off . Also, a few chefs had caught his eyes . There were a few participants whose queues were overwhelmingly longer than the others . Sungchul snuck into the line and asked the person in front of him who the chef was .

“He’s the Head Chef of the restaurant Elf’s Table, Paparupa . He’s the undisputedly the best chef of La Grange . ”

“Paparupa…?!”

A strange smile hung on Sungchul’s lips . He leisurely waited for his place in line and was able to see the chef in question . He was an elf chef with refined features wearing a chef hat . Below him were more than 10 assistants moving in perfect sync in order to prepare the dishes to hand out to the masses washing over them .

‘Is that guy Paparupa?’

As he wasn’t wearing a broach, it was difficult to guess at his skills . It appeared that a taste test was required, and after a long wait, Sungchul’s turn finally arrived .

It appeared to be an ordinary sandwich on the outside, but its flavor was not as it seemed . Sungchul’s eyes shot open when he tasted it .

‘This flavor…?!’

[The score of this dish is… 75 points!]

Sungchul stared at Paparupa standing haughtily in the distance in a different light .

‘This guy… is he perhaps a High-class Chef?!’

Sungchul watched him as he spoke .

“It looks like this was made with cheese made with the milk from a Golden Goat with Fairy Bread combined with thin slices of sausages of meat preserved from a young Behemoth Boar . ”

Paparupa who heard Sungchul’s words turned toward him and spoke frostily .

“Hoh? Someone who looks like they stuff porridge down their throat has managed to uncover my recipe . Quite interesting . ”

“Honestly, you’re quite something . ”

This was the greatest compliment that Sungchul could give, but it looked as though Paparupa wasn’t pleased with his words . It was as it appeared .

“Quite something…? Just something…?”

He glared at Sungchul with cold eyes before asking with words spoken in a tone that was a cold as a sheet of ice .

“It looks as though you’re a chef, so are you participating in this competition?”

“I have some personal issues so…”

When sungchul shook his head negatively, Paparupa made a chilling smile and turned away .

“That’s a smart choice . Someone that wants to play with words without any real talent should act as you do . Keep doing as you do . While you remain in obscurity, my restaurant that is quite something will continue to flourish!”

Paparupa swung his spoon for his subordinate chef to chase Sungchul away .

‘This bastard…’

As Sungchul’s face twitched, Bertelgia shook violently to stop him . Sungchul left this place in shame while listening to Paparupa’s hearty laughter in the distance .

“What did I say? Didn’t I say not to stay long?”

Bertelgia spoke in a delighted voice as though she had been holding it in as soon as they returned to the estate .

“Hand it over . ”

Sungchul held out his hand and spoke briefly . Bertelgia climbed out of his pocket and dropped his golden broach that had been hidden within her pages .

“You know that this is for the best?”

She looked toward Sungchul and spoke softly . He felt frustrated, but hung the broach in the deeper parts of his jacket and layered it with several layers of clothes knowing full well that she was right .

Sungchul spent the rest of his time wandering the city busily spectating the festival . Sungchul discovered that people weren’t yet steeped in despair . The world had been marred by the Calamity, but people still retained the strength to laugh . Like this, the time passed until the afternoon . Sungchul made all the preparations within his room to leave the estate when someone knocked on his door . Unexpectedly, it was Largo .

Largo had always worn her plain work clothes within the home, but at this moment, she was dressed up as her days as a youth . Signs of age remained on her face, but remnants of the beauty that people spoke of remained as well . However, Sungchul wasn’t focused on her beauty when he saw her, but rather the uneasy atmosphere surrounding her entire body . Something must have happened . Her left hand was sporadically trembling as she spoke .

“Hey, I’m sorry to suddenly pop in . ”

Largo spoke with hesitation .

“Can you attend New Year’s Eve festival with me? It’s . . a bit… to go alone…”

Her voice was taut . It once again reaffirmed Sungchul’s guesses as to what must have happened in his absence . However, there were more important things to him at the moment .

“Sorry, but I have to go to the meeting with the Cult of Extinction today . ”

“Ah, that’s right…”

Clear sign of disappointment flashed across her eyes . She let out a lonely laughter as she turned toward the door .

“Sorry for being a burden . ”

“If it ends quick . ”

Sungchul relented .

“I’ll come right back, if you can wait for me until then that is . ”

It was a calm voice, but it was enough to put a smile on her disappointment laden face . She smiled faintly before speaking with some restored vigor in her voice .

“Don’t be too late . I could end up going with someone else!”

“…”

Sungchul nodded . Bertelgia piped up as they headed toward the meeting place .

“I’ve felt this since before, but you’re rather a good person, aren’t you?”

“You think so?”

“Seeing as you’re being nice to a pitiful but terrible woman that is . I would’ve just refused . She’s already done so much to us, and the rumors around her aren’t so good . ”

“It’s just been a long while since I enjoyed a festival . It’s not so bad having company .

Bertelgia shook her body vigorously at those words .

”

“You have me, don’t you?”

“Mm…”

Sungchul let out a faint groan, and she immediately roared up in anger .

“W-what does that mean?!”

“Nothing at all . ”

Sungchul somehow arrived at the meeting place of the Cult of Extinction while receiving Bertelgia’s scorn . When he rapped on the door twice in quick succession then once more with a brief space in between as Largo had told him, the door opened with the sound of locks being undone .

“Ah, are you another follower trying to join the Cult?”

An old woman with quite a bit of age on her greeted Sungchul . He didn’t notice any unique power from this woman and allowed her to lead him to the basement of the meeting hall . There were about a dozen people that appeared to be members of the cult inside listening to the middle aged man who was evidentally leading them . Sungchul quietly listened to the man’s words among the members . He was speaking in regards to Extinction .

“It isn’t long until extinction . Countless evidence are pointing toward the fact that the time of extinction is drawing close, and even now, the procession of extinction marches on . ”

Within the quite lengthy sermon, Sungchul felt that his words held no context . They were no better than a repetition of vague words that anyone could say if asked about the topic of extinction, but there were also concerning segments .

“The Scroll of Calamity is an object of deceit . They speak of false Calamities that were fabricated . The falsities of this forgery could be discerned by the fact that not a single word exists in reference to the Scroll of Calamity within the first recordings of god’s words . ”

He had seen members of the Cult of Calamity try to burn the Scroll of Calamity at the Tower of Recluse in the past . This claim seemed to be the basis of such actions, but the preacher back then did not explain with any specific claims to the end . They were simply claims while treating evidence as another story entirely .

‘They say that there isn’t anything good to eat at a well-known party…’

After the sermon was over, there was a moment for the congregation to speak to the preacher . Sungchul was arranged last .

When he stood before the preacher, he held the scroll that his subordinate had brought him and smiled while speaking .

“Mm . You appear to be suffering from erectile dysfunction . Quite a shame . ”

“…”

“Don’t worry . With the knowledge held by our cult, you will find your health restored . However, you will have to show a bit of sincerity before that . ”

The preacher held out his hand aftering speaking . He was asking for money . Sungchul dug through his pockets and brought out a few of his least valuable coins and placed them on the man’s palm . His brows furrowed .

“Your sincerity is lacking . ”

“I am in the process of earning more . ”

“If your sincerity is lacking, you can’t attend the gathering of more higher ranking members . ”

“Is there something good if I attend the meeting with higher ranking members?”
 

The preacher nodded at Sungchul’s question and explained regarding the cult’s system . The system of the cult was solidly a pyramidal shape in which more sincerity given by its members meant a rise in their rankings . Actions such as donations or regular attendance of the meetings could buy trust from cult that would allow one to attend the higher ranked meetings .

“In other words, the meetings you’ve attended so far are for the lowest ranking members . ”

The conclusion was simple: all he could earn at this point were more gatherings .

‘It looks like even this will require more time . ’

Large amount of donation would breed suspicion, so Sungchul simply promised something for tomorrow and left . When he had left the meeting hall, the sun was already setting . Sungchul recalled his promise with Largo and hurried back to the estate .

On his way back, Sungchul could see the festivities unfolding within Section 8 . He could see carts with lanterns emitting colored lights were moving through crowd receiving cheer despite their poverty . The cheers suddenly grew louder at one point .

“It’s the Masked Saintess!”

“She’s real! It’s the first time I’ve seen her in person . ”

Sungchul debated whether to ignore it and keep moving, but the unexpectedly passionate response from the crowd made his join them . Sungchul saw a face he never expected to see . Sarasa Xero . The undead girl who appeared to hold some crucial role within the Cult of Extinction was waving her hand on the cart while receiving **** by some guards didn’t seem ordinary .

‘Why is that kid there? It’s unbelievably brazen . The imperial soldiers must be searching for her with fire under their **** . ’

Whatever the reason was, her appearance was received like a miracle to those living destitute lives in Section 8 . She was being venerated as the Masked Saintess here . Sungchul could guess how deep the religions influence of the Cult of Extinction who had laid their roots within La Grange actually was from the torrent of passion around him .

It was enough for the Empire to feel threatened . However, the passion didn’t last long . The imperial soldiers that had been finally made aware of Sarasa’s appearance had been dispatched there . Sarasa promised the people of another time and hid herself within the darkness .

There was no better opportunity for Sungchul . Questions he had regarding the Cult of Extinction would mostly be resolved if he could catch up to her and speak with her . There would be no need to do something as pathetic as gathering ‘trust’ for some branch organization .

However, the sound of an explosion in the sky made Sungchul hesitate as he tried to chase after her . The explosion had come from the Floating Royal Palace that had risen into the skies of La Grange . Fireworks dyed with vibrant colors flew out above the Palace . The greatest event of the New Year’s Eve that was the fireworks festival had begun . Largo’s face, full of expectation, flashed across Sungchul’s mind .