Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1913: Divine energy product (1)

The judges sat in stunned silence as the luminous plates were set before them, completely at a loss for words.

It wasn't due to a lack of expertise.

Because this tournament was organized by the racial alliance, only the absolute elite had been summoned to serve as arbiters.

These were world-renowned gourmands whose refined palates were recognized across many borders.

Whenever someone sought the pinnacle of culinary art in any nation, these were the experts they consulted.

Yet, even with their vast experience, they struggled to categorize the sight before them.

The dish was unlike anything they had ever encountered in their careers.

To be precise, it wasn't the ingredients that were unfamiliar, but the fact that a meal could emit such an ethereal radiance.

The glow was so intense that the food appeared to originate from a realm beyond their own.

Consequently, they found themselves unable to utter a single critique or observation initially.

Nevertheless, they had a professional obligation to fulfill.

Nearby staff members had to physically nudge the judges, who were staring blankly at the plates. Snapping out of their trance, the judges finally regained their composure and prepared to begin the evaluation.

After the brief hesitation, they each took a spoonful of the shimmering food and tasted it.

The moment the flavors hit their tongues, tears began to stream down their faces.

Every single one of them appeared completely captivated by the flavor, forgetting their responsibility to describe the dish's unique qualities to the audience.

At last, they managed to choke out a few simple reactions.

"Delicious."

"Out of this world."

"I feel like I’ve returned to my childhood."

While such basic comments hardly seemed fitting for professional critics, these were the only words they could provide. Surprisingly, the spectators didn't seem to mind the lack of detail.

Instead, the crowd swallowed hard, their own mouths watering as they watched the judges eat.

Emerging from their bliss, the judges tried to go back for more, reaching for second, third, and even fourth helpings. However, the staff intervened, stopping them before they could consume everything.

The judges glared at the workers with such intensity it was as if they were being robbed of their own children.

Eventually, logic returned, and they realized how unseemly they were acting.

Clearing their throats, the judges set their silverware aside and recorded their marks.

Given their reactions, it was no surprise that the scores were perfect.

However, this wasn't the only entry to achieve such high marks.

Six different chefs had successfully harnessed the divine energy flames, and each had produced a glowing masterpiece identical in quality to the first. This resulted in a six-way tie of perfect scores.

This would have been a logistical nightmare if it were the final round, but since multiple contestants could advance from the second round, it wasn't a total disaster. It was obvious from the judges' expressions that they would have been incapable of choosing a single winner anyway.

Deciding on a lone champion would have been an impossible task for them.

Yet, a different issue soon arose...

Following the parade of divine, glowing meals came a series of mediocre attempts.

Only six participants had mastered the divine energy flames; the remaining contestants had scorched their ingredients to various degrees.

While some presented completely carbonized messes, others had only slightly overcooked their entries. Regardless, the undeniable fact was that the food was burnt.

The judges found it painful to even approach these dishes.

The contrast after tasting the glowing food was simply too great to bear.

Still, they maintained their professional integrity and forced themselves to eat, eventually selecting enough participants to fill the advancement quota. Those who moved on did so with a sense of shame, knowing full well it wasn't their skill that saved them.

They were simply the best among the failures.

It was a victory of luck, not talent...

Watching from the shadows of the rear, I remained indifferent to their plight.

The reason the staff had cut the judges off was because I had issued a secret command. Specifically, I had instructed them to prevent the judges from finishing the portions so the leftovers could be brought to me in the back.

As the staff delivered the plates, their eyes were filled with a silent plea to have a taste themselves.

They clearly assumed I wanted the food because of its exquisite flavor.

But they were mistaken.

I was aware that these dishes were infused with divine energy, which meant they possessed properties far beyond mere taste.

While I didn't doubt the flavor was incredible, my focus was on a different aspect entirely.

Unlike the others, I possessed the ability to perceive the movement of divine energy.

As the judges ate, I had watched the flow of divine energy transition from the food into their bodies, where it began to settle and linger.

I was deeply curious about the long-term effects of this energy remaining within a mortal frame.

"Summon the royal guards," I commanded the staff.

Though they looked at me with expressions of shock and a hint of trepidation, they ultimately moved to obey my words.