By the time Lumeria's crystal towers came into view on the horizon, Marron felt... steadier. Not completely confident—that would be asking too much—but less like she was drowning in the weight of three Legendary Tools and more like she was learning to carry them properly.

"Home sweet home," Millie said as they passed through the city gates. The guards waved them through with barely a glance—two Guild-certified chefs and their companions were hardly unusual traffic.

"Home sweet classes I need to make up," Marron corrected, but she was smiling. She'd missed Lumeria, she realized. Missed her apartment, her practice kitchen, the organized chaos of the Guild.

They parted ways at the street market—Millie heading to check on her moon cake cart and cousin Iris, Marron continuing toward the Guild district with Mokko and Lucy.

Studio 3-C was exactly as she'd left it, if a little dusty. Marron set down her tools carefully, opened the windows to air the place out, and tried not to feel overwhelmed by the to-do list forming in her mind.

Make up classes. Write to Lord Jackal Alexander. Document what she'd learned about the ladle. Figure out where to safely store three Legendary Tools. Resume her regular cooking practice. Maybe set up her cart again in the market—

A notification chimed.

[Quest Complete: Journey to New Brookvale] [Rewards: Generous Ladle (Confirmed), Portion Sense (Unlocked), Community Bond +5, Cooking EXP +2000] [New Quest Available: Reintegration - Resume your studies and daily life. Sometimes the extraordinary requires the foundation of the ordinary.] [Time Limit: None. This is your life, not just a quest.]

Marron blinked at that last line. This is your life, not just a quest. The System really was getting philosophical lately.

"Okay," she said to the empty apartment. "Reintegration. I can do that."

Chef Henrik's make-up session was scheduled for two days later—Wednesday afternoon, in one of the smaller practice kitchens. Marron arrived fifteen minutes early with her knives, notebook, and a determination to prove she hadn't wasted her leave of absence.

Henrik was already there, setting up stations with the same precise efficiency he brought to everything. He looked up when she entered, his gray hair catching the afternoon light from the high windows.

"Louvel. On time."

"Yes, Chef."

"Good." He gestured to a station. "We're covering everything you missed: advanced butchery techniques, proper trussing, and sauce consistency. You'll demonstrate each one, and I'll evaluate whether you've retained the fundamentals well enough to build on them."

"Understood, Chef."

"And Louvel?"

"Yes, Chef?"

Henrik's expression was stern, but there was something almost curious in his eyes. "I trust your leave was... productive."

Marron thought of the Generous Ladle, of feeding forty mimics, of learning what generosity truly meant. "Very productive, Chef."

"Good. Begin with—"

The practice kitchen door slammed open.

Both Marron and Henrik turned to see a young woman burst through—she looked maybe nineteen, with wild curly hair barely contained under a cook's cap and a Guild apprentice pin on her jacket. Her face was flushed, and she was breathing hard like she'd been running.

"Chef Henrik, I'm sorry, I know you're in a private session, but—" She stopped, catching her breath. "Has anyone told you? About the decree?"

Henrik's expression went very still. "What decree?"

"The Merchant's Guild." The apprentice's hands were shaking. "They issued it this morning. Posted notices in the street market, sent heralds through the lower ring. All food stall vendors have to choose a partner restaurant as their 'home base' or be forcibly closed within two weeks."

The words hit Marron like cold water.

"What?" she said, her voice coming out sharper than intended. "That's—why would they—"

"They're citing hygiene issues," the apprentice continued, her words tumbling over each other. "Saying that food exposed to outdoor elements is a public health risk. That vendors need to be operating under the supervision of a licensed restaurant to ensure proper standards." She looked between Henrik and Marron, her expression desperate. "But everyone knows it's not about hygiene. It's about the restaurant district trying to eliminate competition."

Henrik's jaw had gone tight. "How many vendors are affected?"

"All of them. Maybe fifty carts in the street market alone. More if you count the ones in the outer districts." The apprentice's voice cracked. "My mom runs a grilled fish cart. She's been there for fifteen years. She can't afford to partner with a restaurant—they'd take most of her profits, or worse, just shut her down and steal her recipes."

Marron felt something cold and angry settling in her chest. The street market. Where she'd learned about presentation from people who put care into hand-stamped egg bread boxes. Where Millie ran her moon cake cart with its paper lanterns and gold accents. Where vendors showed that beauty didn't require wealth, just intention.

"When was this decree issued?" Henrik asked, his voice dangerously calm.

"This morning. First light. The notices are already up." The apprentice pulled a crumpled paper from her pocket and handed it to Henrik. "I grabbed one on my way here."

Henrik unfolded it, his eyes scanning the text. Marron moved closer to read over his shoulder.

BY ORDER OF THE LUMERIA MERCHANT'S GUILD

DECREE 47-B: FOOD VENDOR REGULATIONS

Effective immediately, all food vendors operating mobile carts or temporary stalls within Lumeria city limits must establish a formal partnership with a licensed, brick-and-mortar restaurant. This partnership must include:

Regular inspections of the vendor's food preparation methods Shared liability for any health concerns Payment of partnership fees (determined by the restaurant) Adherence to the partner restaurant's quality standards

Vendors who fail to secure a restaurant partnership within fourteen (14) days will have their vendor licenses revoked and their carts seized.

This decree is enacted in the interest of public health and safety, to ensure that all food served within Lumeria meets the highest standards of hygiene and quality.

Signed, Merchant Guild Master Cornelius Thade With approval from the Restaurant District Council

Marron read it twice, her anger building with each word.

"This isn't about hygiene," she said flatly. "This is about control."

"Obviously," Henrik said, his tone clipped. He handed the notice back to the apprentice. "Does the Culinary Guild know?"

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