by Road Warrior
“Hoo…” Sophia saw the deer fall, put her bow on her back, and approached it.
I should be able to serve a decent meal to Brother with this.
A faint expression of joy appeared on her usually indifferent face, but there was another guest standing near the deer already. It was none other than Sungchul. Sophia’s indifference face filled with animosity. “Hey, you. What are you doing here?”
Sungchul revealed his gunny sack filled with Blind Man’s Grass and spoke in a neutral voice. “Gathering ingredients.”
“Ah.” She opened her lips a bit before heading over to the deer and throwing it over her back in one motion. The beefy deer, easily weighing more than one ton, was balanced on top of Sophia's rather slim physique. It was an admirable amount of strength, but she would not be able to ignore the uneven distribution of weight due to its size. Not long after she hefted the creature onto her shoulder, Sophia lost her balance and was forced to put the deer back down.
Should I use the Soul Storage? No, something this big won’t fit. And most likely it will completely dry out, thought Sophia. Breathing heavily she looked down on the carcass, then decided to cut off a portion of the beast. Suddenly, she heard a clear voice beside her.
“Excuse me, but may I have a share of the beast?”
It was Sungchul. Sophia peered over at the member of the Suicide Unit and his ragged clothing out of the corner of her eyes and scoffed at him. “No need to be so roundabout in saying that you want to die.”
She didn’t like him from the beginning. Even Aaron Genghis, the leader of the Suicide Unit, wagged his tail like a dumb puppy in front of the siblings; it was pure disrespect for a mere criminal to stand with a straight neck before her.
There were only two types of people who would act this way before members of the Breggas family, the most powerful family in the front lines of the Demon World: those who did not have common sense and those who did not know fear. It didn’t matter which it was to her. Neither was acceptable in her eyes.
“If you want, I’m willing to give you a hand in butchering the beast,” Sungchul suggested.
Although she disliked him, his request was reasonable enough to let him to soften her up. Sophia was skilled in hunting, but she was clueless on the work afterwards. She usually left her servants to handle the meat, but because of where she was headed, she didn’t bring any with her. Considering all this, Sungchul’s request seemed reasonable.
“I won’t hand over any of the good portions. What I can allow you to take is the head, feet, and maybe the hindquarters.” She spoke with her frosty gaze trained on Sungchul. All the regions she mentioned were of poor taste or too sinewy and unpopular. Sungchul didn’t mind at all.
“I don’t need all that. Just his internal organs are fine.”
Sophia scoffed again. Figures.
Unless it was the liver of geese, intestines and organs were food only commoners ate. She couldn't help but laugh when he asked for parts that she was thinking of throwing to the dogs.
“Fine. If that’s what you want, then do as you wish, but in turn, butcher the meat ahead of time. I’ll send someone for it.”
“I’ll just take it to you personally. Not like it’s heavy,” said Sungchul.
“Oh really? I won’t stop you if you want to bring it over. If you can, that is. However, if I find that any more than the portions discussed are missing, then there will be harsh punishment,” warned Sophia.
After she relayed her threat, Sophia left the snowy mountain quickly.
“What a rude woman,” said Bertelgia who emerged from the pocket as soon as she was gone.
“…”
Sungchul didn’t care about the attitudes of common people as always. All of his attention was focused on the carcass that was rapidly cooling in the snow. “This guy’s quite rare around these parts. I got lucky.”
As the region was infertile, vegetation was rare which meant game animals were also rare. It would be hard to find a deer of this size after a week of hunting. Sungchul took out a treasured sword of the Human Empire from his Soul Storage and sliced through the deer’s belly. Blood and viscera contained within poured out. He pulled out a bright red-colored organ to examine the texture in the light.
“Truly an impressive liver. Top quality.”
Bertelgia observed the innards from right next to Sungchul and commented, “Uuu…. you eat liver? I can’t eat that stuff. Maybe if it was the lean meat.”
“You have the preferences of a child,” responded Sungchul.
“I don’t risk my life for food, unlike you!”
“Only people who have tasted it know how delicious it is. It’s also quite the impressive specimen.”
“Hm. Is that right? I don’t know anything about it. How would it be as an Alchemic ingredient?”
“S grade,” Sungchul answered briefly as he buried the fresh liver in the snow. He lifted the limp deer with a single hand and tossed it over to an evergreen tree nearby. The massive deer that easily weighed over a ton flew in the air like a light game ball and landed on a beautiful conifer tree. He then threw sharp branches that pierced the deer and embedded it to the pine tree, firmly securing the deer corpse in place.
“Hiii..!” Bertelgia recoiled in fear. It was a common sight at this point, but today’s preparation method was more vigorous than average. Sungchul decapitated the beast’s head with its magnificent horns, then threw it to the side. He began to strip off the hide with experienced handiwork.
RIIIP! RIP!
Powerful strength combined with skillful handwork allowed the leather to be stripped away like the peel of a banana. Sungchul tossed the hide over toward the severed head as he began to open up the arteries to drain the blood. As the blood was draining, Sungchul used the time to gather more Blind Man’s Grass.
Bertelgia, who was watching from the side, commented, “I don't know about anything else, but I can't deny that you’re diligent.”
Sungchul tossed the leather onto the gunny sack which he stored in the Soul Storage before speaking. “Of course.”
When enough of the blood was drained, Sungchul hefted the deer carcass onto his shoulder and returned to camp.
It wasn’t difficult to recognize the tent of the Leader of the Crusaders from a distance. Sungchul carried the deer toward the camp before a sword-wielding youngster of the Crusaders of Salvation obstructed his path. “Who are you?”
“I’m just here to deliver the meat,” replied Sungchul.
Suddenly, he could hear the voice of Sophia Breggas from one of the tents. “Wait a minute, I’m coming out.”
Sophia came out of the tent while brushing her flowing blonde hair. Sungchul dropped the deer down before the tent when he saw her.
THUD.
The carcass hit the ground with a blunt sound.
“You’ve got some muscle on you,” said Sophia.
“…”
Sophia carefully scanned over the deer that he brought to see if any of the portions were missing. Other than the innards removed from the belly, there was no problem. The most important portion, the tail meat, was safe and there was no sign of any other cuts being removed. Sophia nodded after a long inspection. “You’ve done well. You can leave now.”
At that moment, the voice of a young man could be heard. “Hey, Sophia. The guest went out of his way to visit us; it is not proper to send him away like that, right?”
It was the voice of Elijah Breggas. Sophia quickly turned away and muttered to herself, “Shit. Did he overhear?”
“…”
Sungchul didn’t refuse the invitation and made his way to the tent. By the time Sophia hastily tried to stop him, he was already half way inside.
The tent was roomy and looked comfortable. At the center burned a tribal style campfire with stylish furniture, and carpet decorated the interior. It was an opulent scene befitting the name Breggas.
“We meet again, Mr. Number 34.” Elijah was showing Sungchul favor for one reason or anot
her. Sungchul nodded to greet him and asked a question.
“What do you want from me?”
Elijah smiled brightly at this question. “Nothing much. The memory of the delicious dish you served last time lingered with me. Especially the black mass that softly melted in my mouth still lingers on my tongue.”
Sungchul wordlessly silently listened to his words as he thought, Is he talking about the Man-faced Beast stew? This kid knows how to appreciate good food.
Elijah continued to speak, “I’ve lost my appetite of late, and I haven’t enjoyed any tasty food. It’s not something to boast about, but we had a rather hard-to-find chef class cook at our Trowyn mansion.”
“A Chef class?” asked Sungchul.
“Yes. You might have never heard of it. They are people blessed by the God of Taste. Regardless of everything else, they are at the peak in cooking. Anyways, I just can’t seem to regain my appetite regardless of food or scenery. But, I seem to have regained some of it after having tasted your food.”
“I see.”
It wasn’t wrong to say the sour taste of kimchi helps with appetite.
“Seeing as I have been treated by you before, I want to treat you this time. My sister says that she wants to show off some of her skills. How would you like to try it with me?”
It was a sudden proposition. Sungchul immediately began to suspect whether Elijah was plotting something sinister. I didn’t detect any malintent nor suspicious activity. Did they discover my identity?
Sungchul held his breath and began to sense his surroundings. He didn’t feel any noticeable aura that might be able to harm him.
“Brother, why are you saying such nonsense? This man is just one of the prisoners.”
As Sungchul was carefully scanning his surroundings, he could hear the annoyed voice of Sophia who had been standing to the side. Elijah laughed without restraint while calming his sister. “Didn’t Mother say that what goes around comes around regardless of their status? I was treated to a meal, and didn’t that bring back my appetite?”
Sophia didn’t look satisfied, but she couldn’t win against her brother’s stubbornness.
“Consider yourself lucky, criminal!” After throwing her harsh words toward Sungchul, she left the tent.
“My sister has her flaws, but she is truly a kind child.” Elijah smiled with his eyes as he spoke softly. Sungchul still couldn’t determine his motives.
Why is this kid trying to hold me here?
Elijah didn’t seem to have anything waiting in ambush nor did the boy have much personal strength. Sungchul couldn't understand with what audacity Elijah was trying to tie him down here. It was a rare moment when Sungchul felt deeply puzzled by his circumstance. A plot so completely concealed by fog to the extent that its intent could not even be guessed was a feat only someone like the Emperor of the Human Kingdom could match, but he decided to handle this calmly. He had faith in his strength to break through any deception or plot.
He shut his mouth and waited for time to pass. Sophia entered the tent again after some time. There were servants carrying dishes with food behind her. Sungchul’s eyes grew wide in terror the moment he saw the dish.
T-this is…?!
Rather than food, it was something closer to a pile of charcoal. Sungchul held the fork with trembling hands as he put whatever this mass was to his lips. A surprise even larger than the previous passed his eyes. The basic ability of Chef, Taste Appraisal, did not activate.
…This isn’t food!
***
Elijah Breggas had a magnanimous expression on his face as he struggled to chew on whatever inedible thing it was with a smile in his eyes. Sophia was watching him like a hawk. Sungchul discovered that Elijah’s eyebrows trembled each time he put that black charcoal into his mouth. It was patience on a superhuman level. Or at least that’s what Sungchul believed.
After eating about half of this thing that couldn't even be called food, Elijah turned to Sungchul and said in a soft voice, “This is truly delicious, but I feel like I want to try something different. I am truly sorry for asking this of a guest, but could I try another one of your dishes?”
It was only now that Sungchul fully realized the circumstances surrounding him.
This guy… he called me over so he could eat some human cooking.
Fine. Sungchul pushed aside the food he only took a single bite of and rose from his seat.
“You’re not trying to make that rank smelling red dish, are you? I’ll say this once. I hate food like those of the Order of the Iron Blood Knights.”
Sophia’s cold words struck him in the back as he prepared to leave the tent. Sungchul looked over his shoulder to gaze at her cooking. The charcoal on her plate hadn’t shrunk at all from the time it had been first served.
This woman…He had a lot to say, but he suppressed it all. True chefs speak with their food, not with their mouth. Sungchul pulled out the fresh liver from the gunny sack placed outside the tent.
This should do just fine.
The kitchen was a bit off from the back of the tent. Despite being a mobile kitchen, it was still fully stocked with various kinds of spices, vegetables, and wines as expected of upper nobility. Sungchul grabbed one of the bottles and called over to the servant manning the fire. “Can I use this?”
The servant nodded. Sungchul popped the cork and took a whiff. It wasn’t a high-class wine, but it wasn’t cheap either. It was adequate for cooking.
He smeared the pan with butter, and then he began to stir fry some onions and tomatoes. When the onions and tomatoes were ready, Sungchul pulled some Worcester sauce that was prepared before from his Soul Storage and added it to the pan. He waited for the sauce to reduce before he began adding the wine without restraint.
The eye of the servant who was tending to the flames with an equivocal expression automatically focused onto Sungchul's pan. There was an indescribable smell emitting from it. As the red wine was being simmered, Sungchul sought out the rest of the ingredients. He found potatoes and rice. He diced the potatoes and powderized the rice.
WHAM! WHAM!
His hands alone were enough to crush the rice grain. The servant’s eyes grew wide.
“Wow, you must be quite strong.”
“…”
Sungchul prepared another pan with plenty of oil and began to fry the freshly cut potatoes coated in rice powder. While the potatoes were cooking, the red wine sauce had reduced somewhat and was giving off an appetizing scent.
Sungchul placed the saucepan over the center of the flame and began to prepare the long-awaited liver. The main point was searing the surface with strong heat and then simmering the liver in the previously prepared red wine sauce.
“Do you have sugar?” Sungchul suddenly asked the servant.
“Yes. Right over here,” replied the servant.
“Thanks. By the way, I was wondering something. What’s your lady’s favorite dish?”
“That is… what did she call it? I heard it was a dish from the other world. She enjoys eating fried cod battered in flour with a side of fried potatoes.”
“An English palate,” Sungchul retorted coldly before focusing on cooking once again.
It would take a while until the fresh deer liver would properly and fully marinate with the sweet red wine sauce. In the meantime, Sungchul prepared a simple salad that was to be served along with the breaded fries as the sides to the soon-to-be prepared marinated deer liver and then began plating.
The whole world seemed like it had plunged into a serene silence while he simmered the sauce on a weak flame.
The servant suddenly asked a question, “Your cooking ability must be quite impressive?”
“Of course. I’m actually…” Sungchul smiled faintly as he pulled out a brooch from his Soul Storage. It displayed a cute dragon holding a knife and a fork while radiating a golden light and a mysterious aura.
The servant asked, “What is this?”
He must not know about the Chef’
s symbol.
What Sungchul had pulled out was the Chef’s symbol that could only be possessed by those of the Chef class. It couldn’t be passed on to anyone else and provided no inherent benefits, but to chefs, this item was as precious as one’s own face. This symbol was the proof of one’s culinary abilities. Average chefs would have one with a cast iron tint, but as one’s skills improved the brooch’s color became more brilliant. In the case of Sungchul, it was the golden light of a High-Class Chef. It was a level that one could not help but be proud of.
“…it’s nothing.” Sungchul spoke as such before pinning the brooch onto his front pocket.
“Ouch!”
While he pinned the brooch onto his pocket, it must have poked Bertelgia.
“W-what was that sound?” The servant who heard the scream jumped up and began to look around frantically.
“Could it be a rat?” The servant grabbed a broom and quickly left the kitchen.
“That hurt!” As soon as the servant left, Bertelgia complained furiously.
“…”
Sungchul didn’t apologize. Instead, he quietly stirred the pan and focused his attention on cooking.
“Arrr… Really! Have some decency!”
The sauce on the pan was slowly but surely simmering down. Sungchul didn’t rush and continued to watch over his cooking as he waited for the right moment.
It was in this quiet moment when he heard sounds of whispers from the tent.
“I heard that the battle line held by the Order of the Iron Blood Knights had completely crumbled when I was preparing the meal. Two of the Mobile Fortresses that they boasted about were destroyed, and the villages were being raided.”
It was the voice of Sophia Breggas.
Sungchul began to contemplate the news as he lightly stirred the pan. I also heard that the state of the Order of the Iron Blood Knights wasn’t so good, but for it to have reached the point of the villages that maintained their supplies to have been raided… There's no better way to describe them than a candle before the storm.
The strangest part about the ordeal was Martin Breggas’ reaction. Rationally, one must pull together the excess forces from the other frontlines towards any breakages, but he had leisurely sent away the Crusaders of Salvation. It might be less odd if the Crusaders had been sent to the Order of the Iron Blood Knights.