Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 62

————– 62/203 ————–

@

“It doesn’t make sense that eating things like tomatoes or onions can cure a disease! If you’re so confident, make a dish with them right now and bring it here. I need to see if it really works, right here and now.”

The masked girl snapped in a shrill voice.

The Bishop tapped the iron mask on his face. If the other party had been a normal noble, he would have politely sent them away. But he couldn’t.

Kanechel, who was preparing to leave the Magic Tower, asked,

“Are they royalty from another country? It would be difficult for someone of ordinary status to argue with the Bishop like that.”

The Bishop replied in an extremely arrogant tone.

“You’re quite perceptive for a youngster. That’s right. The lady wearing the mask is Princess Catherine of Deutschland [Germany].”

Kanechel’s eyes widened at the Bishop’s sudden change in attitude.

“It seems your tone has changed suddenly…”

“Until just now, I was in the position of a branch manager taking orders. But that’s not the case now.”

“Ah, I see.”

It was a truly worldly reason.

The Bishop sighed and beckoned Vivianne with a gesture.

“Tell Catherine to ask her own chef to prepare the dish.”

“O-Owner… If we do that, there will be another diplomatic issue with Deutschland… Wouldn’t it be better to ask Count Well-Ride to call a chef?”

“If we create debt like that, we have to repay it dozens of times over. Tch, I should have hired a chef, even if there’s no one to eat the food.”

It seemed the Bishop was having trouble because there was no one to cook.

That’s when Kanechel interjected.

“Do you need a chef? I worked as a kitchen assistant at the Knight Training Center for half a year. If you tell me the ingredients I need, I can make something edible.”

At that, the Bishop scoffed.

“It seems the youngster is quite confident in their cooking. But the other party is a princess. And unlike Britannia [Great Britain], where fine dining is looked down upon, she’s from Deutschland, where she’s eaten all sorts of delicacies. Are you confident you can satisfy such a person’s palate?”

Kanechel looked at the Bishop with eyes full of determination.

“Isn’t it better than giving up without even trying? Besides, if the result isn’t satisfactory, I’ll take responsibility and introduce you to a chef with amazing skills.”

“Hmm. Then it might not be bad to do it as a pastime. If the dish you make satisfies the princess, I’ll give you a very special reward. Even if I’m just a branch manager, I have that much authority.”

Kanechel gave the Bishop a knight’s salute and said,

“It’s a great honor that the great seeker of knowledge is taking an interest.”

“Ufufu… You’re very polite. You must have been taught by a good teacher.”

The Bishop seemed to like Kanechel, as he chuckled in a low voice.

It was possible because of the etiquette he had learned to the point of being sick of it for three years.

That’s how Kanechel was given ingredients said to be good for Wolf’s disease.

‘Tomatoes and onions… Cucumbers and paprika…’

Ingredients that seemed only good enough to make a salad.

The Bishop explained the effects they had.

“Princess Catherine contracted Wolf’s disease because she overused magical tools that prevent epidemics. In other words, to cure her disease, you need a medicinal cuisine made with ingredients that stabilize the body’s immunity. And the princess has more than just Wolf’s disease.”

“Another disease? What do you mean?”

“Wolf’s is a disease that causes rashes all over the body, as if bitten by a wolf. If you look at the princess covering her face, you can easily guess her condition.”

“Yes, she must have rashes all over her face.”

“And the princess is wearing heavy makeup to hide it. The cosmetics used by nobles contain mercury to make the skin white. They’re using it indiscriminately without even realizing it’s poison.”

“…”

The Bishop’s casual words contained the essence of alchemy he had built up.

“The princess’s fingers are very swollen. It’s evidence that the accumulated mercury is damaging her kidneys, and as a result, toxins that should be excreted are accumulating in her body.”

“S-So, you’re saying that eating these vegetables can cure Wolf’s disease and mercury poisoning?”

“Unfortunately, once heavy metals start accumulating in the body, it takes a special procedure to remove them. However, if you eat tomatoes to stabilize your immunity, and remove toxins from your body through onions and paprika, the swelling will naturally disappear. The rashes covering your face will also improve. Then there will be no reason to use mercury cosmetics.”

That would naturally cure the princess’s mercury poisoning as well.

“Ah…”

“And tomatoes have the effect of strengthening weakened bones and joints. Onions also help kidney function.”

‘Did these ingredients, which I’ve been using without a second thought, contain such amazing effects?’

A shock like being struck by lightning came to Kanechel.

An enlightenment that I could never have reached even if I had spent my whole life in the kitchen.

I gained it from the Bishop’s few words.

“…Then, shouldn’t our health improve even if we just eat regular food, not medicinal cuisine?”

“Of course, if the chef knows the effects of all the ingredients, that would be the case. However, the most important thing in medicinal cuisine is the compatibility between ingredients.”

“Compatibility?”

“It’s combining ingredients with similar effects to enhance those effects. In particular, there are ingredients that are incompatible with each other. Eating them together can actually be bad for your body.”

Kanechel engraved every word that came out of the Bishop’s mouth into his mind.

Knowledge that will surely be useful someday.

“So I’ve prepared these ingredients. To my eyes, they look like ingredients that can only be used to make a salad. But since the youngster is so confident, I’m sure you can make something decent. Now, show me your skills to your heart’s content.”

That’s how Kanechel’s cooking began.

@

Indeed, the ingredients prepared now were only good enough to make a salad.

But Kanechel had a secret recipe that he had made several times.

“Could I get some ice?”

“Ice makers are one of the best-selling magical tools in the Magic Tower. If you tell Vivianne, she’ll prepare it for you.”

Kanechel’s eyes lit up.

‘If I have ice, I can make gazpacho, a cold tomato soup!’

After passing through several mirrors with Vivianne, a neatly organized kitchen appeared. Kanechel tilted his head as he looked around.

‘What is it? It feels like I’ve come to a place that no one has used for decades…’

Kanechel chuckled at the thought.

‘Even the Bishop must eat something.’

‘I’m just too sensitive because I’m overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the Magic Tower.’

‘Well, shall I make gazpacho?’

The ingredients were hastily obtained just to make up the numbers.

The onions were wilted, and the tomato leaves were completely dry.

Gazpacho is a cold vegetable soup.

The freshness of the ingredients is the biggest factor in determining the taste.

‘I would have been in big trouble if I didn’t have Freshness Recovery.’

Kanechel sighed and stroked the ingredients laid out on the counter.

The ingredients, wrapped in brilliant Aura, instantly returned to their best condition.

Ting-

‘Why is the Joma Mirror ringing suddenly? Could it be…’

[Knowledge of ingredients has been sublimated into the ‘Effect Amplification’ skill.]

[‘Effect Amplification Plus’ has been created.]

‘N-New cooking skill!’

Sweat formed on Kanechel’s face as he looked at the Joma Mirror.

‘I never thought I would have the ability to amplify the effects of ingredients with Aura.’

‘When I applied Aura to cooking, the ‘Freshness Recovery’ skill was created.’

‘It was such an amazing ability that it upgraded Kanechel’s cooking by one level.’

‘And now, another skill called Effect Amplification has been added.’

‘Ah, when I activate the Aura Sword, my physical abilities are enhanced, right? If I apply that to cooking, this is what happens…’

Literally a skill for medicinal cuisine.

And perhaps because I was used to using Aura after learning Booster.

Effect Amplification was already 2 stars.

Kanechel licked his lips.

A dish made with ingredients using Freshness Recovery and Effect Amplification at the same time.

I was already looking forward to how delicious it would be.

To make gazpacho, a cold vegetable soup, you need a lot of tomatoes.

Kanechel used Onion Swordsmanship to peel the thin skin of the tomatoes and remove the seeds.

The same goes for paprika, removing the stem and cutting out the seeds.

Next, it was time to bake the baguette to accompany it.

Vivianne’s eyes widened as she watched Kanechel instantly inflate the bread dough using Fire Fist.

“Oh my! I’ve never seen bread kneaded like that before. Can I do it too?”

“…I’m sorry, but I don’t think you can.”

It would be best to have a baguette fermented with Levain [a natural leavening agent], but that would take too long.

Anyway, the main dish today is gazpacho.

Kanechel put the baguette, tomatoes, onions, paprika, salt, olive oil, and vinegar in a bowl and ground them very finely. You have to be careful not to let the juice overflow, as you will only be using the moisture from the tomatoes.

After straining the ground ingredients through a sieve, add more olive oil and vinegar. Then, place it on ice sprinkled with salt to cool it down.

‘If I float a few ice cubes when I put it on the plate, I can eat it even cooler.’

The Bishop, who had appeared unnoticed, stroked his chin and admired.

“Hooh… That’s a very delicious-looking soup.”

“Would you like to taste it? I’ve made plenty.”

“No, sadly, that’s impossible for me.”

Kanechel tilted his head. Why can’t he eat food? Knowing so much about ingredients means that the Bishop is a great gourmet.

For such a person to refuse the food in front of him.

Could it be that he’s already had a full meal?

The Bishop muttered in a voice full of regret.

“Then let’s test how much this dish can satisfy Princess Catherine’s palate.”

“Yes.”

Kanechel was confident.

Gazpacho with the essence of two skills melted into it. It’s definitely a 5-star dish.

That’s how a plate of gazpacho was placed in front of Princess Catherine, who was sitting in the dining room waiting for the dish to be completed.

“Hmph! So you made me wait so long for just vegetable soup? And you. Judging by the armor you’re wearing, you don’t seem to be a chef, are you a Sword Knight? Your face looks decent enough, but cooking isn’t done with your face. I’ll try it first, and if it’s not good, be prepared.”

Deep wrinkles appeared between Kanechel’s eyebrows.

‘Wasn’t this a place to test the effects of the ingredients? I can’t believe she’s looking for taste here.’

In any case, the other party is a guest who will eat my food. I have to treat them as politely as possible.

“Please try it. I hope you find it delicious.”

“Well, if you say so…”

Catherine gracefully moved her spoon, scooped up the gazpacho, and put it in her mouth.

“…Huh?”

In an instant, surprise flashed in Catherine’s eyes.

“How is it?”

“W-Wait a minute. I need to eat a little more to know.”

“There’s plenty, so please eat slowly.”

Catherine put down her spoon, picked up the plate as it was, and began to drink the soup.

The sound of slurping echoed, but she didn’t seem to care about such trivial things at all.

“Um… Ah, uhm… Delicious…”

The scent of vegetables filling her mouth.

Such fresh vegetables were ingredients that were not easily available in Deutschland, where winters are long.

And the refreshing feeling that her sense of taste, which had been ruined by a diet focused on meat, was revived, lingered on the tip of her tongue.

“Ah… Aah…”

How could just one bowl of vegetable soup be so delicious?

Catherine muttered as if she were embarrassed.

Who would have known that she would eat soup made by someone who wasn’t even a chef so deliciously?

“…One bowl…”

“Yes?”

“Give me another bowl.”

Kanechel chuckled without realizing it. Catherine’s cheeks, which were slightly visible through the mask, were completely flushed red.

That’s how Catherine emptied three bowls of gazpacho and let out a satisfied sigh.

“The soup was okay. But can this really cure my disease?”

The Bishop nodded.

“That’s right. Of course, it’s hard to see the effect right away. But if you continue to eat soup made with tomatoes and onions, you’ll get better soon.”

“W-Well… Then I’ll believe you. But you who made this dish, your name, your name is… Ah, aah!”

Catherine, who was about to get up from her seat, lost strength in her legs and slumped back into her chair.

Suddenly, a huge change began to occur in her body.

“W-Why, s-suddenly, s-sweat is like this…”

A tremendous amount of sweat flowed down, enough to flow over the chair she was sitting on. Her dress was soaked.

In an instant, Kanechel remembered that onions have the effect of removing toxins from the body.

Perhaps the toxins accumulated in Catherine’s body were now coming out through her sweat.

But I never thought that such a violent reaction would come out so visibly.

That was the same for the Bishop.

“P-Princess Catherine! Don’t worry! That’s because the capillaries are opening and blood circulation is proceeding at a tremendous speed! The toxins accumulated in your body are being excreted through sweat!”

In an instant, Catherine’s skin, which had been full of rashes, returned to its pure white appearance.

Not only that.

The condition of her bones and joints, which had been aching whenever it rained, had improved considerably.

Catherine realized her physical condition and smiled brightly.

About 10 minutes passed like that.

“Y-You’re really Bishop-sensei… I’m sorry for doubting you… W-Wow… I feel like I can run a marathon right now…!”

That’s how Princess Catherine grabbed the hem of her dress and ran somewhere with a much fresher expression.

It seems that something other than toxins had accumulated during that time.

The Bishop, who had watched the amazing changes that had taken place in Princess Catherine’s body, muttered.

“The youngster has a very interesting ability.”

“…I didn’t even know it would have this much effect. I think it was possible because I heard about the effects of the ingredients from you, Bishop.”

But there was one strange thing. The Bishop is clearly a great alchemist who is achieving great results. But why is he dealing with customers in a place like this?

As if reading my thoughts, the Bishop smiled bitterly.

“I’ve already reported to the Tower Lord several times to replenish the staff. But the processing is slow. I have to endure the hardships of middle management.”

“Won’t it be processed soon if you wait?”

“I waited patiently for the Tower Lord until a hundred years ago. But the Tower Lord is holed up in his laboratory…”

“…You’ve been through a lot.”

The Bishop said in a much softer voice.

“Ufufu. The youngster is saying something admirable. Anyway, you’ve completed the mission very well. I’m not the type to say one thing and do another. Now, let’s talk about the reward.”

Kanechel swallowed hard.

I had forgotten for a moment, but the person in front of me was a master who had been at the pinnacle of a field for hundreds of years.

I was going crazy with curiosity about what kind of reward I would receive from him.

The Magic Tower Alchemist #4