Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 5

‘What? Did my Cooking Level go up again? I didn’t even make anything this time?’

Using a kitchen knife to prepare ingredients raised his Swordsmanship Level.

Cooking raised his Cooking Level and various resistances.

But right now, he had only eaten a deliciously grilled ‘Hamburger Steak’.

Then, something suddenly occurred to Cainchel.

“Could it be, Gourmet Level?”

The exact answer could be found by checking the Joma Mirror [a magical artifact that displays a person’s stats and abilities].

[You have tasted a 5-star dish, ‘Juicy Hamburger Steak’.]

[Due to the influence of the Gourmet Level, you have absorbed some of the experience contained in the dish.]

[Level Up!]

“······!”

Cainchel gripped his trembling fingertips.

It wasn’t just swordsmanship that hadn’t improved for three years.

Stamina, Agility, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Mana, Divine Power.

The seven abilities that a human can possess. In other words, his stats hadn’t changed at all.

But after eating the hamburger steak made by Gordon, they had increased for the first time.

Cainchel carefully checked his level displayed on the Joma Mirror, afraid he might be seeing things.

[Cainchel Ban Zistad – Lv2]

“It, it really went up······, I’ve gotten a little stronger······.”

Unlike Swordsmanship Level, which was a kind of proficiency and marked with ★, stats were somewhat relative.

Therefore, the abilities when he first wore the Joma Mirror became the baseline.

Based on that, achieving a certain level of growth would raise his stats and increase his level by one.

Cainchel recalled his Lv1 stats, which he had seen so often over the past three years.

– Stamina (3), Agility (1), Strength (1), Dexterity (1), Intelligence (5), Mana (0), Divine Power (0)

The basic stats of an ordinary person who hasn’t received any training are usually 3.

Except for being slightly smarter, all his stats were below average. In particular, he had no talent for magic or divine power.

Vincent’s stats at level 1 were almost all above 10.

Nearly a difference of fifty in basic stats alone.

Moreover, unlike Cainchel, who hadn’t improved at all for three years, Vincent was Lv57.

In the end, Cainchel would have to raise over 100 levels to have the same stats as Vincent.

‘Did he tell me to be reborn about three times to achieve that?’

Cainchel shook his head, recalling what Vincent had said.

He had decided to forget about that guy for a while, hadn’t he?

‘It’s more important to check which stats have increased right now.’

Strength increases with physical training.

Intelligence increases with studying.

But all Cainchel had done was eat delicious food.

What stats had increased to cause a level up?

If possible, he hoped it would be stats that would help him wield a sword, like Stamina, Agility, or Strength.

Thinking that, Cainchel read the message on the Joma Mirror.

It was strangely long, but the conclusion was very simple.

[Stamina increased by 1.]

[Agility increased by 1.]

[Strength increased by 1.]

[Dexterity increased by 1.]

[Intelligence increased by 1.]

[Mana increased by 1.]

[Divine Power increased by 1.]

All of them.

“······.”

If he hadn’t been sitting in a chair, he would have collapsed on the spot.

That’s how absurd what was appearing on the Joma Mirror was.

“Wait a minute. Stop. Freeze! What is this! All stats increased? Is it broken? Okay, let’s say we’re being very generous and consider a kitchen knife a knife, so Swordsmanship Level can increase with that. But this is ignoring the level and stat system itself!”

He shouted as if arguing with someone, but there was no response.

One level per stat was a very simple principle.

But for all stats to increase at once.

Gulp-

Cainchel swallowed dryly without realizing it.

If all of this was happening because of the Gourmet Level, then maybe he had gained something incredible.

A stroke of luck he never thought he’d have in his life.

“······Maybe the Joma Mirror is slightly malfunctioning and spouting nonsense, so I should check properly······. Ughhhhhhhhh!”

Cainchel screamed as if he had met the ghost of his deceased father.

All his stats had really increased by one.

In the end, he had to take deep breaths for a while to calm his bursting heart.

“Hoo······. Let’s think calmly for now······.”

His fingertips were still trembling, but he was barely able to think straight.

“Is this something to be afraid of? I decided to become a knight. I had no choice for the sake of my ruined family······.”

And Cainchel recalled the stroke of luck that had exploded the moment he held the kitchen knife.

“······Using a kitchen knife improves swordsmanship, and cooking grants various resistances. And······. Eating well-made dishes can even raise levels. That means.”

Cainchel looked at the practice wooden sword he had left in the corner with moist eyes.

There were deep marks on the handle from how long he had held it.

“It means I might be able to become a knight.”

Wait. Hey, Cainchel.

Can you be satisfied with just that?

It was as if someone was asking him that.

Cainchel recalled the words his deceased father had left him.

If you’re going to dream, dream a really big one.

A smile appeared on his face without him realizing it.

Having gained such an absurd stroke of luck, and you’re just going to become a knight?

Your dream is too small.

Cainchel got up from his seat and grabbed the kitchen knife.

And muttered softly.

“Then the goal is Sword Master.”

That was the title given to those who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, of which there were only seven in the empire.

@

When he went to the kitchen after afternoon training, Joffrey was furious.

“Damn nobles! Do they really look down on us just because we cook!”

“Ch, Chef Joffrey, pl, please don’t do that, we need a, a solution······.”

“What good is a solution if no one will do the work for us? Ha, it’s hard to find kitchen assistants in nearby villages because of Thanksgiving or whatever. What are we supposed to do if they suddenly dump work on us like this!”

“U, ugh······. G, go ask Chef Gordon to help······.”

“If you can, go do it yourself! As if the Chief is short on hands to peel potatoes and will help us. Yeah, right.”

“Ah, come to think of it, there’s a noble here who came to support the kitchen.”

“Cough, cough!”

After piecing together the story from the two chefs, it seemed an absurd order had been issued to the kitchen.

Cainchel asked with the most nonchalant expression he could muster.

“I came to help with dinner preparations. Is something wrong?”

Joffrey, still uncomfortable with Cainchel, crossed his arms and walked away.

In the end, he had to get the proper explanation from Ainkel.

“W, well, you see······. Do you happen to know Sir Vincent von Sven of the Chevalier class [a rank in the knightly order]?”

“I know him too well, that’s the problem.”

The situation was simple.

It had been revealed in the status update two days ago that Vincent had become a Sword Knight.

To celebrate that fact, Marquis Sven had decided to send the Imperial Court Orchestra to the Stanis Training Center.

A whopping 200 people.

“Why is that a problem? It’s just for the Chevaliers to see, anyway.”

Ainkel sighed deeply and lowered his head.

“W, where the performance is held doesn’t matter······. But the problem is that they’re eating here······.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Cainchel nod in understanding.

In this kitchen, 200 knight candidates and soldiers eat every day.

And suddenly, 200 more people are added to that.

“Of course, there won’t be any additional kitchen support, right?”

“Y, you know the military w, well······. Chef Joffrey said he’d somehow find a chef to cook······. B, but there’s no way we can p, prepare the ingredients for 400 people by tomorrow······.”

He meant there wasn’t enough time to prepare.

Moreover, unlike breakfast, which could be somewhat simple, this was dinner.

If they sent them off with a sloppy meal, Marquis Sven’s wrath would fall.

Chef Ainkel said tearfully.

“W, what can we do······. We have to do what we’re told······. I, I, I’ll prepare even if I have to stay up all night······. S, sorry Michelle! It’s your birthday today, and I promised to make you something delicious, but I don’t think Dad will be able to get off work!”

Ainkel collapsed to the floor and began to sob, which didn’t suit his large frame.

Cainchel wondered how he should comfort a man twice his age.

Then, he suddenly had a very plausible idea.

Ingredients for 400 people?

They have to make food for them?

That’s a complete honey pot [a situation that offers great rewards or benefits].

“······Chef Ainkel.”

“Sniffle, sniffle! M, Michelle!”

“Please calm down for a moment and listen to me.”

“Hic, hic······. Ah, I’m, I’m sorry. Sir Cainchel.”

“Let’s summarize the situation simply. So, the problem now is that you suddenly have to make food for 200 more people, and there’s no time to prepare the ingredients, right?”

“Y, yes······.”

The kitchen was already short-staffed. Gordon, who was supposed to be in charge of the kitchen, wasn’t doing his job properly, and there were no soldiers currently assigned to kitchen support.

There was one knight candidate assigned to kitchen support, though.

In the end, Joffrey and Ainkel, the chefs, had no choice but to work all night.

“So, about that.”

“Y, yes.”

“I can prepare all the ingredients you need for tomorrow.”

“W, what are you saying! We have to prepare for almost 400 people tonight. There’s no way you can do it alone······.”

“If I work until 2 hours later than usual and start 2 hours earlier, it’s enough.”

“B, but soldiers have to sleep at night······.”

“That’s not a problem. There’s a system where if you work overtime when there’s urgent work at the headquarters, you get to sleep during the day.”

Oh, what a wonderful person.

He’s volunteering to do the chores that other people don’t want to do!

Ainkel forgot his manners and grabbed Cainchel’s hands.

“Oh, oh! Oh my god! Ah, thank you, thank you! My daughter will be so grateful!”

“But you’re not stuttering now.”

“Huh? Ah, yes!”

Watching Ainkel rejoice, Cainchel cheered inwardly.

‘Vincent······. I never thought you’d be helpful like this.’

Now that it’s come to this, can’t I pretend to be a very service-minded person and even cook?

He can make food for 400 people. How much will his level go up?

It will definitely be a huge level up.

Cainchel smiled slyly, calculating how much he could raise his Swordsmanship Level tonight.

“Isn’t it good for everyone?”

“Of course!”

It seemed he could get along with Ainkel in the future.

Don’t look down on us just because we cook #3