Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 203

A strange tension settled among the gathered people.

Kainchel, who was slicing a baguette, and even Morgana, waiting for the food with a nonchalant expression, were both Sword Masters.

Kainchel knew well what it meant for a Sword Master of one nation to cross the border without permission.

Hadn’t Adolf shown that well enough?

Before Beast could say anything, Kainchel took the initiative.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Kainchel, who received the title of Diligence, though I am lacking. Duke Beast’s reputation has spread far and wide, even to Britannia. To think I would meet you while coming to eat local cuisine; fortune must be on my side.”

“Ahem. Surely, there is a Sword Master in Britannia who is more famous for cooking than swordsmanship, and that must be you. But I heard you received the title just a few days ago.”

“Indeed, when it comes to cuisine, it has to be Gallia [ancient name for the region encompassing modern-day France and surrounding areas]. The cuisine of Provence [a region in southeastern France] uses olive oil and various herbs to enhance the flavor, making it especially good for health. I’ve always wanted to try the Grand Aïoli, where dried cod and various vegetables are boiled separately and dipped in aioli sauce.”

“Haha, such high praise makes me feel quite embarrassed.”

As Kainchel rattled off culinary knowledge, a different light appeared in Duke Beast’s eyes.

Most of it was food commonly eaten in ordinary households. He was clearly different from the nobles of other countries who only knew about luxury dishes like caviar or foie gras when it came to Gallian cuisine.

Duke Beast spoke with a much more generous expression.

“If you had given me a heads up, I would have treated you like a VIP. It’s a bit of a shame.”

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t be able to leisurely make bouillabaisse [a traditional Provençal fish stew] by the river like this.”

“Hahaha! That’s a good point. Anyway, the smell is truly fantastic. Moreover, you’re properly extracting the broth without using fish stock. To think that a chef from another country would cook such a wonderful bouillabaisse. I’m surprised once again.”

“I am a knight, first and foremost.”

“Oops! You’re so good at cooking that I forgot… Hahaha! Oh, by the way, I know a restaurant that serves amazing pot-au-feu [a classic French beef stew]. I’ll let you know if you’re interested.”

Pot-au-feu was a dish where beef, carrots, cabbage, etc., were simmered in red wine for several hours and dipped in vinaigrette sauce.

In addition, Beast mentioned other specialties of Provence, such as daube provençale [a Provençal beef stew marinated in red wine].

Morgana watched Kainchel and Beast become friendly in an instant through the food conversation and muttered.

“Where does that sociability come from…”

@

‘But I never expected to meet Duke Beast here. Moreover, he didn’t approach with any other purpose but was truly drawn by the bouillabaisse.’

If so, he wanted to serve the best bouillabaisse. Kainchel put the half-made croutons into the oven.

He had thinly sliced the baguette and spread olive oil mixed with minced garlic, parsley, and salt on it in advance.

Now, all that was left was to bake it well in the oven until it turned brown.

This would be served with the bouillabaisse.

Next, it was time to prepare the mountain of seafood.

‘Lobster and crab should be boiled in the simmering broth, then only the meat extracted, and the fish and shrimp should be cut into bite-sized pieces…’

Adding scallop mantles to that made it look not just delicious, but even extravagant.

Duke Beast exclaimed.

“Scallop mantles become very chewy and flavorful when cooked, but they become too tough to even swallow if cooked for too long. I never thought you would put that in bouillabaisse. If you make it properly, an amazing dish will be born.”

In any case, the degree to which the ingredients were cooked could be perfectly grasped using Fallen Star.

Kainchel heated olive oil in a hot pot, added minced garlic and minced onions, stir-fried them, and then sprinkled orange juice.

The acidity would eliminate the fishy smell of the seafood.

Then, he added minced tomatoes and thinly sliced leeks and continued to stir-fry.

‘As expected, Provence cuisine needs plenty of herbs and olive oil to taste right. Then, shall I add baby potatoes, bay leaves, and saffron here?’

He poured in fish broth and boiled it until the baby potatoes were fluffy.

And finally, he would add the seafood that had been prepared in advance.

‘People usually think that seafood stew is made by putting all the ingredients in at once and boiling it. But you have to add them separately like this to get the proper flavor.’

This was because the degree to which each seafood was cooked was different.

Kainchel first added the fish and boiled it lightly.

Then, when the flesh was cooked to some extent, he added the scallops and shrimp.

And when the shrimp’s flesh turned a light pink color, it was time for the pre-cooked lobster and crab to appear.

Since so much seafood was added, there was no need to add salt. He just sprinkled a little pepper and parsley to add flavor, and it was done.

While Kainchel was cooking, Zeke took on the task of gathering information disguised as conversation.

Duke Beast was a pure warrior with no talent for politics or diplomacy.

Moreover, he was unpretentious and had a simple personality, so he was often seen eating on the streets like this.

Contrary to his scary appearance, he seemed to be quite a nice person and was very popular.

‘Why is such a person acting as a guardian for a villain like Bathory?’

If he were to confront her, he would have to fight this man.

However, Kainchel liked Duke Beast, who enjoyed gourmet food and had a hearty personality.

‘If possible, I want to make him cooperate without using a sword. Maybe the answer lies in this meeting.’

Kainchel filled a large plate with seafood and poured broth over it until it was half submerged.

Finally, he decorated it with parsley and added croutons.

“This is Provence-style bouillabaisse. Please enjoy it before it gets cold.”

“Haha! This is good enough to sell at a street stall right now. Well, let’s start with the broth…”

Werewolves don’t have cheek fat.

So, werewolves usually don’t eat soup dishes. But Duke Beast was skillfully drinking the broth using his tongue.

‘…He’s covering his tongue with aura!? He’s using aura to eat food!’

Kainchel wasn’t the only one surprised.

At the same time as the bouillabaisse broth passed down his throat, Duke Beast stood up from his seat.

“Bravo…! Oh, my god… The essence of countless seafood is melted into one bowl of food!”

And he started scooping up the seafood on the plate and devouring it.

The fish was neatly prepared without the need to remove the bones, and the scallop mantles were chewy and savory as he chewed.

Usually, when you add water and boil a stew, the taste of the seafood melts into the water and the taste deteriorates.

However, Kainchel’s bouillabaisse was even more delicious because the pre-boiled fish broth was infused into it.

Morgana was curious as to why Duke Beast was making such a fuss. So, she decided to try the scallop mantle first.

“I can feel a subtle fragrance in the scallops. Is this white wine? You lightly dipped it in there and boiled it.”

As expected, as the owner of super-senses, she didn’t miss even the hidden flavor that was added subtly.

But she would never have expected the taste until she actually ate it.

“This chewy elasticity…! How do you boil clams to make them so bouncy?! Moreover, the fish melts softly in your mouth the moment you put it in, exuding its unique savory taste. It’s a taste that’s hard to believe is fish. Ah, this is lobster! I didn’t know properly cooked lobster could be so delicious!”

As she ate, the seafood that filled the plate was quickly running out.

It was at a speed that surprised even Count Beast, who was eating next to her.

Morgana looked at the remaining broth with a sparkling expression.

She, who couldn’t eat spicy food well, had been focusing on seafood until now.

However, the bouillabaisse was not spicy at all. The red color was due to the tomatoes and saffron. The lingering fragrance of the spices and the flavor of the seafood that still lingered at the tip of her nose were dizzying.

“Young lady. Instead of adding it to the broth, try dipping it in like this. It’s still crispy and not soggy at all.”

Duke Beast, who was born and raised here, taught her how to eat croutons deliciously.

Morgana smiled brightly and ate the croutons as Duke Beast had taught her.

The croutons, soaked in tomato sauce, conveyed the flavor of countless seafood along with the crispiness.

“It’s so delicious.”

“Haha! I’m so glad.”

Before she knew it, a crowd of people had gathered around Morgana, who was eating bouillabaisse.

“The smell of the fish broth is really amazing! Master! Are you selling this?”

“To think there would be a street stall that makes bouillabaisse so well in such a remote place!”

“Huh, huh! Isn’t that Duke Beast! Could it be that the Duke came to eat bouillabaisse too?”

“The Duke has verified it! This is food you can trust and eat!”

However, the gathered people had to return after hearing that it was not for sale.

Duke Beast groaned as he watched their backs.

“Ugh… It was so delicious that I forgot to leave some for that child. The werewolf’s body is all good, but the problem is that it’s too weak to appetite.”

“That child?”

Then, Duke Beast trailed off with a slightly troubled expression.

“It’s not something to say to a foreigner… Strangely, you don’t seem like a stranger to me. This must be the magic of bouillabaisse.”

Sharing a bowl of food opens the door to a firmly closed heart.

Kainchel had experienced that miracle several times so far.

“I have a distant relative child who I have taken care of since I was young. She is a really pure and kind child, but she is strangely misunderstood. These days, she can’t even go outside properly.”

Kainchel had to forcibly hold back the name Bathory from coming out of his mouth.

If it was Duke Beast’s guardian, it could only be her.

Was it because he was in werewolf form? It was hard to guess his age based on his appearance alone. However, there was a sense of age in Duke Beast’s voice.

He must have been at least fifty years old.

Even so, to call Bathory, who was in her late 30s, a child. It didn’t seem like a simple guardian relationship at all.

Kainchel exchanged glances with Zeke, who was sitting next to him.

Zeke nodded silently.

‘The Blood Witch Bathory and the Werewolf Beast. In other words, a witch and a beast… There must be something between the two of them. This needs to be investigated.’

“That child really likes bouillabaisse. If it’s okay, can you make one more bowl?”

Kainchel nodded. After all, there were still ingredients left.

When he cooked a pot full of bouillabaisse with it, Duke Beast was overjoyed.

According to him, the child could eat fancy luxury dishes as much as she wanted if she wanted to.

However, she really liked this kind of home-style meal, so Duke Beast often came out to buy it like this.

Before leaving, Duke Beast gave one piece of advice.

“Kainchel. Never go down south of Orléans [a city in north-central France].”

“Orléans is definitely a city below Marseille [a port city in southern France], right?”

“That’s right. Recently, a high-ranking undead has appeared there, causing trouble.”

‘…Undead, that’s a subordinate of the Seven Sins, right?’

Most witches make contracts with lower demons.

However, there are some who succeed in contracting with higher demons and become necromancers.

They are called walking disasters, commanding countless undead.

‘Could it be Bathory?!’

In order to deal with a necromancer, the power of a Sword Master is needed.

Especially the ladle that Kainchel had recently obtained. No, Fragrach [Kainchel’s ladle] was the ultimate weapon against the undead.

“If you ever have to go there, give me a heads up. I got to eat such delicious bouillabaisse, so I’ll escort you there.”

‘The child you adore might be the master of those undead.’

What started as a simple witch hunt had turned upside down and swelled several times over.

@

Morgana nodded as if she understood after hearing Kainchel’s explanation.

“That’s right. If she’s a necromancer, all the mysteries are solved. They revive corpses and make them their subordinates. Surely, the reason why she bought slaves and brutally murdered them in the warehouse was for that reason, wasn’t it?”

“But there’s something strange. Duke Beast, who was talking about Bathory, seemed like he was treating his own child. Could it be that the Duke doesn’t know the identity of the guardian he’s been with for decades?”

Duke Beast’s eyes when talking about Bathory were similar to those of Count Wellide.

He felt infinite affection for his only daughter.

“…That must be because he’s been charmed by Bathory. Bathory is the villain as rumored. This has become even more certain. Let’s cut off one of her limbs and take her to the gate.”

Of course, if you think rationally, it is right to do as Morgana suggests.

However, the chef’s senses were shouting.

That there was another 7-star cooking ingredient hidden here.

“Morgana, you know best that just because you made a contract with a demon doesn’t mean you’re evil.”

“…But necromancers are really dangerous. Right now, they’re only threatening one or two territories, but someday they’ll grow into a national disaster. We have to stop them before that happens.”

“Then let’s do this. Let’s have Zeke investigate Bathory, and we’ll go to the area where the undead are appearing. Then, won’t we be able to know the situation for sure?”

What Bathory bought were female slaves.

If the undead that appear there are female, it will be clear who the culprit is.

However, what was waiting there was something that neither Morgana nor Kainchel had expected.