Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 89

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‘First, I need to figure out the ingredients.’

The condition of the remaining ingredients was terrible. They were half-rotten, with pus oozing out.

If I were to cook with these, it seemed like it would cause critical health problems, taste aside.

However, Cainchel had a skill that could make even these ingredients usable.

[Freshness Restoration : ★★★★]

― Restores the freshness of ingredients by four levels using Aura.

Perhaps it was thanks to his near 50 points in Divinity. Despite being a skill he had only recently acquired, his proficiency had already risen to 4 stars.

Freshness Restoration and Effect Amplification, influenced by Divinity. And Flambé and Meringue, influenced by Mana.

All of these were skills that greatly aided in cooking.

‘With the increase in Mana and Divinity, it’s become possible to do things that seem like magic.’

Gourmet skills raise all stats simultaneously. I’ve been feeling just how amazing that is with my whole body recently.

Cainchel quietly focused his mind on his fingertips.

Then, a brilliant light poured down onto the ingredients piled on the counter.

How could anyone cook with such ingredients? Bruno, who had been giving him that look, was astonished.

It was as if time was being turned back, and the freshness of the ingredients was being restored.

“…Are you using, recovery magic?”

“It’s not magic, it’s Aura. Aura, which is life force itself, has uses like this as well.”

“Using Aura in cooking…”

Even with 4-star Freshness Restoration, he couldn’t restore all the ingredients to their original state. That’s how bad their condition was.

‘Still, the asparagus, chard, and enoki mushrooms are quite usable, right?’

After all, party food isn’t eaten to fill one’s stomach.

It’s more suitable as an accompaniment to liven up the conversation or when having a light drink.

In the end, most of it is made to be eaten in one bite with a fork.

‘Was it called hors d’oeuvres in Galia [a type of appetizer]?’

Cainchel first placed the asparagus on the counter and started heating the pan.

Then, Bruno, who had been sending him burdensome glances, opened his mouth.

“Certainly, if it’s asparagus that fresh, it will be a delicious dish just by drizzling olive oil and grilling it.”

Asparagus was a familiar ingredient to nobles, enjoyed even in the royal family.

Cainchel placed the asparagus whole on the heated pan.

Unlike other vegetables, it’s better to cut it into bite-sized pieces before eating.

That way, the crunchy texture is preserved when you put it in your mouth and chew.

After grilling for about 2 minutes, the outside was browning nicely, and a fragrant smell began to waft.

“…Your skill in controlling the heat of the pan is amazing. It’s as if you can see the temperature with your eyes.”

Cainchel replaced his answer with a smile. However, Chef Bruno’s keen observation in discerning that was also remarkable.

This time, he started grilling bacon using the pan he had used to grill the asparagus.

Bacon, which is salted and smoked, is not an ingredient that easily spoils.

It had returned to a perfect state with just 4-star Freshness Restoration.

“The smell of bacon being fried in the olive oil left in the pan always makes my mouth water.”

Cainchel didn’t drag out the time. The ball was about to begin in earnest. He had to complete at least two types of dishes before that.

Tasting them was Bruno’s job.

“The soft and crunchy texture is amazing. Moreover, your sense in using salty Gruyere cheese and bacon chips to supplement the lacking taste and flavor of the asparagus is almost hateful,” Bruno said with a grin.

Bruno gave a thumbs up, meaning it was good enough to be served at the ball as is.

[4-star dish ‘Elegant Grilled Asparagus’ has been completed.]

If a dish had any special characteristics, a prefix like this would be attached.

“Then, I’ll go deliver this to a servant first. But there’s one thing that’s a bit disappointing. If you had blanched the asparagus slightly in salt water before grilling it, the texture would have been even better.”

“Thank you for the advice. I’ll have to try that next time.”

“Hoo… But to make this level of dish with such ingredients, it feels like a miracle.”

Cainchel quietly bowed his head to express his gratitude.

It was advice from a veteran chef who had been holding a knife for a long time.

He felt like he knew why his cooking level had stopped at 5 stars.

Compared to his rapidly increased cooking skills, he was woefully lacking in experience. Perhaps, in order to raise his cooking level, he needed even more diverse experiences.

Thinking that, Cainchel picked up the knife again.

Next, he was going to make a bite-sized dish of grilled beef wrapped around enoki mushrooms.

Grilling beef was one of the cooking methods Cainchel was most confident in.

Cainchel took out thyme and rosemary that he had put in his dimensional pocket.

Since there were no prepared herbs, he was planning to use what he carried around for emergencies.

He washed the two types of herbs cleanly and finely minced them with garlic.

He applied that to thinly sliced beef sirloin and rubbed it in as if massaging it.

‘Beef tastes better when it’s moderately aged rather than too fresh.’

After letting the herbs soak into the beef, he started grilling the sliced mushrooms.

He grilled the mushrooms slightly so that they had a smoky flavor, and then wrapped them in thinly sliced beef.

‘Now, all that’s left is to grill this.’

He put plenty of butter on the heated pan and placed the mushroom-wrapped beef on top.

Then, with a pleasant sound, the beef began to cook.

Sizzle-!

The sound of beef and mushrooms cooking sounded more melodious than any song.

Bruno, who had returned after handing the plate to the servant, widened his eyes.

“Are you already making the next dish? Your speed is amazing.”

“All that’s left is plating it.”

The place where Cainchel learned to cook was a mess hall where he had to make food for hundreds of people every day.

More than anything, speed was important.

He even created the onion swordsmanship because he couldn’t bear to waste time preparing ingredients.

He placed the well-grilled mushroom beef on a spoon. After drizzling mustard sauce on top, he garnished it with chives and red chard.

“There, it’s done.”

“Then, may I taste it?”

“Yes, please do.”

The dish was plated to be eaten in one bite. Bruno picked up a spoon and brought it to his mouth.

“…!”

Bruno couldn’t say anything for a moment.

The grilled asparagus he had eaten just now was definitely delicious.

But Bruno knew how to make it even more delicious.

But what on earth was this dish?

Wrapping slightly grilled mushrooms in beef and grilling them. At first glance, it seems simple, but it’s difficult to grill two completely different ingredients into an ideal form.

But that young chef did it so wonderfully.

The meat wrapped around the mushrooms had the savory smell unique to freshly grilled meat.

When he bit into it, the mushrooms, full of juice, danced in his mouth.

What kind of grilling method do you have to use to create this kind of taste?

His skill in grilling meat alone might have surpassed his own, who had been cooking for decades.

Just one bite gave him the satisfaction of having eaten a full course meal.

“…It’s really delicious. I can’t say anything else.”

[5-star dish ‘Beef Roll Stuffed with Enoki Mushrooms’ has been completed.]

Cainchel, who had confirmed the message that appeared in his mind’s eye, let out a sigh of relief.

Perhaps because he used the ingredients and cooking methods he was most confident in, it was completed as a 5-star dish.

“Then, let’s make the next dish right away.”

“Please do. I’ll be busy just moving the plates.”

Cainchel grinned.

The ball had only just begun.

He felt sorry for Frelia, who was waiting, but there was still work to be done in the kitchen.

@

Cainchel, who had left for the kitchen saying he would be back soon, had not returned for over 20 minutes.

Before he knew it, a cheerful waltz was echoing in the ballroom. Sounds of people asking ladies to dance could be heard here and there.

It was difficult to refuse every time. In the end, Frelia called Abel, who was waiting outside.

“I guess I’ll have to ask my cute knight for a dance.”

At that moment, the door opened and servants carrying plates of food entered.

The people who were engrossed in dancing didn’t seem to be very interested in the food.

Only Frelia’s eyes lit up as she approached the table where the food was placed.

The plate contained grilled asparagus that seemed to capture the freshness of spring.

The cheese and bacon sprinkled on top looked so appetizing.

Frelia had been eating Cainchel’s cooking for months.

She instinctively knew who had made it.

A rosy sigh escaped from her slightly parted lips.

“Haa, I was wondering where you were, but you’re cooking again.”

Abel, who had been guarding Frelia from a slight distance, approached.

“To leave such a beautiful lady and cook. I’ll have to nag him later.”

“Well, that’s why I like him.”

“…Like what?”

“The food that Cainchel makes.”

“Ah, you mean the food.”

Abel, who was about to let out a sigh of relief, was startled and stopped moving.

‘Why am I relieved?’

It didn’t matter to him who Frelia liked.

He was just her escort knight, and he was close friends with Cainchel.

If the two of them had a good relationship, he should be congratulating them.

The trainee knights who saw Frelia and Abel together whispered.

“I’ve never heard of such a female knight…”

“Lady Frelia is really beautiful, but that female knight is really pretty too. Should I ask her to dance?”

“Be careful. The medal on her chest is a symbol of a Sword Knight. She’s not someone you can do anything about.”

“…Tch.”

It was as if the Elfenlied [a dance of fairies], was unfolding. The hearts of the trainee knights, who could only watch from afar, were burning black.

“I can’t take it. I need to eat something.”

“Shall we? It seems like a servant just brought a new dish. I hope it’s edible this time.”

Before he knew it, a new plate had been placed on the table instead of the food that had already cooled down.

“Grilled asparagus… No meat? Meat?”

“It’s a ballroom. Usually, there’s only food that you can eat simply like this.”

The trainee knight, who was looking at the grilled asparagus with dissatisfied eyes, picked up the fork next to him.

“A ballroom where I have to eat this kind of grass…”

“Why? Is this not good either?”

“…This is so delicious! You try it!”

“It’s just grilled vegetables with cheese on top, right? How good can that be… What, this… This is really good!”

The newly arrived dish was incredibly delicious. The rumor spread through the ballroom in an instant.

People flocked around the table where the food was placed.

They quickly devoured all the grilled asparagus and began to wait for the next dish to come out.

@

In the corner of the ballroom, there were people who were more interested in things other than dancing.

Most of them were merchants.

“Did you see just now? A very beautiful female knight was with Lady Frelia. She must be her escort knight.”

“Should we see that as the young lady starting outdoor activities in earnest from now on?”

“Maybe she’s preparing to hand over the merchant guild directly to her daughter instead of a son-in-law…”

Frelia is the only successor to the Edelweiss Merchant Guild.

The man who marries her will inherit both the barony and the merchant guild at the same time.

That’s why most people thought that the baron would take in a son-in-law.

However, the baron showed that Frelia was still alive and well. He even attached an escort knight to her.

What will Frelia do in the future? The merchants’ interest was all focused on her.

However, such discussions did not last long.

The people who were gathered at the table suddenly cheered.

It seemed that the second dish they had been waiting for had appeared.

And a delicious smell that made them drool without realizing it began to waft.

An old merchant muttered.

“To be so happy with just one dish. They’re still young.”

“Gulp… I’m sorry, elder. The story is getting long, so my mouth is dry. I’ll go quench my thirst for a moment.”

“Wow, this smell is real… I’ll get up for a moment too.”

“…Me too for a moment.”

“Well, shall we take a 10-minute break?”

In the end, everyone except for one old merchant got up from their seats.

It wasn’t just the merchants.

Even the nobles who were dancing.

“Huh? Where is that delicious smell coming from…”

Even the noble ladies who were laughing and chatting happily.

“I’m sorry. I’ll just go get a glass of champagne for a moment.”

Numerous people who attended the ballroom were drawn to the table as if possessed.

There, the beef rolls stuffed with enoki mushrooms made by Cainchel were placed.

Overdrive Magic Imprint #1