Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 76

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Chapter 23: The Great Steak

Ironically, the person with the most information about the Seven Deadly Sins’ curse was a merchant.

Count Grexia Wellride did everything he could to lift the curse of sloth that afflicted his only daughter, Frellia.

However, the curse on Frellia remained unchanged for nearly a decade.

Eventually, the Count began searching for others afflicted by curses.

He thought that if anyone had improved even slightly, it might offer a clue.

It was Siegfried who managed the information network he had built at that time.

Zeke had left for the north to help Cainchel.

Inevitably, the information gathered in the office had to be reviewed directly by the Count.

The old butler, Brad, said with a worried expression.

“It’s been three days since you’ve had any sleep. Shouldn’t you rest, even just a little?”

“Sir Cainchel, who left for the north, has already found a clue to upgrade his cooking by one level. I can’t afford to fall behind.”

“Yes, if that is your wish… Then I will brew some herbal tea to relieve your fatigue.”

The Count sighed as he looked at the mountain of reports. Ten years had passed since the war ended, but countless people were still suffering from curses.

“Hmm…”

Then, a report from the north caused deep wrinkles to form on the Count’s brow.

The old butler, Brad, who was entering with a teacup, asked.

“Surely nothing has happened in the north?”

“I don’t know how to interpret this.”

It stated that an unidentified epidemic was spreading in a small village in the north.

Those who contracted it would fall into a coma and rarely wake up.

“It’s almost like the curse of sloth.”

Brad widened his eyes and read the contents written on the parchment. Then, he let out a sigh of relief.

“It says they wake up quickly after suffering for a day or two. The curse of sloth is not this… I-I’m sorry. I was out of line…”

“No, it’s a valid point. But look here. At first, it was a day. Then, three days. And then, a week. The time they spend in a coma is gradually increasing.”

“…I’ve never heard of such an epidemic.”

“Statistics don’t lie. It’s as if someone is practicing spreading curses.”

The Count quietly took out a map of Britannia and marked the areas where the unidentified epidemic was spreading.

Then, he realized something astonishing.

The Count groaned and clutched his head.

“M-My God… Pelga is included in the path of the epidemic…”

It was a name that Brad also knew.

“Isn’t that the village where Sir Cainchel saw ghouls?”

“Yes. He almost got into serious trouble for reporting it under Sir Abel’s name. And eventually, Pelga disappeared from the map.”

Then, Brad, horrified, muttered.

“Does that mean someone is using the Seven Deadly Sins’ curse to do something?”

The Count couldn’t say anything.

@

“W-Werewolves! There really were wolves!”

“Besides, one of them is huge! I wouldn’t be able to recover my bones if I got hit by that hand.”

“I-If I had kept going into the dungeon without knowing that…”

The mercenaries, with horrified eyes, chattered noisily. Cainchel placed the werewolves he had been carrying in front of them.

“They may look like werewolves now, but they were originally mercenaries. Does anyone know of any mercenaries who have recently disappeared?”

Then, some of the mercenaries who had a hunch came forward and began examining the werewolves’ corpses.

“Isn’t this scar near the eye Hans?”

“Oh, you rascal! You should have just run away with the money, why did you end up like this!”

In the end, they were able to return to where they belonged, even if it was in the bodies of wolves.

The group returned to the tavern and slept as if they had fainted for a while.

The regeneration potion pushes the body’s regenerative power to its limit. However, it consumes a tremendous amount of energy.

That was why the four of them were able to devour all the kebabs that would have been enough for 20 people.

What greeted Cainchel when he woke up was Abel’s bewildered expression. Abel, whose injuries were not severe, had stayed up all night nursing the group.

Next to him, he saw the face of a man he didn’t recognize.

“Oh! The heroes who saved Mino have awakened!”

“Are you Baron Mino?”

“Yes, I am Mikellan. Ah! Please don’t get up! There’s no need to be so formal. If it weren’t for you, Mino wouldn’t have lasted a day against the werewolf attack.”

He was more like a village chief than a lord. He looked much older than his age, perhaps due to the hardships he had endured.

Mikellan burst into a hearty laugh.

“I have already reported this matter to Marquis Phillips. As the person in charge of security for the entire north, he will give you a great reward. But before that, wouldn’t you like to have dinner with me? There’s not much to offer, but I would be honored if you could attend and tell me how you caught the werewolves.”

Cainchel quietly sighed. Fortunately, Mikellan didn’t seem to remember him.

If he built up merit as a free knight, he could obtain a title suitable for a lord.

At least until then, he intended to hide the fact that he was the heir to the Gistard estate.

After all, there were many people with similar names in the north.

Mikellan was a man who, although poor, was fulfilling his responsibilities as a lord.

He had even taken out loans to hire a mercenary group [团 is ‘group’ in Chinese] to protect his territory’s people.

Cainchel didn’t want to refuse such a person’s invitation.

When Cainchel quietly nodded, Mikellan showed a sincere smile.

“Then I’ll prepare and wait for you!”

The visitor to the tavern was not just Mikellan. A messenger brought an invitation from Marquis Phillips.

It contained praise for defeating Sirius, the Wolf King, and stated that he would personally bestow an award upon Cainchel, the free knight.

Abel, who was next to him, sneered.

“The rhetoric is no joke. You’d think you saved the country just by reading this.”

“A ghostwriter probably wrote it.”

“But doesn’t this mean the appointments overlap?”

The Byron Castle, where Marquis Phillips was staying, was close enough to reach in three hours on horseback. However, to attend the dinner on time, he would have to show his face and return immediately.

If Marquis Phillips offered him a meal, something troublesome might happen.

“If I’m late, you can hang out with Baron Mino instead.”

“Ugh… That guy makes me uncomfortable.”

In the end, Cainchel put on his formal attire and boarded the carriage brought by the messenger.

@

Ludwig Phillips sat on a chair so extravagant that it looked like a throne, looking down at Cainchel.

“So, I heard you defeated Sirius, the Wolf King. What is your name?”

“Yes, I am the free knight Cainchel. It is an honor to meet Marquis Phillips, the guardian of the north.”

He couldn’t have been more than 30 years old. Too young to be in charge of security for the entire north.

“But why is there only one of you? I clearly summoned everyone who participated in the battle.”

“They are recovering from serious injuries sustained in the fierce battle.”

“Is that so? I heard that one of your companions is a great beauty, which is a shame. Bring her next time if you have the chance.”

“……”

Cainchel managed to maintain his composure with superhuman patience.

‘Damn it, he’s even more of a scoundrel than I heard. I would have been in big trouble if I hadn’t learned acting from Uncle Zeke.’

The reason why Ludwig was able to sit in the important position of Marquis at such a young age was not because he was outstanding.

It was only because he had inadvertently inherited the position after the previous Count Phillips, who was called a great general, was killed in battle.

After arriving in the north, Cainchel was able to hear various rumors about Marquis Phillips.

Most of them were curses. He was said to be fond of money and women and acted like the king of the north.

Ludwig gestured to his subordinates with an arrogant expression.

“Hehe, if you’ve done a good job, you should be awarded a medal. Bring the Wings of the Free Knight.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

In this way, one more medal was added to Cainchel’s chest. Finally, a pair of wings was completed.

But he didn’t feel proud at all.

‘I’ll have to take it off as soon as I get back to the tavern.’

It seemed that the saying that position makes a person did not apply to Ludwig.

Ludwig looked at Cainchel’s waist and raised one corner of his mouth. There was a mithril sword that could be called a masterpiece.

“I heard that Sir Cainchel is a Sword Knight. It’s a waste of talent to rot as a free knight. How about working under me? I’ll treat you well.”

It was as if he had come to buy a horse to ride.

Recently, the security in the north had been particularly bad, and he seemed to know the reason.

Because not a person, but a dog was sitting in the commander’s seat.

Cainchel quietly raised his head and looked at Ludwig.

Perhaps he had read the burning anger contained within. Ludwig’s body flinched.

“Working under Marquis Phillips, the guardian of the north, is too great an honor for me.”

Ludwig nodded, seemingly pleased. But Cainchel’s words were not over yet.

“However, in accordance with chivalry, I have even rejected the Grand Cross’s offer to protect the weak, pursue justice and goodness, and defeat the evil and injustice that threaten the empire. And since I have not yet properly fulfilled that duty, I intend to wander around the country for a while in accordance with chivalry.”

It was a polite but clear refusal.

He kicked it away without leaving even an inch of room.

Ludwig’s face turned red.

“H-How dare a mere free knight reject my offer…”

“I’m sorry, Your Excellency, but I have a prior engagement, so I’ll be leaving now.”

“What? An engagement?”

“Yes. I have received a dinner invitation from Baron Mino. It’s a bit late, but if I ride hard, I might be able to arrive before you finish all the appetizers.”

Cainchel quietly got up from his seat.

Ludwig’s face turned even redder. It was rare for him to pay attention to a free knight.

But he ignored it and got up to go to dinner with the baron?

It was the first time he had been treated like this.

“If you’re going to get up here, take off that medal and leave!”

“Yes, I didn’t think it suited me anyway.”

Cainchel tore off one of the two medals he was wearing on his chest. And he returned it to the servant who had given it to him.

“Then goodbye.”

It was nice meeting you. Let’s not see each other for the rest of our lives.

Thinking that, Cainchel quietly left the castle gates.

“T-T-That guy, catch him right now!”

Ludwig’s angry voice was heard, but no one followed.

“I’m sorry. Your Excellency, I suddenly have back pain…”

“I have hemorrhoids…”

“You bastards! Can’t you get out there right now!”

Cainchel quietly rode his horse, offering condolences to the subordinates who would suffer under Ludwig.

The stolen horse ran better than he thought, so he was able to arrive at Baron Mino’s territory on time without being late for his appointment.

But the situation was unusual.

“E-Emily! No matter how I look at it, this meat seems burnt.”

“Uwaaa! P-Please put out the fire!”

“You said you were confident, didn’t you? Huh? But what is this?”

“I-I’m sorry. It was definitely delicious when I made it before…”

“Ugh. Who will take that horned colt away…”

It seemed that there was something wrong with the kitchen. Cainchel quietly smiled.

If so, there is an expert here.

“Should I make the Great Steak I learned from Gordon Lambolton [Likely a reference to Gordon Ramsay, a famous chef] at this opportunity?”

Fortunately, I got my hands on some really great salt. I’m sure a very delicious steak will be made.

Surely, if he had accepted Ludwig’s offer, a feast of delicacies would have been waiting for him.

But Cainchel knew the joy of someone 맛있게 [masitge – Korean for ‘deliciously’] eating the food he made.

This was the kind of place that suited him.

The Great Steak #2