The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]-Chapter 842: Controlled Substance

Ah, how absolutely fragrant!

The moment the trays were lifted and the first wave of heat rolled through the demo kitchen, even the most battle-hardened warriors had to pause.

Luca inhaled deeply, eyes brightening at once.

"That smells really good," he said honestly.

He moved closer to the nearest station, crouching slightly to look at the toast from eye level. His gaze swept over it carefully, taking in every detail.

"The bread is nicely toasted," he praised, pointing gently. "See how it’s golden but not too dark? That’s perfect."

The participant straightened instantly.

"And the cheese," Luca continued, clearly pleased, "it’s melted evenly. Not too dry. Not pooled in one spot. That’s really well done."

A relieved laugh escaped the participant and with a compliment like that, who wouldn’t feel like floating in the air?

The golden-eyed inspector moved on.

"This one has meat," Luca said cheerfully, eyes lighting up. "I like how you spread it out instead of piling it in the center. That way every bite gets some."

He nodded approvingly before moving again, stopping in front of someone who looked both extremely proud and dangerously flustered.

The pizza toast in front of them was simpler. Slices of fresh tomato. Basil leaves scattered carefully on top. Cheese melted just enough to hold everything together.

Luca bent closer.

"Oh," he said softly.

Everyone leaned in and the man couldn’t help but freeze.

"Seasoned fresh tomatoes as well as fresh basil," Luca continued, smiling. "It’s very clean. Very bright. Wow, I really like the aroma!"

The person’s ears went red.

He kept going, making round after round, stopping to answer questions, offering suggestions, and reassuring anyone who looked uncertain.

"Yes, you can add that."

"I think that combination could work."

"If you like it spicier, you can add some chili flakes, but just a pinch first if you’re new to the taste."

"Oh no, that’s fine! You’re fine! You didn’t ruin it!"

Everywhere he went, people relaxed.

Luca was really enjoying all of it.

Because they were using the same base ingredients and just changing things slightly, teaching became much easier. Bread. Marinara sauce. Cheese. Spices. From there, everything else felt approachable.

Maybe one day they would move on to proper crusts.

But for now, this was good.

He felt it was a good fit for the current skill level, the available time, the coping supply, and the overwhelming demand.

But at the same time, doing it like this would show that even with such items, they weren’t completely limited.

As he lifted another tray to show topping options, eyes lit up across the room.

Meat. Vegetables. Herbs. Chili flakes.

The chili flakes, in particular, caused a small stir once people realized what they did.

At first, it was subtle. A pause here. A blink there. A few confused expressions hovering just a second longer than usual.

Apparently, the major discovery was sparked by several decisive moves from Duke Leander and Duchess Amelia.

Unlike the other participants, who took their time examining the available ingredients as if they were decoding an ancient manual, the duke and duchess moved without hesitation. Just a calm, instinctive reach toward a small bottle, as natural as breathing. They even moved in sync.

That alone was enough to draw eyes.

In fairness to the others, they tried not to stare. But when the couple tapped the bottle once, twice, and then several more times with absolute confidence, only those who had no idea who those two were to their instructor could possibly doubt their intent.

But how can they not know when the Duke looked like he had the name of his son tattooed on his forehead all day?

More importantly, it probably didn’t help that several high profile people were doing the same thing.

There was a brief moment where participants glanced at one another, silent conversations passing between widened eyes.

If even the Emperor of Solaris was doing it, then how could it be wrong?

And it wasn’t.

Of all the items they could have added, there was no doubt about it. The chili flakes were the most correct of all decisions.

The confirmation was instant.

Heat bloomed. Flavor exploded. A sharp, glorious kick surged through dishes that moments ago had already been spectacular.

With how their legs buckled, one would have thought that ancient humans had once again discovered fire.

Luca watched with quiet amusement as several participants discovered them and then immediately tried to act casual about it even as their worldviews shifted a few degrees to the left.

He even spotted a few children carefully sprinkling the tiniest amount possible, hands shaking, brows knitted in fierce concentration as if performing a sacred ritual. One flake too many could spell doom. Or so they believed.

If only the cadet knew how everyone, including Reeve, was fighting for their lives internally just to keep it together.

Because the moment the truth slipped, the entire Empire would know just how good the chili flakes were.

What if everyone ended up hoarding such a game-changer?

What if chili flakes became a controlled substance?

The more people tried to school their expressions into something neutral, the worse it got. Because the viewers weren’t blind. They could clearly see participants clutching those tiny bottles like their lives depended on them.

Hands curled around glass. Bodies angled protectively. Bottles subtly repositioned farther from neighbors.

Possessive was the only word for it.

To think they didn’t even own them!

And when even Thea didn’t answer their questions about the chili flakes, it blew up even bigger in the forums.

People were rightfully demanding answers as protests formed with every new thread created.

Thankfully, away from the bustling online protests about unveiling what was in the bottle, Luca was simply enjoying his time. He leaned back, watching everything unfold with mild fondness as he quietly considered the developments.

It was really a good thing to teach them about something as versatile as pizza.

Not enough allocation for the toppings? Then just stick with the most basic combination.

Finally learning about different flavor profiles? They could finally have their personal preferences. Luca even saw people trying the chili oil after discovering the wonders of the flakes.

He couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.

Bit by bit, it was really happening. Instead of just following his instructions to the letter, they were now thinking and experimenting. Most of all, they were calculating.

He could hear murmurs from strategizing couples. Soldiers who came in pairs were even talking about blood pacts. For some reason the words "conjugal assets" could even be heard as people spoke about buying spices.

The confused but excited cadet wasn’t sure about what that was all about but considering how they were all smiling, it was probably a good thing.

He just liked how they were planning for what they could make on their own.

And seeing that realization dawn on their faces was deeply satisfying.

In the end, the golden-eyed demonstrator felt something warm settle in his chest. All of this was becoming more and more real and feasible to the other participants.

And that was really the goal they were trying to achieve here.

Who knew it would feel this fulfilling?