Chapter 511: Pressure

"Young man, do you think threats like that are going to suffice?" she broke free, "-listen to me," hands-on his collar, "-you're my damned prodigy. Do as I say, cook as I wish, and listen to my orders. Getting your panties twisted isn't going to do anyone here any good." Her short height seemed to increase, opposed to looking down, she stared on from up above. 

"Don't treat me as if I'm a dog," he grabbed her hands, "-let me remind you," brown eyes flashed red, "-I'll do what is needed as long as it suits my purpose. Don't get mixed up in how things appear."

"IGNA!" *slap,* "-HOW DARE YOU TALK TO LADY YUKI THAT WAY," screamed Igona, "-she's your master, or should I remind what we did?" Pins went across, the heat burnt. No response came, he all but covered his cheeks. A violent side-glance at the door had Syndra shudder. 

"Lady Yuki, Igna," approached Leko, "-the kitchen isn't a place to fight."

"Not a place to fight?" smirked Igna, "-how presumptuous."

"Don't dare speak to Leko in that tone of voice," fired Yuki.

The tension rose into violence, one wanted to do another harm. It all began friendly, Igna lost the matches and was somewhat content about it. Lady Yuki kept up her aggressive criticism, each dish got better – her blinded thirst of perfection nulled his efforts. All he could was remain silent and do as was said. The chefs took turns battling; fatigue and stress whelmed many who cooked. Her mood lessened into borderline abuse. At one point, throwing dishes, cutlery and knives became the norm. Each time he got injured, the wounds would heal. That in of itself gave her the insurance to continue her immoral onslaught called training. Joe remained neutral through the ordeal. Igona stood strongly at her side and even partook in throwing dishes. Fast forwards to today, the miracle Kyle showed on stage – the way he moved, the way the presentation reached the eater, "-Yanni." A deep-rooted fighting spirit rose, a battle of student versus student. Loron's reputation laid on his back, the pressure of seeing him not improve, not give a damn, and being cocky rubbed them the wrong way. For argument's sake, Igna didn't slack one bit, his's way of learning and working changed. None of them realized and began the witch hunt of physically drilling information into a poor boy's body and mind.

"Éclair, I need to get away from here. These people are crazy," the growing anger needed to be quelled. Blood rushed from the center out, the fingertips began to tingle, the body seemed lighter. 

"It's beside the point," cried Yuki, "-Igna's my student, I'll do as I please. He's not following instructions; the food being served is below standards. How is he going to compare against Yanni's kid? I don't want to lose face because of lack of practice, this isn't the way I want to be disrespected." 

"Lady Yuki," said Leko calmly, "-you're treating him as if a machine. Have you taken a step back and looked at the injuries he sustained. Goes double for you, Chef Igona, don't you see the heartlessness being played before thy very eyes." 

"I don't care," said he, "-if lady Yuki says he's underperforming, then it must be so. Our reputation is on that boy's shoulders, if he fails, what will the cooking world say about us?" 

"Yeah," she broke free yet again, "-he dared to attack me," a metal rod swung for his head. *smack,* contact made, blood splatted across the floor and cooking station. Shook, the mind dazzled into him hitting the sharp corner. 

"TOO FAR," exclaimed Leko squeezing her arms, "-HOW DARE YOU ASSAULT HIM!" 

"MOTHER!" ran Syndra, "-HOW COULD YOU," she slid to hold his head, "-HITTING HIM WITH A METAL BAT FOR THE SAKE OF A FUCKING EVENT?" 

*Clop, clop, clop,* heels echoed against the wooden floor. The open windows blew in to sway long lush white-hair. "Lady Yuki Lordon." 

"Who are you?" turned Igona, "-what's your business here?"

"Silence," a side-glance had the man crumble onto his knees.

'C-c-can't b-b-breathe.' 

"All this commotion for a mere cooking challenge," said the lady menacingly overlooking the mess. "Move," she ordered.

"Don't speak to my daughter that way!"

"Syndra," any attempts at raising her voice fell, "-The Medusa of cooking exists only when one is in the kitchen. In the real world," she knelt and dirtied her pants by blood, "-the ones at the top are people holding power and money. Have you forgotten the promise you made?" a deathly aura oozed. Despite now having no current, her hair levitated – black smoke blurred her outline, it emanated as if staring hot-roads during a sunny day. 

"Promise?" she paused, "-I don't quite remember." 

"How very intriguing," she patted the boy, "-wasn't it something along the lines of I apologize for mistreating Igna. Don't you forget, you've done this before. Playing the victim to only end up hurting my son. I should ruin you," her eyes spoke true, "-a single call," her phone dialed, "-Hello, Elvira," the onlookers watched afraid by what could happen. 

"Hello lady Courtney, have you made it to Plaustan already?"

"Yes, I have."

"Why such a strange tone of voice," wondered she stopping her activities, "-something the matter?"

"Yes," she glanced about, "-Éclair, send the data to Elvira." The feed showed the host's status. "The Medusa of Cooking saw it fit to abuse my son into getting better." Coming per her mouths, the implication of her actions soon dawned on everybody. "Words aren't going to suffice this time around," she locked onto Yuki, "-buy out the whole of Loron and their associated businesses. I want the Lordon family to be at our feet."

"What?" 

"You can't be serious," exclaimed Leko, "-the Lordon's are a rich family, how the hell do you expect?"

"Chef Leko," she smiled, "-I appreciate you stepping in to try and convince this foolish viper. Suppose her venom runs deeper than we expected."

"What a joke," sighed Yuki, "-buying out our whole empire? How very much foolish."

"Foolish?" she laughed, "-don't ever underestimate the Haggard family name." Meanwhile; the stock market fluctuated in the amount of money being invested. 25 Million exa bought out the whole of her family. Name, assets, land, businesses, anything related to her and her husband. What about the legal side of things? Nobles, especially Royalty, only have to smile and it's fair game. Queen Gallienne's promise of Staxius having unlimited access to anything in the continent played a part in their power. Also, having members working inside at the law-making level also helped. Put in perspective, 1 million exa assured a person the rank of Baron – a rich one at that. Who said money couldn't buy nobility. 

"Stop pulling our legs," the silence of the kitchen daunted the soul. Igona had a meeting with death, the face and memories scarred for probably forever. Emma and Emmy were out during the whole ordeal. Joe remained neutral, the way he stared at Igna showed a man who cared. "There's no way someone can buy out a family in an instant…"

"Dear oh dear," laughed Courtney, "-my son is precious to me. I made the trip to watch him shine in Cle. I don't care if he wins or loses. I can say for certain, even if the boy ever came to me and said he wished for the world's destruction…" the tone darkened, "-I'd make sure it happens. La question se pose, who are you, lady Lordon, to dare and hurt him."

Then and there, phones vibrated without stop. "Hello," the simultaneous calls had them shudder. The dirtied room, the fallen ingredients, blood-splattered about – things didn't look good for those responsible. The Back, lawyers, and even a friend working at a state-level were baffled at what happened. Lordon's property was bought and owned by Haggard's. Ownership of Loron and the associated assets were transferred to Igna Haggard. 

"Come on," cursed she over the phone, "-how can we become homeless in seconds?"

"No idea, ma'am. I'm sorry, it's all official. Whoever targeted this must have had money to spare. It happened so fast. They claimed all the company's shares, then sent out a bankruptcy notice; putting Lordon in deep trouble, to only then be bought by yet another. I estimate around 50 million circulated about. The bank couldn't let the deal pass, instead of seizing, they transferred ownership. 

"You did buy us out…"

"Mother," turned Syndra, "-what h-have y-you done?"

"It's not my fault," she stumbled to the wall with hands on her head, "-what are we if we're poor. Not even poor, there's nothing to our name… what the fuck!"

"Should teach you," glared Courtney, "-Igna isn't a mere worthless cook. He's my son, a member of the Haggard family."

'What's all this about,' consciousness regained, '-I got hit by Lady Yuki. Wait,' the warmth and firmness of muscles, '-I've been here before. Mother, it's her, she came for me. My anger is gone,' the eyes opened, '-why's lady Yuki so troubled? Everyone seems scared…'

"You're awake," smiled crimson-red lips, "-how are you feeling?"

"Good," she helped in having him sit upright.

"Don't worry about that," said she, "-no need to feel around, the injuries are healed."

"Mother," the comfort of her aura eased the troubled mind, "-what happened?"

"I taught a few people lessons they'll never forget." 

A message flashed per Éclair's courtesy, "-Igna Haggard's now the owner of Loron and their afflicted businesses. I'll manage the profits and income from today forth, there's no need to worry. Predicting what people want and except is secondary of my real capabilities." 

"Loron? Show me the assets."

"Lordon's mansion, the restaurant, a few vehicles." 

"What… how?"

"Your lady mother bought it to show Yuki her place. The result doesn't seem so inviting. She's losing it." 

"Awfully quiet, aren't you," said she warmly.

"Sorry, mother. Éclair was giving me a summary of what happened. Did you really buy out Lordon?"

"Yes," her hand laid atop his, "-don't worry about anything."

"Huh?" her hands moved for the phone.

"Hello, Elvira, transfer the mansion and a few million to the Lordon's family. A rich family has to keep up appearances, don't they?" The whole ordeal was a show of power. In the end, the Lordon's kept 5% of what they had. Houses, cars, and all those boring commodities were returned. The only exception was the medium through which the deal happened. Instead of the law, they went underground. Yuki spoke to Elvira on the phone, the latter didn't take lightly to what happened and was trashed into crying. Syndra remained shocked. 

'This mess,' stared he blankly at the fallen apron, '-was my days working in her company nothing. Am I really that bad a chef?' night sprawled over the continent. Leko and his mother went into town to discuss the academy's future. Everyone else went their separate ways. Things got too awkward; Courtney's presence gave instated fear in their hearts. In face of true power, what illusioned they had was naught.

Time went at a snails-pace, Igna watched and thought. The dishes, the anger-fueled comments he received. Lady Yuki's personality and will. Many students told about the graduation exams. He soon learned about the divide between him and Kyle, a divide that would soon push him further than any other chef that came before.

Far, far, away from anyone's wanting eyes, Elvira talked with Lord Lordon.

"It's absolutely unacceptable for such an organization to lay siege on my property and funds."

"Lord Lordon, we did say that laying a hand on Igna would have severe consequences. Lady Yuki, mind you, I have the footage, has abused our beloved boy into cooking. What would you do if Syndra was in his place."

"You make a fair point," silence loomed, "-I yield. I accept my wife to be in the wrong. Still, I beg of you, let us have at least 25% of our belongings back."

"Check in with Igna, beg to him if needed, he owns most of what thee had at one point."