"Damn it, this is not good news at all."
"Huh?"
Lin Chen was a bit baffled. He looked at him in confusion. "You can't eat spicy food? Just take out the seeds. You should be able to handle jalapeños, right?"
Bartel shrugged, a look of utter despair on his face. "Unfortunately, it's worse than that. I actually like spicy food, but I'm allergic to chili peppers."
"..."
"Of course, the reaction isn't as bad as you might think. I'd normally carry my allergy meds, so I could indulge my cravings. But I don't have any medicine now."
Lin Chen nodded sympathetically. "I know that feeling. Just hang in there for now. You can have a proper feast after the competition is over."
As a huge foodie, no one understood the agony of seeing but not being able to eat better than him. It was pure, hellish torture—a constant battle against his inner demons.
