Lily stuck herself behind the head chef. "Please, please, please, take me with you."

  He slammed down the boiling pot's lid, the gust of hot air swaying her fringe before he turned to her with a mouth in a grim line. He set the two of his wiggly long arms onto his—what she assumed—hips. His coral red, round head made him look temperamental. 'No.'

  Lily put her foot down, furrowing her brows. "I won't be in your way, chef Edgar. Didn't I help you a multitude of times without any mischief before?"

  The large, heavy pot bubbled.

  'Hrn.' Edgar was cracking. Lily egged him on, profusely nodding.

  "...Fine," his gruff voice said. Lily's face lit up like the sun and he had the urge to shield his slanted eyes.

  "Oh, you won't regret it!" She clapped before dashing off to ask for permission from the Marquis.

  Lily was blissfully enjoying the carriage ride, glad she didn't have to walk the journey. It was warm and comfortable as she took in the sights rolling by without any other thoughts and worries.

  They rode towards the annual cooking tournament Edgar participated in every year which rotated through the cities. It was currently being hosted in Paalwey and the head chef was pleased he didn't have to travel for long. This year's theme was organic ingredients and while Lily enjoyed and appreciated the care the kitchen staff put into her meals, she did not want to miss out on the varying unique edible dishes chefs from all over the kingdom were going to prepare.

  Paalwey was rich with forests, trees supplying fresh air and abundant shade against the upcoming heat; they were radiant with their centuries of development and Lily awed at the tall cedars framing the roads from both sides. It felt serene and welcoming before releasing them into the busy city.

  They unpacked in the round plaza colorfully painted with swirls, leading the two to one of the set up stalls circling the perimeter.

  "Wow!" Lily spun around, taking in the purple and white wisteria trees cascading with elegant smell perfuming the cheery event.

  "I am finally going to defeat that pink bird," muttered Edgar as he put his pot on the campfire.

  "Good luck, chef," cheered on Lily before letting him do his seamless routine, happily running off to explore the small market ready to sell produce to the chefs and the audience.

  One particular robot was present in respect to the citizens, making final approvals.

  "Good afternoon, Cedric," she greeted, secretly triumphant at him abruptly turning around.

  "Lily? What a wonderful surprise!" He signed a document being held up by one of the event organizers before turning his attention fully to her. "I didn't expect to see you here. Are you here as an attendee?" He gasped. "Or perhaps a participant?"

  "Definitely attendee. This place is so beautifully decorated!" She admired the banners with cooking symbols and rainbow bunting stretched above from one side to the other.

  "The decorators committed to making this a fantastic festivity. Can I join you in exploring this extraordinary market?"

  "I don't wish to bother you from your duties."

  "Ah, nonsense, how can I not be your tour guide when you are in my city and I am right here, done with my work?"

  Lily raised her brows. "Are you done with your work?"

  "Most definitely—"

  "Duke Cedric!" someone called out from behind.

  "They are just clingy. Let's go!" He led them in between the rows of booths, smell of spices and freshly cut fruits waking her nose. Cedric explained to her the years of history and occasional events they host. She loved hearing about it, the duke an effortless storyteller. He bought her apple juice made from the local apples and insisted on paying for her grilled potato coated in a sauce made of herbs.

  Lily blew onto it after splitting it open. "I have been curious on how you guys can eat organic food." At times she saw them mix it with non-organic components or skip it entirely.

  "It isn't our main power sourse, but they do give boosts of energy as we can convert it to electricity. Everyone has their own ways, thus some can eat, some can only drink. Nonetheless, it is helpful, abundant and fortunately easily available."

  "And it's fun."

  "Verily. Everything is so colorful, textured and tasty. It's a wonder. Isn't it great how so many fruits have their own casing?" He gestured peeling an orange.

  "I never really thought about that. That is nice!" Lily took a sip of her drink, the sour but refreshing apple spreading across her palate. They circled around to return to the tournament. "I see you have been very busy."

  "A chaotic week of preparation. But rather pleasant. It's nice to see everybody festive and creative so being able to be a part of it is an honor."

  Lily smiled. "I am glad Paalwey is hosting it this year."

  "Oh, I wish I could show you around. You would enjoy the things we have. May I ask, for how long are you staying here?"

  "Only today. But I wish I could explore the city! It's so different to ours."

  Cedric was joyful at seeing her enthusiasm and thought of the delighted reactions she would have to various places such as the waterfall or the sunflower fields. He chose to feel restless and aimed to tour it to her at some close point in time.

  They merrily joined the audience surrounding the perimeter, stopping near the event organizers in their booth which gave the privileged open view to every stall.

  The tournament started. To Lily's surprise, the plaza floor started rotating, slow enough for the audience to get a good look at the delectable process. After only five minutes, it was in full swing; heat washed over the awed onlookers as fried vegetables and flatbreads leaped from the pans like dolphins, sauces whipped to a delightful dashes of colors as smoke curled in the air in a beautiful spectacle.

  A wide smile stretched Lily's lips as the organic smells wafted in a beautiful harmony of enriching, existence-nourishing celebration. Her soul was stirred like the warm, home-welcoming, creamy soups in the pots around.

  One chef in particular was performing a show, stretching a dough with throws and spins, then juggling the hot coals before throwing them one by one into the furnace. Lily clapped with the audience and while some had soft palm pads, many metallic ones clanged throughout the air in a vigorously momentous cheer. Lily rubbed her ears.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  "Be careful, Edgar, cause this year I have the hometown advantage," the showman—a pink feathered robot—yelled over the racket whilst whipping some eggs. Lily remembered Edgar mumbling about a certain pink champion beating him for years on end.

  Edgar growled, "As if that's going to improve your grease-soaked lump!"

  "You are right." He paused to gesture at his pan. "This peak doesn't need any advantage."

  Edgar rolled his eyes, smashing his potatoes a little too hard.

  Cedric and Lily got busy pointing at each dish with glowing faces.

  "Each competitor is flawless in their techniques," he praised. Everyone had such distinctive builds, watching them uniquely cook was an amazement. Lily always found it oddly fun to watch the kitchen staff back home operating as a harmonized well-oiled machinery, but today, Edgar controlling dozens of temperamental ingredients with his long arms reaching everything he needs without a glance was truly remarkable and mesmerizing!

  "Edgar, you can do it! You will win!" she cheered. The event organizers jolted.

  "Better watch out because he is going against our champion."

  "Champions fall sooner or later."

  "Ooh, is that a challenge?"

  "May the best one win." She grinned before coughing, "Which is Edgar."

  "Oh, very sneaky—while I can't even cheer Chester on!"

  As this year's host, he couldn't dare to show any kind of favoritism.

  "Don't worry, pretty sure enough attendees are doing that."

  They listened to the obvious shouts of his name, never subsiding for the next hour. Excitement was buzzing in the air, everyone's appetite growing.

  "Chefs, ready your plates! Prepare your exquisites!" announced the female judge, rose pink skin highlighting a rhombic head.

  Trays were set onto the raised bars, followed by the plates. Decoratively, the meals poured out, the mistouched edges wiped with a pristine towel. Just as lids closed the dishes one by one, the clock tower hit the bell and it resonated through the robots' bodies.

  "Step back from your tray—!"

  The floor stopped spinning just before a huge fire burst out forth from one stall and everyone's gaze whipped towards it in startle then mesmerized by the stark orange heat grilling the aromatic air with a flair. "Woaaah."

  Guards ran over, putting it out as the chef jumped from foot to foot, hands in the hair. After everything was back under control, the judges gave their harsh verdict at the irresponsibility and hazard. "Disqualified!"

  Some robots booed in support to the chef who left with his head down. Cedric temporarily left Lily's side to thank him for his participation and for visiting Paalwey.

  The tasting started and one was leading the other two judges, appearance esteemed in his matt blue exterior and sunflower seed shells layered over one another for a mustache. They paraded through each stall, praising the details or quietly judging the execution until they reached Edgar. The champion leaned on his arm, smug.

  Lily clasped her hands. The head judge opened the lid and while there perfectly laid a dish of truffle-infused seasoned vegetables bouquet, a swarm of moths escaped sporadically; the judges screamed as they swatted their faces. The audience gasped high over the noises of the disturbed chefs around. Edgar looked devastated and he pulled the dish towards himself as if to assure himself it was a self-made mirage. "I—Impossible! I never—it couldn't be!"

  "Ugh." The shortest judge shuddered. "This is terrible! What kind of slander is this?"

  Cedric stepped out of their booth and Lily didn't hesitate to follow. She joined Edgar's side.

  "Did you expect us to eat them?!" the lady exclaimed.

  "I am sure that was not the intention," intervened Cedric. Every robot's outrage subdued in his presence. "The participant here is not one to cast such tricks, not after loyal years of competing."

  "Maybe this was revenge for not winning, huh?" said the earlier yellow one, reminding Lily of a corn kernel.

  "Chef Edgar would never," advocated Lily. "He is rational, respectful, clean and devoted! And know that insulting him is also insulting the family of Marquis Remington."

  The judge backed off.

  "You haven't seen anything strange happen?" Cedric asked Edgar who shook his head.

  "Is it okay if I look around?"

  He nodded, leaving his post. In front of Lily was chaos but an organized one as spices in containers lined the wooden table, sharp knives and spatulas hanging on the twisted ropes. A few pots were scattered over the stoves and she opened each one to find everything normal. Even the tray and its lid lacked any holes. She rummaged through every shelf but they barely held anything. All in all, nothing suspicious, only things she identified Edgar owning.

  Cedric leaned on the wooden bar. "What do you think?"

  "Nothing unusual. No matter how hard he tried, Edgar wouldn't have been able to sneak in anything with the audience watching. Perhaps the moths snuck in while he was looking away?"

  "That would have been irresponsible of the hosts," said the head judge. "Are you insulting the Duke?!"

  Lily was caught off guard. "What?"

  Cedric inserted himself in between them. "No one is insulting anybody. Every robot, please get a hold of yourselves. We will find out the truth."

  "This means…someone sabotaged him!" exclaimed someone from the audience. Everyone gasped. That was a horrid, low, petty crime. What a scandal!

  Lily looked at the neighbouring stalls. Both chefs looked incredulous. She and Cedric inspected the rising star lady's on the left but there was nothing incriminating. They expected the same from the champion's but when Lily opened the cupboard, there was a jar of moths fluttering.

  When she took it out with a forlorn expression, everybody present shouted. Edgar glared. "You!"

  The head judge fixed his ascot. "So who sabotaged chef Edgar is—"

  "M–Me?" Bafflement settled on the champion's face and angled eyes. "I would never stoop so low and have no need for such farce!" His expression turned acquiescent in front of his noble. "Duke Cedric, I would never—"

  "I believe you, Chester," he assured with a raised palm. "We are not going to start throwing accusations until the perpetrator is confirmed."

  "Confirmed? This is all the confirmation we need!" exclaimed a gruff chef.

  Lily put the jar down, thinking this through. "The audience is a witness. Everyone was watching chef Chester. When would he have the time and space to do it right before the plating?"

  "Exactly!" he huffed, feathers ruffling up.

  "And Chester can't extend any of his limbs, so he couldn't have simply put it there without leaving his post."

  "There is no trace of tools to help him with it either." Lily looked around his stall again, turning on her creativity to find ways he could've snuck dozens of moths in.

  "This is preposterous. We can't spend all day on this," said the lady judge.

  "The only window of time the sabotager had was when the judges went around tasting," recalled Lily.

  Cedric remembered his absence in the booth. "And when the stall caught on fire."

  The two faced each other at once. "The fire was a distraction!" they exclaimed in unison.

  "The disqualified had lamented how it was practically impossible for a fire to break out." Cedric turned towards the event organizers and the judges. "Allow us to swiftly investigate this. After all, everyone here is at least a little bit excited to solve this unexpected mystery, correct?" he addressed the crowd who sent waves of approval and encouragement. Cedric knew he could rely on his citizens.

  "Alright," sighed the important event organizer. "The judges will continue their assessment without hurry or any final decision."

  "Let's find out as much as we can from the witnesses," started Lily. Cedric nodded and went to the chefs as she headed to the audience impatiently waiting outside of the circle.

  "When can I charge myself now?"

  "Hey, look, that's the human investigating."

  A group flocked to Lily out of curiosity. Many rooting for Chester confirmed that he had indeed been focused on his craft but not without throwing jabs at Edgar. Everyone had brushed it off, his elegant beauty and charm enough to sweep it under the rug.

  Lily held her chin, ignoring the squirming feeling at the ticking down time shown on the clock tower, the clouds above swiftly swimming by. She started suspecting the audience until one older robot admitted they were slow to crane their neck so they saw that none had touched Edgar's tray at all.

  This was a big lead.