CH848

“Alright, guess it’s time to see if I passed or not,” Ben muttered once the time limit ran out and a new doorway appeared. With the reassurance that failure wouldn’t mean his death like in so many other towers and trials, that meant the only way to know if he’d succeed or not was to step through and see where it would leave him, with a bit of fear inescapable as he stared at it.

It was something he couldn’t help. That floor had seemed so simple, it was practically forcing him to overthink, questioning if there was some trick to it he’d just missed that was going to dictate if he’d pass or fail beyond just making his kitchen.

But if there was, it’s too late to worry about that now. He sighed. All I can do is see how my efforts turned out.

Based on the directions he’d been given he could only believe he’d done as asked to the best of his abilities, leaving only to step through and see if he was right so putting it off no longer he pushed open the door and let himself go beyond, freezing in place the second he did.

“Well, that’s interesting.”

Again he was given no rest area, not that he needed one since he’d been waiting hours for the last floor to end but he’d been left completely unprepared for the new floor he’d found himself on, walking through the door only to reappear in the kitchen he’d just made, the only difference being there was now a doorway in one of the walls he’d built.

The others with him were looking around in surprise as well but he ignored them, instead walking over to the pedestal where the previous instructions had been, hoping for some guidance and getting it as he read the new goal, muttering as he did.

“Interesting.”

“What?” Thera asked, the first to peek over his shoulder to see the new challenge for herself before reading it aloud for the rest of them. “Using the tools and ingredients provided, build a dining room with a pleasing aesthetic and prepare the best three-course meal you can for all participants to be eaten before the time is up, with a time limit of four hours? The goals here seem subjective.”

“They do but at least I’m seeing the benefit of the kitchen I just made. Having one floor lead into another, huh? I like it. Forcing me to live with the consequences of my last floor is a neat little gimmick. As far as trials go, I’m giving these two floors together five out of five stars.”

“I don’t think the gods are going to care about your ratings, Ben.”

“They should, considering how many towers have floors that get zero. A perfect score from a certified trial hater? That’s gotta feel a little good for anyone who helped make this that’s watching.”

“Okay, but maybe don’t waste your time being impressed like this?”

“Alright, yeah, you got it. I’ll get this over with so everyone just sit tight.”