Chapter 315: Shocking News

Soren and Ethea listened in silence as the story unfolded on screen.

And as expected, it was really strange to hear it from an outside perspective. The danger, the chaos, the fear - all of it had already passed, but seeing it again made the memories feel fresh.

"...And so, thanks to the combined efforts of our brave knights, city officials, and a few courageous individuals, what could have been a tragedy beyond measure became a story of survival and hope. Bagdad City remains standing, its people safe, and the perpetrators behind this vile plot have been brought to justice. We express our-!"

The reporter paused, placing a hand over their earpiece before their expression shifted.

"Wait... we are receiving new information related to the incident. We’ll be right back after this short break with more on this developing story."

The screen cut to a commercial break, leaving Soren and Ethea in a brief silence.

"...What do you think it could be?" Soren asked first.

Ethea tilted her head, thinking for a moment. "Probably something about the Outcasts. Or maybe the Empire is making an official statement. Either way, we’ll find out soon."

"Right." Soren nodded with a smile and brought a spoon of cake to her lips. Honestly, he wanted to know about the casualties. Yesterday, when he had gone to testify about Sevihan’s death, he had asked the City Lord about it, but he said they were still calculating, and fortunately, the losses weren’t too high, and most of the damage was limited to the destroyed arena.

But Soren knew there were many injured people, suffering from being controlled, beaten, knocked unconscious, and caught in the chaos. Even if they had survived, the scars would remain.

’Well, at least nobody died this time...’

He knew that might not be the exact truth, that there could be deaths that weren’t reported yet, or people whose injuries were worse than they seemed. But he wanted to believe it was true, that no lives had been lost.

He let out a slow breath and turned his attention back to the table. The two of them continued eating, the TV still playing in the background.

A minute later, the news resumed. The reporter appeared again, his expression more serious than before.

"We have two important updates regarding the Bagdad City incident. First, the Imperial Family has officially issued a statement. They confirmed the safety of both the elven chef and Princess Roya and thanked all those who played a role. And... The captured members of Outcasts will be transferred to the Imperial Capital to stand trial. Due to the severity of their crimes, the Empire has added that the trial will be made public and... at least two of them are expected to receive the death penalty. Their identities have not yet been released to the public, but we suspect it’s the two hooded figures who started the attack during the competition..."

Soren’s expression didn’t change much as he had already talked about it with Lord Asad yesterday. However, he was curious if the other update was something he didn’t know.

"...Now, for our second update," the reporter continued, adjusting his posture. "It’s actually about the Golden Ladle Championship. We have just received a few rather shocking details from the organizers."

He glanced down at his notes before looking at the camera.

"It has been confirmed that the dark horse of the tournament, the contestant hailed by many as Bagdad’s Savior, Soren Everly, was severely injured during the incident and has officially forfeited the competition. According to our sources, it will take him a few months to fully recover... We wish him the best and hope for his speedy recovery."

Soren’s eyes finally lit up. "He really fulfilled his promise!"

Ethea nodded. "It seems like the City Lord is truly a great person."

Soren nodded in agreement, and they turned back to the TV since the reporter looked like he had more to say.

"But that’s not all. In a stunning turn of events, the other two finalists have also forfeited from the competition. And what’s more..." He paused, his eyes widening slightly. "They both nominated Chef Soren as the winner!"

The screen displayed a graphic with all three contestants’ faces, and the word "FORFEITED" stamped across each one. However, the next moment, Soren’s image was pushed to the center, and the word changed to "CHAMPION!" in bold golden letters.

Soren blinked. "...Wait, what?"

Ethea was equally surprised; however, she quickly recovered and looked at Soren with a smile. "You won, dear. Congratulations!"

Soren stared at the screen, still processing the shocking news. "T-Thank you, dear... But why?"

"That’s right, folks." The reporter continued, his voice carrying a mix of amazement and amusement. "With all three finalists stepping down, the judges and organizers were left with an unprecedented situation. And after reviewing the footage, the performances, the participants’ opinions, and the public vote, they have decided to award the championship to none other than Bagdad’s Savior - Soren Everly!"

"..." Soren let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "This is not how I expected things to go..."

Why did Nuelia and Damir forfeit anyway? Nuelia, he could understand. She was clearly an emotional person, and after everything that had happened, she probably didn’t have the heart to continue. But Damir? That was unexpected.

"Why did they nominate me..."

He trailed off and glanced at Ethea, only to find her already looking at him with a knowing smile.

"...What?" He asked helplessly.

"It’s not that complicated. They both must believe you deserve it the most; that’s why they did it," she said softly. "And... they’re not wrong."

"...Is that so?" Soren murmured, still half doubtful.

Then he paused, remembering something. He pulled out the spatial ring Lord Asad had given him yesterday. He hadn’t had time to check its contents since then.

As he scanned through it, his body suddenly went still.

"What is it?" Ethea asked curiously.

Soren didn’t answer right away. He slowly reached into the ring and pulled out a familiar object. The shiny surface reflected the sunlight, casting a warm golden glow across the table.

It was the Golden Ladle.