Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 154

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Chapter 47: Five Stars

The White Mountains are so cold that snow remains even in the middle of summer.

However, the group of men gathered there radiated an intense heat.

Extremely compressed aura naturally enveloped their bodies, as if it were their very breath.

At the center sat a handsome man with strong, defined features.

He was Adolf A. Akard, the first prince of Deutschland, who harbored ambitions to revive the Akard Empire.

Beside Adolf sat two men, shoulder to shoulder.

They were members of Pentagram, an elite martial group comprised of five Sword Masters.

Adolf’s status as a Sword Master and first prince had earned him the leadership of Pentagram.

This position made him a leading contender for the throne.

Adolf inquired, “Have you investigated the White Mountains, the site where the dragon fell?”

Walter Keitel, a man with a sharp, chiseled jawline, responded, “It vanished without a trace, as if it used space- 이동 [Space-Movement] magic.”

For anyone else, such an answer might have cost them their head.

However, Walter was a Sword Master from a military family that had loyally served the royal family for generations.

Even Adolf couldn’t afford to dismiss him lightly.

“Then, Heinrich.”

This time, an elderly knight seated opposite Walter raised his head.

Heinrich exuded a palpable nervousness, seemingly disapproving of Adolf’s plan.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“How fares the search of the villages?”

Heinrich produced a map of northern Britannia from his pocket.

While it lacked the precise locations of major defense installations, it accurately depicted the positions of villages and territories.

It was a product painstakingly created by the Deutschland intelligence agency.

Adolf’s eyes narrowed as he accepted the map.

“We searched all the territories and villages marked here, but we found nothing.”

“Is there a possibility that someone is intentionally concealing it?”

Walter interjected, “Even if it remains still, a dragon emits such a massive presence that it would attract a large number of monsters. It’s not something easily hidden.”

No matter how powerful a dragon might be, it couldn’t deceive the senses of a Sword Master.

The corner of Adolf’s mouth twitched.

“If we’re not careful, this could only benefit those Britannia bastards.”

A Sword Master was a tactical asset, representing the strength of a nation.

Deutschland possessed five Sword Masters.

Two fewer than Britannia.

They were already at a disadvantage in numbers. What would happen if their quality was also inferior?

Britannia and Deutschland were enemy nations sharing a border, even if they were currently observing a truce.

If this blunder became known, he would pay with his life.

“We must prevent that at all costs!”

After a moment of contemplation, Walter spoke.

“Your Highness, the dragon sustained severe injuries. Heinrich, who severed its wings, can attest to that.”

“I am aware of that much.”

“From the dragon’s perspective, wouldn’t it need to feed to replenish its lost life force? There are monster settlements in the White Mountains. Searching around those areas might yield a clue.”

“That makes sense. If we can find traces of its feeding, we can track its movements.”

Adolf stroked his chin, his expression softening as he seemed pleased with Walter’s suggestion.

“Then, we will proceed with the search, focusing on the monster habitats. What are your plans, Your Highness?”

“I will re-search the villages with Heinrich. Fortunately, there are no Sword Masters in the north. That means there’s no one to stop us, even if we act a little recklessly.”

“That could lead to diplomatic repercussions.”

“Don’t concern yourself with that. The northern part of Britannia is overrun with monsters. We can simply disguise our actions as the work of monsters.”

“…I’m concerned whether such a disguise will be effective.”

Adolf’s face tightened.

Walter often presented dissenting opinions, rather than blindly following orders.

However, sometimes such subordinates were necessary.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already dealt with a few unlucky mercenaries we encountered in that manner over the past few days. And look, isn’t it remarkably quiet? If the watchdog is incompetent, it won’t bark even if you steal a pillar.”

“Indeed, an incompetent enemy is more reliable than an ally. I understand. Then, please leave the search of the habitats to me.”

As Walter prepared to depart, Adolf said, “What’s most important is your safety. If anything dangerous occurs, withdraw from Britannia immediately.”

He couldn’t afford to lose what he already possessed while reaching for something greater.

Thus, three members of Pentagram were dispatched to their respective destinations.

@

The White Dragon, who had reigned as the king of the White Mountains, had vanished. Consequently, the monsters under its control were unleashed and began to assault nearby territories.

‘What on earth is Phillips, the Margrave, doing?’

Protecting the territory’s inhabitants was fundamentally the responsibility of the lord.

However, when monsters appeared on such a large scale, the Margrave was obligated to intervene.

It was baffling how such an incompetent man still held the position of Margrave.

Kainchel gazed at the spot where Elizabeth’s 광익 [Wings of Light] had swept through, marveling at the devastation.

Over fifty Lizardmen had been reduced to ashes in an instant.

The few surviving Lizardmen chose flight over resistance.

“Where do you think you’re going! Sherbet!”

Durandal, having devoured aura to its fill, unleashed a blast of extreme cold.

It instantly froze the feet of over ten Lizardmen, immobilizing them.

‘Tch, is this still my limit?’

Perhaps it was because he had witnessed Elizabeth’s majesty, but he felt strangely disappointed.

It wasn’t until he used Sherbet three more times that he managed to freeze the legs of the remaining Lizardmen.

Kainchel shrugged as he surveyed the giant lizards awaiting their demise.

There were approximately 50 of them in total.

At this rate, he could feed Calliope meat to her heart’s content for the next month.

‘Eat well and diligently recover your mana, Calliope.’

Kainchel began butchering the Lizardmen in earnest.

He couldn’t store living creatures inside the two-dimensional pocket.

First, he made an incision in their necks to drain the blood in one swift motion. Then, he cut open their bellies and removed the entrails.

Lizardmen possessed poison not only in their entrails but throughout their bodies.

It wasn’t as potent as pufferfish poison, but it required marinating in garlic and ginger beforehand.

That process eliminated the Lizardmen’s distinctive musty odor, making them much more palatable.

Kainchel had cooked Lizardmen meat before. The dish he prepared back then was cream stew.

The taste was underwhelming.

The lean, chewy meat and intense gamey flavor didn’t complement the stew.

‘Then, should I make confit this time?’

Confit is a French cooking technique that involves preserving ingredients, almost pickling them in salt, and then submerging them in oil.

That would enhance the flavor by compensating for the lack of fat.

Moreover, it would prevent spoilage even with long-term storage.

Elizabeth whistled as she watched Kainchel skillfully separate the bones and flesh of the Lizardmen.

“Whew, are you really planning to cook with Lizardmen? And that kitchen knife looks quite unique?”

“It’s made of mithril.”

“And what’s that cutting board? It doesn’t even scratch the aura sword?”

“It’s called Aegis. It’s a decent cutting board.”

“Ah, okay.”

Elizabeth, as if lacking the energy to argue further, lay down on the snow.

After rolling around for a moment, Elizabeth suddenly asked, as if struck by a thought, “By the way, what does Lizardmen meat taste like?”

“Once you remove the poison, it tastes similar to goose or chicken. However, the gamey flavor is a bit overpowering, which is a drawback. That can be mitigated by salting it with rock salt, drying it, and then aging it. And…”

As Kainchel rattled off the dishes that could be made with Lizardmen meat, Elizabeth’s eyes lit up.

“When you describe it like that, it sounds like a great ingredient rather than a monster.”

“I’m planning to make confit when we get back. Would you like some?”

“Wow, really? I’ll eat it.”

Elizabeth seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself.

Most of Kainchel’s strengths lay in his cooking skills.

But when they crossed swords, he was surprisingly strong. That alone piqued Elizabeth’s interest.

“Hey kid. I enjoy fighting strong opponents.”

“I had a feeling you would.”

“It’s especially thrilling to see their faces contort when I win using their own skills. But since I became a Sword Master, almost no one wants to fight me. Do you know how that feels?”

Elizabeth didn’t wait for Kainchel’s response and continued, “It’s incredibly boring!”

Boredom.

Perhaps that was why she spent gold so freely at the auction house?

Elizabeth rose from the ground and brushed the snow off her body.

“Then what should I do? The solution is to raise someone who can fight me on equal footing. Just like you.”

“As I said, I have no intention of becoming Elizabeth’s disciple.”

“I won’t ask you to become my disciple. I’ll even give you a few intermediate swordsmanship books stored in the Tower of Trials if you want. So hurry up and get stronger, and spar with me.”

He fought with cooking skills and became strong in ridiculous ways.

And now he was going to cook with monsters.

He was the most intriguing man she had ever encountered.

Before long, Kainchel had finished preparing all 50 Lizardmen and stored the meat in the two-dimensional pocket.

“If it’s sparring, I’d be happy to oblige.”

“Really?”

Elizabeth giggled and playfully punched Kainchel’s shoulder.

It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Kainchel could enhance his skill proficiency through cooking, and she would gain experience by eating delicious food.

However, compared to other Sword Masters who had honed their skills for decades, he lacked experience.

Sparring with Elizabeth, who could steal and utilize other people’s skills, would compensate for his shortcomings.

‘Besides, she doesn’t seem to mind monsters, so she’ll eat other things besides Lizardmen, right?’

Ziiiiing!

At that moment, Fallen Star sensed an intense hostility emanating from the seemingly empty air.

‘What is it? It doesn’t seem like Elizabeth sensed it either?’

Kainchel imbued aura into the kitchen knife he had been using to prepare the Lizardmen meat and hurled it.

There’s definitely something there!

“… !”

The mithril kitchen knife ricocheted off an invisible barrier.

The space that had appeared empty shimmered, revealing a man in armor.

“H-How did you know?! I meticulously concealed my aura!”

The man was Walter, a Sword Master from Deutschland who had been searching the monster habitats for the missing dragon.

Elizabeth whistled and muttered, “Why is there a Sword Master I’ve never seen before here? Fantastic?”

A fierce glint flashed in Walter’s eyes.

He couldn’t succumb to such blatant provocation and reveal his identity.

The situation was dire. There shouldn’t be any Sword Masters in the north.

But who was that guy?

Elizabeth looked at Kainchel with wide eyes.

“Our little guy is amazing? That guy’s skill is specialized in stealth. He’s more like an assassin than a Sword Master. What skill did you use anyway?”

Come to think of it, Fallen Star was definitely…

“It’s a skill I learned while grilling steak.”

Five Stars #2