Cafe Terra Tales

{Eggs Benedict}

Meanwhile...

Royal Palace Kitchen

Chef Pepin's POV:

I have been hearing rumors of some podunk cafe that is owned by nobility however, it is located in the Third Ring District.

I shuddered. A place where I never want to go back ever again.

The dark streets filled with trash and urine. The shops laden with gin and booze. The boisterous voices of rough men up to no good.

I never want to smell poverty now that I am here at the very top.

But even my idiot assistant have been talking about how much nicer the Third Ring has gotten a few months back.

Apparently, businessmen have been buying up the dinky pubs and nasty drug laden taverns in the district, turning them into clean respectable businesses and having the locals there mange them.

All because they want to be close to the cafe that serves such good food.

"Keh. It cannot all that good right?" I nudged the of my men who nodded his head.

But as days went by, my assistants could not get the cafe from the Third Ring out of their mouths.

"Hey! Stop gossiping like old ladies and get back to work!" I yelled at two chefs who were making the soup.

"Yes chef!" they answered back and scrambled to back to their station.

"Worthless bunch. Am I the only one who is pulling their weight here?!" I growled as a servant came in and gave me an order. "Order from the Royal Office!"

I went around giving copies of the food order to my underlings and took the easiest dish for myself.

Which was making a Ham and Cheese Sandwich with Salad.

Frying up some meat and slapping it between a slice of hard cheese and bread would only take me like what?

5-10 minutes? Hehehehe...

Easy.

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One day, I decided to visit the Third Ring because as a chef; I am curious about how "good" this cafe is.

To my surprise, the gossip was true.

The Third Ring has changed for the better. It may not be a sophisticated and elegant as the First Ring but it is a lot cleaner and safer than when I was a child.

I looked for this famous cafe and even asked the butcher who smiled at me.

"Cafe Terra is right across us. You look like you need a good meal."

I grumbled a thanks and walked towards a rustic looking cafe with a hanging signage post that looks like a sprout inside a circle.

It was mid morning when I arrived and I saw someone come out of the cafe.

He was taking out some trash but his chef whites and his back looked familiar.

"Oi. You." I was dressed down because it was my day off when I called this man over.

My eyes widened as I realized if I was hallucinating as he turned sideways to take off the gloves he was using and tossed it into the trash.