"Chef, you have truly worked hard."
"Hoho. Such hardships are nothing if it is for the soldiers who dedicate themselves to the Empire."
"Thanks to the rumors of your cooking spreading far and wide, everyone wants to undergo Lord Rakis's grueling training, right?"
"Haha, indeed... it is quite ironic, but that is the case."
Mary and Rakis exchanged awkward expressions, yet they laughed together.
It was as true as it could be.
Mary’s excellent cooking had long been known throughout the Empire.
However, she had never sold her food publicly.
To taste Mary’s cooking, one had to either be a member of the royal family or be present at the training ground where she was in charge of the meals.
And the training ground Mary managed was precisely where Rakis conducted his harsh training.
It was called the "Crivia Training."
True to its name, the content of the training was very substantial.
Of course, the evaluation of "substantial" was purely Rakis's subjective view, and the soldiers' reactions were unanimous.
They felt as if they were being pushed to the brink of death.
Yet, despite this, the reason soldiers flocked to this training was singular! The special meals served in between training sessions were more delicious than any delicacy in the world.