Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 1

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Chicken Soup for the Soul

Lying in his hospital room, Cainchel overheard mocking laughter.

“Do you know who that guy is who’s been admitted?”

“The nameplate says ‘Cainchel.’”

“Hey, keep it down. He might wake up. He was out cold a minute ago. It’s not like he’s seriously injured, though.”

“More importantly, who *is* Cainchel that the senior knight is making such a fuss about him?”

“He’s the king of the infirmary.”

“King?”

“A regular, yeah. This time, he went out to hunt goblins that popped up nearby and ended up like this.”

“Pfft! He got taken down by *goblins*? He must be a freshman.”

“He’s already in his third year.”

“And he got injured by goblins? Oh my…”

“There’s a reason he’s called the worst student in the history of ‘Stanis Knight Academy.’ I overheard Instructor Billy saying he’d be better off giving a sword to a seven-year-old. Seriously, he’d probably lose even if he fought *you*.”

“Come on, he’s still a trainee knight; it can’t be *that* bad.”

“Oh, it’s definitely possible. Last time, when he was swinging a wooden sword…”

‘Damn it, I can’t listen to this anymore.’

Cainchel yanked the blanket over his head.

The whispers around him, revealing the harsh truth, stung more than his physical injuries.

It was just as the nurse officers had said.

Cainchel Van Zistad.

He was once from a prestigious noble family on the outskirts.

But after a certain incident, the family fortunes steadily declined, and now, completely ruined, all he had left was his own body.

So, he wanted to become a knight.

If he succeeded, he would receive medical treatment equivalent to that of a baron.

And if he reached a higher rank, he could obtain a title, honor, and wealth to match.

Cainchel, who had roamed through deep forests to make a living, was confident in his stamina. Moreover, the Zistad family had even produced a Sword Master [the highest level a swordsman can achieve] a century ago.

If even a sliver of that talent remained in him…

But it seemed that not only the family fortune had dried up.

Cainchel stared blankly at the air with heavy eyes.

‘The stamina I was so confident in is just average here. And swordsmanship is…’

Even after training for three years, he couldn’t defeat a single goblin.

At this rate, the problem wasn’t becoming a knight, but the promotion exam in half a year.

In fact, it had been like that for the past three years.

He had never passed it, not even once.

Just when things seemed to quiet down, he heard the voices of the nurse officers again.

“But what happens if he keeps failing to get promoted?”

“Stanis Academy doesn’t expel even the most hopeless students. That’s why we have someone like Cainchel. However…”

“However?”

“If you don’t get promoted, you’ll continue to train with the rookies. Even after many years. So, most of the trainee knights in the academy now have trained with Cainchel.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, it’s a record. Usually, they quit on their own before it gets this far, but it seems Cainchel has no honor or pride as a knight. That’s why he’s still clinging on like that.”

“Ahaha! If this keeps up, a father and son might become Cainchel’s classmates for generations!”

“If that really happens, he’ll become a legend of the academy. I should get his autograph in advance.”

Damn it.

Damn it…

Where did it all go wrong?

When he failed the first promotion exam, Cainchel told himself his efforts weren’t enough.

So, he swung his sword relentlessly, even sacrificing sleep. His fingernails broke, his hands bled, and he was in the infirmary almost every three days.

Even so, nothing changed.

When he failed the second promotion exam, he became even more stubborn and further reduced his already limited sleep. He trained harder than anyone else.

Yet the result was the same.

He volunteered for monster subjugation training, thinking things might change if he gained experience fighting monsters.

And when he dropped his sword while blocking a goblin’s stone axe, Cainchel finally realized.

That he didn’t have even a shred of talent.

Three years.

It took him too long to realize that simple fact.

“…If I fail the promotion again this time… should I just quit?”

The boy who had dreamed of becoming a knight and providing for his family.

Frustrated by the fact that he had no talent.

Worn down by reality, he was now the laughingstock of the academy.

At that moment, the tightly closed door opened, and someone came in.

“Here’s chicken soup. Please get up and eat.”

It seemed to be a staff member bringing his meal.

But it was a face he had never seen before. ‘Was there such a person in the infirmary? A newbie, probably. So many people come and go.’

“It will be very delicious. Enjoy.”

The staff member smiled and set the plate and spoon on the table next to the bed.

“…Thank you.”

“When you’re done, just leave the dishes next to you.”

Cainchel looked at the still-warm soup in the plate. His mouth was parched. How long had he been unconscious?

‘I should at least thank them properly later.’

But he couldn’t quite remember the face of the staff member who had been there just a few minutes ago. He vividly remembered the clothes they were wearing, but why?

‘Wait a minute… Surely it was a person, right?’

Thinking that, Cainchel shook his head.

‘There’s no way a ghost brought me food. It must be because I’ve been unconscious for too long and my condition isn’t good.’

Grumble…

‘I’m hungry even in this situation.’

He chuckled without realizing it.

To heal his injuries, he had to eat the food brought by someone who had mocked him.

He picked up the spoon and brought the bowl of chicken soup in front of him.

‘What is that smell? It’s amazing.’

Rising from the bowl was the aroma of chicken, various vegetables, and spices.

Gulp…

His mouth watered.

Unable to resist, he took a spoonful and brought it to his mouth.

Then, the rich taste of the soup spread throughout his mouth.

The unknown spices amplified the flavors of the chicken and vegetables even more.

“…Delicious.”

The taste filled his empty stomach, and a sigh of admiration escaped involuntarily.

It was the first time he had eaten such delicious soup.

The well-seasoned chicken was tender as if it would melt. The perfectly cooked orange and white vegetables, soaked in the soup, showcased their flavors.

Cainchel quickly emptied the plate full of chicken soup.

And as if it wasn’t enough, he scraped the bowl with a spoon.

It felt like he had returned to his childhood.

“Haa…”

Staring at the empty plate, Cainchel sat blankly for a while.

The frustration that had been tormenting him until just now had vanished. He felt like he wanted to grab a sword and rush out to the training ground right now.

It was as if a bowl of chicken soup had healed his soul.

It was his first time experiencing something like this.

Suddenly, a strange thought came to Cainchel’s mind.

‘I want to make this kind of dish.’

In the end, Cainchel, who had been completely absorbed by the chicken soup, didn’t notice the vibrating pocket watch around his neck.

A strange phrase appeared on it, which had remained unchanged for three years.

[You have tasted ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul.’]

[You have become enamored with cooking after eating food made by someone else.]

[Gourmet Level has been created.]

Stanis Knight Academy’s Worst Student #1