Part 30: Chapter Twenty Three: Gourmet Chef
Music: 09 – Fly Pudding000.png)
With the signet in our hands it’s time to challenge the impostor face to face.
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: Why do you side with that filthy imitation? Surely you are not so naïve as to think that he is the genuine article?
: Shut up, ya cheap carbon copy! You’re the ‘imitation’ here, and you know it! 002.png)
: Petape, I am ashamed! Such unladylike conduct does not befit you!003.png)
: You, too! Can it!004.png)
: Your ring will prove to everybody that you are the real prince, Tapeta! Go on and show it to them!: Ah, oui! Behold!005.png)
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: How do you explain -this-, huh? That ring proves that he’s the real Tapeta, and you’re just a big phony! 007.png)
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:…Huh? There are two Rebel Singers now?
: You mean ‘Royal Signets’, right?
: I guess we should have expected something like this.009.png)
: N-no way! There can’t be two Royal Signets! Yours must be a fake! Just like you!010.png)
: But perhaps you will relinquish your delusions once this impostor has been put to death for his treason!: What?!011.png)
: Tapeta needs your help! Have this fraud sent to the dungeons at once!
: Oh…ohhhhh! Petape! I thought I was hearing things! How’s your mother doing? Is she still preparing tonight’s banquet?012.png)
: Is the king well? He seems distant, somehow.: He doesn’t seem to have followed the previous conversation, either.: Dad!!013.png)
: This is no time to be thinking about your overgrown belly! Your son’s throne is on the line and all you can say is…014.png)
: Aha! Everyone knows my real brother’s Fly Pudding is the best in the world! There’s no way any impostor could copy that!: Ahahaha…so, you are asking me to prove my royal lineage in a chef’s duel?:…You can’t be serious.: Very well! I accept.015.png)
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: You know as well as I do that no one can beat you in the kitchen!: Oui, Oui, but of course…And if I lose…there will be no hard feelings, yes?018.png)
: Should you lose, I will take great pleasure in having you and all your little accomplices executed!: Oh no you do-: Ha! Bring it on, you slimy toad! Us Ace Chefs are gonna make the best damn Fly Pudding the world has ever seen! Right, Tapeta?: Of course. It will be magnifique!:…Dammit, Lin…: Enough prattle.019.png)
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: Welcome to the ring. You’ve got some balls challenging the prince to a duel. He’s the best chef in the whole kingdom, and damn proud of it!: Here’s the battle plan, Tapeta!022.png)
: Just one taste and the king will have no choice but to recognise you!: But of course, but of course!023.png)
: I think I will start with my ‘Cockroach Salad with Wild Onions’…Then there will be my famous ‘Worm Caramel’…024.png)
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:…Well, since our lives are on the line I suppose we’ll have to.: But master, where are we going to find the ingredients?: We’ll just have to…wait, it’s the fake prince!026.png)
: Cockroach, Worm and the rare Greenbottle…mmm, I am salivating at the merest thought of it! I shall prepare those dishes with the exact same ingredients! 027.png)
: My brother won’t lose to you! Next to him, you couldn’t even boil water!: The noise from your mouth tires me…028.png)
: And once I triumph over this foolish impostor, I will see to it that he and his troublemaking friends…029.png)
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: If my brother doesn’t win the chef’s duel, he’ll have every single one of you killed! I say unto you, in the words of my ancestors: Allez Cuisine!: Words cannot express how ridiculous this is. The fate of this kingdom hangs on the outcome of a cooking contest? This is insane. You’re all insane. And I suppose I’m insane as well for letting things come to this -and- going along with it.: It certainly is an odd way of settling the matter. And our lives are at stake, too…this is all just so surreal.: Non, non! Do not worry, friends! All you have to do is procure a Greenbottle for me, and the rich flavour and texture will do the rest, oui?: Just so!031.png)
: Rumour has it that one such fly escaped into the depths beneath the castle long, long ago…Now we finally regain control of the party. Our next objective is to gather the ingredients Tapeta needs to complete his feast – a worm, a cockroach, and a legendary fly. None of these can be found in the kitchen area, so we’ll have to hunt for an entrance into the depths of the castle.
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: Okay, let’s start by asking around a bit.033.png)
: It’s also said this place has one other trump card should all else fail…034.png)
: Praise him, ye sinners, and be clean…035.png)
: Ugh. That song gives me the shivers every time I think of it, but the prince has us sing it every hour, on the hour. 036.png)
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: A windmill system, huh? I don’t think we’ve seen that yet…039.png)
: Even offered to make me the castle preacher, he did. But I’d rather tend to the farm than tend to the flock…040.png)
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: I’m sorry, I don’t know anything about that.: Is that so…044.png)
: Okay, no luck here.: Hey, the fake prince is down in the kitchen, right? Why don’t we sneak into his room and look around. We might find something that can prove he’s a fraud without going through this ridiculous cooking contest.: Sounds good to me.045.png)
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: Huh. Pretty swanky place. I wouldn’t mind livin’ here.: That painting of the prince looks very suspicious.: There’s a switch of some kind next to it, too.: Well, we won’t get anywhere by standing here and staring at it.048.png)
:…The plot thickens.