Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 115

In the end, it was decided that Antares’ body would remain at the Well-ride mansion.

The meticulously established barrier risked destruction if moved.

For the time being, the mansion’s staff would be struggling to manage the persistent clerics.

‘Still, securing the Deus Church’s cooperation is a significant achievement.’

To effectively confront the Seven Deadly Sins Church, they needed someone capable of acting across borders.

In that regard, Caroline, the Saintess, was the ideal collaborator.

‘And the fact that she developed a fondness for ice cream is a stroke of luck.’

As Cainchel sat in the reception room, organizing his thoughts, a knock sounded.

“A guest has arrived to see Lord Cainchel. What should we do?”

“A guest?”

“Yes, they say they were sent by Mayor Wilson.”

Cainchel frowned, puzzled.

‘Who could it be? Surely Mayor Wilson is preoccupied with preparations for tomorrow’s cooking competition.’

The person who entered was a gaunt woman, seemingly all skin and bones.

Her chapped lips were covered in scabs, some oozing pus.

Her pale complexion suggested a prolonged illness.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Oracle Lambolton.”

“Could you be Gordon Lambolton’s…?”

“Yes, he’s my father.”

Cainchel had heard rumors of Gordon having a daughter, but he never anticipated meeting her like this.

Oracle spoke, her eyes darting around nervously.

“Please, you have to help me. My father has disappeared.”

“…Gordon Lambolton has disappeared, you say?”

Cainchel stared at Oracle, his eyes wide with surprise.

Gordon had vanished several times since leaving the Training Center.

This was often because he was targeted by the Street Vendor Alliance, his life threatened.

“That’s right. They even resorted to violence to intimidate my father. He was forced into hiding for a while. If you hadn’t resolved the Street Vendor Alliance issue, he might have had to leave the city entirely. Oh, I almost forgot to thank you.”

Oracle swayed unsteadily.

Cainchel guided her to a chair, sensing she was about to collapse.

“Please, sit down first.”

“Honestly, I was surprised. My father often mentioned a strange kid he met at the Training Center. That’s you, right?”

Cainchel was equally surprised.

That the taciturn and grumpy Gordon had been talking about him?

Even to his daughter, whom he clearly cherished?

He was curious about what she had heard, but this wasn’t the time to ask.

“So, that’s why you came to me.”

“Yes. Besides, I heard you’re one of the sponsors of tomorrow’s cooking competition.”

Even Mayor Wilson was unaware that Huul’s identity was Cainchel.

Ultimately, Cainchel had ended up supporting the cooking competition under the guise of a sponsor.

“First, let’s go to the place where Gordon disappeared.”

Oracle nodded.

@

Gordon had been preparing the menu for the cooking competition at Agape, which was about to open.

Cainchel’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked around the restaurant.

The exterior wasn’t flashy, but it was remarkably neat and tidy.

It seemed to perfectly reflect Gordon Lambolton’s personality.

“It’s a wonderful place.”

“Isn’t it? The Street Vendor Alliance damaged the building’s walls, so we had to rebuild them several times.”

Cainchel followed Oracle to the kitchen, where Gordon had last been seen.

“Did you touch anything?”

“I was so distraught that I left even the dishes my father was making as they were.”

“Then, there must be something left in the kitchen that can tell us what happened when Gordon disappeared.”

Cainchel examined the entrance to the kitchen, even using Fallen Star [a skill that enhances perception].

But he couldn’t detect anything suspicious.

‘The door wasn’t forced open, and there are no signs of an attack. Gordon left here willingly.’

Just in case, he questioned the people living nearby, but found no clues.

Cainchel entered the kitchen and saw the dish Gordon had been preparing.

“…He was making pork chops flavored with paprika.”

“Yes. He said it would be a very amazing and delicious menu.”

It was the dish Cainchel had made for Caroline.

Cainchel silently surveyed the kitchen. Everything Gordon had spoken about was here.

All the tools were neatly organized, and there wasn’t a speck of dust on the floor.

The workspace was spacious enough for all the chefs to work comfortably.

Cainchel realized that this was the ideal kitchen Gordon had envisioned.

‘Huh? That’s…’

There was a scribbled note on the spot where Gordon had been cooking, a place to jot down menu ideas.

‘…A dish for his daughter.’

Cainchel swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat. When he revealed this to her, Oracle’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Th, then my father was going to compete with a dish for me…”

Oracle’s body was as frail as could be.

Peppers and garlic have properties that boost the body’s immunity.

And pork helps restore energy and combat anemia.

It was exactly what Oracle needed.

‘Gordon instinctively knew what kind of dish Oracle needed to eat.’

Cainchel’s hand froze.

– Even the best-made dish loses its meaning if there is no one to eat it. Pay attention to who is eating your food!

It was as if he could hear Gordon’s voice echoing in his mind.

Since leaving the Training Center, Cainchel had created countless dishes.

At some point, cooking had become merely a means to strengthen his sword skills.

That’s how the chef had faded away, leaving only the knight.

‘Why did I even start cooking…’

The memory of Chicken Soup for the Soul [a dish Cainchel made previously] flashed before Cainchel’s eyes, his heart aching with despair.

He had learned that a bowl of food could heal even a wounded soul.

The emotion he had felt at that time…

Perhaps he had forgotten the most important thing?

Cainchel had already created several 6-star dishes. Nevertheless, his cooking skill remained at 5 stars.

Maybe the answer was…

‘Could it be because the chef has disappeared from my heart?’

He yearned to cook. He wanted to complete the dish that Gordon couldn’t finish.

The same feeling he had when he first held a kitchen knife.

But he couldn’t simply take Gordon’s place.

Cainchel’s gaze fell upon a cooking table, ready for use.

“My father said that he had prepared that place for the chef who helped him rediscover his dream. He even mentioned putting a name tag on it a few days ago… Oh, oh my!”

Oracle’s eyes widened as she looked at the cooking table. With a shocked expression, she handed over a name tag that had been placed in the corner.

“… !”

It bore Cainchel’s name.

Only then did he remember what Gordon had said.

‘He told me to come to Agape whenever I wanted to work in the kitchen. I thought it was just empty words…’

He never imagined that a place would be prepared for him.

Moreover, he had even prepared cooking utensils that Cainchel was familiar with, so he could work whenever he came.

“Gordon Lambolton… You are…”

Cainchel walked towards the place Gordon had prepared for him and put on the neatly ironed chef’s uniform.

He could feel Oracle’s gaze, but she remained silent.

Because Cainchel was the rightful owner of this place.

‘The guests are waiting. Since Gordon isn’t here, I have to complete the dish.’

Cainchel took out the mithril kitchen knife he wore on his waist, gripped it firmly, and began to cook.

– Pork chops, you need a sharp knife because of their thickness. But you don’t have to worry. You already have a good one.

He didn’t need the assistance of Fallen Star or Brilliant Road [skills that enhance cooking].

Everything was ingrained in Cainchel’s muscle memory.

A surge of aura emanated from Cainchel’s body as he sliced the paprika.

He poured all of it into the ingredients.

‘Effect Amplification!’

Oracle was battling an unidentified illness and suffering from severe anemia.

Surely a dish made with paprika and pork would significantly improve her condition.

– Yeah, that’s how you grill meat. You’re doing well now.

It was as if he could see Gordon Lambolton’s satisfied expression. Cainchel had watched Gordon cook for half a year.

That observation held more value than thousands of words.

Cainchel already possessed the skills to create a 6-star dish.

He simply hadn’t realized it.

Cainchel looked at the finished dish.

Before he knew it, his entire body was drenched in sweat. How much time had passed?

It felt as though he had blinked, and the completed dish was before him.

Cainchel handed it to Oracle.

“A dish for his daughter is ready. Isn’t this the dish Gordon wanted to make?”

In the end, Oracle couldn’t hold back her tears.

@

Oracle stared at the pork chops with paprika, a nervous expression on her face.

Was this the dish Gordon had intended to make?

She had been born with a body that struggled to digest food properly.

No matter how much rich food she consumed, her body would become thinner, and even moving became difficult.

The doctor had been unable to determine the cause.

But when she saw the dish Cainchel had made, her mouth watered. Her body craved it.

Oracle decided to taste the paprika first.

The paprika, infused with the scent of basil and garlic, intensely stimulated her taste buds.

She could tell how delicious the dish was simply by tasting the paprika on the side.

She began eating the pork chops with gusto.

“Ah, it’s like my body is yearning for this dish…”

Before she knew it, sweat was pouring down her body like rain.

Oracle’s face flushed.

The nutrients in the paprika and pork were replenishing the blood she lacked.

“…Hoo.”

Oracle, having devoured the entire bowl, sighed with a noticeably fresher expression.

She had changed beyond recognition.

Oracle looked at her reflection in the table and cheered.

“Oh, is, is that really me?”

Her emaciated body had gained some weight, and her rough, pale skin was now shiny and radiant.

If Gordon had been there, he would have picked up Oracle and celebrated.

‘Yes, this is definitely the dish Gordon wanted to make.’

Ultimately, he couldn’t find any clues about the missing Gordon. But Cainchel had received a significant gift from him.

Cainchel let out a deep breath. He felt as though he had rediscovered the mindset of the chef he had lost.

Then, the Joma Mirror [a system notification] informed him that one star had been added.

Ding-

[You have succeeded in healing a wounded heart through cooking.]

[The power of putting your heart into it has been incorporated into the ‘Aura Blade’ skill.]

······.

···.

[You have recalled the mindset of the chef you had forgotten.]

[Cooking level has increased!]

‘Yes, cooking level 6 stars! And I even filled one slot of Aura Blade!’

Oracle, having consumed Cainchel’s medicinal cuisine, had recovered her health beyond recognition.

Oracle rose from her seat and moved her body lightly.

“My body feels light. I’m not afraid to move anymore.”

She grabbed the kitchen knife on the cooking table and peeled an onion.

Her skill was remarkable.

It was almost comparable to Cainchel, who was a beginner swordsman at 12 stars.

“…I’m in such good condition. I feel like I can make any dish.”

Oracle looked at Cainchel’s face. It wasn’t just Cainchel who had rediscovered his lost passion.

“If the person who kidnapped my father is after his cooking skills, then they are sorely mistaken. My father is a very particular man who only cooks when he feels like it. He definitely won’t do what they want, even if they put a knife to his throat.”

“Are you suggesting that the person who kidnapped Gordon wants his cooking skills?”

Oracle smiled awkwardly.

“My father is a really pathetic man, except for his cooking skills.”

“Hahaha…”

“Surely the other party is in a lot of trouble right now. Then they definitely need someone who listens well and cooks well, right?”

“That means…”

“Yes, I will go to the cooking competition tomorrow instead. I’m going to let them know that there is someone here who cooks as well as Gordon Lambolton.”

Cainchel swallowed hard.

The cooking level that rose to 6 stars, and the cooking competition with Gordon’s daughter, Oracle.

That becomes a means to catch an unknown enemy?

It was worth a try.

Huul and Oracle #1