Chapter 1371

<Episode 1371> 1371. Spirit’s Atlantis

-Sophia’s Restaurant

Sophia’s Restaurant is a famous talk show program.

It’s a simple program where the renowned MC, Sophia, invites guests to her restaurant for conversations. Despite having a rating of less than 10%, it remains a favorite among entertainment enthusiasts.

Elena has been invited to appear on this program.

“Today, we have Ms. Tia from Pobitz, who’s currently setting the 6,700 district on fire!”

Sophia greeted Elena with a bright smile. Elena looked around. Sophia’s restaurant had a slightly dim atmosphere, exuding an air of sophistication and coziness.

“Hmm. Not bad at all.”

“Am I not getting a welcome?”

A woman beside Elena complained. Sophia laughed warmly as she waved her hand.

“Of course, Yoo Ri. Sophia’s Restaurant welcomes you too… but aren’t you coming a bit too often?”

“Well, I only come because I keep being invited, you know.”

Yoo Ri—leader of the current top idol girl group Pink Love—entered alongside Elena and naturally took a seat at the table, strategically positioning herself for optimal camera exposure.

‘Acts like a fox even though she smiles like a puppy.’

I was impressed by Yoo Ri’s actions. Truly, a top-tier celebrity. Every move oozed with charm.

Elena didn’t immediately sit down. Instead, she wandered around, inspecting the place. The main PD seemed flustered but said nothing since Elena’s demeanor appeared so natural, as if she were reviewing the establishment.

‘There’s grace in every gesture. She really is of noble blood, isn’t she?’

Elena herself didn’t seem to be deliberately putting on a show. What caught her attention was the wine fridge.

“Ms. Tia, are you interested in wine?”

“Wine is the vitality of life. There are some pretty good wines here. Can I take one out? Or is that not allowed during broadcasts?”

“It’s fine. You’re our first guest to ask about wine… but don’t get too drunk. This is still a broadcast after all. I’ll get you a wine glass. Would you like some too, Yoo Ri?”

“I’m not very knowledgeable about wine… but seeing Ms. Tia react like this makes me curious. I’ll try it.”

“There’s a white wine from Zone 202. Its crisp taste is usually enjoyed even by beginners.”

Elena carried the white wine over to the table. Sophia became busier.

“Uh, just a moment. Where did I put the wine opener…”

“It’s fine. We don’t need an opener.”

Elena snapped her fingers toward the wine bottle, and a magic circle appeared, enveloping it. As she used magic, the recording studio buzzed with excitement.

Watching the recording with the main PD, I quietly clicked my tongue.

“She was told to avoid using magic if possible…”

It wasn’t bad. The magical element would only make Elena stand out more.

“If she had used it in a better setting, it could’ve sparked even more buzz.”

Elena’s face was unusually serious as she used magic to open the wine.

She poured the white wine into the other women’s glasses and took a sip without hesitation.

”


“This wine isn’t half bad.”

Elena smiled faintly, clearly pleased.

“It’s delicious!”

“Hooooly… I didn’t know such wine existed. If I’d known it was this good, I would’ve tried it sooner… PD! Why didn’t you tell me about this amazing wine?!”

Sophia suddenly yelled at the main PD, who nervously shook his head. The camera captured every moment of this drama.

“Miss Yuria, what would you like to eat? How about kimchi fried rice like last time?”

“Kimchi fried rice is good… but today, I’d like to try whatever Sophia-ssi recommends.”

“Then how about ramen?”

“….Are you serious?”

“Hehe, just kidding. Actually, since Tia was coming today, I prepared something special.”

“For Tia… how envious.”

“But Miss Yuria, didn’t I cook for you last time? Today, let Tia have her moment.”

While sipping her wine, Tia remained calm even after hearing it was a dish prepared specially for her. Her expression suggested she wasn’t expecting much.

“What did you prepare? Let me warn you… I hate ramen with a passion.”

“Hehe, I wouldn’t dare serve ramen to someone of noble birth like Tia. What I’ve prepared is coq au vin.”

“Coq au vin? A chicken dish cooked in wine?”

“Oh my, you already know it?”

“One of my favorites. But I’ve eaten it so often that ordinary coq au vin doesn’t satisfy my palate anymore.”

“Ah… now I’m getting nervous.”

As Sophia began cooking, the talk show really got underway.

Before the broadcast, I was worried that Yuria might lose screen time. But those worries were unfounded. Elena was the center of attention. Her presence filled the entire restaurant. With graceful ease, she sipped her wine while dominating both the restaurant and the program.

“I had no idea Tia could use magic. When did you start learning?”

“I started when I was very young. My father was a magician. Well, it’s a common magician family.”

“They say magicians often become nobles… Is that true?”

“In the past, yes. These days, just being a magician isn’t enough to become nobility. You need achievements or contributions to prove your worth.”

“There are no nobles in Zone 6700, right?”

“Well, that’s how it is now.”

“Yuria comes from South Korea, where there are no nobles either, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right. There are no nobles or kings in Korea. It’s similar to Zone 6700.”

The food was finally ready.

When Yuri took her first bite of coq au vin, her eyes widened in surprise.

“It’s delicious! This is my first time trying it, and it’s amazing!”

Yuri exclaimed in admiration.

Sophia’s cooking skills were impeccable. I heard she considered becoming a chef before becoming an entertainer.

“Elena! Tell them it’s delicious!”

I silently prayed as I looked at Elena’s face. She glanced at me—did she read my mind? Her eyes seemed to sparkle.

“It’s passable.”

“…”

The atmosphere turned icy at Elena’s comment.

“Did you… not like it?”

Sophia forced a smile, but her lips trembled. Earlier, she mentioned spending three days and nights preparing this coq au vin.

“I didn’t say it was bad. It’s just… ordinary.”

“Hold on! That means it’s bad! How can you say this delicious food is bad?! Are you doing this because of some noble act? Stop pretending!”

Yuri abruptly stood up and glared at Elena. Her tone was fierce. However, Elena smirked dismissively.

“Pretending? I simply stated my honest opinion.”

“You tasted it, didn’t you? Sophia’s cooking isn’t something to be dismissed lightly! Who do you think you are to belittle Sophia’s efforts?!”

Yuri wagged her finger at Elena.

The reason Yuri overreacted was for Sophia’s sake. In Zone 6700, by influence alone, Sophia could…


Among the candidates for *the body* is Sophia, and the plan is to recruit her to our side.

I called over the main PD.

“PD.”

“Ah, Gender PD. It’s fine. We’ll just edit it. Just watch. If it gets dangerous, we’ll step in and stop it. This is okay for now. Soon, Sophia will take the stage.”

“It’s a dangerous situation right now.”

“Yuria might seem aggressive, but she won’t actually make a move. Don’t worry about it.”

“No, when I said ‘dangerous,’ I meant Yuria, not Tia.”

“Huh?”

I had warned the main PD.

I didn’t plan to intervene directly. Judging from their attitude, the main PD seemed to want Yuria and Elena to fight. So, I decided to just observe for now.

Elena looked up with narrowed eyes at Yuria who had stood up.

“I merely said what I felt. I’ve never disrespected Sophia’s cooking.”

“You called her cooking ‘so-so’!”

“Yes. ‘So-so’ means top-tier chef level. The kind of skill that can handle the kitchen of a great noble family.”

“…Is that… a compliment?”

“Hmm, it depends on how you take it. But… how long do you plan to keep nagging like this?”

“……!!”

Elena’s presence filled the dining room. Her mana quietly but heavily pressed down on the space, leaving most of the civilians here rigid with intimidation.

Elena relaxed her aura after taking a sip of white wine. Yuria slumped back into her seat, while Sophia clung tightly to the table to stay steady.

“Sorry. I am a noble, but I’m an idol first. For a moment, I forgot that fact. Though, an apology alone probably won’t cut it.”

Elena snapped her fingers. A magic circle appeared in midair, and a plate of food emerged.

“This is Cocobang made by our family’s chef and Cocobang made by Yuria. Try them.”

“Does Tia carry around dishes in subspace?”

“Subspace is convenient. You can store food and eat it whenever you want. Especially useful when craving midnight snacks.”

The stiffened Sophia relaxed slightly at Elena’s joke.

“If you have subspace, then you don’t even need a fridge, huh? I envy you. Is Yuria Tia’s colleague? Shall we try the Cocobang made by Yuria first?”

“No, try the one made by the family chef first.”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

Sophia took a bite, and surprise spread across her face.

“…My Cocobang is truly just ‘so-so.’ Could I know the name of the chef?”

“It’s a secret.”

“…Guess it must be someone so famous that revealing their identity would cause trouble.”

“Hmm, something like that.”

“Next is Yuria’s… Huhk…!”

After tasting Yuria’s Cocobang, Sophia involuntarily screamed. She trembled and kept moving her hands.

“It’s impossible…! Cooking at this level…! This isn’t human anymore! Is this really made by Yuria?!”

“I have no reason to lie to you.”

“Incredible! Compared to Yuria’s Cocobang, my cooking is trash.”

“Sophia?! Sister?!”

“Yuria, you should try it too. There’s no way I can enjoy something this good alone.”

“Is it… really that delicious?”

“Will you regret it for life if you don’t eat it?”

Yuria tried her own Cocobang. Her eyes widened dramatically before she went berserk over the Cocobang.

Watching the scene, I sighed.

‘The tension has eased. That was almost a disaster… but it turned out well.’

But this wasn’t over yet.

“PD. Please edit that earlier scene.”

“Edit? This is perfect material. It resolved without any issues.”

“I asked you to edit it.”

I said it with malice. The main PD flinched and nodded.

“Yes, yes. Understood.”

This incident could pass as a minor mishap. However, even a slight chance of controversy can’t be ignored. There’s no reason to choose a risky path when time is limited for Pobitz.