Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 223

Rumble!

Explosions, like erupting volcanoes, continued to rock Hector’s front line.

Elizabeth gripped her sword with her remaining arm.

“I suppose I should go,” she said. “He wasn’t exactly someone I was fond of, but he’s been a comrade in arms. I should at least make sure he’s not lonely on his way to the afterlife.”

“I won’t tell you not to go. But wouldn’t our defensive area increase if Elza joins him? If we’re not careful, the Aura Field’s [a magical barrier] absolute defense might break.”

Elizabeth clicked her tongue, acknowledging the accurate point.

“…Tch. Fine. I’ll defend this place as planned. It would be nice if you tried to stop me from going, though.”

Elizabeth grumbled, pressing her severed arm against her shoulder and tying it with a bandage.

Kainchel’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the wound, which didn’t seem like it could ever be reattached.

“Are you alright with your arm?”

“A wound like this will heal with a bit of spit. Don’t underestimate the regenerative power of a half-succubus. Actually, there’s something better than spit.”

Elizabeth said those words and smiled with eyes like a snake eyeing its prey.

“That’s a relief. After this is over, I’ll make you a dish that enhances your body’s regenerative abilities.”

“Oh, really? That’s very kind of you.”

She didn’t seem grateful at all.

At that moment, an explosion several times larger than before erupted.

The shockwave was enough to affect Kainchel, who was quite far away.

Elizabeth looked with distant eyes at the place Hector had defended until the very end.

“…Exactly 5 minutes. In the end, you perfectly completed your final mission. Don’t worry. I’ll bury you in a place full of rosemary, as promised.”

A knight going to war cuts off a lock of their hair and keeps it safe with their will.

Since they don’t know when or where they will die, it is necessary to prepare for a funeral.

The same was true for a Sword Master who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

Even after being directly hit by that massive explosion, there were still over three hundred demons remaining.

At their center was Bassago, a ghostly figure.

Half of his body was charred, but he seemed to have barely survived by using his precognition [ability to see the future].

“H-How dare you! A mere human dares to wound this body…!”

Kainchel stepped forward towards him, as if he wasn’t even worth answering.

Before he knew it, seven Fragarachs [Kainchel’s magical swords] were floating behind him.

‘Go, Sword Ki [magical energy]…!’

The Fragarachs, flying like a raging storm, plunged into Bassago’s back, and another blade embedded itself in his staggering side.

Having already lost much of his mobility, Bassago couldn’t use his boasted quick sword skills at all.

“Keuh…!”

This time, the impact reached his internal organs, and Bassago vomited blood.

It was a fatal wound that would have killed a human several times over, but the durability of a demon was beyond imagination.

Moreover, he couldn’t just fight Bassago alone.

“All troops, charge! Save the Legion Commander!”

“The one who cuts off a human’s head will be promoted by two ranks!”

“Uwaaaaaaa!”

The surviving demons rushed towards Kainchel all at once.

It was a complete rabble.

Bassago was so distracted that proper command was not being carried out.

Kainchel used his Noodle Making skill to tie up the feet of the approaching demons. Then, as if waiting for it, red burning wings appeared behind Elizabeth.

“As expected, when in doubt, this! Howl, Light Wings!”

Kwakwakwakwakwang-!

With Elizabeth’s cry, the feathers spewing out of her body covered the demon horde.

“Kk, Kkyaaaaak!”

“What is this ridiculous power?!”

They failed to annihilate the enemy, but they were able to tie up their legs for a while.

But that was enough.

What they were doing now was not an annihilation battle, but a battle that they would win simply by buying time.

’29, 28…! Just a little more…!’

The demons sensed that the time limit was approaching and frantically tried to approach the gate.

However, it was not enough to break through the second line of defense that Kainchel and Elizabeth were defending at the risk of their lives.

“D, Doedae.”

“What is th.”

“I.”

The sound disappeared, and at the same time, the world stopped. Calliope’s long and arduous consciousness had finally ended.

Now it was time for both demons and humans to return to where they were supposed to be.

Kainchel looked at his fading body.

Something pure white fell on it.

“Could this be snow?”

Elizabeth, who was catching her breath, shook her head.

“No. If you look closely, it’s dust. The technique Hector used at the end burned everything there. The ashes that went up into the sky due to the explosion are falling down.”

“…I see. But let’s just think of it as snow. It’s more atmospheric that way.”

“Ahaha, you’re right. Snow falling in the Demon Realm… I never thought I’d see such a sight here. It certainly suits the end of a long war.”

The snow began to pile up around the two of them, as if trying to cover everything.

“…Then let’s go back soon. We should say goodbye to Calliope.”

Gawain, who had been crisply roasted by the demons’ lightning magic, groaned.

“Did you forget something, junior…? Sorry, but help me up.”

“Puhaha! The outside is crispy, and the inside looks moist, you’re cooked very deliciously! I knew it would be like this since you were messing around in front of the magic corps!”

Kainchel left Gawain and Elizabeth, who were bickering, and looked at the place where Hector had stood last.

Did he meet his wife, whom he had longed for so much?

If he had the chance, he wanted to make him a Coq au vin [French chicken stew] of memories, like he did for Vincent.

‘I dedicate this victory to you. Rest in peace, Hector.’

The Demon Realm reflected in Kainchel’s eyes was covered in pure white snow, like a white mountain range.

* * *

When they returned to where they were, Goethe, in a state of confusion, was screaming.

“Why am I trapped in a cave like this? Could it be Ark who’s the culprit? So, Goethe-nim has been kidnapped? Of course, I haven’t written a new book in the past three years! But that’s only to gather data… Ah, I’ve come up with a great title, would you like to hear it? It’s Faust. How is it? Just hearing it makes it sound like a great masterpiece, right? This will be a much better work than Werther [Goethe’s previous famous work]!”

It seemed that the disconnection from the Demon Realm had caused confusion in his memories.

Goethe trembled in fear of Ark, who had kidnapped him without anyone knowing, and shouted.

“Uwani cha! Goethe-nim also wants to be happy! Why can’t I be happy! Goethe-nim just wants to live in a world without deadlines!”

Elizabeth, who had suffered injuries that wouldn’t be surprising if she collapsed from shock right now, grabbed her stomach and started laughing.

“I’ll tell Ark exactly what I just heard.”

“Y-You’re Elizabeth Gong?! Could it be that Ark has even kidnapped a Sword Master!? Scary… he’s a really scary man….”

Kainchel took out a cola from his interdimensional pocket and threw it to Goethe.

“Why don’t you drink this and cool your head a little? Then you’ll remember what you’ve forgotten.”

Goethe received the precious cola and widened his eyes. And he drank it in one gulp.

“…Keoeok. Uh…, come to think of it, I was clearly marrying Ark-ssi to become the Bride of May….”

It seemed that it would take quite a while for Goethe to come back to his senses.

“Aren’t you perhaps Teacher Goethe? I can’t believe it… Hah, I’m such a fan that I always carry Werther with me and read it. C, can I ask for an autograph….”

It seemed that Bathory was also confused in her memories.

“Of course. Should I write the name as Butori?”

“It’s Bathory….”

“…Then, I’ll write ‘To my dear reader Bathory’. Here you go.”

“Uooooo! I’ll keep it as a family heirloom.”

To be able to have the joy of meeting the great writer Goethe twice.

It was a moment that made him feel rewarded for coming all the way to a distant land.

Kainchel shook his head and headed to the place where Calliope was sleeping.

Elizabeth silently followed behind him.

This place was scheduled to be strictly managed by the Dragon Lord for the next thousand years.

From now on, the likes of the Seven Deadly Sins Church would not be able to invade this place.

She was sleeping in the deepest part of the lair.

Dragons grow until they die.

So, the body of an adult dragon is as big as a large castle. But Calliope was small.

At best, it was only about half the size of the Jistard mansion.

She was only 12-13 years old in human terms, so it was only natural.

Kainchel stroked the tail of the pure white dragon, which looked like a sculpture made of snow.

“…I came to say goodbye, Calliope. This is your true form. You’re really pretty. I should have told you this sooner… Ahaha… Well, please take good care of the seal on the Demon Realm for the next thousand years. Good night.”

Perhaps she heard Kainchel’s words in her sleep.

Calliope made a pleasant purring sound.

Maybe she was dreaming of eating Kainchel’s cooking, which she liked so much.

Morgana, who was kneeling next to Calliope’s head, raised her head.

As a possessor of extrasensory perception, her mind seemed to be clear, unlike the other witches.

Morgana muttered with a gloomy expression.

“Did we put too much of a burden on such a small child….”

“It’s something Calliope chose herself. Just like His Majesty Aslan, the Seven Virtues, and my father did.”

“….”

12 years ago.

There was a war with the Seven Deadly Sins, born from the desires that Deus had cast off.

Countless people died, and vast lands burned and disappeared.

What made it possible to win in that desperate situation was the work of the Holy King Aslan and the Eight Virtues.

Kainchel closed his eyes.

He hated his weakness at the time, when he couldn’t do anything.

The reconstruction of a fallen family was just an excuse he had made himself. He just wanted to become stronger.

And in the end, he was able to add his name to the end of a great heroic tale.

Morgana shook her head.

“The story of Holy King Aslan and the Virtues ended ten years ago. The protagonist of the heroic tale being created now is Kainchel, you.”

Morgana took off the armor she was wearing and rolled up her clothes.

Then, a well-toned and good-looking belly was revealed.

“The fact that I was able to escape the fate of a witch, and the fact that you closed the gate to the Demon Realm, were all done by you. Take pride in yourself. With this, you have become a true hero.”

His throat was choked up.

There were so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn’t make them into a voice.

The hearts of countless people involved in the Seven Deadly Sins War were flowing in.

Kainchel forced his lips, which were not moving easily, to open.

“It’s not over yet. There are things I need to do in order to put a period to my story.”

“What on earth is left to do? At least for the next thousand years, demons will not set foot on Britannia. It’s all your….”

Morgana’s eyes trembled in confusion. It was as if she wanted to hug Kainchel and cry right now.

“I must now go and lift the curse on Britannia.”

“Not a person, but Britannia is cursed? What on earth is that….”

“Yes. The whole country was cursed by the Seven Deadly Sins War. And the only thing that can solve it is a dish filled with heart.”

Now, all the things that a Sword Master could do were finished.

From now on, it was time for the chef to play an active role.