Princess Connect IF: The Gourmet Prison and the Captive Princess - The Forbidden Mushroom and the Gourmet Judge

The only sound echoing through the quiet morning kitchen was the rhythm of a knife striking the cutting board. Tap, tap, tap. Precise, unwavering. Yuuki paused mid-motion while dicing an onion. "...Still cuts clean, huh." The handle of the knife he gripped was etched with countless tiny scratches. The marks of his father's hands. Tracing them with his thumb, Yuuki found himself remembering something from seven years ago. —Make food that makes people smile. Those were the last words his father left behind before vanishing. Landosol Central District. First floor of the old tavern "Golden Pot Pavilion." In the renovated kitchen, Yuuki was alone this morning. The Gourmet Guild members had all gone their separate ways today, for once. Pecorine had royal palace business, Kyaru was off on a distant request, and Kokkoro was out shopping. So he only needed to make breakfast for himself. And yet, Yuuki was prepping ingredients for four. Just a habit. His fluffy black short hair swayed in the ventilation fan's breeze. His amber eyes gazed at the vegetables on the cutting board. A lean, tall frame dressed in a white apron, sleeves of his navy shirt rolled up. A well-worn knife set hung at his hip. His cook's hands were far more calloused than his appearance suggested. "Onions are a bit old. Should've bought fresh ones at the Seven-Color Market." His muttering dissolved into the quiet kitchen. Yuuki transferred the diced onions to a bowl, then reached for an old copper pot hanging on the wall. This pot had belonged to his father too. Scrubbing at the scorch marks on its bottom, he continued his morning preparations. The Gourmet Kingdom of Landosol. Situated at the center of the Astlum continent, this capital boasted a population of four hundred fifty thousand—the largest city on the continent. The city spread radially from the royal palace "Throne of Taste," with the Flavor River cutting through it and flowing south into the Muzel Sea. In this world, culinary skill directly translated to social status. Those who could manipulate the life force dwelling in ingredients—a power called "Aji-ryoku"—were known as "Chef Mages," granted status equal to knights. Chef Mages made up only three percent of the population. Only those born with a special constitution called "Taste Receptors" could become one. Yuuki didn't have that talent. "...Well, you can still cook without it." He cracked an egg with a wry smile, murmuring to himself. Aji-ryoku was deeply woven into daily life. Preserved foods infused with it lined the market stalls, and in taverns, Chef Mages could guess a customer's preferences in one shot. At royal banquets, a cook without Aji-ryoku wasn't even worth discussing. Yuuki's father had once been a Chef Mage too. A court chef serving the royal palace. But one day, he was suddenly arrested for violating the Aji-ryoku Regulation Law. —Unlawfully manipulating another's sense of taste. It was a false charge. At trial, his father's sense of taste was permanently stripped from him, and he disappeared. Yuuki was ten years old. "...Unlawful taste manipulation, my ass." Yuuki clicked his tongue softly and oiled a frying pan. It sizzled. His father had always said it. Cooking exists to make people happy. Aji-ryoku is just a tool for that. If you can make someone smile, that's enough—he'd said. Yuuki believed those words. Because he believed them, he'd pursued the path of a chef even without Aji-ryoku. "Alright, that should do it." Breakfast's omelet was complete. Fluffy eggs, the aroma of diced onion and bacon. It looked perfect. Yuuki took a bite and nodded. Not bad. "Not bad. ...But I'm still nowhere near Dad." He looked out the window. The spring morning sun painted the cobblestone streets white. From afar, he could faintly hear the bustle of the Seven-Color Market. Today, he planned to go procure ingredients. "Alright. Let's go." Yuuki removed his apron and checked the knife set at his hip. Locking the front door, he left the Golden Pot Pavilion behind. Morning in Landosol begins with smells. Standing at the entrance of the Seven-Color Market, the first thing that hit him was the scent of spices. Cinnamon, clove, cardamom. Then the smell of freshly baked bread, dried fish, the sweet fragrance of ripe fruit. Hundreds of scents mingled together, the entire market like one giant incense burner. "Welcome! Today's silver-scale fish is fresh!" "Wild herbs from Verdure—won't you buy some? Amazing medicinal properties!" "Take a look, take a look! Aji-ryoku preserved foods, going cheap!" Merchants' voices flew back and forth as customers haggled over prices. A beastfolk woman twitched her cat ears while selecting fish, and an elf elder inspected rare mushrooms. Yuuki wove through the market crowd, then stopped short. (Busy as always.) He looked up at the Seven-Color Market's signature—the canopies dyed in seven colors. The market's manager was a sixty-five-year-old former Chef Mage named Madame Aurelia, who had apparently lost her sense of taste in her youth and had protected this market ever since. "Oh, Yuuki. What're you looking for today?" The fruit vendor called out. Yuuki raised a hand in greeting. "Wild vegetables and mushrooms. And rare herbs, if you have any." "For mushrooms, Verdure Forest is your best bet. Word is there's good picking there lately." "Really. Thanks." Yuuki gave a slight bow and moved on. Passing through Spice Avenue, the air grew thicker. Two hundred meters of specialty spice shops lined this street—just walking through made your nose sting and eyes water. Gustav, the owner of the long-established "Spice Paradise," was arranging burlap sacks out front with his usual sour expression. "Yo, Yuuki. Alone today?" "Something like that. Gustav, this one—I've been curious about it for a while." He pointed at a small bottle of orange powder. "Rock salt from the Vesta Mountains mixed with dried fire dragon grass. It's hot." "Can I try some?" "Do what you want." Yuuki opened the bottle and licked a pinch from his pinky. The instant it hit his tongue, an explosion went off. "...! Whoa, this is insane. There's sweetness behind the heat." "Told you. Fire dragon grass turns sweet when heated. Use it in soup." "Thanks. I'll take it." Yuuki paid a few copper coins and slipped the bottle into his pocket. Once through the market, the city's atmosphere settled somewhat. The northern noble district had its alabaster buildings, while the southern commoner district was packed with wooden houses. Yuuki walked the path along the Flavor River that ran between them. The river's surface reflected the morning sun, glittering. Yuuki walked for a while, gazing at that light. (Aji-ryoku, huh...) He looked at his left wrist. There was nothing there. Those born with Taste Receptors were said to have faint patterns appear on their wrists from birth. Yuuki had none. "Well, can't help what you don't have. I'll just do things my own way." He chuckled softly and headed northeast along the riverside path. His destination: Verdure Forest. Thirty kilometers from Landosol—a forbidden forest covered in dense trees. It was a little past noon when he reached the small village at the entrance of Verdure Forest. Verdure Village, population three hundred. A quiet settlement of woodcutters and herb gatherers. The village chief, Elder Moss, was an eighty-year-old man rumored to be able to speak with forest spirits. "Oh, Yuuki. Off to the forest again today?" Lila, the proprietress of the inn "Forest's Blessing," called out while drawing water from the well. "Yes. Going to look for mushrooms." "You really do love that forest. Be careful, though. There's talk of strange lights being seen deeper in lately." "Strange lights?" "That's right. Rumors of a spring that glows in seven colors. Though it might just be drunkards' nonsense." Yuuki felt a flicker of interest. A spring that glows in seven colors. "I'll check it out. Thanks, Lila." "Won't you stay for lunch?" "I'm fine. I brought food." Yuuki pulled a rice ball from his pack—the one he'd made that morning—and showed it to her. "Oh, that looks delicious. You really are a good cook." "Thank you. Let me cook for your dining hall sometime." "Oh, I'd love that. I'll look forward to it." Yuuki passed through the village and headed for the forest entrance. Verdure Forest was dim even at midday. Ancient trees over five hundred years old canopy the sky, letting sunlight through only as thin threads between the branches. Moss lay thick underfoot, and the air was cool and damp. Yuuki walked the animal trails with practiced steps. He'd been to this forest many times. The outer layer was safe and rich with medicinal herbs; the middle layer had gourmet goblins and Taste Eaters. The deepest part was forbidden. A danger zone where over ten Chef Mages had gone missing in the past. "...Maybe I'll go a bit deeper today." Yuuki murmured and chose the path to the middle layer. Lila's words lingered in his mind. A spring that glows in seven colors. If it were real, rare ingredients might grow around it. The forest was silent. Bird calls, the wind—all somehow distant. Only his own footsteps, swallowed by the damp earth. After walking a while, Yuuki stopped. "...Hm?" A faint light leaked from beyond the trees ahead. A pale purple glow. (What is that?) Yuuki held his breath and approached the light. Over fallen trees, through thickets, deeper into the dim forest. And then he saw it. "...Whoa." There was a spring. The water shimmered in seven colors. Red, blue, green, yellow, purple. Multicolored lights wavered on the surface, illuminating the surrounding trees fantastically. The air around the spring was strangely sweet—like flower nectar, like ripe fruit, yet with a faint undertone of rot. A mysterious fragrance filled the space. "So this is the Spring of Taste..." Yuuki caught his breath. And at the spring's edge, they grew in clusters. Mushrooms glowing purple. Their caps sparkled like stars, stems translucent with faint particles of light flowing inside. "Miracle Mush..." Yuuki knew of them. A forbidden ingredient. A phantom mushroom said to awaken and amplify Taste Receptors when eaten. But also highly dangerous. (Don't touch it. This is...) His head understood. But his feet wouldn't move. The sweet fragrance seeped from his nose into his brain. The back of his mind grew hazy, and the mushrooms before him looked irresistibly delicious. "...Just one bite." Before he realized it, he had plucked one. He brought the cap to his mouth. The fragrance intensified. The moment his teeth sank in, sweet juice burst across his tongue. "...Sweet." The next instant, a torrent of power surged through his entire body. "Ugh, ah...!" His vision flipped. Heaven and earth swapped, and the spring's seven-colored light spiraled, pouring into him. His heart pounded violently, something racing from his fingertips to the top of his head. —If you use this. A voice echoed in his mind. —If you use this, everyone will love your cooking. "...What?" —Everyone will crave your flavors. Everyone will be unable to leave you. "Wha—what is this...?" Yuuki dropped to his knees. His breathing was ragged. Sweat ran down his forehead, dripping to the ground. His left wrist burned. Looking at it, a purple pattern had surfaced there. The same color as the Miracle Mush. The same shape. "...You've gotta be kidding me." Yuuki stared at his wrist, unable to move for a while. Fear and curiosity. Both swirled inside his heart. (If I use this, everyone will love my cooking?) (No, I can't. This goes against everything Dad taught me.) (But...) With trembling hands, Yuuki placed several Miracle Mushes into his basket. "...I'm just taking them home. Whether I use them or not, I haven't decided." He murmured as if convincing himself, and left the forest. On the way back to Landosol. Resting at a roadside tea

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Episode 1

Name: Princess Connect IF: The Gourmet Prison and the Captive Princess
Author: Novelia

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