Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 58

Cooking Swordmaster – Episode 58 (58/318)

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Chapter 18: Free Knight

In the Britannia Empire, a celebratory feast often involves roasting a large turkey to share.

Kainchel began by stuffing the turkey with a fragrant mix of onions, garlic, oranges, thyme, and bay leaves, then he submerged it in brine to ensure it would be juicy and flavorful.

‘Now, it’s time to make truffle butter,’ he thought.

Kainchel carefully retrieved the truffles from their jar.

Each truffle, about the size of a small walnut, cost around 10 silver coins.

It was an exorbitant sum, a testament to the ingredient’s rarity and preciousness.

The turkey roast he was preparing would be generously infused with these truffles.

A 10kg turkey cost a mere 1 silver, highlighting the truffles’ disproportionate expense.

‘About two should be enough… Oh well, never mind. Let’s just use them all up!’

After all, he still had a considerable amount of money left over from the Count’s reward.

He placed five truffles on the cutting board.

This quantity would ensure a pronounced truffle flavor in every bite.

He finely chopped the truffles, then combined them with parsley, tarragon, and a generous amount of butter, mixing everything thoroughly.

Finally, he drizzled olive oil over the mixture.

This would prevent the truffles from burning during the roasting process.

‘I’ll slip this under the turkey skin and roast it. The truffle aroma will permeate the entire turkey, making it absolutely amazing.’

Kainchel carefully inserted his fingers under the turkey’s skin, gently separating it from the flesh to create a pocket. He then generously spread the truffle butter into this space.

To facilitate even distribution, he applied olive oil to his palms and massaged the entire turkey, as if caressing it.

Even before baking, the intoxicating aroma of truffles filled the air.

Kainchel licked his lips in anticipation and placed the prepared turkey into the oven.

Now, it was time to prepare the pancetta sauce to accompany the roast.

Pancetta, a specialty of the Marpasino Kingdom, is made by salting and spicing pork belly, then air-drying and aging it [similar to Italian pancetta].

He had obtained a chunk of it from Gordon, who enjoyed making it as a hobby.

He diced the pancetta into small pieces and began to roast them with onions.

The aroma, reminiscent of but distinct from bacon, made his mouth water.

He then added thyme, carefully plucking only the leaves.

This would further enhance the pungent, stimulating aroma.

‘Add pine nuts and butter, cook until they change color, then add breadcrumbs, oranges, and plenty of lemon juice… That’s it.’

Activating Fallen Star [his unique skill or sense] to check, he confirmed that the turkey in the oven was perfectly cooked.

Kainchel opened the oven and carefully removed the beautifully roasted turkey.

The already rich truffle aroma had intensified within the turkey meat, becoming even more potent.

Truffles grow deep underground, and are located using their scent.

They were an ingredient prized for their unique and captivating aroma.

Combined with the various spices, it created a symphony of scents.

A fantastically enchanting smell permeated the kitchen.

As he sliced the turkey with a knife, rich juices flowed out.

After arranging the turkey meat on a plate, he generously poured the pancetta sauce over it.

A satisfied smile spread across Kainchel’s face.

This level of perfection was undoubtedly worthy of a 4-star dish or higher.

To be able to prepare and serve such a turkey dish for the people gathered to celebrate his knighthood was a great honor.

It was such a joyful day that he wondered if there would ever be another quite like it.

He gazed around the now-empty kitchen.

Here, he had moved his knife thousands… no, tens of thousands of times to prepare ingredients.

He had simply done what he had to do, but he remembered how happy Ainkel and Joffrey had been.

He had spoken with the instructor, and soon some trainee knights would be assigned to assist with the cooking.

The days of being so overwhelmed with work that he had no time to see his family would soon be over.

When he first arrived, he couldn’t even properly chop an onion. But now, he could create such wonderful dishes.

Kainchel unknowingly bowed his head and exclaimed,

“Thank you for everything!”

@

The people gathered in the dining hall sliced into the turkey roast, their eyes widening in amazement.

“The juices are incredible! And the meat is so tender. This turkey would easily cost at least 2 silver coins. Are you sure we can eat this for free?”

Kainchel smiled. In reality, the cost of the truffles alone far exceeded that amount.

Waygon brought his face so close to the plate that his nose nearly touched it, exclaiming,

“The smell is insane! The wild duck Kainchel made for us last time was amazing, but isn’t this a dangerous dish in a different way?”

Kundam, sitting next to him, nudged Waygon’s waist with his elbow.

“How can you call him that! He’s a formally appointed knight now. You should address him as ‘Sir.’”

“Ah, right. Then I will gratefully eat it. Sir Turkey.”

Laughter rippled through the room.

Instructor Ian said with a slightly pained expression,

“Alright, alright, let’s eat. I’m so hungry my stomach is sticking to my back.”

“Hey, Instructor! Isn’t it usually the other way around!”

“Look at these magnificent abs! I won’t get weak from missing a few meals!”

The faces of everyone around the table were filled with bright smiles.

“Uwoah! This skin, perfectly crisp with all the oil rendered, and the plump, tender meat… How can I possibly want to eat more when I’m already eating! And what is this stuff in between…?”

What kind of reaction would they have if they knew they were eating incredibly expensive truffles?

Surely, someone would feel too intimidated by the cost to fully enjoy it.

Kainchel resolved to keep that secret to himself.

Kundam, with his mouth full of turkey meat, suddenly asked,

“But aren’t you sad about it?”

Startled, Kainchel’s eyes widened.

Could it be that he had detected the truffles?

He didn’t seem like someone with such a refined palate.

Kundam pointed to Kainchel’s left chest.

There, he wore the medal that Hector, the Special Operations Commander, had personally bestowed upon him.

“To be knighted directly by His Excellency Hector… Isn’t that the greatest honor for a trainee knight? Nobles will be lining up to scout Sir Kainchel now. You could have even joined the Imperial Crusader Knights if you wanted to. But why did you make that choice?”

“Ah, you mean that. Well, that is…”

Kainchel quietly stroked the medal he had received from Hector.

He recalled the moment he received it.

@

The attack by the fanatics who worshiped the Seven Deadly Sins, and the aftermath it brought, was enormous.

The fanatics’ target was clearly Hector, the embodiment of the Seven Virtues. The incident occurred within the knight training center, a place that should have been heavily guarded.

Inevitably, there were consequences.

Not only the supervisor responsible for overseeing the training grounds, but also the director, the chief in charge, were relieved of their duties.

Then, Hector made an unexpected announcement.

“I will not hold anyone accountable for this attack.”

“Th, th, thank you, Your Excellency.”

The director, who was kneeling, bowed his head in gratitude.

“The attacker used numerous spells using magic seals. I brought an Inquisitor who could use Anti-Magic Shell [a spell that negates magic], but I didn’t expect him to mistake Vincent for me and attack. If anything, it’s my fault.”

“Ah, no!”

“But there was a trainee knight in the Rookie Class who could use Aura Sword [a technique that enhances a sword with magical energy].”

“…I’m sorry. I was planning to promote him to the Chevalier Class this time after he succeeded in the Double Class Up [advancing to a higher rank in two classes simultaneously].”

“I’m not trying to reprimand you. I said I wouldn’t inquire about the faults of this incident, but merits deserve recognition. Surely, the director has the authority to appoint trainee knights.”

“Yes, I have the authority to grant the title of Sword Knight to trainee knights who have awakened their Aura.”

“Prepare a knighting ceremony.”

“Su, surely you’re not thinking of doing it yourself?”

“Didn’t he save the lives of many trainee knights? I believe he deserves it.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

“And summon him. I wish to speak with him privately for a moment.”

That’s how Kainchel found himself alone with Hector.

A private meeting with the Swordmaster.

It was a situation that all trainee knights dreamed of, but Kainchel understood Hector’s underlying motives.

Hector began,

“First, I want to express my gratitude for your actions. If you hadn’t noticed the enemy’s attack and responded immediately, there would have been far more casualties. I trust you will continue to use your abilities for His Majesty Aslan.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency.”

Up to this point, it was a formal exchange.

From now on, the real psychological game would begin.

“However, there was a report of ghouls being sighted during training. Do you know anything about that?”

Kainchel swallowed hard. Fortunately, he didn’t sense any hostility from Hector.

If Hector had intended harm, Kainchel’s head would have been removed the moment he entered the room.

He had two choices to make. He had already decided on his answer.

“I saw the ghouls, not Abel Carter.”

A flicker of interest appeared in Hector’s eyes.

Kainchel licked his lips. The time had come to put Zeke’s teachings into practice.

Zeke had said:

To deceive people, conceal a single lie within a hundred truths.

“But the place where I saw them was very dark. It smelled rotten, and I heard unidentified groans, so I assumed they were undead ghouls. However, I felt it was necessary to confirm, so I reported it as such.”

“Yes, you should report such a serious incident. Upon investigation, it turned out to be a goblin.”

“……”

“What you saw was a goblin. Do you understand?”

“I understand, Your Excellency. What I saw was a goblin.”

A satisfied smile appeared on Hector’s face.

“And I will personally bestow knighthood upon you to commend your achievements. Prepare yourself and stand by immediately.”

Kainchel’s eyes widened in surprise.

He had never anticipated things unfolding in this manner.

“Why are you so surprised? You are a Sword Knight, are you not? I must grant you a position befitting your status.”

Wrinkles formed around Hector’s eyes.

Kainchel bit his lip.

He was facing not just a Swordmaster renowned for his swordsmanship, but a master of psychological manipulation.

Hector had already seen through Kainchel’s lie and was warning him to keep it to himself.

‘Moreover, being knighted directly by the Commander means entering the Imperial Knights. He’s trying to tie me to a position where he can keep an eye on me.’

One thing was clear.

Hector, the Swordmaster of Temperance, was concealing something about the Seven Deadly Sins War.

He couldn’t simply follow Hector’s orders.

‘Besides, that crazy bastard definitely said he came from the White Mountains…’

Beneath the White Mountains lay the Gistad Territory, where Kainchel was born and raised. He wanted to return there immediately to assess the situation.

Furthermore, affiliation with the Imperial Family was detrimental to improving his cooking and gourmet skills.

‘If I’m forced to eat their terrible food, my gourmet level will decline. My future is decided.’

Kainchel knelt and paid his respects to the Commander.

“I will follow your orders.”

Except for one thing.

Free Knight #2