Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 63

A Tremendous Fortune?

Or a magical artifact with powers beyond imagination?

Kainchel was struggling to control his expression, trying to suppress the rising tide of selfish desires.

“First, I’ll give you the portable gate that I promised at half price.”

“…Is that separate from the reward?”

“Yes. You’re quick with calculations even now, kid. I see why little Greg likes you. Princess Catherine, now cured, will soon return to society, showing off the magical artifacts she bought from the Magic Tower. Consider the profit from that as your share, so no need to thank me excessively.”

“Ah, yes… Haha… Thank you.”

The corners of Kainchel’s lips stretched towards his ears.

The price of a portable gate was 400 gold. Half price meant a discount of 200 gold.

A huge sum that could buy a small house in the Citizen district.

“Shall we give you the reward for completing the mission then? You may ask only one question. I’ll answer it if I know the answer, no matter what it is.”

A look of surprise flickered in Kainchel’s eyes.

A one-question-one-answer opportunity.

A phrase loaded with meaning.

Bishop chuckled softly and added a condition.

“I don’t want to wait too long, so decide on your question within one minute.”

‘So, here it is. I thought the bonus was too generous, but the reward is limited. He’s testing me.’

What Bishop offered was like a blank check with no amount filled in.

How much value to extract was entirely up to Kainchel’s wit.

Bishop was one of the three alchemists who had come closest to creating the Philosopher’s Stone. [A legendary substance believed to grant immortality and transmute base metals into gold.]

For any alchemist even remotely knowledgeable, this was an opportunity worth selling their soul for.

Kainchel licked his lips.

He understood Bishop’s intentions.

‘Usually, in these situations, you ask about your area of expertise. He’ll listen and try to glean the secret to amplifying ingredient effects.’

Bishop had said he would only answer what he knew. If Kainchel asked about alchemy, he would give a deliberately complex answer. If it was another field, he could simply claim ignorance.

‘And he’s pretending to be uninterested. In that case…’

The value lay in the act of asking, not necessarily in the answer itself.

“One minute has passed. Do you have a question?”

“First, I want to clarify something. I understand that the principle of one-question-one-answer means you won’t reveal what you’ve been asked.”

“Do you think I’m so loose-lipped?”

“I apologize. I just want a definite confirmation.”

“If I refuse, you won’t ask a question?”

“Yes. In that case, Bishop, you would have broken the agreement first. You’d have to give me another reward.”

Bishop groaned.

“You’re playing word games, kid. But since I offered the one-question-one-answer, I have no choice but to comply. However, I won’t allow any note-taking. That’s only fair, isn’t it?”

Kainchel grinned. Bishop clearly believed he would ask about the forbidden knowledge of alchemy.

A big fish had taken the bait he’d deliberately cast.

“That’s fine. Then will you swear an oath?”

“…I swear to the Sea of Knowledge that I will never divulge what I hear in this one-question-one-answer.”

“Then I’ll ask. My Joma Kyung [A magical artifact that measures a person’s abilities] seems to function differently from others. Is it broken?”

A red light flashed behind the iron mask Bishop wore.

“Ha, I wondered what you’d ask, but that’s something you could ask the tech department… Oh, damn it. I’ve been tricked.”

Only then did Bishop realize Kainchel’s intention and tapped the iron mask on his face.

Swearing to the Sea of Knowledge was the most sacred oath for alchemists, valued more than their lives.

Now, Bishop couldn’t reveal anything he learned about Kainchel’s Joma Kyung.

Bishop growled like a wounded animal.

“I never thought someone would use a one-question-one-answer as a geas [A magical compulsion or binding oath].”

“Didn’t you have no intention of giving me a real answer in the first place? I have to use it like this to make it worthwhile.”

“What are you talking about? I was going to give you a proper answer regardless of the question.”

“……”

“Hehehe, kid. Caution is good, but sometimes you need boldness. There’s no way you’d waste a geas on a malfunctioning magical artifact. Tell me what’s really on your mind.”

Kainchel sighed and nodded.

Thus began the explanation of how his Joma Kyung functioned completely differently from its intended purpose.

After hearing everything, Bishop said, sounding impressed.

“Hoo… The Joma Kyung is just a magical artifact that displays a person’s abilities as objective numbers. It only shows the increased level as the wearer gets stronger. But yours is the opposite?”

“Yes, when I accumulate experience, my level increases, and then all my stats increase individually.”

“Give me the Joma Kyung.”

Kainchel removed the Joma Kyung from around his neck and handed it to Bishop.

――Disassemble.

As he chanted the spell, the parts of the Joma Kyung separated from the main body and floated in the air.

Bishop began examining them one by one with a large magnifier.

Perhaps the secret of his ability would be revealed. Kainchel waited for Bishop to speak.

“Hmm…”

“…Have you figured out why my Joma Kyung is working in reverse?”

“It’s not that. It’s broken. An inexperienced sorcerer forced magic into it and damaged the core.”

“Th-that can’t be! Surely my level and stats are reflected in the Joma Kyung! Besides, when the stats are updated, other people can see the level displayed there…”

Bishop clicked his tongue.

“Kid, do you really think that’s the Joma Kyung’s ability?”

“……”

“The Joma Kyung is just a replica that mimics abilities that already exist. Think carefully about what you wanted to see and what you were seeing.”

Bishop waved his hand like a conductor. The floating parts gathered and returned to their original state.

“You’ll still need a medium to use your abilities. But don’t forget where it came from. It’s not the Joma Kyung; it’s your ability.”

“…My ability…”

“Anyway, this is very interesting. It seems like I’m losing out if it ends here, so how about a suggestion?”

The mental thread that was about to drift away due to the shock snapped back into place at the word ‘suggestion.’

“Let’s hear him out first and then decide.”

“Hehe… You really don’t want to take a loss, do you? I’ve been researching the effects of food ingredients as a hobby for a long time. With that kid’s ability, it would be great to experiment. How about working as my assistant for a while?”

Keinzel’s eyes lit up.

In fact, what did it matter whether the ability to see stats came from the Joma Kyung [a magical artifact] or from himself?

The important thing was to raise them enough to become a Sword Master.

Clearly, the knowledge of food ingredients he would gain while working as Bishop’s assistant would be of great help in cooking.

“I’m sorry, but I have other things to do, so I can only spare about one day a month. Is that alright?”

“Then let’s make it once a week. If you’re far away, I’ll increase the number of portal uses, so you can use that.”

Keinzel smiled awkwardly and said the line he had heard a few hours ago.

“So, how much are you going to pay me?”

@

Keinzel agreed to receive 20 gold per week in exchange for helping Bishop with his medicinal cuisine research. Moreover, he received three months’ worth of payment in advance.

The pouch he was wearing on his waist was heavy with gold coins.

Zeke, who heard the news, was overjoyed and said.

“Brother! With that much money, shouldn’t we buy a two-dimensional pouch [a magical pouch with extra storage space]?”

It was a type of magical tool that allowed you to store a huge amount of items in a small pouch.

Vivianne, who appeared from somewhere, started promoting it.

“Ah, customer! You’re looking for a two-dimensional pouch! We just released a new product with a large storage capacity and high stability! The price is only 598 gold!”

“…That’s expensive!”

As expected of a magical tool, it boasted an enormous price befitting its performance.

Zeke, who was next to him, whispered with a devilish smile.

“Brother! You can buy the lowest grade pouch for half the price. It’s a little less stable, but it’s better than carrying heavy luggage, right?”

“…Is the storage capacity the same?”

“Yes, yes! It can easily fit a large room. Plus, if you carry around monster corpses and sell them, you can make a good profit.”

‘I knew he was being so compliant for a reason; he was thinking of making extra money!’

However, being able to carry around an entire large room was incredibly appealing.

‘If I put all my cooking tools in the two-dimensional pouch, I can cook anywhere, right?’

Keinzel was a man who grew stronger by cooking. He could gain more experience depending on the perfection of the dish.

“Then let’s buy one.”

“Oh, yeah! You’re the best, Brother…!”

Keinzel sighed.

The thought of having to be with that beagle-like man for a while made him feel terrible.

In a few days, the portable portal he had ordered would be completed. Then he was planning to leave for the Gistad territory right away.

He wondered what his hometown, which he had left for three years, would look like.

In addition, he was also concerned about the existence of the Great Sinner Church, which was said to have been trapped in the White Mountains and released.

‘On top of that, I have to cook for Frelia every Sunday, and then help Bishop with his food ingredient research…’

It was a situation where he wouldn’t have enough even if he had two bodies.

Keinzel recalled the image of the alchemist Bishop. An unidentified man wearing an iron mask who had lived for hundreds of years.

In fact, there was something he wanted to ask when he was offered a one-on-one question.

After Katrin left.

Bishop’s words that he couldn’t eat food strangely bothered him, so he used Fallen Star [an ability to sense temperature and hostility].

Fallen Star has another ability besides sensing the opponent’s hostility.

It can intuitively feel the temperature of an object contained somewhere.

And the temperature inside the armor he checked was the same as room temperature.

That would be impossible if something was inside.

Instantly, Keinzel, who thought of Bishop as an undead, tried to draw the sword he was wearing on his waist.

However, he could clearly feel the same body temperature as a person beyond the iron mask he was wearing on his face.

A man with only his head alive and moving.

Was that the secret of Bishop’s immortality?

That’s how Keinzel talked and bargained with a living head for several hours, and even became his assistant.

‘…Even if I get another chance for a one-on-one question, I should never ask this, right?’

Cold sweat ran down Keinzel’s cheek.

@

Wilson, the mayor of Citizen, was anxious. It had already been several months since the end of the heat wave.

According to the schedule, he should have found not only Hool but also his grandfather.

He would understand if he had disappeared without a trace.

However, there were dozens of testimonies that he had seen Hool. Not long ago, he even made and sold Coq au vin [French braised chicken in wine] in a village called Springfield.

It was said to be so delicious that the nobles who ate it shed tears.

Wilson shouted at the adjutant holding the report.

“Damn it! I can’t believe he’s hitting the jackpot with Coq au vin after Honey Butter Sandwiches! Even now, I’m getting dozens of complaints every day from people who want to eat Hool’s food! But why! Why! Can’t we find him!”

Citizen is a commercial city that earns enormous profits every year due to its geographical advantages.

In comparison, tourism revenue was not very good. They were investing a huge budget every year to hold festivals, but there was no distinct feature, so the number of participants decreased every year.

Hool’s show, a clown who combined circus with cooking, gave Wilson some inspiration.

Since Emperor Aslan defined gastronomy as a sin, many restaurants have closed.

But Hool is okay.

What he does is not cooking, but just a circus that cooks.

“In other words, if he’s a clown, not a chef, it’s okay to have a cooking competition!”

If it’s just a circus that cooks, not cooking, wouldn’t the nobles be able to enjoy it to their heart’s content?

This will work.

It will definitely work.

Wilson unfolded the proposal on his desk.

There, the words Gordon VS Hool were written very large.

“Find Hool at all costs to make this match happen!”

“Yes, M-Mayor!”

Meanwhile, while Keinzel was temporarily away from Citizen.

The number of people looking for him was increasing one by one.

A Place Where Everything is Frozen #1