Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband-Chapter 139: The Trial of the Spice

The royal dining hall of the Sun Palace was less of a dining room and more of a torture chamber with nice tablecloths.

In the center of the long, golden table sat a massive clay pot. It wasn’t just steaming; it was bubbling like a witch’s cauldron. The air above it shimmered with heat. The smell was incredible—rich, savory, and so spicy that Caspian’s eyes started watering from ten feet away.

"Behold," Queen Mother Durga announced, gesturing to the pot. "The Fire-Lotus Curry."

Primrose stared at the curry. It was bright red. Not tomato red. Danger red.

"Is it supposed to be glowing?" Primrose whispered to Rajah.

"Yes," Rajah whispered back, looking terrified. "It’s made with peppers grown in the heart of a volcano. My father used to eat this before battle to make himself angry."

"Sit," Durga commanded.

They sat. On one side of the table: Primrose, Leonora, Rajah, and Arjun. On the other side: Durga, looking serene and deadly. Caspian and Orion (still in his bubble) sat at the far end, wisely choosing the spectator zone.

Servants ladled the curry into bowls. The ceramic hissed as the liquid touched it.

"The rules are simple," Durga said, picking up her spoon. "We eat. If you drink water, you lose. If you cry, you lose. If you stop eating before the bowl is empty, you lose."

She looked directly at Primrose.

"Begin."

Primrose picked up her spoon. Her hand was shaking slightly.

It’s just food, she told herself. I survived the North. I survived the Void. I can survive a vegetable.

She took a bite.

At first, it was delicious. Rich coconut milk, tender meat, fragrant spices.

Then, the heat hit.

It wasn’t a slow burn. It was an explosion. It felt like she had swallowed a firework. Her tongue went numb. Her throat tightened. Her eyes instantly filled with tears.

"Oh," Primrose wheezed. "Oh my."

Next to her, Rajah let out a small, high-pitched whimper.

"Stay strong, Stripes," Leonora muttered, taking a bite of her own. She flinched, her golden eyes widening, but she swallowed it down. "It’s... invigorating."

"It’s lava!" Arjun cried, fanning his tongue. "Grandma, why do we eat pain?"

"Pain builds character," Durga said calmly, eating a spoonful without even blinking. "Eat your vegetables, child."

Three bites in, something strange happened.

The room started to spin. The golden pillars seemed to be dancing.

"Uh," Primrose blinked. "Is the ceiling supposed to be melting?"

Durga frowned. She took another bite, tasting carefully. Her eyes narrowed.

"Shadow Peppers," Durga hissed. "Someone tampered with the recipe."

"Shadow Peppers?" Caspian asked from the end of the table.

"They induce hallucinations," Durga explained, putting down her spoon. "They make you see your worst fears. Or your weirdest dreams."

"The Boss," Primrose realized, her voice slurring slightly. "He spiked the curry."

"I see spiders!" Rajah suddenly screamed, jumping up on his chair. "Tiny spiders wearing tiny hats! They’re judging my fashion sense!"

"My reflection is laughing at me!" Leonora gasped, staring into her spoon. "Stop it! I know my hair is messy!"

Primrose looked at the curry. The bowl seemed to grow a face. It looked like the Boss.

Hello, Primrose, the Curry-Boss sneered. Are you going to let a little spice beat you?

"Shut up, soup," Primrose grumbled.

She looked at Durga. The Queen Mother was gripping the table, fighting the effects. But she wouldn’t stop. A Queen never stopped.

If I stop now, she wins, Primrose thought dizzily. And if I stop now, the Boss wins.

"Leonora," Primrose grabbed the Princess’s hand. "We have to finish."

"I can’t," Leonora whimpered, swaying in her seat. "The spoon is a snake."

"It’s not a snake," Primrose said firmly. "It’s a shovel. We are digging for victory. Together."

"Digging for victory," Leonora repeated. She grabbed Primrose’s hand back. "Okay. On three."

They ate. Spoonful after agonizing spoonful. They sweated. They hallucinated. At one point, Primrose thought her tails had turned into cotton candy and tried to eat one, but Caspian gently pushed her hand away.

Rajah was useless. He was curled in a ball under the table, sobbing about how much he missed his childhood blanket.

But the girls kept going.

Finally, the bowls were empty.

Primrose slammed her spoon down.

"Done!" she gasped.

Her entire body was vibrating. Her face was redder than a tomato. Smoke—actual, grey smoke—was curling out of her ears.

Leonora slammed her spoon down a second later. "Done!"

Durga looked at them. She looked at the empty bowls. She looked at her son, who was currently arguing with a chair.

For the first time since they arrived, Durga looked... impressed.

"You survived," Durga said. "And you resisted the Shadow Peppers."

" barely," Primrose wheezed.

Then, she felt a rumble in her chest. A deep, volcanic pressure building in her throat.

"Excuse me," Primrose choked out. "I need to... burp."

She covered her mouth.

BELCH.

A jet of literal fire shot out of her mouth, torching the centerpiece of flowers in the middle of the table.

"Whoops," Primrose squeaked, smoke drifting from her lips.

The table went silent.

Then, Durga started to laugh.

It wasn’t a polite titter. It was a deep, belly laugh that shook her gold jewelry.

"Fire breath!" Durga crowed, clapping her hands. "A true Dragon’s Burp! I haven’t seen that since my husband died!"

She wiped a tear from her eye.

"You pass, Fox," Durga declared. "You have fire in your belly. I like that."

Primrose drank an entire pitcher of milk in one gulp. Then, she stood up. She was still dizzy, but her chef’s instincts were kicking in.

"That curry was... memorable," Primrose said, swaying slightly. "But it lacked balance. All heat, no sweet."

"It is traditional," Durga shrugged.

"Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people," Primrose declared boldly (probably the Shadow Peppers talking). "I can do better."

Durga raised an eyebrow. "You think you can cook better than the Royal Chefs?"

"I think I can make something that won’t make your son cry under the table," Primrose pointed at Rajah.

"Challenge accepted," Durga leaned back. "The kitchen is yours. Impress me."

Primrose stumbled into the kitchen. Caspian followed her, looking concerned.

"Prim," Caspian said. "You are hallucinating. You just tried to high-five a mop."

"I’m fine!" Primrose insisted, tying an apron over her dress. "I need to make... Mango Sticky Rice."

"Mango what?"

"It’s sweet. It’s cool. It soothes the burn," Primrose explained, grabbing a basket of golden jungle mangoes. "It’s exactly what this tiger matriarch needs."

She cooked with a manic energy. She steamed the glutinous rice with coconut milk and sugar. She sliced the ripe mangoes into perfect, golden crescents. She toasted mung beans for crunch.

Thirty minutes later, she walked back into the dining hall carrying a tray.

Rajah had finally crawled out from under the table, though he still looked traumatized. Leonora was fanning herself. Durga was waiting.

Primrose set a plate in front of the Queen Mother.

"Golden Mango Sticky Rice," Primrose announced. "With a coconut cream sauce."

Durga looked at it. It looked simple. Harmless.

She took a bite.

Her eyes widened.

The sweetness of the mango cut through the lingering heat of the peppers. The warm, creamy rice soothed her burnt tongue. It was comforting. It was gentle. It tasted like a hug.

Durga chewed slowly. She closed her eyes.

"It is... soft," Durga whispered.

"Sometimes you need soft," Primrose said, sitting down heavily. "Being strong all the time is exhausting. Even for a Queen."

Durga opened her eyes. She looked at Primrose. She looked at Rajah, who was happily devouring his own plate of mango rice, looking peaceful for the first time all day.

"You are right," Durga admitted quietly. "We Tigers... we burn so bright, we sometimes forget to cool down."

She took another bite.

"This is acceptable," Durga announced. "In fact... it is delicious."

She reached into the folds of her sari and pulled out a small, rolled-up scroll.

"The clue," Durga said, sliding it across the table. "The Boss left it in the flower box. I didn’t open it. It smelled like treachery."

Primrose took the scroll. She unrolled it.

It was a map of the Jungle. But one spot was circled in black ink.

"The Festival is tomorrow," Durga said, her voice turning grim. "The Sun Stone will be exposed for the ritual. If he plans to strike... he will do it then."

"We’ll be ready," Rajah said, standing up. He had mango sauce on his chin, but his eyes were fierce again. "We won’t let him touch the Stone."

"Good," Durga said. She looked at Primrose.

"And Fox?"

"Yes?" Primrose asked.

"You can keep the fire breath," Durga smirked. "It suits you."