Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 116

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Chapter 35: Hwool and Oracle

Kainchel introduced Zeke to Oracle, explaining that he needed to hear a story from her.

Zeke’s eyes widened as he looked at Oracle.

Her clothes were soaked with sweat, and her face was flushed red with an odd excitement.

She looked exactly like someone who had just completed a significant task.

Zeke grinned slyly and nudged Kainchel’s arm with his finger.

“Brother! I thought you were just pretending to be naive! I knew your bread-kneading skills were something else!”

“…I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong.”

“But weren’t you with the witch hag when you left the mansion? Where did she go, and who is this beautiful lady?”

Oracle, who was sipping her tea, paused.

She seemed quite shocked by the unexpected title.

“Me, a witch hag…? Witch… hag…”

“Oh? Could it be that the lady *is* the witch hag?! Aha! Ahahaha! I’m so sorry.”

Kainchel sighed and explained that Oracle was simply suffering from an illness.

“So, the disease that was eating away at you has retreated a step thanks to your brother’s cooking!”

Zeke was genuinely impressed.

The change Princess Catherine showed wasn’t this dramatic.

In a way, it was natural.

What Oracle ate was a 6-star medicinal cuisine. Moreover, the amount of Aura used to amplify the effect was almost double.

Kainchel cleared his throat and began to speak seriously.

“Zeke, you investigated the Peddler’s Alliance before, right?”

“Isn’t that all over?”

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be over yet.”

Among the chefs who suffered from the Peddler’s Alliance’s tyranny, some closed their shops and left Citizen [the city where they are].

Kainchel asked with a chilling gaze.

“Do you know where the chefs who left Citizen are now?”

“…Wouldn’t they have returned safely to their hometowns? Sorry, brother. I didn’t investigate that far.”

“Yesterday, one chef disappeared. He had been targeted by the Peddler’s Alliance until recently. It seems someone wants chefs with excellent cooking skills.”

“If what you say is true…”

“Perhaps they didn’t leave Citizen but were kidnapped by someone.”

The identity of the Immortal Cells was the flesh of the Seven Deadly Sins, Mammon, cooked.

Antares ate something with a 3-star completion. What if the Immortal Cells were cooked to a higher grade?

‘What if what he ate was 5-star… no, 6-star…’

The thought alone was terrifying.

Of course, that would require the power of a chef with excellent cooking skills.

Like Gordon, for example.

“If you show excellent skills in the cooking competition, Oracle will be targeted by them in the future.”

“It doesn’t matter. I was only able to live this long because of my father. I can take this much risk.”

If it’s a match between Hwool and Oracle, the only target will be Oracle. Hwool’s identity is hidden behind thick clown makeup.

A strong will could be felt in Oracle’s blue eyes. She had the spirit of Gordon’s daughter.

‘If Oracle has shown her resolve, I must respond to it.’

“First, please take a look at this.”

Kainchel took out a clown costume from his two-dimensional pocket [a pocket with seemingly infinite space] and placed it on the table.

“A clown?”

“I am Hwool, who was scheduled to compete against Gordon Lambolton.”

“Ah, so you were sponsoring the cooking competition. But I heard Hwool’s behavior was completely clownish. Was that all you acting?”

“I received help from Zeke for that. He’s an expert in that field.”

However, Oracle’s expression was calmer than expected.

Kainchel, who had expected a surprised reaction, shrugged.

Oracle smiled with a slightly sulky expression.

“The food you made pushed my illness back a step. I would have believed you were the reincarnation of Deus [a god], not Hwool.”

“Reincarnation of Deus… I’m glad Caroline isn’t here.”

“Caroline? Are you acquainted with Archbishop Caroline?”

“Let’s just say she’s a regular customer.”

“…Oh my.”

Kainchel had many regular customers besides Caroline.

Princess Phiedler of Deutschland [Germany] and Catherine. The Elf Queen Nimuë and Eirene.

In addition, many people ate Kainchel’s food.

In that way, his relationships with them became experience points and accumulated within Kainchel.

“Still, let’s put in place at least a minimum of safety measures.”

“Safety measures?”

“What we’re doing tomorrow isn’t a cooking competition. To be exact, it’s just a circus of clowns. We need to package it that way so that the nobles who are watching Emperor Aslan’s every move can watch without worry.”

“That’s definitely a good idea.”

“So, from now on, Oracle, you’ll have to put on clown makeup too.”

“Yes? A clown? Are you saying I have to cook in that?”

Oracle’s face turned as red as a ripe persimmon.

She seemed embarrassed to cook in a clown outfit that completely revealed her figure.

“You’ll get used to it.”

“I don’t want to get used to that!”

However, it was too dangerous to have a cooking competition with her bare face.

Eventually, Oracle, who acknowledged the need for disguise, set one condition.

“I’ll decide what to wear. Got it?”

Zeke somehow obtained a bunch of women’s clown costumes. Most of them were so revealing that they made your eyes pop.

In the end, she chose a loose-fitting outfit with a skull on it.

Zeke muttered with a disappointed expression.

“There are so many great outfits, why a skull! In the end, it’s Hwool and Miss Skull!”

@

“Ladies and gentlemen! The curtain is now rising on the delightful circus that will decorate the finale of the festival!”

The circus was being emceed by Wilson, the mayor of Citizen.

His booming voice echoed throughout the central square.

Thanks to the magic tool that amplified the sound.

“Now, let me introduce the clown who will be performing today! The creator of Honey Butter that heated up the summer festival! Hwool!”

People who still remembered Honey Butter cheered.

“I wanted to see you, Hwool! Where have you been!”

“I still can’t forget the taste of the Honey Butter Sandwich!”

The audience filled the tent and lined up outside.

The participants in the circus had suddenly changed, but the audience wanted to see Hwool.

That’s how huge the sensation caused by the Honey Butter Sandwich was.

Excellent taste at an affordable price.

Especially, unlike the luxury food that was the exclusive property of the nobles, it was a big deal that you could buy it if you reached out.

Perhaps that’s why most of the audience were merchants or citizens.

Wilson introduced the second participant.

“The person who will be doing the circus with him is a mysterious beauty who hides tremendous cooking skills inside a skull! Miss Skull!”

Oracle, wearing skull makeup, walked forward. In the center of the stage, preparations were being made to cook right away.

“Kyaa!”

Perhaps nervous about the unfamiliar stage, Oracle fell forward as she headed to the cooking table.

The audience realized that Miss Skull was a woman, true to her name, at the sharp scream.

“Ah! Is it arthritis, Miss Skull? She falls spectacularly!”

Wilson’s sense of making even that part of the show was amazing.

Wilson brought the magic tool close to Kainchel’s face and said.

“Then Hwool! A word about your determination ahead of the cooking competition… no, the circus!”

“Haha! Heehee! Hooh! Hehe! Hoho! I, Hwool! I’ve been training hard, but unfortunately, I can’t perform any tricks to entertain you! But I can show you how to make some special food!”

And Kainchel fell comically as if there was slippery oil on the floor.

“Oops! Who put olive oil on the floor! What? Today’s dish is clown stir-fry? I came to cook, but I’m about to be cooked!”

Kainchel activated Fallen Star [his cooking skill] while acting as a clown with his body.

From now on, he will be cooking in front of a large audience.

‘If the goal of the person who kidnapped Gordon is excellent cooking skills… there must be his eyes among them.’

A tension greater than any battle was felt.

This is not just a clown performance. A huge trap to lure the opponent out.

To maximize its effect, you have to make the best dish you can make now.

Wilson approached Goethe, who was sitting in the judge’s seat this time.

“Then, Mr. Goethe! Please tell us what dish you would like to eat!”

“Uh, can I decide the menu?”

“Even a very difficult menu is fine! The clowns over there are here to satisfy Mr. Goethe’s tongue!”

“Really? Then how about this? Chicken. I want to eat chicken that even a devil would fall for.”

Wilson raised his voice.

“It’s out! What Hwool and Miss Skull have to make from now on is chicken that even a devil would fall for! Then a fun and delicious performance begins!”

‘A taste that even a devil would fall for? What am I supposed to make!’

Kainchel screamed inwardly. Such abstract dishes are evaluated differently depending on the interpretation. It wasn’t a problem that could be solved by simply making it delicious.

Unlike Kainchel, who was worried, Oracle seemed to have found the answer right away.

She nodded once and immediately began to gather the ingredients.

As a commercial city where many trading companies are gathered, various ingredients could be obtained even in the middle of winter.

‘Collard greens, yams, buttermilk… and honey… Oracle is trying to make buttermilk chicken.’

It was a dish of fried chicken marinated in buttermilk.

The chicken soaked in buttermilk becomes very moist and tender.

It is fried crispy and then coated with honey.

Finally, it is served with refreshing collard greens and mashed yams.

Then a dish is born that no one can resist drooling over.

‘Ugh, just looking at the way she prepares the ingredients makes me drool…’

Oracle’s appearance while cooking was beautiful.

Even the ridiculous skull makeup couldn’t hide her cooking skills.

Oracle instantly put shallots, garlic, and onions in buttermilk.

Now, put the trimmed chicken in there and let the flavor soak in.

The slender fingers move naturally as if playing an instrument.

Then the large chicken was cut into bite-sized pieces. Oracle’s knife skills were almost artistic.

‘……It’s like watching Gordon cook.’

Kainchel swallowed hard. Although it was a cooking competition to attract enemies, he wanted to win.

If you win against a chef with excellent skills, you gain tremendous experience points.

He didn’t want to miss it.

However, Kainchel was still unable to decide what to make.

‘I’m sorry, but should I borrow a little of Brilliant Road’s power?’

Kainchel fixed his gaze on the untrimmed chicken and activated his cooking skill.

Then, numerous recipes for dishes that could be made with chicken appeared before his eyes.

‘Chicken that even a devil would fall for… Devil… Yes, this is it.’

Kainchel grabbed a recipe that was placed in a very deep place.

Seasoned Chicken.

It was a dish that looked like it had hellfire on the chicken.

Hwool and Oracle #2