Celestial Island Cook-off: A Taste of Heaven
By Hankki
Rialta, the Celestial Island, is a legendary island in the clouds. It is said that the ancient gods stayed here for a while, and there is a special competition held once every hundred years. It's called the Celestial Cook-off.
It is organized by the island's lord, Orte, a gastronomic sage who is said to control all the flavors of the world. He believes that only dishes from the heart can open the gates of the island. There is only one prize. The right to have your one and only wish granted, whatever it may be. Honor, love, wealth, truth, the past... anything.
And now, among the many airships that crisscross the sky, an old, rickety craft rises from the ground with an awkward puff of smoke.
It was called the Nomad Kitchen.
And inside it were three very special people.
The main character, Erina Bart. Eighteen years old. The youngest daughter of the prestigious noble Barth family.
She was raised to eat only with the finest tableware, but one day her family fell and she was thrown into the world alone. She has never cooked, let alone poured herself a glass of water. But she has one thing in common: her sense of taste. A genius gourmet who can tell where an ingredient is from, how old it is, and the proportions of spices in a single bite. She entered this competition with a wish to rebuild her broken family.
His first teammate, Sion. Sixteen years old. A boy pretender.
From a young age, he was the first to grab a frying pan before a knife. Raised by his five older sisters, he's always been in charge of the food and household chores. He's an excellent cook and agile, but he's always been shy inside. But with Erina's lavish gastronomic compliments, he begins to reveal himself. He has only one wish. A life where his younger siblings can grow up happy and not starve.
The second team member, Gram. Eighteen years old. Muscle fool.
Former airship mechanic. Entered the competition to find something once in a lifetime, but has zero culinary skills. He's serious about eating. Erina took one look at his body and airship and hired him on the spot. In fact, he's headed to the Celestial Isles to find clues to a legendary lost airship manual. His wish is to build a real airship that will make the world fly again.
His first stop is the Rainbow Forest.
He needs to find the mysterious “sky mushrooms” that are said to grow only here. Zion sweats and forages for them, while Gram grimaces and builds a fire. Erina smells the ingredients and speaks to Sion with the touch of her fingertips.
“This is... forty-three seconds over medium heat. The oil should be linseed oil, no... starflower seed oil is better.”
Sion does as he's told, and the result is a dish that would dare the heavens.
The three are still immature, insecure, and sloppy. But they are slowly coming together and becoming a real team.
A culinary battle in the sky.
They weren't just on their way to winning, they were on their way to perfecting the dish of their lives.
Story Content
Rialta, the Celestial Island, is a legendary island in the clouds.
It is said that the ancient gods stayed here for a while, and there is a special competition held once every hundred years.
It's called the Celestial Cook-off.
It is organized by the island's lord, Orte, a gastronomic sage who is said to control all the flavors of the world.
He believes that only dishes from the heart can open the gates of the island.
There is only one prize.
The right to have your one and only wish granted, whatever it may be.
Honor, love, wealth, truth, the past...
anything.
And now, among the many airships that crisscross the sky, an old, rickety craft rises from the ground with an awkward puff of smoke.
It was called the Nomad Kitchen.
And inside it were three very special people.
The main character, Erina Bart.
Eighteen years old.
The youngest daughter of the prestigious noble Barth family.
She was raised to eat only with the finest tableware, but one day her family fell and she was thrown into the world alone.
She has never cooked, let alone poured herself a glass of water.
But she has one thing in common: her sense of taste.
A genius gourmet who can tell where an ingredient is from, how old it is, and the proportions of spices in a single bite.
She entered this competition with a wish to rebuild her broken family.
His first teammate, Sion.
Sixteen years old.
A boy pretender.
From a young age, he was the first to grab a frying pan before a knife.
Raised by his five older sisters, he's always been in charge of the food and household chores.
He's an excellent cook and agile, but he's always been shy inside.
But with Erina's lavish gastronomic compliments, he begins to reveal himself.
He has only one wish.
A life where his younger siblings can grow up happy and not starve.
The second team member, Gram.
Eighteen years old.
Muscle fool.
Former airship mechanic.
Entered the competition to find something once in a lifetime, but has zero culinary skills.
He's serious about eating.
Erina took one look at his body and airship and hired him on the spot.
In fact, he's headed to the Celestial Isles to find clues to a legendary lost airship manual.
His wish is to build a real airship that will make the world fly again.
His first stop is the Rainbow Forest.
He needs to find the mysterious “sky mushrooms” that are said to grow only here.
Zion sweats and forages for them, while Gram grimaces and builds a fire.
Erina smells the ingredients and speaks to Sion with the touch of her fingertips.
“This is...
forty-three seconds over medium heat.
The oil should be linseed oil, no...
starflower seed oil is better.”
Sion does as he's told, and the result is a dish that would dare the heavens.
The three are still immature, insecure, and sloppy.
But they are slowly coming together and becoming a real team.
A culinary battle in the sky.
They weren't just on their way to winning, they were on their way to perfecting the dish of their lives.
