Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 147

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Chapter 45: Shattering Mountains, Dividing Rivers

“This is…”

Chicken soup was still simmering in the pot.

However, Jo Ma-kyung displayed a message indicating that the dish was complete.

It was a 7-star dish, something he hadn’t even found a clue about until now.

“…Chicken Soup for the Soul.”

The title attached to it was exactly as he remembered.

Kainchel had wielded the kitchen knife to create this.

And at this moment, the chicken soup, the beginning of everything, was complete.

It is said that sometimes, when you’re too happy, you feel nothing at all. Kainchel took a small spoonful of the soup and tasted it.

The well-seasoned chicken was so tender it seemed to melt in his mouth, and the thoroughly cooked carrots and potatoes, full of broth, showed off their presence.

This was definitely not a flashy or stimulating dish.

However, the moment he put it in his mouth, he felt his soul warming up.

‘It’s exactly like the soup I had back then. What’s needed to make a 7-star dish is to capture the heart of another person.’

Thanks to Zeke and Leman’s efforts, the full extent of the tragedy that befell Meliot was revealed.

Kainchel came to understand the heart of Meliot, who had been making chicken soup for Lucia.

He cooked while recalling that, and a 7-star dish was completed.

Prelia, after eating a 5-star dish, was able to have tea time with her father.

After eating a 6-star dish, she began to flap her wings towards the world, escaping her stuffy room.

And surely…

“If I eat a 7-star dish, I’ll be able to completely解除 [release] the curse of the Seven Deadly Sins.”

Kainchel put the soup in a large bowl and took it to Meliot.

Abel, who was watching him, muttered.

“Nimue is worried. I wonder how effective it will be just from the smell of the dish.”

While Kainchel was in Krolltra, Abel and Nimue investigated the magic engraving [a magical inscription or rune].

Because there was Antares’ body, which had the engraving on it, they were able to find out quite a bit.

The magic engraving reacts to a person’s desires.

Eating a 5-star dish can delay its activation by 10 minutes, and a 6-star dish by about 3 hours.

“Look at Meliot. Surely it will be okay for others too.”

Meliot, whose nose was blocked with lead and couldn’t smell anything.

All he did was watch Kainchel cooking.

Abel turned his head and looked at Meliot, his eyes widening.

He couldn’t believe what was happening before his eyes.

“…The, the curse is解除 [released]?”

The madness that had been in Meliot’s eyes had disappeared.

The smell alone had produced the effect of eating a 5-star dish.

Kainchel held out the chicken soup he had brought.

“Please eat before it gets cold. Surely Lady Lucia would want that too.”

Meliot nodded silently and picked up a spoon.

A spoonful of bright orange carrots, fluffy potatoes that had been thoroughly boiled, and broth infused with the flavor of chicken.

Before he knew it, Meliot was crying.

“It’s really delicious…”

He remembered everything that had happened over the past decade.

He had simply been trapped in a prison of anger and madness. He had been watching everything outside through his open eyes and ears.

Meliot had become Count Algedi’s puppet and killed countless people.

Not long ago, he had driven the elves of Britannia to the brink of destruction in order to completely destroy the World Tree.

What was most sad was that everything was done for Count Algedi.

That’s what made it even more painful.

Meliot devoured all the chicken soup in an instant.

The curse that had been consuming his body had completely disappeared.

“Hoo… No, Kainchel Ban Zistad. Thanks to the dish you made, my soul was able to escape from the prison of madness. Thank you so much.”

“Meliot-nim. Lucia-yeongae [Lucia is already]…”

“I know. She already left for a place from which she can never return a long time ago. I knew that, but I entrusted myself to the curse of anger.”

“Could it be that you…”

Kainchel’s eyes trembled.

Meliot was saying that he had become a Berserker himself.

“I wanted to save Lucia. I thought I would sell my soul to the devil if I could just see her face again. And the Count had a means to revive the dead.”

“You mean the immortal cells.”

“But that was a futile dream. Even if you have an immortal body with immortal cells, the departed soul does not return. You just become a monster. Nevertheless, I wanted to see Lucia even just once.”

Meliot looked around the kitchen where he had frequented every day to make chicken soup.

His eyes were filled with deep longing instead of madness.

“Lucia kept lying in bed. If I hadn’t met her, she wouldn’t have gotten sick. I have something I wanted to ask while making chicken soup for Lucia every day.”

He seemed to see Lucia lying in bed.

Perhaps it was because he ate chicken soup for the soul?

Abel, who had been listening to Meliot’s story, interjected.

“The wound you inflicted on me still hurts. But if it’s okay with me, I’ll listen.”

“Aren’t you the half-elf I fought a while ago? You had a very sharp swordsmanship at a young age.”

Abel cleared his throat a few times, embarrassed, and muttered.

“…I’m getting praised by a Sword Master in this situation. But the fact that you killed so many elves doesn’t disappear.”

“I know. I intend to pay for all my sins. But before that, I want to ask Lucia if she regrets meeting me.”

Abel answered in an instant, as if there was no need to think about it.

“I don’t think she would have regretted it.”

“Why is that?”

“I heard that you only trained in beginner swordsmanship your whole life and became a Sword Master. Lucia was the first person such a steadfast man loved.”

“That’s right.”

“She lived with the man she loved and ate the dishes he made for her every day. Has Lucia ever said she was unhappy?”

Meliot looked at Abel with a shocked expression. Everything was correct.

“…No. She always said she was happy to be with me.”

“Lucia lived happily and died happily. Where would there be any regrets left?”

“Are you sure Lucia wouldn’t have regretted meeting me?”

“I certainly would have.”

Meliot recalled the words Lucia, who had eaten the chicken soup, said every day.

― Meliot, it was delicious again today. To be able to eat chicken soup cooked by a Sword Master every day… I’m really happy.

That was the literal meaning.

“Oh, oh… Lucia…”

Meliot learned Lucia’s true feelings through Abel.

And with a determined expression, he got up from his seat.

“Thank you, Half-elf. To show such kindness to the enemy of your clan. I will pray that your love will also be fulfilled.”

“L, love? What are you talking about?”

Meliot smiled.

It was a smile that only a man who had thrown everything away could make.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know? You clearly called someone’s name at the moment you were prepared to die.”

“…”

Without waiting for an answer, Meliot swung the greatsword he was holding.

Koo-oong!

Then, everything in front of him split open, and a secret passage leading to the basement of the castle was revealed.

“Now it’s time to end everything.”

Kainchel asked.

“Are you going to kill the Count?”

“Well.”

Meliot looked at Kainchel with an expression that was neither smiling nor crying, and then took a step forward.

His body disappeared into the secret passage in an instant.

“Let’s go too, Abel. There will still be remnants of the Church of the Seven Deadly Sins left. Ah, and I’m sorry I only gave chicken soup to Meliot. When this is over, I’ll make a dish just for you this time.”

Abel chuckled and nodded.

Meliot’s words that he called someone’s name at the moment he was prepared to die suddenly came to mind.

He pretended not to remember, but he actually knew.

The name he called then was the name of the person right next to him.

“Hmm, that sounds promising.”

@

Count Algedi shouted as he ran through the underground passage.

“Ah, ahahaha, hahaha! I am going to be the Immortal King! But I can’t die in a place like this! Ahahahaha!”

Immortal cells extracted from the bodies of the Seven Deadly Sins.

If you cook and eat them at a high grade, you can gain their power.

Not only that.

You will have an immortal body that will never die. After learning that, Count Algedi joined hands with the Church of the Seven Deadly Sins.

This was because their goals coincided with the Church of the Seven Deadly Sins, which wanted the resurrection of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Everything was for Britannia…

No, to become the Immortal King who would reign over the entire world.

In Count Algedi’s hand, as he ran frantically, was Satan’s body immersed in a culture medium.

With this, he can create immortal cells as much as he wants.

If he can cook it to a 4-star grade or higher, he can create an immortal army that will never die.

Of course, ruling over them was Count Algedi, who became the Immortal King after eating a 6-star immortal dish.

“Aha, ahahaha!”

Squeak-!

At that moment, the stairs Count Algedi was running on split. And a man with a huge physique appeared.

“M, Meliot?!”

“Where are you going in such a hurry, Count?”

Count Algedi racked his brains to survive somehow. And he came up with the most plausible answer.

“L, listen, Meliot. Can you see this? This is the best immortal cell. If you cook and feed this to Lucia, you can save her. I guarantee it.”

“…Lucia is dead.”

“That’s why I’m saying I can save her! This time it’s real! I swear!”

Meliot saw the people who had become monsters with immortal cells.

There was no human soul in them.

Meliot, holding the greatsword, slowly approached Count Algedi.

“I’ll go see you soon, Lucia… Ah, that’s right. I learned how to make chicken soup from a man who cooks very well. The chicken soup I’m going to make from today…”

“M, Meliot, pl, please!”

Meliot swung his sword at Count Algedi, who was screaming and begging for his life.

Meliot Sandalphon, who had only trained in beginner swordsmanship his whole life and received the title of Diligence.

His thrust was said to break mountains and his slash to divide rivers.

And it was all true.

In that way, Meliot shattered the river where the blood of countless people flowed with a single slash.

Now it was time to tear down the mountain built with longing.

Meliot muttered as he stabbed the greatsword into his heart.

“…It will be very delicious.”

@

“Nimue!”

When he arrived at the room with the throne, Nimue was purifying the magic engraving.

“Don’t come in! If the balance is broken, you never know when the magic engraving will be activated!”

“Is it possible to purify everything?”

“Just trust me! I can finish it perfectly in an hour!”

The branches of the World Tree, which had grown lush, were covering the room.

Lion, who was trapped inside and unable to get out, shouted.

“If you go through the passage behind the throne, you will be able to catch the remnants of the Church of the Seven Deadly Sins! He is a guy who handles magic engravings! Be careful, it’s dangerous!”

Kainchel nodded silently.

The Paladins cannot come out of here until the purification work is completed.

In the end, it was up to Kainchel to defeat the remnants of the Church of the Seven Deadly Sins and save the captured chef.

At that moment, the sound of a mountain being shattered and a river being divided could be heard from somewhere.

Surely Meliot had done what he had to do.

For some reason, the sound sounded like human words.

― The chicken soup you made was really delicious. I think Lucia would like it very much if I made it for her.

Kainchel chuckled and muttered.

“Don’t mention it.”

After running down the underground passage for a long time, he was able to meet a wizened old man.

“Kihihihik!”

“How come you guys all have similar laughter.”

More than a hundred magic engravings were engraved on the old man’s body.

This was one of the remnants of the Church of the Seven Deadly Sins who had been researching magic engravings under Algedi.

The old man’s eyes rolled, and at the same time, meringue spewed out from Kainchel’s hand.

Shattering Mountains, Dividing Rivers #2