Mithri (Coco x Reader) [Toriko]

◈ Chapter 33: The Music Chefs ◈

"Music Chefs were another treasure of this city..." the empress lowered her eyes to her laps. "...Until the day they disappeared without leaving a trace"

"Disappeared without leaving a trace?" repeated Coco. "Still, my fortune told me we could still find some here..."

"...I was one of them" finally told Aisha, lifting her gaze to the Heavenly King. "Or at least, I know the basic of their skills and powers. My great grandmother was a Music Chef, telling me the tales of L'Arabesque each night before I went to bed"

L'Arabesque was a story told in ancient times, even before the making of this world as the legend goes. It often took the form of a large hummingbird, soaring the sky and leaving behind it a trail of stardust. Only a handful of people could hear the creature's majestic song, and they were called Music Chefs. Since most of the humming and chirping of the hummingbird was the song of a recipe itself. A harmonic ornamentation of life.

The Music Chefs followed the song of L'Arabesque in hopes of finding their full potential, most of them craving to find someone who they could cook for forever. Their long journey made them encounter the empress Malika the First, and all saw in her the omen they were waiting for. They built together the kingdom of Bilal with the sand amazonian as the song of L'Arabesque filled the air and burst with life.

"They come and go as they follow the song of L'Arabesque, but they were treasured by the sand amazonian" Aisha the Fifth smiled at the memory, before her expression turned sour. "Then...they couldn't hear the song anymore..."

The well-loved song of the hummingbird no longer filled the air of the city, and soon began an era of chaos among the Music Chefs. The dishes they prepared since the dawn of time didn't hold the same magic and harmony as they did before the disappearance of L'Arabesque. Left in their own misery and incomprehension.

"One after the other, they deliberately tried to seek some kind of hint on the whereabouts of L'Arabesque, including my great grandmother. But their efforts were in vain...The light in them faded along their dreams and hopes. If they couldn't hear the song they were destined to since their birth, then what was their goal for the rest of their life?" said the old woman.

"And...that's when they left?" you inquired, and the old woman nodded.

"Leaving nothing behind, as if they never existed. I don't even remember her telling me goodbye..." she continued solemnly, recalling her great grandmother.

"But what does L'Arabesque have do with their skills?"

"You can hear the song of the ingredients if you are touched and blessed by L'Arabesque. So that's why I'm a bit reserved on you pretending of being a Music Chef..." the empress explained, and you frowned at her.