Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 173

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Chapter 53: The Man Who Makes the Impossible Possible

Astolfo the Puppeteer’s workshop was in a familiar place for Cainchel.

Edinburgh, a port city in the eastern Britannia Empire.

The very city where the Goodblood Auction House was located.

The group was able to get there in an instant using the Deus Order’s exclusive gate.

“Maybe it’s because it’s the Deus Cleaver, but it’s so fast. I have to wait for days to get permission to use a gate.”

“It’s not a cleaver, it’s a sword.”

“Ah, right. For some reason, a cleaver suits the kid better than a sword. How about changing your name to Cooking Master?”

“Oh? That sounds good, too?”

“······Sorry, I was just kidding.”

After being awarded the title of ‘Deus Sword,’ it became much easier to operate within Britannia.

It’s an honorary title with no real authority, but there are times when it’s more useful than anything else.

That is, up to two companions can use the gate without any permission.

In the end, Cainchel, Elizabeth, and Erich came to Edinburgh.

Elizabeth inhaled the sea-scented air and muttered.

“But he’s still in Britannia after being exiled. You have to give the old man credit for his guts.”

“Edinburgh is where goods from all over the continent gather, not just Britannia. It’s definitely the best place for an alchemist’s workshop.”

As Cainchel said, the market was full of various ingredients that were hard to find inland.

It was a pity that there was no time to look around leisurely.

On the stalls, there were fish that looked suspicious as to whether they were edible.

“What? Are those even fish? With their hideous appearance and big mouths, they look like monsters!”

“Ah, that’s monkfish. Unlike its appearance, it’s a delicacy. The chewy and soft flesh is very delicious. Of course, it has to be cooked properly.”

The taste of monkfish is, to put it nicely, bland, and to put it badly, tasteless.

If it’s not heavily seasoned, it’s just mushy and has no taste at all.

So most fishermen just throw it away as soon as they catch it.

However, as various menus were developed, the true value of monkfish began to be recognized.

“It’s good to grill it with just salt to maximize the taste of the ingredients, or you can put it in bouillabaisse [a traditional Provençal fish stew]. The liver of the monkfish is especially delicious. Some people call it the foie gras [fattened duck or goose liver] of the sea because of its savory and bland taste and the texture that melts in your mouth.”

Elizabeth wiped her saliva-filled mouth and her eyes sparkled.

“I guess you can’t judge a book by its cover, whether it’s people or ingredients.”

Cainchel bought a few monkfish and then activated Brilliant Road.

Recipes for dishes that could be made with monkfish appeared before his eyes.

But the number had increased several times compared to before he obtained the Signature.

Some of them were impossible to make with current technology.

‘What’s MSG?’

It was a seasoning that could be added to monkfish stew to enhance the flavor.

In addition, the ingredients and seasonings used in the recipe included more things he had never seen before.

If he were to cook using these, it would literally be a dish that only Cainchel could make.

― Perhaps MSG refers to monosodium glutamate.

‘What’s that?’

― It is a savory ingredient extracted from kelp. The recipe also says it’s a seasoning that enhances the flavor, doesn’t it?

It was worth researching.

The birth of new seasonings is the driving force behind creating more diverse flavors.

Crossing the fish market alley, they saw a warehouse that looked so old it was about to collapse.

“Hah, I finally found it. The building the kid mentioned is here. Hmm, it was hidden in a place that smells like fish.”

Inside, there were only dusty wooden boxes scattered around.

“······Is this really it? It doesn’t look like an alchemist’s workshop.”

“Just a moment. The hidden door will reveal itself soon. Jelly···

···!”

A sticky tentacle popped out of Cainchel’s arm. It split into several strands and tapped the ceiling and floor.

Clatter-!

With the sound of gears turning, the ground split open and a passage appeared.

After going down there for a while, a large ballroom appeared.

Instruments that moved on their own and played music, and slender ladies dancing to it.

The only flaw was that there was nothing where their heads should be.

All of them were not human, but automatons made of machines.

“Oh, oh, what a surprise! Ugh, it’s really in bad taste no matter how many times I see it!”

As Cainchel and Elizabeth entered the ballroom, the music suddenly stopped.

And the automatons all flocked around Cainchel.

「Confirmed the presence of an unauthorized intruder.」

「Disposal is.」

「Exterminate, exterminate, exterminate.」

Then, tearing their dresses, sharp blades popped out.

The scary thing about automatons was that they attacked without emitting any hostility.

Elizabeth twisted her lips as if annoyed.

“You’re going too far, Astolfo. If you don’t come out soon, I’m going to break all your toys.”

Then, a man in a tailcoat ran from somewhere.

His short height, almost like a dwarf, and his hooked nose created a unique atmosphere.

‘Is this Astolfo?’

Astolfo, a man who had lived for nearly a thousand years after replacing most of his body with machines.

He laughed vulgarly like a clown.

“Kilkilik! Miss Elizabeth and Bishop visiting together, the sun will rise in the west tomorrow!”

“The sun always rises in the east, old man.”

It seemed that Elizabeth was also acquainted with Astolfo.

Clatter-!

With the sound of gears turning, Astolfo’s body turned 180 degrees.

He looked at Elizabeth with an expression that was hard to tell whether he was laughing or angry.

“But I don’t remember sending an invitation. If you came with impure intentions, even if you are a young lady, you will not be able to return safely!”

The alchemist in his workshop exerts power like a god.

If he showed even a little bit of hostility, he would have to fight the automaton army.

“We have business with you, Astolfo-nim.”

“Hmm? Who are you?”

“As you heard from Bishop, I came to ask you to make an artificial joint.”

Cainchel had already finished all the talk through Bishop. The price Astolfo demanded was 500 gold.

It was expensive, but it wasn’t a big burden for Cainchel, who was raking in money with cola.

“When did I say that? I don’t remember! Hmm, I guess it’s not this head.”

Astolfo took his head off his neck as if pulling out a radish.

Then, with a gesture, an automaton that looked like an assistant brought an old head.

He put it on once and tilted his head.

“I guess it’s not this one either. Ehehehe! Could it be the memory of the guy I burned while grilling meat a few days ago?”

He heard that only his head was human, but it didn’t seem to be the case no matter how he looked at it.

Was there no normal person among the alchemists, including Bishop?

“Are you saying you don’t remember now?”

“Nice to meet you, my name is Astolfo! I am an enthusiast who loves dolls more than anyone else! Keolkeolkeol!”

Cainchel rubbed the back of his head, which was starting to hurt, and said.

“Are you saying you don’t even remember meeting me just now?”

“Ah, I remember. You said your name was Cainchel Gong?”

“······Then let me tell you the contract details again. Lord Erich.”

Then Erich von Gustav, who was leaning on crutches, limped forward.

Erich bowed his head with an apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry for getting you involved with a strange person because of me.”

“It’s okay, Lord Erich. Anyway, he needs an artificial skeleton to assist with his movements. The budget is 500 gold. I heard it can be installed within half a day.”

It takes a long time to make an entire automaton.

However, in the case of a skeleton, all you have to do is adjust what you have made to fit Erich’s body.

“Half a day? That’s impossible! It takes at least three days to connect to the nerves and finish the fine adjustments!”

“Then I’ll give you a thousand gold. Is it still difficult?”

“No, no! Why are you raising the amount so easily! Then it’s not fun! You should say that the word impossible doesn’t suit an alchemist!”

“Then······.”

“I’ll make it for you in three hours, not half a day! And I’ll only take 500 gold!”

Finally, the story is progressing properly.

Cainchel looked around Astolfo’s workshop with a much more relaxed expression.

About 50 automatons without heads came into view.

Each one was a 4-star weapon comparable to a Sword Knight.

“Do you like it? How is it? If you give me 100,000 gold, I’ll hand them all over to you!”

‘Expensive!’

Besides, 4-star doesn’t help with power unless it’s 5-star.

Astolfo checked Erich’s body and said.

“Oh? Isn’t this person a Sword Master? Then 500 gold is impossible.”

It seemed that he really liked the word impossible.

“······You mean you need more budget.”

It is said that a huge amount of aura is emitted from the body of a Sword Master even in normal times.

In order to withstand that, at least a 5-star artificial joint is required.

“That’s right! You have to receive ten times that amount!”

As the price soared to 5,000 gold in an instant, Cainchel’s eyes narrowed.

It wasn’t an amount he couldn’t afford if he pushed himself a little, but it didn’t seem to be just a matter of money.

If he accepted, he would probably make another excuse and demand 10 times more.

As Cainchel expected, Astolfo chuckled for a while and then made a suggestion.

“I heard from Bishop that you have a very interesting ability!”

“You mean cooking?”

“I’ve been teaching automatons housework these days! But they’re good at things like laundry and cleaning, but they’re not making any progress in cooking! So I thought about it. The problem isn’t my lovely dolls, but the cooking methods are too complicated!”

“······Certainly, both Britannia and Galia have very difficult dishes.”

“If Cainchel Gong can teach me a dish that tastes the same regardless of cooking skills, I will install a 5-star artificial joint for only 500 gold. Of course, it’s impossible!”

Astolfo’s words shook the very foundation of cooking. If the dough fails, the bread will not rise.

Even roasting butter potatoes tastes completely different depending on the chef’s skill.

However, that is only limited to recipes that exist in Britannia.

Cainchel had the ability to see recipes beyond time and space.

“If it’s an impossible task anyway, shall we raise the stakes a little? If you make a dish that meets the conditions, I’ll receive not only the joint but also the entire automaton.”

“Let’s do that! It’s an impossible task anyway!”

@

The conditions were simple.

Elizabeth would do the cooking instead, and Cainchel wouldn’t lift a finger.

However, it is possible to tell the recipe by mouth.

Elizabeth’s face turned white.

“Ugh! I’ve never cooked in my life! I can’t even tell the difference between salt and sugar!”

“Anyway, all Elizabeth-nim has to do is prepare. The cooking will be completed by Astolfo’s hands.”

“W-what do you mean?”

In Britannia, dishes are served to guests in a finished state. All the guest has to do is eat the food that is served.

However, that is only common sense in Britannia.

Brilliant Road showed the cuisine of a small country far away in the East.

‘They grilled finely chopped meat directly on a large stone plate. That’s already beyond the scope of the guest and the chef.’

The chef makes the food, and the guest eats it.

However, in the small country in the East, the chef only prepares the food.

In that case, the same taste can be achieved regardless of the chef’s skill.

It’s a natural thing. Grilling the meat is Astolfo’s job as a guest.

Elizabeth heard that and asked with wide eyes.

“No, can you even call that cooking?”

“If this becomes popular, the concept of cooking itself will change in Britannia. In the small country in the East, they even present this to the king.”

“So, what kind of dish is it?”

“――It’s called Galbi [Korean BBQ short ribs]. From now on, Elizabeth-nim will have to prepare it.”

The Man Who Makes the Impossible Possible #2