Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 249

7. The Guardian Dragon of Gistad

“Please become the guardian dragon of the Gistad territory in northern Britannia.”

Magnus’s eyes flickered with an unusual light at the completely unexpected proposal.

His lair was filled with gold, silver, jewels, and all sorts of ancient weapons dating back to the mythical era.

Things that anyone would covet and fight for.

Yet, this human was asking for assistance, not wealth or power.

“But a guardian dragon? Do you even know what that means?”

“Of course.”

It sounded plausible, but it was a contract that heavily favored the dragon.

Simply put, it meant offering all sorts of treasures in exchange for protection whenever the dragon felt like it.

Moreover, there was no obligation to lend power. It was an utterly unfair contract.

Yet, he dared to ask for it.

Magnus looked at Cainchel with interest.

“So, what do you have to offer as a sacrifice? The reward is only the guardian dragon contract. The price for lending my power will be separate. And it will be paid in advance.”

Although he wore an expression of being old and weary, Magnus was a notoriously greedy Red Dragon.

To offer a sacrifice that would satisfy him, even handing over the entire Central Mine wouldn’t be enough.

“What to offer has already been decided, hasn’t it?”

“Decided?”

“The same mille-feuille nabe [a layered hot pot dish] you had a few days ago. If you eat it steadily for a while, you might regain your lost sense of taste.”

“That was made on the condition that I wouldn’t absorb mana in the Arabian Desert… Ugh, hahaha! This is truly a masterpiece, isn’t it? I certainly told you to try eating it, but I didn’t say I would keep making it for you. To think you’d use what I assumed you’d do anyway as a bargaining chip.”

“What will you do? Besides, you have places to protect in northern Britannia, don’t you, Lord Magnus?”

The reason Magnus was gathering a large amount of mana was solely to maintain the gate to the Demon World.

In the end, becoming an ally of the Britannia territory was an extension of that.

“Tch.”

Seeing that his opponent seemed half convinced, Cainchel delivered the final blow.

“And after you fully regain your sense of taste, I’ll make you even more delicious things. I recommend pork barbecue. Grilled pork with a generous amount of sweet and savory barbecue sauce. It’ll be nicely browned, and the oil will look like it’s about to drip off. The smell is just divine.”

“…Gulp.”

The Red Dragon enjoyed gourmet food as much as his greedy nature. Even though he had lost his sense of taste due to old age, his desire for food remained.

It was slowly resurfacing after eating the mille-feuille nabe.

Moreover, eating a dish full of vegetables made him crave greasy meat even more.

“And how about roast chicken with crispy skin and tender leg meat? Oh, and beef stew, where bite-sized pieces of beef are simmered with various spices, is also really delicious.”

Cainchel pretended to eat as if a table full of delicious food was right in front of him.

He looked so convincing that it seemed like he was actually holding a fork and knife.

“The meat is so tender that it melts in your mouth, with a complex flavor from the various vegetables and spices. Taking a big bite makes you feel really happy.”

In the end, Magnus raised both hands with a fed-up expression.

“Damn it, I lost. Stop it already. If I hear any more, I might end up catching and eating a sand worm that passes by. Fine. I’ll become the guardian dragon of the Gistad territory as you wish.”

Cainchel quietly clenched his fist.

At first, he was going to get some tail, blood, or even a tooth.

He was sure he could get a considerable amount of aura if he cooked it well.

However, if a dragon’s tail is cut off, it regenerates like a lizard’s.

There was no way he could be satisfied with just one time.

If Magnus stayed near the Gistad territory as a guardian dragon, he was confident he could tear off his tail any number of times.

Cainchel licked his lips as he looked at Magnus’s butt. Dragon meat was really delicious.

He couldn’t expect much from him as a combat force, but he would serve as an advisor and the best emergency food supply.

‘Besides, the demonic power that Muhammad Al-Din used… If the same thing happens again… I need to get stronger as much as possible before that happens.’

“What is it, human? Is there something on my butt?”

“It’s nothing.”

“But if I move my residence there, the snow in the north will melt in an instant. Moreover, the ecosystem will be completely destroyed, the trees will wither, and even potatoes won’t grow properly, turning it into a barren land.”

Dragons change the surrounding environment to their attribute just by staying there.

Wasn’t that why Magnus’s lair was in the Arabian Desert in the first place?

“Wouldn’t it be okay if you got mana only from food, not just supplementing it [absorbing it from the environment]?”

Magnus snapped his fingers, did a quick calculation, and nodded.

“Hmm. It’s true that there will be restrictions on returning to my true form and some actions, but if I eat five meals a day, it might work out.”

It was an amount he couldn’t handle alone.

It seemed he would have to return to the Gistad territory and get help from the chefs he knew.

The first face that came to mind was Gordon Lambolton’s, who was frowning as if something was very unpleasant.

‘That person must be very busy with Agape sales, so should I ask Oracle?’

The reason Prellia was safe from the curse’s influence while Cainchel was away was all thanks to her.

Oracle had already made 5-star gem ice cream several times.

Her cooking skills alone were on par with Cainchel or Gordon.

‘If I prepare the ingredients, she can definitely make other 5-star dishes. Maybe even 6-star.’

“By the way, human. Or should I call you guardian now?”

“Call me whatever you like.”

“Anyway, there’s something I want to make clear as a guardian dragon. The guardian is definitely a Sword Master, right?”

“…I can use Aura Blade, so I guess I should be called a Sword Master.”

Magnus scratched the back of his head and narrowed his eyes.

“But strangely, it feels like something is missing. The Sword Master I fought when I was young was much stronger.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Hmm, how can I explain it easily? Right. There’s someone’s heart in the dishes the guardian makes. But not in the Aura Blade. The form is definitely there, but it felt like the inside was empty. I can’t figure out why.”

“…!

It was like being hit in the back of the head with a huge hammer.

He already felt like something was wrong.

Cainchel’s Aura Blade Signature allowed him to use several cooking skills at the same time.

Of course, that alone made him incredibly strong.

However, it was only because the unique skill Igyeo Geom and Onion Swordsmanship were a good match.

‘Besides, most of the powerful enemies I’ve fought so far were defeated using Double Booster or Dracula’s Blood, not the Signature.’

Was the Signature he was currently using really all there was to Aura Blade, the proof of reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship?

‘…Maybe what’s needed to become a Grand Sword Master isn’t just increasing the total amount of aura.’

The countless miracles created by heartfelt cooking.

If the same thing became possible with swords, Cainchel’s swordsmanship would definitely evolve to the next level.

Even so, how on earth could he move on to the next step?

It hadn’t even been a day since he fought Behemoth and solved the great drought of the Ottoman Empire.

‘But with preservatives, Onion Swordsmanship, and Signature… I have a mountain of things to do.’

However, he was able to find several clues to become stronger that he couldn’t see at all in Britannia.

The two months he spent in Ottoman were by no means wasted.

* * *

When Cainchel said he was leaving Ottoman, a small farewell ceremony was held.

It was just a place to say goodbye to the people he met here, but the people who gathered were unusual.

The Sultan, who could be said to be the spiritual pillar of the Ottoman Empire, and the head of the Janissaries [elite Ottoman soldiers], his right-hand man.

Seherazade, the only Uin who handles Amehurashi in Ottoman.

And even Vitist Santos from the dwarf’s sanctuary, Central Mine.

The first to bow his head was Seherazade.

“In a year, the dried-up water veins of Ottoman will be refilled. Then I will definitely go to eat Cainchel’s dishes.”

Following her, Sinbad and Abdullah grabbed Cainchel’s hands.

“Next time we meet, Sinbad will be super strong too! So be sure to come and visit again!”

“You are the benefactor of this body… no, of the entire Ottoman Empire. If you ever have a reason to visit, please send a letter. I will run barefoot.”

“Even if Cainchel leaves, our dwarves will take responsibility for continuing the legacy of Chimaek! Don’t worry!”

Lastly, Magnus yawned and leaned back in his chair.

“Haa… Well, goodbye, Cainchel. It was nice meeting you, and I want to eat the dishes you made again before I die…”

“Lord Magnus, you have to go with me. What are you going to do if you try to sleep here?”

“Ah, that’s right. I was wondering why I was so sleepy, but it was because I ate so much mille-feuille nabe that my stomach was about to burst. Then shall we return to our true form for the first time in a while?”

The Ottoman Empire was so closed off that there weren’t even gates installed at the border.

As a result, it took two full weeks to get here from Britannia, even after changing horses and camels several times.

When he said that, Magnus’s face turned white.

“…Sorry, but I can’t sleep if I ride a horse because my butt hurts? I’d rather fly.”

“Fly? Is that okay? You said there were several restrictions on returning to your true form.”

“As long as I don’t absorb mana separately, I can roughly endure it this time. Besides, I can transform into human form in a place far away from the Gistad territory.”

It seemed he really hated riding horses.

If Magnus returned to his true form and flew at full speed, he could arrive in Citizen in a day.

It was a proposal that Cainchel had no reason to refuse, as it would save a lot of time.

And so, Cainchel, along with Abel, got on Magnus’s back.

“…This is more like a moving castle than a dragon.”

He was amazed that Behemoth could fly, but Magnus was much bigger than that.

Compared to Calliope, there was a difference of more than 10 times.

It was truly the majesty of a dragon that grew until it disappeared.

— The reason dragons can fly is a type of anti-gravity magic. So they move at tremendous speeds without hardly flapping their wings. But as expected, he’s an ancient dragon, so magma-like things are stuck all over his scales. Partner, I’m sorry, but can I secretly get a piece to use as research material…

Then, a voice that seemed to vibrate the air itself echoed.

It was a resonance similar to Bishop, who could connect to Cainchel’s neural network and speak directly into his head, but different.

— What? Who’s trying to take my magnificent and handsome scales without permission! I was going to be nice because I’m in a symbiotic relationship with the guardian, but I guess not.

— Ah, no, I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant…

Even a homunculus who has lived for hundreds of years will disappear if he accidentally touches Magnus’s reverse scale.

Even in the midst of all this, Cainchel was licking his lips as he looked at Magnus’s big and beautiful tail.

‘I’ll definitely eat it someday.’

And so, less than a day after leaving Ottoman, Cainchel was able to arrive in Citizen.

* * *

The first to discover the anomaly was a soldier guarding the ramparts.

He came down from the watchtower at a speed that made it seem like he had fallen and shouted to his comrades.

“D, D, D, Dragon! D, Dragon…!”

“Dragon? Hey, what are you talking about?”

“…H, the sky! Look at the sky!”

“Haha! Kid. Did you have a dream while dozing off? It’s been 22 years since a dragon was sighted over Citizen… U, Uaaaaaack!”

There, a dragon, whose population was said to have decreased to 1/10 since the mythical era, was flying in the sky.

And it was a ridiculously big dragon.