Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 156

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48. A Taste You Can Know Without Tasting

Walter Keitel used a poison far more potent than expected.

Elizabeth devoured nearly 20 servings of gazpacho to completely neutralize the poison.

“Still, she endured this much because she’s a Sword Master. Using Aura enhances physical abilities, including the internal organs. Morgan, that bitch, can even control involuntary muscles with Aura.”

“You mean like the heart or digestive system?”

“Not just those, but also reproductive organs and blood vessels… Oh, right, I stole a skill. Wanna see it?”

“I must politely decline.”

Elizabeth chattered incessantly even during the short wait for the gate.

However, her words contained information that couldn’t be ignored.

‘It’s possible to control involuntary muscles at will.’

Instructor Ian dedicated his life to creating Booster, a technique to enhance muscles with Aura.

Thanks to that, Cainchel was able to momentarily overwhelm Meliot’s movements.

However, the muscles that can be enhanced with Booster are limited.

Arms, legs, and torso, which belong to skeletal muscles…

And it’s only possible on parts whose movements are fully understood.

‘If I could enhance involuntary muscles with Booster… I could eat even more food than now. This is worth researching.’

Involuntary muscles include the stomach, which digests food.

Being able to control it freely would greatly increase the utility of gourmet skills.

While Cainchel was contemplating the new possibilities of Booster,

the gate was prepared.

“Well, kid. See you tomorrow.”

“…Elizabeth, are you planning to follow me to Citizen?”

“Why, it’s fun. Once I report about Pentagram, my work is done! Besides, I’m not completely cured of the poisoning yet. I’m thinking of taking it easy for a while. And I’m curious about that cola you’re making.”

It seemed that was her real purpose.

Thus, Elizabeth moved to Britain, and Cainchel to Citizen.

Flap-!

Then, Richard von Frère-Mang, hidden in the cloak, fluttered his bat wings.

Being able to roam around even in broad daylight is due to a clone made using a part of his body.

It was an unavoidable choice since his main body would turn to ash and disappear if directly exposed to sunlight.

He couldn’t use the vampire’s abilities, but his senses and mind were connected to the main body.

Using that, he could contact the North from anywhere.

It was a kind of communication device.

The bat, which had been flying around Cainchel, landed on his shoulder and said,

“My lord, personally, I would prefer you not to meet with Bishop.”

Richard von Frère-Mang is the owner of the Goodblood Auction House.

He said he had often met with Bishop for transactions long ago.

“I’ll listen to the reason first and then think about it.”

“You might think he’s a strange old man with an odd taste for wearing an iron mask. But Bishop has lived hidden in the shadows of Britannia longer than I have. Besides…”

“You mean that his armor is empty? And his main body is inside the iron mask.”

“Oh, how did you…”

“It just happened while cooking. And Bishop doesn’t know I noticed.”

“Then it will be easier to tell you. It’s just a hypothesis, but he might be a Homunculus.”

“Homunculus?”

“Yes. It means ‘dwarf in a flask,’ a type of magical creature created by alchemists.”

“…Certainly, it’s hard to think of a human who only has a head alive as normal.”

Einchel was modified into a chimera by the alchemist of life, Merlin.

And Homunculus is also a field handled by the alchemist of life.

Perhaps there is some connection between those two facts?

“The alchemists’ greatest desire has not been achieved for hundreds of years. Most of them raise disciples to continue their research. But sometimes, there are those who make the wrong choices.”

Le Mang briefly talked about the fallen alchemists.

About a woman who replaced her body with inorganic matter and became a doll.

And about a man who continues his research by taking over other people’s bodies.

Such people are still hiding and living to achieve their greatest desire.

‘…How many Merlins are there?’

A chill ran down his spine.

Richard von Frère-Mang flew to the other shoulder of Cainchel and said,

“There is a reason why I am convinced that Bishop is a Homunculus. First of all, he has never shown any obsession with the Philosopher’s Stone. Rather, he was more interested in other things.”

“…Cooking, right?”

“Yes. For nearly a hundred years, he has been researching the effects of numerous ingredients and incorporating them into cooking.”

“That’s what he’s been researching for a hundred years. It was certainly vast. But what does that have to do with being a Homunculus?”

“Homunculi exist to fulfill their creator’s greatest desire. With the Philosopher’s Stone, it becomes much easier to create autonomous dolls or the most perfect life forms.”

“Then why not just make the Philosopher’s Stone directly?”

“The manufacture of the Philosopher’s Stone is also known as one of the three great secrets of alchemy, so it is difficult. In the end, I think they are dividing their tasks.”

“If you think about it that way, there’s something strange. If Bishop is a Homunculus, shouldn’t he be focusing on the Philosopher’s Stone?”

“Homunculi are created to help others’ greatest desires. But as they live as alchemists, they may have developed their own greatest desires. Without a greatest desire, there is no alchemy, and doing alchemy leads to having a greatest desire. Alchemists are such beings.”

It was just Richard von Frère-Mang’s hypothesis.

However, if you think of him as a Homunculus, all of Bishop’s strange behavior can be explained.

‘A body small enough to fit inside an iron mask. An incredibly long lifespan. A kitchen that hasn’t been used for a long time… All of this can be explained if Bishop is a Homunculus.’

Homunculi, being magical creatures, cannot eat food.

Cainchel swallowed hard. Things he had passed by without a thought were coming together like puzzle pieces.

‘I don’t know what Bishop’s greatest desire is in cooking. But, perhaps…’

There might be a clue to raising his cooking level, which has stopped at 6 stars.

In the end, despite Richard von Frère-Mang’s opposition, Cainchel decided to meet with Bishop.

“If my lord wishes to do so, it is also the fate of a servant to obey.”

Cainchel headed to the Magic Tower, thinking about the ‘alchemist’s greatest desire’ that he couldn’t get out of his head.

@

Bishop tilted his head, seeing Cainchel visiting the Magic Tower after almost half a year.

“Hmm. I thought I hadn’t seen you for a few weeks, but you’ve become incredibly strong.”

Then Vivianne, who was in charge of managing the Magic Tower, replied,

“It’s already been half a year since his last visit.”

“Has it already been that long? Well, then, assistant. Today, let’s make a detoxifying dish using spices with detoxifying effects.”

It seemed that his sense of time was distorted from living so long.

Cainchel stared at the armor, which was empty inside. It didn’t look like a human at all.

‘But today he’s my guest. Isn’t that enough?’

“I came here today not for that reason, but for another.”

Cainchel explained about cola, along with asking for help in making it.

“A carbonated drink made using carbonated water and cola trees… That sounds very interesting.”

When Bishop gestured, the branch placed on the table moved to his hand.

Within this space, he is almost an absolute being.

Everything moves according to Bishop’s will.

“――Decomposition [Bunhae].”

As he chanted the incantation, the cola tree branch was divided into the substances that made it up.

“Hmm, this is a type of tree I’ve never seen before. Is this the energy of the World Tree? Indeed, so… But the leaves contain anesthetic ingredients that are not suitable for making drinks. It seems they need to be removed during the manufacturing process.”

“Then will you help with the purification of carbonated water and the extraction of essence?”

“Before that, would you like to see this for a moment?”

Bishop took out a small glass bottle from the mountain of magical tools.

The waist is concave, and beautiful comb patterns are drawn on it.

“It’s pretty.”

If it is glass that is so transparent, it is said to be traded for silver of the same weight.

“This is a perfume bottle that has been successfully mass-produced this time. The waist is slender and the inside is concave, so it has the effect of looking full even with a little bit.”

“But it looks more suitable for containing drinks or wine than perfume.”

A strange glow appeared in the eye part of the iron mask.

“That’s right. This is too big to hold perfume. But wouldn’t it look good if you put a drink in it?”

“…You certainly said you succeeded in mass production, right?”

If the price was right, he wanted to buy it. It was that beautiful of a glass bottle.

But Bishop didn’t seem to be thinking of doing business.

“The cola recipe you brought is already something that has gone beyond the realm of cooking. I won’t ask where you got it. But if you want cola, you have to solve a mission.”

“A mission?”

“Yes. If you complete it, I will take charge of manufacturing the cola. And I will provide the glass bottles at a very low price.”

The image of the cola shown by Brilliant Road flashed through Cainchel’s mind.

It was definitely contained in almost the same glass bottle as that.

Glass, which had been considered a luxury item for nobles until now.

What kind of reaction would there be if cola was put in it and sold?

‘Besides, if I have glass bottles, I can sell wine for a much higher price. This is a deal that must be made.’

To Cainchel, who asked about the contents of the mission, Bishop replied as if it were nothing.

“Make a dish that you can know the taste of without tasting it.”

@

A taste you can know without tasting.

Cainchel tore at his hair. What kind of dish should he make to know the taste without tasting it?

Elizabeth, who arrived in Citizen earlier than expected, held her stomach and laughed.

“Puhaha! Our little kid has met a very picky customer. But judging from the fact that he’s even providing glass bottles, he must have high expectations.”

“…High expectations?”

“Ah, the alchemist I’m introducing you to is Grandpa Bishop. I received some help from that person during the Seven Deadly Sins War.”

Wars require many magical tools.

And Bishop can manufacture and repair them.

Perhaps he is only hidden in the shadow of the Seven Virtues. Bishop may also have been one of the main players who led the Seven Deadly Sins War to victory?

“Bishop used to call skilled chefs and give them the same mission that you heard.”

But they all failed. No matter how delicious the food is, you can’t know the taste without eating it.

Food that only looks plausible and tastes bad.

Food that looks strange but tastes delicious when you eat it.

All of them are problems that must be judged by one’s own tongue.

Elizabeth said as if she suddenly remembered something.

“That, who was it, Gordon, the royal chef…?”

“You mean Gordon Lambolton.”

“Yes, Gordon Lambolton. He was given the same mission.”

Cainchel’s eyes widened.

He never thought he would hear Gordon’s name again here.

Gordon, who had been kidnapped by Count Algedi and released, was in a very weakened state.

So he was still recuperating under Oracle’s devoted care.

“How did it go?”

“He didn’t make any dishes. He said he had no intention of making a dish that he wouldn’t eat.”

“I thought so.”

Considering Gordon’s personality, it was a natural thing.

Cainchel’s eyes began to burn hotly.

‘I’m going to solve the mission that Gordon Lambolton couldn’t complete…’

Even if it wasn’t about the cola and glass bottles, he wanted to try it.

“Then may I ask you to taste the food?”

“Oh, our little kid is the best! But wasn’t the content to make a dish that you can know the taste of without eating it?”

“Then let’s just watch it without eating it.”

“No! The food that the little kid makes is really delicious! Are you trying to kill me by just watching it?”

It was a mission that was so difficult that it seemed impossible from the beginning. But Cainchel wanted to try it.

Gordon Lambolton.

To surpass that man and become a 7-star chef.

‘First, let’s make the most confident dish I can make now.’

Make a dish and serve it to the guest.

Surely there is a clue to a dish that you can know the taste of without tasting it.

“So what kind of dish are you going to make from now on?”

“I’m thinking of making the ultimate sandwich.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. She was curious about what kind of sandwich it was that she even called it the ultimate.

No, she wanted to eat it.

A Taste You Can Know Without Tasting #2