Your eyes flickered open, turning over to check the clock's time on the wall. Almost 7:00. You yawned loudly, stretching your arms above your head as you did so. Remembering that you were sharing the room with Coco, your eyes traveled to the couch where he was resting. You bit your the inside of your cheek, seeing the blanket as slid down a bit from his waist through the night. The man was still sleeping soundly, his lips parted with a little bit of drool at the corner of his mouth.

It had a purple tint color to it, and you guessed there was poison mixed in the saliva. You continued to admire Coco in his sleep until he started to wake up. He groaned under his breath, brushing a hand over his face to erase the tiredness.

"Good morning, Coco-san" you whispered, beaming at him.

"(y/n)-chan?..." he replied inquisitively, before a small and soft smile stretched on his lips. "Did you have a good night sleep?"

"Hm" you gave a nod. "What about you?"

"Same..."

You went to the bathroom to take a quick shower while Coco changed himself in his clothes. He chuckled under his breath as he heard your soft humming inside. His eyes then lingered to the window, and his brows furrowed at something unusual. Marks were engraved into the wood from the inside, the lid barely ajar. Did someone enter the room while you both were asleep? No, he knew he would have sensed the electromagnetic waves no matter how deep his sleep was.

Coco's thoughts were interrupted as the door of the bathroom opened, and you slid out with a sheepish smile and flushed cheeks from the heat.

"I'm hungry. Do we grab something before we head to our destination?" you asked, and the Heavenly King gave a short nod.

"After you, (y/n)-chan"

The living room wasn't too lively just like yesterday, you noted as you descended the stairs with the fortune teller following close behind you. The person at the check-in, who didn't look better than a walking zombie, remained still behind the counter without even acknowledging you or Coco with a spare glance. You found this a bit rude, but you didn't comment.

However, as you passed the desk, a grunt escaped the man's lips:

"A message for the lady" he stated, emotionless. You turned to him with a brow raised.

"A message for me?" you demanded.

"A man asked me to deliver this package to you, madame"

The employee pushed a box in your direction, and you hesitated for a moment before you took it. You examined the cover silently, turning the object at every angle and even shaking it.

"Careful. What's inside is fragile" the zombie warned.

"Who left it?"

"He did not state his name"

This made the situation even weirder. What reason would they use anonymity to give you this package? You couldn't question the man further as he disappeared behind the counter, leaving you and Coco to stare in disbelief. After you took a table and ordered the breakfast, you placed gently the box on the surface.

"I wonder what it could be..." you mused, tracing the edges of the object.

"I can't tell with the electromagnetic waves. In any case, what's inside isn't alive" spoke Coco with a hum. "You should still be careful with it, (y/n)-chan"

You untied the ribbons, and removed the lid of the box. What you found inside left you dumbfounded. It was a necklace, a red like blood ruby adorned with gold designs. It looked expensive, and you were wondering who could have been kind enough to give you this gift. There was no card left inside our a note. All the box contained was this piece of jewelry.

"It's so beautiful..." you breathed. "But I can't possibly accept that. I don't even know the person's name. And why would he give me such an extravagant gift?"

"Perhaps an admirer?" suggested Coco, taking a sip of his tea. "One of your mother's suitors?"

"Erk...That wouldn't surprise me" your expression turned nasty at the thought. "Oh, I hope I will soon meet the guy that will end this nightmare"

This caused the Heavenly King to let out a cough as the liquid passed in the wrong hole, punching his chest a couple of times. You sent a concerned look in his direction, but the dark haired male dismissed it quickly with a wave of his hand. The necklace however was soon forgotten as you engaged in a discussion with Coco, talking about random things to your task at hand.

"Johannes-san told me we should find both ingredients inside the Tranquil Chasm, a cave situated in the Azure Mists" you said.

"If I remember correctly, we have to take a tramway that will lead us to the limits of the village where we will have to walk a long way through a swamp filled with beasts over Level 30"

"Over 30?!" you cried out.

"They will hardly be our concerns. My poison will keep them at bay. The true challenge lays inside the cave...Particularly the guardians of the Viande Bleue: Poison Catoblepas, with a capture level of 45 at least. They can kill with simply a gaze or the fumes of poison from their breath"

"They sure are..." you sweatdropped with a deadpan. "How do we exactly get pass them?"

"Poison Catoblepas have long necks that stretch all the way to the ground. So eyes always linger there unless they make the effort of lifting the stiff appendage. I should have no problem in knocking them out before they look at us, and their breath should be no problem for me. I'm mostly worried for you, (y/n)-chan. Are you still sure you want to adventure in such a dangerous place? I could enter the cave alone" Coco suggested, but you shook your head.

"I feel like I have to be here no matter what. I will simply keep my distances once we reach the location of the Viande Bleue" you smiled. "Beside, I trust you enough that you won't let them hurt me"

"Of course not" the Heavenly King returned your smile.

You were persuaded that your day would be everything except calm. Not a minute you were inside the tramway, Coco was bombarded with fangirls who unfortunately recognized him on the spot. The poor man had to literally push them back with a shoe in the face. You both only earned your peace three stops from your destination, when most people who took the transport left.

You had placed the necklace inside your backpack after Coco insisted that you shouldn't wear it until you discovered who sent you this. You were wondering if it had anything to do with one of his fortunes. The fog deepened since you left the inn, but the locals stated it was normal. The cause was said to be coming from the Azure Mists, where few mountain ranges surrounded the town. 60 % made of ice at the top, and the rest being underground lava, the fog only forms in the swamps and descends by the strong winds of a current that passes through them and the mountains.

As told, the tramway left you and the Heavenly King at the exit of the village. The second your feet landed on the moist ground, it quickly disappeared at the horizon as if the conductor has seen a ghost.

"The atmosphere is...eerie" you breathed. "Are you sure there's nothing else we should be careful about, Coco-san?"

"We won't take too long in the swamps before we reach the cave, so it's fine" he said, already walking on the path that will lead you to your destination.

"...If you say so..."

If he wasn't seeing the shadow of death over your head, then it was fine, right? There's nothing for you to be afraid of. At least, that's what you were trying to convince yourself with as your legs plunged in the shallow water of the swamps. You shuddered at the sensation, moving in large strides to progress through this creepy place. You stared ahead to see that Coco wasn't really struggling as the water barely reached his calves. You were a bit jealous of his height at that point.

One wrong move on your part, and you would find yourself completely soaked with the murky substance. That's when you felt something slither between your legs, and you bit your lips in nervousness as you took your courage in hands by gazing down at the source. It was a tongue. A long appendage enrolled around your ankle and rubbing the skin, which it soon became uncomfortable.

"C-Coco-san..." you trailed, making the male stop in his tracks and give a look of concern in your direction.

It quickly turned into a panicked expression as Coco's eyes grew large like saucers, his lips parting in shock. You were swung and lifted upside-down. Screaming, your limbs wobbled in every direction as a dark body exited the water. The first thing you noticed about the beast was how large its teeth were, every hair of your body standing on edge at the sharpness. Two empty black spots serving as eyes glared right at you, unblinking. The long tongue that held you captive belonged to this creature that resembled a shark with short fins and a colorless body.

AZURE SHARK (FISH) - CAPTURE LEVEL 32

"Stay still!" shouted Coco as he removed the green bands around his wrists.

This earned a deep roar from the beast who stepped back from the Heavenly King, sensing the danger of his poison. Coco shot several bullets as an attempt to paralyze the shark. Even with its large body, it was able to dodge the projectiles. All the while you screamed as you were tossed in every direction. The situation took a sudden turn when the Azure Shark plunged into the deepest part of the swamps, bringing you with it.

The tongue slithered around your throat and squeezed the air out of you. You grabbed the appendage, wincing as you became lightheaded by the lack of oxygen. Another body entered the water, following after you and the shark. The beast opened its jaw wide, the tongue retracting to bring you closer to its mouth. You panicked, even more when the teeth became sharper.

"Poison Cannon!"

A ball of lethal poison was fired inside the Azure Shark's mouth, causing it to clamp shut its jaw. The body shook with seizures, groans escaping the beast. The tongue released you from its hold and you were soon grabbed by Coco who swam back to the surface. Both of you coughed and took a huge gulp of fresh air once you were out of the swamps. Falling on your side, the cold air hitting your skin completely froze you and you shivered.

"T-Thank you, C-Coco-san..." your teeth chattered.

You blinked when the man enveloped you in his cloak, quickly warming you up. Your cheeks reddened, and you gazed down at your laps while Coco tied up the knots to keep the cloth from sliding. Once done, his hands that radiated warm slid against the edge while he stared absently at you.

"Stay close to me, (y/n)-chan. The swamps are more dangerous than I anticipated...Which it's a bit strange. The townsfolk said that Azure Sharks exclusively live in the deepest parts of the swamps" he affirmed, a frown appearing on his face.

The two of you stood up and continued your way to the cave. The air around you grew colder as you both approached a narrow and rocky passage between two mountains once you were out of the swamps. Insects crawled out between the cracks, and you paled at the sight of a long snake sticking its head out from the other side of the wall to eat them. While you freaked out internally, Coco remained calm and passed the snake without even looking at it for a second.

You jogged after the Heavenly King, shuddering at the way the beast was glaring at you from its spot. One wrong move, and it would bite your head off.

"Coco-san, have you noticed how drastically the temperature changed? It feels like I'm walking in a blizzard..." you said.

"Certainly it means that we are close..."

The path led to an opening, with what supposed to be the Tranquil Chasm ahead. It was a cave like no others, with the entrance being a large gap in the ground. As you got closer, you could hear the sound of a waterfall echoing deep from the opening. Coco approached the entrance carefully, before he put down the bag that contained the tools you would need to advance in the cave.

"(y/n)-chan, get on my back" the Heavenly King demanded, and you gave a nod.

While the man bent down, you climbed on his back and held unto him like a koala. He slowly descended inside the cave, hopping on the walls until you reached the floor. There was no need for light, since the cave was mostly lit by the water who was shining a bright, purple color. The moment you stepped on the ground, you nearly fell on your butt. The floor was a bit slippery, an unknown liquid pouring out from cracks in the walls.

"Stalactites?" hummed Coco as your finger dug into the crack and you tasted the water.

"It tastes like lemonade" you concluded after a short pause. "A strange mix of lavender and maple, but it's really good!"

"Shall we proceed?"

"Hm-mm!"

The two of you went ahead and entered a passageway that only got thinner and thinner as you go on. To the point you had to crawl sometimes on your knees or to move side way like a crab. You breathed in and out as you faced your first obstacle. The opening between the walls was small, but you could manage to pass if you pulled your stomach in. Holding a huge amount of air, you jumped through the opening with a bit of difficulty, and fell on your side with a squeak of surprise.

"Are you okay, (y/n)-chan?" inquired Coco behind you.

"I'm fine!" you replied. "Be careful once you pass this part of the cave!"

"...Eh...."

The moment the Heavenly King tried to pass through the slit, his upper part got caught between the walls. You blinked a few times, gaping in silence. Coco grew embarrassed when you suddenly let out loud giggles. The sight was pretty hilarious to look at. Even more when he tried to squeeze himself out. At least the walls were wet so he could get out with a few tries.

You continued a long time inside the cave, with no sight of the Viande Bleue or Sauce Bleue. Suddenly, the ceiling shook under tremors, and both you and Coco froze on the place. It stopped after around ten seconds, but it didn't ease your mind one bit.

"Is there something else in the cave?" you questioned fearfully.

"Tranquil Chasm is the home of Poison Catoblepas. I do not recall of any other beast mentioned..." frowned Coco. "There's three levels: the 'Upper-Floor', 'Main-Floor', and 'Underground-Floor'. We are right now on the Main-Floor. My guess is that the Viande Bleue must be somewhere on the lower floor with the Catoplebas, and perhaps the Sauce Bleue is here or the floor above us" he said.

"Should we split? I could make my way to the Upper-Floor while you handle the Viande Bleue"

"Hm. There's no telling if the Catoblepas are really close to the Viande Bleue. Probably the main horde are guarding the ingredient while sentinels are placed to the upper floors..."

"By splitting we would buy time, but if there is indeed a bunch of Catoblepas, I will simply stay away and return here" you suggested. "There's no need to be my bodyguard all the time!"

"Are you truly sure?"

"Aye!" you grinned, eyes closed.

Coco sighed and shook his head, but he didn't argue any further. He didn't need a crystal ball to know you wouldn't come back on your decision. You were too stubborn, after all. The man departed for the Underground-Floor while you made your way to the floor above you. You had to squeeze yourself a few times through cracks and climbed holes that were twice your size before you reached the Upper-Floor.

You lost your foot and slid down to land face first on a wet surface. You coughed, lifting your head only to gape in awe at the majestuous display in front of you. It looked like a fountain with water glowing a blue color pouring out of tiny holes that made the eyes of a statue.

"Is that...the Sauce Bleue?" your voice resonated through the walls of the cave in awe.

A delicious smell filled the air, bringing you to an environment close to the ocean. It filled your mind with peace and you felt more relaxed than a few minutes ago. Stepping forward, you readied your Gourmet Case as you got closer to the source. However, your whole body froze up when the ground suddenly shook in tremors. A loud beeping sound echoed from your backpack.

Something red was glowing through the fabric, and you noted in horror that it came from the place you put the necklace before leaving the inn. The ceiling shook wildly under another series of hits, and it finally gave off. You threw yourself on the side to avoid the rubble, bringing your arms above your head to protect yourself.

Ears ringing, your lungs squeezed at the unhealthy air that filled them. You coughed while the smoke disappeared and the dust settled back on the ground. A shadow lifted itself from where you once stood before the ceiling broke. It stepped into the light of the Sauce Bleue, and your breath caught in your throat as you recognized the red fur of a GT Robot.

"Damn it all. That guy owns me 50 bucks for sending me to this hole...Now, where is-?"

The robot's talk came to a sudden stop when it caught sight of the Sauce Bleue, and you gritted your teeth internally. You couldn't allow them to have a hold on the sauce. Stupidly, you dashed at the GT Robot without a second of hesitation and tried to land a blow on it. Unfortunately, it seems like it suspected that you were here because the next thing you knew, you were suspended in the air. The robot held you tightly, claws around your throat.

"Well, well. We meet again" Merlot stated in a surly manner. "You missed me, Doll?"

"Of course not!" you managed to shout angrily.

"Ah, but I must thank you for wearing my little gift...Or at least, that you brought it with you" he trailed with his robotic voice, and you grew confused at his words.

"W-What do you mean?!"

"That necklace served me to track you down to the Tranquil Chasm. I also appreciate that the poisonous bastard took care of the pesky creatures that could have become an hindrance to my mission" Merlot told you. "Now, I can bring the Sauce Bleue to the boss...and a cute chef too!"

"As if I will let you go without a fight!"

The GT Robot simply laughed at your poor attempts to punch and kick him. You were probably more struggling than fighting back at the moment. You prayed for Coco to make a sudden appearance and take care of this guy, but you remembered that the earthquake must have done some damages to the lower floors too. And there was no way to tell if he was able to pass through the Poison Catoblepas safely. They certainly became more aware of their surroundings with the shock. Merlot suddenly tossed you in the direction of the source, your Gourmet Case hitting the floor harshly at the impact.

"Put the Sauce Bleue inside. Make it quick, the boss is a bit impatient and moody" the robot ordered.

"I won't!" you puffed your cheeks at it, causing Merlot to let out a sigh of frustration.

"Come on, sweet cheeks. You don't need to fill it up completely, half of the case will be enough. You don't want to make me angry, do you? I can be rough around my playthings when I'm mad"

Against your will, you started to fill your Gourmet Case with the Sauce Bleue. You couldn't really protest with a gun shoved behind your head. A bit delicate in handling the sauce, you were taking your sweet time. Not that you wanted to piss him off, but something was telling you to not go fast, or else the properties of the Sauce Bleue wouldn't be at the top of their quality.

"What are you waiting for? Just shove it all in one shot-"

"I can't!" you cut him, irritated. "Or else the taste will simply fade!"

"Do I look like I care? Just do it already!" Merlot snarled.

Before he could do anything, the ground shook under your feet. Everything disappeared and you found yourself falling with the GT Robot following after you. Luckily, you landed in another source of water while Merlot was pushed away to another floor. Sticking your head out and gasping for air, you swam to the shore and crawled your way out of the lake. Coughing a bit, you lifted your gaze only to freeze in horror.

A creature with a long neck was standing there, facing the ground in the other way. Huge claws digging into the earth and dirt, with dark fur rolling down its back. Puffs of violet smoke was coming out from its nostrils, and you came to the realization of where you actually landed. Behind it, a larger group was spread around, all keeping their heads down. They were Poison Catoblepas, in the flesh.

POISON CATOBLEPAS (MAMMAL) - CAPTURE LEVEL 35

You quickly stood up and ran behind a pillar of rock to hide yourself from their view. As long as you didn't gaze right at their eyes, you should be fine. And you were at a good distance away from them to avoid inhaling their poison. If you ended up in the Underground-Floor, then where was Coco?

Did something happen to him? You hoped not. You were afraid of taking a look around because of the beasts. What if you accidentally met the gaze of one? Turned to stone? Dying on the spot? Those thoughts weren't really encouraging. With the robot of Gourmet Corp. out of the way, it will be easier for your to breath.

Suddenly,something touched your shoulder and you were about to let out a scream when a warm hand prevented you from doing so. You looked over your shoulder and you were relieved to find the dark eyes of Coco gazing at you in concern.

"Coco-san!" you whispered loud enough for him to hear. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"What happened? Everything collapsed, and I feared the worst...But I'm also glad to see that you're okay, (y/n)-chan" the Heavenly King told you.

"Coco-san, there's a robot of the Gourmet Corp. here! He tracked us down with this necklace" you said as you showed him the piece of jewelry in question.

The man took it and examined the ruby closely. His fingers traced the rock for a moment, and you were taken aback when he suddenly crushed it. Reopening his hand, among the debris that was left of the ruby, there was a small chip that pint-pointed your position with a tracker. Coco discarded the ruby and the chip, tossing them both in the small lake. Now, Gourmet Corp. couldn't track you down anymore.

"Where you able to find the Sauce Bleue?" Coco inquired, which pulled you out of your reverie.

"Y-Yes! Here, take a look!" you said and showed him your Gourmet Case. The sauce was still glowing brightly in the container.

"Good. Now, all that's left is the Viande Bleue...Please, stay here while I take care of this"

Just like in the cave of the Puffer Whale, Coco removed the bandages around his wrists and the turban. Immediately, his skin turned deep purple. He began to walk in the direction of the Poison Catoblepas, each step quiet and slow. He skirted through the mob of beasts that didn't even move a muscle after he passed them. On your part, you were sweating bullets. You weren't concerned about the poison, but their eyes.

It became tricky once the Heavenly King reached an altar where most Catoblepas rested. It was difficult to figure out if they were just sleeping or simply hung their head down naturally. However, Coco was gazing at only one thing: the Viande Bleue.

The ingredient morphed from another type of sauce that could be considered similar to the Sauce Bleue. You were unsure of the process, but you knew that it began with stalactites forming atop of the sauce and eventually falling after their germination. Called "Protein Stalactite", it can only sprout and survive from a cave of cold environments. Once the germination done, they fall into the sauce where they eventually become a part of the Viande Bleue. But what happens before that?

"Can you see it?" you asked.

"It's...hard to say. It doesn't match the description left by IGO" Coco replied.

Your face paled when suddenly a Catoblepas lifted its head in Coco's direction. To his luck, he was facing the other way, but he was still unaware of the beast lurking behind him. Another followed, before each of them advanced in the direction of the altar. With his skills, Coco noted the change in the Poison Catoblepas' movements. He closed his eyes and slowly took a step back while they continued to make their way to the Viande Bleue.

To your astonishment, the beasts didn't pay any mind to the Heavenly King and bent their heads to the sauce. Their eyes glowed brightly and the sauce shifted as they continued to gaze at it. Soon enough, the sauce morphed to something more spongy before it became the ingredient you were all waiting for: the Viande Bleue. The Poison Catoblepas retreated from the room after having their fill, and you ran to Coco's side who looked surprised.

"Who would have thought that the gaze of a Catoblepas could mature the Protein Stalactites inside the sauce to the Viande Bleue..." said Coco.

"So their eyes weren't exactly deadly...I'm relieved that they didn't hurt you, Coco-san" you smiled at the man.

"Our mission is now done. We got our hands on the Viande Bleue and the Sauce Bleue"

"Director-san will certainly be glad...All that's left is preparing the pastitio for the prince. I hope I will be able to meet his demands..." you told with a hint of worry in your voice.

After returning to the village to take your luggage, you soon found yourself back in the train to return home with the two ingredients. Coco was sharing your compartment, deeply lost in his book he brought with him. You felt a little bored since you had nothing to pass the time. Sometime, you would send secretive looks in his direction. If you have to stay for at least 3 hours in the same room with the handsome man, then admiring him just a little bit once in a while wouldn't hurt the eye. Right?

Back at Hotel Gourmet, after Coco left you to return to his own duties, you were taken aback when the manager and the director suddenly appeared in front of your face.

"Oh, my dear! I was so worried when I heard the news!" Umeda shouted uncharacteristically.

"N-News? What news? What's going on?!" you demanded, unnerved.

"Don't tell me you're not aware of what happened at the Llyne Station? The Bishokuya who was assigned on this mission was murdered!" told the manager in disbelief, earning yourself a confused look.

"But...I don't understand. Wasn't Coco the one you sent?"

"The Heavenly King Coco? What are you talking about, sous chef?!"

"Coco was the one who showed up at the train station. We gathered the two ingredients: the Viande Bleue and the Sauce Bleue!"

As proof, you handed over the Gourmet Case containing the ingredients. As if forgetting completely the situation, Umeda's expression lightened up as if it was Christmas Day. He grabbed the case from your hands and turned on his heels to walk back to the elevator:

"How glorious! Well, it doesn't matter anymore since you have the ingredients!" the director shouted over his shoulder.

"A man was killed..." you sweatdropped.

"No matter! Get back to your duties! You have a delicious meal to cook for Prince Aleijah Kwoak-something!"

The director disappeared in the elevator, leaving you and the manager to stare at each other blankly. You never expected your return to be that weird.

"Manager-san...What exactly happened?" you inquired.

"It will be clearer if you read this..." he told you as he handed the newspaper.

You read the page and found in bold letters: MAN FOUND MURDERED AT LLYNE STATION. It was written that not even the police found a clue on the scene. The man was brutally murdered, and the weapon was nowhere to be found. There was a photo of the victim next to the article, so you guessed that both men found out of the tragedy that way. A few bystanders who said that they 'witnessed' the crime told different stories, but the majority all had something in common. They told the officers that the murderer had dark brown hair and red-colored eyes.

You froze up at this information. Strangely, it reminded you of the man that was in the same compartment as yours when you took the train to the Azure Mists. You recalled that his name was 'Lot'. You shuddered a bit at the thought of sharing the same room with a murderer.

"Still...Why would Coco suddenly show up to help me?" you mumbled to yourself.