Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 39

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Chapter 13: Some Omens

I went to the training briefing, and Instructor Ian was already deep into his strength training.

“Biceps! Triceps! Deltoids! Biceps brachii! Trapezius!”

“······.”

Ian admired his muscles in the large mirror.

“Indeed, muscles are a man’s everything! Musclesss! Long live muscles!”

“······Instructor Ian, it’s time for the training briefing.”

Ian, who had been caressing his arm muscles, turned around and grinned.

“Oh, Cainchel, you’re here. Today, my muscles seem to be greeting me extra enthusiastically. Hahaha!”

Instructor Ian wiped the sweat from his neck with a towel and continued.

“The other instructors are only concerned with Aura Swords, Aura Blades, and mana cultivation techniques! But a healthy mind resides in a healthy body! If you want a high-purity Aura Sword, you must always train your body diligently! No, you’re already doing it! Yes! Abs! A man’s abs are like a lifeline! Hahaha!”

“Hahaha!”

Swept up by Instructor Ian’s enthusiasm, Cainchel found himself doing abdominal exercises.

Then he suddenly realized.

‘······That’s not why I came here!’

It was only after 30 minutes that he could finally listen to the actual briefing.

“To think the day would come when I’d be giving you a training briefing… This brother is moved!”

“Just give me the briefing.”

“Alright! I need to finish quickly and go for a run. Should I do a light 50 kilometers? Anyway, survival training was originally scheduled.”

“Yes.”

“But there’s an epidemic in Pelga, a village about a day’s journey from the training center.”

It was a kind of public service.

The Knight Training Center conducts very intense training.

There’s even a saying that training is like real combat, and real combat is like training.

Therefore, excellent medical staff and a bishop-level cleric who can use ‘Blessing’ are always on standby.

When there’s no training, they often treat the sick living nearby.

If there’s an epidemic, they would go on a mission.

“Eventually, the higher-ups, as part of noblesse oblige [the responsibility of privileged people to act with generosity and nobility], decided to send Bishop Saint-Germain, who is under the Knight Training Center, to purify the land. We must prevent the epidemic from spreading further. And the Yellow Knights, who are currently achieving the best results, will go as his escort.”

“Usually, wouldn’t the Chevalier class [a rank of knight] support in these cases?”

“The Chevaliers and Seniors are busy preparing for the upcoming parade. In the end, I, the least experienced among the instructors, am in charge. Actually, I was going to assign it to Kundam, but… it’s a bit much.”

Captain Kundam of the Black Knights has been holed up in his room for days after experiencing his first defeat.

Unfamiliar pain is distressing.

Cainchel smiled bitterly. But there is no growth without overcoming it.

‘Still, Kundam will quickly come to his senses and return. A person with a clear purpose doesn’t break easily.’

“Then what happens to the survival training?”

“We’re doing it together.”

“······Did I hear you wrong?”

“I said we’re doing it together!”

Ian sighed deeply and then explained.

They have to go on the public service mission. But they can’t postpone the survival training that was scheduled for this week.

In other words, they’re going on the public service mission while doing survival training.

“The public service will last a total of three days. But the given food is only for one day! You’ll have to find and cook the rest yourself! Ahem······.”

Instructor Ian scratched his head with an apologetic expression.

The insufficient food supplies meant they had to replenish them in the wild.

It was absurd.

At least the survival training grounds have edible vegetables planted in advance and wild animals released.

Even so, most people end up starving for days because they can’t cook properly.

But now, they’re going to a place that doesn’t even have that, a 100% pure wilderness.

“Well, if it’s really impossible, I’ll report to the higher-ups and try to get some combat rations for you.”

“It’s alright. Instead, please allow me to take a few cooking tools and spices.”

“Will that be enough?”

Obtaining ingredients in the wild is not a problem at all.

Besides, with the right tools, he can make things that no one would imagine eating outside.

“You’ll probably eat better food than what you get here.”

Cainchel grinned.

@

Pelga, where the epidemic broke out, is located more than half a day’s journey away.

The carriage carrying the cleric Saint-Germain was pulled by Abel Carter, who had become the new Meister [master or leader] of the Yellow Knights.

Saint-Germain, who was riding in the carriage, shouted.

“Brothers! We must always remember the words of our Lord Deus [Latin for God]! He became the true savior by casting off the desires within his own body······.”

The God of Light, Deus, descended to earth in human form to save mankind.

But where there is light, there is darkness.

Desire began to arise in Deus, who was in human form.

The seven deadly sins, which are sins in themselves and the root of all sins committed by man.

Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, Lust.

――Seven Deadly Sins.

“In the end, Deus was betrayed by his disciple, crucified, and returned to God! The seven deadly sins were born from the seven drops of blood he shed at that time! Only a sacred belief in Deus can destroy them!”

Saint-Germain began to preach about the doctrines of the Deus religion all day long.

Eventually, Abel raised the white flag.

“Bishop······.”

“Yes, brother!”

“I will definitely go to church starting this weekend, so please, please stop······.”

“Hahaha! I pray that the blessing of our Lord Deus will be upon you, brother.”

Cainchel sighed as he watched the scene.

It might be comfortable to ride in a carriage.

But he would have to listen to Saint-Germain’s preaching for three days.

‘Since you were chosen by lot anyway, don’t resent it too much, Abel······.’

Then Cainchel heard rumors circulating among the trainee knights.

“Have you heard the rumors about Deutschland [Germany]?”

Deutschland was one of the major powers bordering the Holy Britannia Empire.

A military powerhouse with as many as five Sword Masters.

One of them became a Sword Master at the young age of thirty.

“I heard from my father, who works in the intelligence department, that Prince Friedlich of Deutschland is a huge ambitious person.”

“Yes. Although his right to the throne is low, he has gathered a huge support base with his rhetoric alone.”

“It is said that they are preparing to hunt a dragon, led by Prince Friedlich.”

“······Really?”

Dragons are a race with stronger bodies and magic than any other creature on the continent.

As such, there has never been a successful hunt throughout history.

“If they succeed in hunting a dragon, Deutschland could instantly become the strongest country on the continent. Of course, all the credit would go to Prince Friedlich.”

“Then the throne will eventually be his.”

“That’s right.”

Even a single piece of a dragon’s corpse is an enormous treasure with nothing to throw away.

The bones and skin can be used to make the best weapons and armor.

The blood is used as a medium to increase the performance of all magic tools several times over.

And if they obtain the Dragonheart······.

“But if you have a Dragonheart, you can become a Grand Sword Master, the highest level a human can reach, surpassing even a Sword Master. Perhaps Deutschland is aiming for that… Oops! You mustn’t tell anyone that I said this.”

Grand Sword Master.

Throughout the history of the continent, which has lasted for thousands of years, only one person has reached that level.

But its power is said to be beyond comparison even to a Sword Master.

“······Of course. If the dragon hunt is successful, a bloodbath will begin again on the continent. Unlike the Seven Deadly Sins War, which was the enemy of all mankind. This time, a war between humans will break out. But what can a mere trainee knight do to worry about the future of the continent······.”

Before they knew it, rumors of war had reached the ears of the trainee knights.

Cainchel listened to their stories.

Most of the trainee knights are sons and heirs of nobles.

The rumors that circulate casually here contain the entire political situation of the continent.

Cainchel was lost in thought.

Another war is about to break out. But as a mere trainee knight, there is nothing he can do.

So, as soon as possible······.

But what does a dragon taste like?

@

Eventually, they were able to reach Pelga only after darkness began to settle around them.

Saint-Germain, who got out of the carriage, shouted.

“Everyone gather and receive the ‘Blessing’! Then you won’t get the epidemic!”

The Yellow Knights stood in formation in front of Saint-Germain.

Saint-Germain began to pray.

“Oh, radiance of the God of Light, Deus!”

Then a bright light appeared in his hand.

The cleric’s blessing to eliminate the impure.

Receiving it would eliminate the worry of being afflicted by disease or curses for at least a day.

Cainchel said.

“Then, Bishop Saint-Germain, I ask you to purify the entire village.”

Saint-Germain put his hands together and gave Cainchel a blessing. An unusually elaborate gesture.

“May the blessing of Deus be upon all places where light reaches.”

“······That’s an excessive blessing. Thank you.”

He felt burdened because Saint-Germain seemed to like him in a strange way since they first met in the kitchen.

Still, Cainchel received the blessing with a reverent heart.

Because it was a good thing.

Cainchel gave orders to the remaining trainee knights.

“Then, Wagon, can you bring firewood from the carriage and start a bonfire?”

“Yes, Captain!”

Fire has the power to drive away the impure.

From now on, this place will serve as the headquarters for the purification of Pelga.

“The remaining members are to prioritize the safety of Bishop Saint-Germain above all else and escort him. Then, Abel, I’m counting on you to take good care of the remaining members while I’m gone.”

Abel was originally the captain of the Yellow Knights.

He would do well without worry.

“But where are you going, Captain?”

“I’m going to look around in case there are any survivors.”

“I see? Don’t try to shoulder everything alone. Tell me anytime you need advice. I’m the Yellow Meister now.”

Abel smiled with a lonely expression.

He always had that face after giving up the captaincy.

Cainchel felt a strange pain in his heart.

He remembered Abel crying, saying that he couldn’t beat Kundam with his abilities.

In the end, he beat Kundam, but Abel’s heart must have been deeply wounded.

Abel was a friend and colleague with whom he could confide.

He wanted to do something to cheer him up.

‘But all I can do is cook… Okay, after the training, I’ll make Abel an amazing dish. Then he’ll smile and say it’s delicious again······.’

After giving orders to all the members, Cainchel drew his sword and began to explore Pelga.

A stench like that of rotten meat wafted through the air.

After the epidemic broke out, all the people living in the village fled to nearby cities.

‘But maybe there are still people left. And I can find those people using Fallen Star [Cainchel’s unique ability to sense strong emotions].’

People left alone in a place like this would surely have great despair and hostility.

‘It’s not hostility towards me, but if it’s that great of hostility, I can read it.’

Cainchel activated Fallen Star.

If there are any living people here, it is also a knight’s role to save them.

While searching the village, Cainchel discovered a strange place.

It was blocked by a plank, and when he lifted it, a cave leading somewhere appeared.

‘What is it? The smell of rotting meat is getting stronger.’

Cainchel checked the torch he was wearing on his waist. He could use it for at least three hours.

‘Even if wild animals attack, I can prepare enough with Fallen Star. Then, let’s go······.’

The cave was rough, whether it was naturally formed or not.

Cainchel slowly moved into the cave.

Fallen Star did not detect any hostility.

Nevertheless, the reason Cainchel swung his sword was because a terrible stench had covered him.

Swoosh-!

He felt the sensation of cutting something with the tip of his sword.

There was something in the darkness. No, not one. Several.

‘What is it? Fallen Star didn’t detect anything······.’

Cainchel’s back was soaked with cold sweat.

He slowly raised the torch to see what had attacked him.

‘People… No, not people!’

It was a corpse with its whole body half-rotten.

One of its arms was dangling, as if it had been cut off by his attack.

Nevertheless, the corpse’s body was wriggling and moving.

The corpse raised its body.

“Gheu······. Geueok······. Keok.”

And rushed at Cainchel.

“A corpse! Damn it!”

Startled, Cainchel raised his sword.

Even in this situation, the swordsmanship based on the 11-star novice swordsmanship is sharp and keen.

Cainchel’s sword cut through the neck of the moving corpse.

Thud-!

A corpse that was moving perfectly even though one of its arms was cut off. But cutting off its neck was the end of it.

Cainchel swallowed hard. He couldn’t understand the situation at all.

‘······Think, Cainchel. There is no phenomenon in this world that occurs without a cause.’

Then he remembered the contents of the briefing he received from Ian.

‘The registered population of Pelga was 150. But he said that less than a hundred people came to evacuate. Then the remaining people are······.’

He thought they had died from the epidemic. But no matter how much he searched the village, there were no corpses that had died from the disease.

Then all those missing people are······.

“Geuwoaaaaaa!”

The moaning of something unknown was heard through the darkness.

No matter how he thought about it, there was only one word that could explain what was in front of him.

Ghouls, who refuse even death and move to eat living people.

‘They should have all disappeared when the King of Gluttony died, right?’

Cainchel swallowed hard and gripped his sword.

This was the only thing he could trust now.

Some Omens #2