Lyle arrived at the culinary club’s office, an open space where, standing at the entrance, one could feel the heat waves coming at them, as well as the presence of other lingerers outside the door. The Holy Light Culinary Society, as the most booming emerging department at the moment, had risen to the popularity level of those time-honored academic departments, and this trend was even on the increase. If it were not for the strict restrictions on new members by the club members, it might have already become the largest club in Andrey.

The main entrance was not an option; here, Liches with money pouches eagerly awaited the gourmet food that was to emerge from behind the door, with scuffles over uneven distribution the norm. However, the Liches maintained a basic restraint because it would take a long time to restore hunger flesh that was damaged in a fight.

Lucky for Lyle, he had privilege.

Nia stretched out her tentacles, gliding on the stone brick wall until she gently tapped thrice on a brick covered with white mold.

"It’s Nia!" The joy of about to taste food was fully expressed in her cheerful words.

The hidden door opened, and the Liches dressed as butlers invited Lyle in.

"Welcome to your arrival, Child of Light."

Lyle was a permanent VIP of the Holy Light Culinary Society, not just because of his relationship with Mr. Raymond. As Raymond’s most cared-for person in Andrey, Lyle would request the Holy Light Grand Chefs to satisfy Nia’s personal appetite, and naturally, he became the sole largest outlet for Holy Light Cuisine. Especially after the members of the Holy Light Culinary Society realized that the glowing shreds in Nia’s hands were all top-tier dishes, the two parties made a trade.

Using ten percent of the glowing cuisine, Nia exchanged for an eternally valid unlimited supply meal voucher for the culinary society.

The president of the Holy Light Culinary Society was Mr. Cook, the first one during the Lich calamity to express his demands to Mr. Raymond, only to be slapped against the wall, and now he was the head chef here.

As the chef with the best chance to awaken the Holy Light Cuisine, Mr. Cook was responsible for all of Nia’s food and had a fairly good relationship with Lyle.

"Mr. Cook, how’s the culinary club doing lately?"

"Busy," Cook’s roar emerged amongst the sizzling of food, and through a layer of ice wall, Lyle could feel the hot air, "The culinary society is a new club, and we are Liches, with endless energy for cooking. However, there are too many hungry ones waiting to be fed, and those lazybones who only eat and not cook make up the majority of the Liches, even though we’ve set the price of dishes several hundred times the cost, they’re still willing to wait outside."

"Sounds fulfilling."

"Culinary skills are not something that can be improved by quantity alone, even though practice makes perfect can apply in many areas. We’ve been able to grow into grand chefs in such a short time because of the eternal cooking," he continued.

"Wait, is there really such a thing as a grand chef skill level test?"

Mr. Cook walked over with a dish he had prepared.

"Andrey doesn’t, but the City of Wandering does. The members of Holy Light Culinary Society, we have completed the highest level chef qualification exams of the Elf Race, Dwarf Race, humans, the Demon Race, and so on. In fact, this ’Lava Magic Cake’ is a fusion of Dwarf and Demon cuisines, with a heavier taste."

"The City of Wandering has given us diplomas, diplomas of the Grand Chef."

"But you are still not satisfied," Lyle said, enjoying what could be called a royal-level dish for humans, so exceptional, yet Mr. Cook himself showed discontent.

"To not know light-infused cooking yet call oneself a grand chef!" Mr. Cook scratched and distorted his chef hat mounted on his skull, then let go, "Not just me, all of us have reached a bottleneck, endless practice has made us the best among each race. We could shame those old chefs with embarrassment, but we still have no clue about the Holy Light Cuisine."

"Lord Raymond! He must be a god of culinary skills!" Mr. Cook once again expressed his admiration for the Holy Light chefs.

"We’ve tried many times, any method, but nothing works."

"Have you come into contact with the Holy Light?" Lyle’s curiosity was piqued – Liches of the Holy Light about to be born?

"I dream of converting to the Holy Light for the sake of my culinary skills, unfortunately, the call of the Holy Light turns a deaf ear to me."

Nonsense, calling upon the Holy Light just to cook, if that worked, I’d truly be the Child of Light. Lyle muttered with disdain.

"I am concerned, Child of Light, that the extended period of confusion has already caused a split within my society, with some members falling into heresy."

"Heresy?"

"A portion of the members have abandoned the pursuit of improving their culinary skills and have turned to researching various unorthodox practices. They’re trying to replicate the appearance of glowing dishes by certain means, to achieve the effects of radiant cuisine."

"Such as...?"

"By adding various luminous dyes and phosphorescent bone powder into food to achieve a glowing effect. Or choosing hallucinogenic ingredients that harm the taste buds to induce an unnatural state of satisfaction in the diner."

"In other words, drugging."

"???" The Dark Cuisine Realm emerged just like that? Should I say it’s truly worthy of the Chaos Evil’s Liches, you guys don’t cook without drugging, it’s simply unmagical.

Wait, I ate that.

Lyle’s eyes widened as he stared at the small bit of beef left on his plate, no way, could it be that all those delicious sensations were actually taste deception! I’ve been drugged too!

"Don’t worry, Plague Doctor, as the president of the Holy Light Culinary Society, I of course do not allow any defilement of the radiant cuisine. Those in the Dark Cuisine, I will definitely suppress them. The food here is fine, please enjoy it with peace of mind."

So it was really called Dark Cuisine, huh? Is that a coincidence?

"It’s no coincidence."

"The reason why it’s called Dark Cuisine obviously comes from our enemy, the Literature Society."

"Those conscienceless bastards provided a glowing hallucinogenic strain to the members of my society."

"What we have here is not a simple culinary dispute, Sir. It’s a war that concerns Raymond and the president of the Literature Society, Mr. Dark. And we, the Holy Light Culinary Society, as the vanguard for Lord Raymond, will definitely struggle to the end!" Cook said as he rubbed his hands together, revealing a sycophantic smile, "The reason I’m discussing this with you, Plague Doctor, is so you understand our position."

"I’ve heard that the Plague Doctor and the Literature Society are friends, and you are also a friend of ours. Therefore, I implore you to maintain a neutral stance. Um... if possible, I’d appreciate it if you could put in a good word for us with Raymond, we are very eager to return to the kitchen... to the embrace of the Holy Light."

"I understand." The Literature Society is in trouble again.

"May I ask how you plan to deal with the Literature Society?"

Mr. Cook smiled faintly.

"We’ll invite them into our kitchen..."

"And then stew them, making bone broth."