Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 262

10. Devil at the Crossroads

The figure standing there was an elf with such a cold demeanor that he could easily be mistaken for an ice sculpture.

“It’s been a while, Horizon.”

It had been almost a year since I last saw him during the founding of El Agrad.

“It feels like I saw you just recently. I might even start developing feelings for you at this rate.”

“Well, I suppose it hasn’t been that long for an elf.”

Horizon muttered with a displeased expression, seemingly dissatisfied with something.

“Hmph, I was merely busy with the early days of the nation’s founding.”

When Cainchel chuckled, Horizon’s stiff face softened.

Cainchel was a key contributor to the founding of El Agrad and the owner of the national treasure, Fragarach [a legendary sword in Irish mythology].

Moreover, he was a close friend of the queen, Eirene.

Even Horizon, who disliked humans, couldn’t ignore him.

“But surely you didn’t come with Eirene?”

Horizon was the queen’s personal chef and the captain of the Royal Guard. He rarely acted alone.

Although Elizabeth was present, the Tower of Trials was a place where orc attacks could occur at any time.

It was not an appropriate place to welcome such a precious guest as the queen of the Elven race.

“Today, it’s just me and this one. You can drop the concealment and come out now.”

There was a rustling in the bushes, and a refreshing voice echoed.

“…I apologize. I was hiding with Sylphir’s help to prepare for any possible enemy attacks.”

Then, an elf spiritist with light green hair cascading down to her waist emerged from behind a tree.

She didn’t have the dazzling beauty of Queen Eirene, but she was a beautiful woman with a pure and innocent aura.

Cainchel nodded lightly to her and said.

“Lady Applemint, I presume. Then Blackpepper and Clover must be staying behind to protect Eirene.”

A small smile appeared on Applemint’s lips. She seemed pleased that he remembered the names of the individual members of the Royal Guard.

‘How could a chef forget spice names?’

However, the answer came not from Applemint but from Horizon.

“That’s right. But I happened to overhear you talking about reinforcements. My reason for meeting a human is also related to that… Before we get to that, just a moment.”

Horizon pointed to the soup pasta for 50 people that was boiling next to Cainchel.

“You’re not going to ask for a bowl, are you? I’m sorry, but it’s full of meat and animal-based ingredients like butter.”

“No, I want to hear your impressions of this dish. If possible, I’d like a very detailed explanation of what it tastes like.”

Why was Horizon, an elf, curious about a dish made for humans?

Ian, who was pretending to do muscle training while stealing glances at Applemint, whispered in a small voice.

“…Cainchel. That lady’s name, you said it was Applemint, right? Really, ah… I mean…”

He seemed to want to compliment her appearance but couldn’t think of the right words.

In the end, all he could manage was to sweat and utter a conventional exclamation.

“…That’s a really pretty name. If it’s okay with you, can I try what you just asked for? I’m not a gourmet, but I’ll try my best to express the taste well.”

Cainchel smiled and nodded.

“I’d be grateful if you would, Hyung [Korean term for older brother or close male friend].”

Then Ian thumped his chest as if to say, leave it to me. While he was in the tower, the seasons had changed, and it was already winter.

Perhaps because it was cold, Ian’s cheeks were unusually red.

“Th, then, I shall begin the tasting!”

Ian began to glare at the soup pasta as if it were his lifelong enemy.

Underneath the half-melted cheese, asparagus with a bitter flavor could be seen.

Deciding to start with the broth, Ian scooped up a generous amount, including the solid ingredients, and brought it to his mouth.

The aroma alone, rich with milk and cheese, was enticing.

Moreover, the subtle consommé scent was driving him crazy.

Slurp-

The broth that passed down his throat warmed his entire body.

“…Delicious.”

An exclamation escaped his lips without him realizing it. However, he couldn’t focus solely on eating.

Horizon, as well as Applemint, were watching Ian eat the soup pasta.

“Cough, cough. I might not even notice if it goes up my nose.”

“Don’t worry about us and eat slowly, human.”

“Aye!”

Ian nodded with a determined look.

The onions, simmered until they were transparent, were so soft that they melted away the moment they entered his mouth.

Moreover, the mild sweetness and smooth flavor were enough to bring a smile to his face.

The soup, rich with milk and cheese, created a fantastic taste on its own.

To that was added the vegetable broth extracted from the vegetables and mushrooms, as well as the savory flavors of bacon and consommé.

“Hoo, this is really amazing? From the milk and cheese to the bacon and vegetables. There aren’t many ingredients, but they all come together to create an unbelievably deep flavor.”

How could the same ingredients taste so different?

Moreover, the taste of the pasta noodles soaked in the broth was not to be underestimated.

The fresh pasta that Cainchel had made on the spot was moist and chewy.

He scooped up a generous amount and put it in his mouth. As he chewed, he could taste the rich cream soup.

“The pasta goes really well with the thick soup. It’s delicious to eat the soup on its own, but this is definitely a pasta dish.”

The pasta, soup, and solid ingredients were in perfect harmony, creating a single dish called soup pasta.

Moreover, the generous amount of pepper and parsley powder helped to cut through the richness, making it possible to eat endlessly.

As if Ian’s eating the soup pasta was a signal flare, dozens of people had gathered around Cainchel.

They took plates full of soup pasta and began to eat it ravenously.

“…Sob. It really warms the heart. I never thought that just adding pasta noodles to warm soup could be so delicious!”

“The pasta noodles are alive! How do you make them so chewy and moist?!”

“And the mushrooms are amazing. Every time you chew, a rich, savory flavor and the mushroom’s natural taste come out. It’s a real delicacy!”

Horizon shook his head from side to side as he watched the people enjoying the food.

Cainchel, taking it as a sign that he was hungry, asked.

“If you had given me a heads up that you were coming, I would have prepared a vegetarian dish. Would you like some fried potatoes?”

“It’s not that I’m hungry. I’ve just realized that I can’t make dishes that suit human tastes with my skills.”

Horizon looked at Cainchel with a bitter expression.

“Will you listen to my story for a moment, human? I want to make a deal.”

Horizon was Eirene’s right-hand man.

He was in charge of everything from guarding her to preparing her meals, and he took great pride in it.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen this elf act so humble.’

When Cainchel nodded, Horizon began his story in earnest.

* * *

“I believe you’ve already heard that El Agrad’s proud aerial unit, the Sky Knights, has a rather significant problem.”

“You’re referring to the fact that a large number of subordinates who used to follow Gottfried deserted and defected to the Argon Union, right?”

“That’s what’s known to the outside world. But the reality is much more serious.”

“Serious?”

“Yes. Like an epidemic, those who follow Gottfried have begun to increase. Already, over 10,000 people have been captivated by him and disappeared, and that number is steadily growing. According to the spirits, they would even sacrifice their children if he ordered it.”

Moreover, the problem was growing because several high-ranking nobles were included among Gottfried’s followers.

“…Is His Highness Phiedeli alright?”

“Fortunately, Pentagram and Weimar are still intact. But if Gottfried’s followers increase further, their fall is only a matter of time.”

‘At this rate, El Agrad will be split in half.’

Cainchel’s eyes narrowed. No matter how great the blood of a dragon that creates blood relatives was, maintaining about fifty people at the same time was the limit.

But 10,000 people?

If things went wrong, not only the Argon Union but also El Agrad could become an enemy threatening Britannia.

“It must be the Devil at the Crossroads…”

Then Horizon’s long ears perked up.

“Devil at the Crossroads? What are you talking about, human?”

“…Well, it’s like this.”

Cainchel briefly told him about what he had experienced in the Ottoman Empire. Then Horizon let out a low groan, as if something had occurred to him.

“If the power of a devil is at work, that certainly makes sense. The reason I came to meet a human is to learn how to cook.”

“You want to learn how to cook from me?”

“Yes. Strangely enough, the elves who ate my cooking were not affected by Gottfried’s ability.”

Horizon was the best cook among the elves of El Agrad.

Most of the vegetarian dishes he made were 5-star quality or higher.

However, no matter how good his cooking skills were, Horizon could not make dishes for humans.

Since he couldn’t eat animal-based ingredients, he couldn’t even taste them.

That meant that no matter how perfect the recipe was, he couldn’t make a proper dish.

Cainchel smiled and offered a very simple solution.

“Horizon, in that case, why don’t you just ask someone else to cook for you instead?”

“Hmph. Do you think I would lower myself to asking a human?”

“Then let’s make a deal as you said earlier. How about receiving a little more water from the Mimir’s Well [a well of wisdom in Norse mythology] in exchange for making the dishes?”

“…I’ll have to talk to Lady Eirene about that.”

He was already in trouble because the Mimir’s Well water was running out.

Moreover, he was concerned about the reason why Gottfried’s blood relative ability had grown.

If it was really the work of the Devil at the Crossroads, they had to stop it before it got stronger.

With the destination decided, there was no need to hesitate.

Cainchel left the Tower of Trials to Elizabeth and Abel and headed to El Agrad.

* * *

Applemint freely controlled Sylphir, the intermediate wind spirit. Thanks to her power, the group was able to reach Weimar in just three days.

“It usually takes at least two weeks. It’s faster than going back and forth through the gate.”

Applemint blushed and lowered her head, seemingly shy. She seemed to have a very timid personality.

“…It’s all thanks to Cainchel-nim [Korean honorific suffix]. I was able to hear the voice of the intermediate spirit after eating the mandrake roast you made back then.”

The mandrake roast made the elves’ senses more sensitive.

It was a temporary effect, but once a connection with a spirit was made, it rarely disappeared.

Cainchel had brought as many mandrakes as he could, thinking they might be useful.

“Ugh…”

“Ah.”

At that moment, Cainchel and Applemint groaned almost simultaneously.

Cainchel was reacting to the dozens of enemies emanating from the sky. Applemint was reacting to the sudden change in the direction of the wind, which she felt through the assimilated spirit.

It meant only one thing.

When they looked up, knights riding griffons were circling in the sky and flying towards Cainchel.

“Brave comrades! All for Gottfried-nim and the independence of our clan!”

“Long live Gottfried-nim!”

At the head of them was a man wielding a fire hammer several times larger than his body.

“…That’s an Aura Blade? That means he’s a Sword Master.”

Cainchel recalled the faces of the Sword Masters that El Agrad possessed. Excluding the already dead Walter Keitel and Adolf, there were only three left.

And he muttered the name of the Sword Master he had never seen before.

“Ex…”

He was called the Faceless Sword Master, and everything about him, including his abilities, real name, and identity, was shrouded in mystery.

And someone was watching the vicinity of Weimar, where a battle was about to take place, through the eyes of a crow.

Sitri, a high-ranking demon and a demon duke leading countless demons.

She was gleaming with excitement, as if she was very pleased, and muttered.

“Now I can finally see you. Did you know? The honey butter sandwich you made back then was really delicious.”