Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 69

After two hectic days, it was time to return to the North.

Kainchel sighed as he looked at the gate installed in a secluded room of the mansion.

The gate connected to the North was only accessible to Kainchel and Zeke.

“If I had known, I would have set the number of available users more generously.”

“If you had, registration would have taken another year. The permission was granted quickly because of all the restrictions.”

Gates manufactured in the Magic Tower are managed very strictly.

They were magical tools with many potential for abuse.

Still, the disappointment was unavoidable.

It would take at least ten days for Mino, Abel, and Kundam to arrive.

The time in between was just hanging in the air.

Zeke exclaimed with an excited face.

“Brother~ How about taking a week off in Citizen? I know a really amazing place…”

“Ah, that’s right! They said they were short on staff at the tavern, right? Percival has been famous as a master of field cooking for a long time. If you work with him, you’ll definitely learn something.”

“Ah, I’m not listening! When it comes to cooking, my brother doesn’t care about anything else!”

It had been so long since he had properly cooked anything that he could barely remember when it was.

‘While I’ve been standing still, Abel and Kundam have become incredibly strong. I need to improve my cooking skills to keep up with them.’

In that sense, Percival’s tavern was the perfect place to gain experience.

Thanks to the dungeon, there were always long lines of customers.

And there was always a shortage of food and drinks for them to consume.

So, Kainchel and Zeke passed through the gate and returned to the North.

Once the coordinates were registered, there was no need for complicated preparation processes in the future.

From now on, they could travel between Mino and Citizen once a week without having to install a separate gate.

For a while, this place would serve as an outpost.

Many mercenaries were already drinking from early in the afternoon.

Kainchel approached Percival, who was slicing sausages, and said.

“I want to work at the tavern. Didn’t you say you were short on staff because of the sudden increase in customers?”

“…If you’re just feeling sorry for staying here for free, you don’t have to. You’re a valued guest. How could I make such a person do chores?”

“Didn’t you agree to be a Pathfinder in the dungeon, Percival? I should at least do this much. Actually, I want to learn Percival’s cooking skills that he has honed in the field.”

“Haha, you’re so honest, I like that. It’s not that great of a skill, but I’ll teach you if you want.”

“Then, please tell me today’s menu so I can prepare the necessary ingredients.”

“The menu? I have to decide that now. Follow me.”

“Yes? Then, isn’t there any preparation for today’s cooking?”

That was something unimaginable in the training center.

Percival took Kainchel to the food storage.

There, numerous items received from the mercenaries and vegetables bought from the visiting peddler were piled up.

“Let’s see. As expected, it’s molting season, so they’ve caught a lot of rabbits. There aren’t enough tomatoes to make stew… Then, let’s make Arroz con Conejo [rice with rabbit] for today’s meal.”

It was a dish made by stir-frying rabbit meat with various vegetables and rice.

It was a completely different atmosphere from the training center, where food was made according to a thoroughly planned diet.

Rabbits are easy to catch during the molting season because their fur color is easily visible. That’s why most of the items that came in yesterday were rabbits.

“Peel the skins well. We have to sell them to the peddler.”

‘Yes, this is it. I wanted to learn this kind of sense.’

Kainchel shuddered and replied.

“Yes, Chef!”

“Chef, that’s embarrassing. Just call me Grandpa.”

So, Kainchel began to prepare the ingredients for making 100 servings of Arroz con Conejo.

While Kainchel was using his onion swordsmanship to prepare the ingredients, Percival was chopping firewood to use today.

“Haaap!”

When he infused the ax with aura and swung it, the thick logs were quickly split into small pieces.

Zeke, who was yawning lazily, muttered.

“These days, they’re preparing ingredients with intermediate swordsmanship and chopping firewood with an aura sword. It’s such a peaceful world.”

@

As Kainchel prepared the ingredients for the Arroz con Conejo that a hundred people would eat, a change occurred in the Status Window.

[The level of Intermediate Swordsmanship has increased.]

* Intermediate Swordsmanship: ★★★

‘I, I finally leveled up!’

It had been a terribly long time.

How many onions did he chop and how many potato skins did he peel to raise this one level?

However, the effect was immediate.

When he used Onion Swordsmanship, three blades were now materialized instead of two.

From now on, he would be able to prepare even more ingredients at the same time.

‘I don’t think I learned Intermediate Swordsmanship for this… Well, what’s good is good, right?’

Percival, who saw that Kainchel had finished preparing the ingredients in less than 30 minutes, made an incredible suggestion.

“I’ve been having trouble because there are so many people asking for food these days, so this is great. Can you prepare 100 more servings?”

“Is that enough? Please tell me anytime if you need more.”

“Haha… You’re the first person I’ve seen who’s so happy to be doing chores. I wanted to see your skills. How about you make the remaining 100 servings?”

“Then, we’ll have to sell the finished dishes separately, is that okay?”

“Haha, that’s how it is. Then, why don’t we compete to see whose dish sells first? It’s a kind of cooking competition. If you’re not confident, I’ll cook the rest.”

“No, I’ll do it.”

Percival laughed heartily, as if he was very happy.

It was an overwhelmingly advantageous match for Percival.

He had been famous as a master of field cooking since his days as an active mercenary, making delicious dishes with ordinary ingredients.

In comparison, Kainchel was a rookie among rookies who had just arrived here.

The outcome was already obvious as to whose dish would be sold first.

But he wanted to try.

Opportunities to compete in cooking skills like this are rare. Especially when the opponent is Percival, who is called the master of field cooking.

So, the two of them started their own cooking.

Kainchel recalled the Arroz con Conejo recipe that he had made several times in the training center.

Arroz con Conejo is a type of fried rice with rabbit meat.

It is filled with rabbit meat and artichokes, allowing you to feel the taste of the wild throughout your mouth.

The key is to add chicken broth and cinnamon powder to create a deep flavor.

But the ingredients that Percival brought were completely different. A large amount of garlic and Tabasco sauce.

And only a few asparagus.

“It’s especially cold today. On days like this, spicy food is the best.”

Percival used a ladle to scoop a generous amount of Tabasco sauce and pour it over the rice he was stir-frying.

The aroma was so strong that Kainchel’s eyes, who was frying rabbit meat next to him, stung.

‘What? I’ve never heard of this kind of Arroz con Conejo!’

It was as if he was making Jambalaya, only changing the meat to rabbit.

Eating spicy food warms the body. You can forget the cold for a while.

That’s why spicy food was especially popular in the North.

Percival made changes to the menu on the spot depending on the preparation of the ingredients, and the people and place where they would be eaten.

That kind of sense is needed to develop new menus.

‘Besides, to be able to stir-fry rice like that…’

Percival held a pan that looked like a dragon-sized shield in one hand and stirred the ladle.

The fried rice, which seemed to be at least 50 servings, danced to Percival’s movements.

It was a cooking method that looked refreshing just to watch.

In just two stir-fries, 100 servings of rabbit fried rice were completed.

‘I can’t afford to lose either.’

Kainchel’s goal was to reproduce the taste contained in the recipe 100%.

First, fry the chopped rabbit meat, then add chopped onions, garlic, coarsely chopped artichokes, and rice to the oil and cook thoroughly.

Then, add strong alcohol and set it on fire to remove the gamey smell of the meat and add flavor [a technique called flambé].

And after stir-frying the rice, add plenty of cinnamon powder to add flavor.

‘Finally, cut the rabbit meat into bite-sized pieces and put it back in, then add chicken broth and bake it in the oven for 20 minutes…’

Percival, who was watching Kainchel cook, clicked his tongue and said.

“You’re definitely making it according to the book, but when are you going to serve the food to the waiting customers?”

“…It’ll be done soon.”

“This isn’t a fancy restaurant. Sometimes you have to cut out a few steps.”

…Cutting down the cooking process?

It felt like he had been hit in the back of the head with a giant hammer.

After listening to Percival’s advice, a few ideas came to mind.

If he had removed the gamey smell of the rabbit meat in advance, he could have skipped the flambé process.

‘And if you add chicken broth when cooking the rice, you don’t have to boil it separately.’

Then the time required for cooking is greatly reduced.

In other words, you can cook more food in the same amount of time.

Kainchel’s eyes lit up. He felt like he knew what was needed for field cooking.

“…It’s done.”

“I could have made 50 more servings if I had done it. Look, the hungry mercenaries are already lining up.”

Kainchel’s eyes burned hotly.

“I may have lost in speed, but I won’t lose in taste.”

So, the dishes made by the two were placed in front of the mercenaries who would act as judges.

@

“Grandpa. Why are you so late! The sound of my stomach growling is like thunder!”

“Haha, I’m sorry. There are so many customers these days that we’ve decided to make 200 servings starting today.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard in a while! If it’s not the food Grandpa makes, I have to eat the swill that Cracker makes. But who is that person?”

“He’s a newcomer who’s going to work at our tavern starting today. We each made 100 servings, so buy whichever one you like.”

“Then, of course, I’ll eat Grandpa’s!”

It was natural for the mercenaries to react this way.

Percival was a veteran among veterans who had traveled the continent as the leader of a mercenary group, doing field cooking even before opening the tavern.

His opponent was a rookie, so the result was obvious.

When they ate the spicy fried rice that Percival made, their mouths caught fire.

“Keuh! It’s spicy! But it’s delicious! It’s spicy but delicious! Ugh! It’s a taste I can’t stop eating!”

The mercenaries were sweating profusely and emptying their plates at an incredible speed.

In addition, the reaction of the mercenaries who had come up from the South not long ago and had not yet adapted to the cold was tremendous.

“Hua! Not only my mouth but my whole body is getting hot! You’re the best, Grandpa!”

So, the cooking competition between Kainchel and Percival seemed to end with Percival’s overwhelming victory.

But as always, an upset happened.

“The line is too long? When will I be able to eat? Oh, there’s no line over there. Hmm… I’m starving, so what if it’s made by a newcomer? As long as I fill my stomach.”

So, a few mercenaries who were standing at the end of the line approached Kainchel.

“This one is less red.”

“Yes. It’s flavored with chicken broth and tomatoes.”

“Well, I don’t like spicy food! Give me three bowls!”

So, the first mercenary to buy Kainchel’s rabbit fried rice appeared.

The attention of the mercenaries who had not yet purchased Percival’s fried rice was focused on him.

“What, that’s made by the newcomer?”

“Is it edible? How is it?”

“Wait, don’t push! I’ll try it now! Hmm… It smells good, but I wonder what it tastes like…”

So, the tasting of Kainchel’s rabbit fried rice began.

“What, what is this…”

“Why? Is it not good?”

The mercenary didn’t say anything. He just silently moved the fried rice that Kainchel made into his mouth.

Only after emptying it all did he say with a satisfied expression.

“…Awesome.”

Then, a huge commotion broke out among the mercenaries in line.

Scary Newbies #4