"Was that some kind of visual trick? Maybe the cow was already butchered beforehand, and he just used some technique to make it look alive."
Now that they'd noticed the lack of blood earlier, some people began to doubt what they'd seen. After all, plenty of magic acts rely on misdirection.
Maybe Kael's stunt was just an elaborate stage trick.
Once that suspicion surfaced, many people started convincing themselves that must be the case. Cutting up an entire cow in a few seconds with no blood was too unreal.
Believing it was a magic route felt safer than accepting the alternative.
But Kael wasn't paying attention to any of that. He selected the cuts he needed, lifted one of his Seven-Star Knives, and sliced off a piece of beef.
The instant his blade went through—
A burst of fresh blood sprayed out.
The crowd went silent at once.
All their speculation from a moment ago died instantly. They'd claimed the cow must have been pre-butchered and drained long ago, but this blood was unmistakably fresh—not even beginning to coagulate.
And Kael had brought the cow in much earlier. If it had been killed before the match, the blood should've thickened by now.
Kael calmly collected the blood and took the tripe and stomach he needed.
He was making Triple Harmony Soup, a traditional Hunan dish.
Normally it used three yellows and two waters—yellow cattle meat, yellow cattle blood, yellow chili, water buffalo tripe, and well water. But since Mito Ikumi's ranch only raised wagyu, Kael had to adapt.
As Kael worked, all previous doubts evaporated. Even without him explaining anything, the truth was obvious:
The cow had been killed on the spot.
People just couldn't understand how.
Some speculated it must've been another Special Ability—but Kael already had Divine Hearing. And in this world, no one was known to possess two abilities.
On the judges' panel, all eyes turned to Senzaemon. He shook his head.
"This is my first time seeing it as well."
A half-truth.
He had never seen Kael use something like the Mighty Bull Azure Dragon Slash before.
But based on everything Kael had shown so far, Senzaemon had long suspected the boy possessed more than one Special Ability.
Unbelievable, yes—but Kael's talent had already shattered the culinary world's understanding of limits.
Originally, Senzaemon thought Kael had two abilities. But as time passed, that estimate was starting to feel too conservative.
He wasn't about to share that theory, of course. First, it wasn't confirmed.
Second, the people around him weren't family. Kael was tightly connected to the Nakiri household and had already played a crucial part in helping resolve the flaw of God's Tongue.
Once Mana fully recovered, she would be able to return home—thanks to Kael.
So Senzaemon had every reason to protect him.
On top of that, both his granddaughters were clearly fond of Kael. If word got out and other influential families started sending their daughters at him, things would get messy fast.
Better to keep Kael's secrets quiet.
Bunnyhair, meanwhile, forced herself back to her own dish. She was still shaken by Kael's display, but she couldn't afford to just give up.
Time passed, and both dishes were finished. Kael didn't bring his plate forward immediately—instead, he gestured for Bunnyhair to go first.
Everyone could see what that meant.
Your dish isn't on my level, so you may as well present it before the real one comes out.
Bunnyhair's expression darkened. She wasn't expecting to win, but Kael's arrogance still grated on her nerves.
Her dish, boosted by her Special Ability Brutal Cuisine, earned strong praise. As a Seven-Star Chef, her skill was unquestionable.
But when Kael finally placed his dish before the judges—
"Exceptional. The beef melts instantly. The blood breaks apart the moment it hits the tongue. The tripe is crisp with a perfect bite. The broth is hot and bright—rich, sour, spicy, full of depth. And above all…"
One judge leaned back, exhaling sharply.
"His Chef's Heart completely overwhelms the lingering effects of Sadistic Cuisine from the previous dish."
The other judges nodded. Even after tasting Bunnyhair's cooking, their palates still carried remnants of that violent flavor signature.
But Kael's dish swept through it like a tidal wave—domineering, absolute.
This was the difference between them.
Kael surpassed Bunnyhair in every category—ingredients, execution, flavor, and Chef's Heart. Even more, he'd used the incomplete Mighty Bull Azure Dragon Slash, elevating the beef to a level Bunnyhair couldn't hope to match.
The result had been decided before the match even began.
Bunnyhair could accept losing. But having her Special Ability crushed so effortlessly—that she couldn't accept.
She strode to Kael's station.
Kael wasn't the type to prepare extra portions for his opponent. His pot only held a little leftover broth. Bunnyhair didn't care. She needed to know whether her ability had truly been overpowered.
She dipped her spoon into the broth and tasted it.
Her eyes widened.
She had always believed herself the queen of brutality, unmatched by anyone. But the moment Kael's flavor hit her tongue, her "violence" shattered like glass.
Even without eating the meat, the broth alone suppressed her ability completely.
The domineering force behind Kael's cooking—his Chef's Heart—loomed over her like an unshakable giant.
"What… what overwhelming force…"
Her body trembled. Not from fear—from the shock of being utterly overpowered.
When she finally raised her head to look at Kael, the figure standing before her felt immense, towering, commanding.
Bunnyhair stopped trembling, turned around, and walked straight toward the judges' platform.
The entire arena watched in confusion.
Even Kael frowned. Was she planning to attack someone out of frustration?
Deep down, he didn't think she could hurt him—unless she brought a gun, nothing would get through his physique—but he still prepared himself.
But instead—
She knelt on one knee before him.
"Kael-sama, please allow me to follow you!"
Her eyes burned with conviction.
The entire venue erupted in shock.
Bunnyhair was famous among the Midnight Chefs—one of the strongest of her generation, and with a terrifying Special Ability. She was known as the Rampaging Maiden, the last person anyone expected to kneel.
And yet here she was.
Claude glanced toward Asahi Saiba.
"Well, looks like one of your targets is gone."
Bunnyhair had been on Asahi's list. But once someone like her submitted to a chef, she would never pledge herself to another—even if defeated again.
Asahi didn't look too bothered.
"Losing one doesn't matter. I'm more interested in that knife. If I could get my hands on it, maybe I could use that move too."
He stared hungrily at Kael's Seven-Star Knives. His Cross Knives ability let him copy someone's cooking—so surely that meant he could reproduce Kael's move too.
Kael had no idea what Asahi was thinking. If he did, he'd laugh in his face.
The Mighty Bull Azure Dragon Slash wasn't something you copied. It required unfathomable technique and monstrous physical strength—even Kael barely pulled off an incomplete version with the help of Ingredient Dominion.
Even with the Seven-Star Knives, Asahi could only imitate a fraction of it at best.
Back at the Polar Star Dormitory group, gasps echoed through the seats.
"He actually made a Midnight Chef kneel… Kael is insane."
A Seven-Star Chef at her age was already destined to reach Eight-Star or Nine-Star someday—maybe even beyond. Gaining someone like that as a subordinate was a once-in-a-lifetime jackpot.
Kael finally spoke.
"Why do you want to follow me?"
The question was sincere—this development had caught him off guard.
"Your Chef's Heart," Bunnyhair said without hesitation. "It crushed my ability. It showed me a world far wider than my own. So I want to follow you."
Simple. Honest. Absolute.
A queen meeting a stronger king had only one path: submission.
Kael considered for a moment. He didn't have a personal aide, and having someone like Bunnyhair by his side wouldn't be a bad idea.
"All right then. You can follow me for now."
Bunnyhair lowered her head in acknowledgment. Kael, meanwhile, couldn't help thinking—
Maybe having a secretary like Arato Hisako wouldn't be so bad after all.
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*The Bonus chapter*