Since I've been on frequent hiatuses, it wouldn't be bad to do a streak of consecutive updates, right?
The reason is a deletion notice. Since a contract has already been signed and the manuscript has gone to the publisher, I intend to delete a certain number of chapters.
The targeted amount covers from the first chapter up to chapter 71.
Since I'm serializing in a total of four places, including Som and Deolla, I can't fathom how to delete them all…….
^^
I'm planning to delete them around midnight tomorrow. Enjoy your reading.^^
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At first, his gaze was clearly one of doubt. But as the smell of the dish began to emanate, his eyes grew abruptly wide. It was a savory aroma he had smelled for the very first time in his life.
"H-how can there be such a smell……."
The head chef flared his nostrils repeatedly. The fragrance of the dish was so captivating that one would automatically salivate just from smelling it. At first savory, yet somehow reminiscent of fresh grass depending on how one perceived it, the scent of the dish truly wafted with complex layers. The head chef's mouth was already so full of saliva that it was on the verge of trickling down his throat.
"Gulp."
The sounds of swallowing erupted simultaneously. The chefs inside the kitchen were all swallowing their drool without exception. Daemon watched the sight out of the corner of his eye and inwardly shrugged.
"You lot! Chinese cuisine has been the best under heaven since ancient times…. How could you, who merely grill or boil meat, know this taste?"
The aroma of the dish vibrated throughout the kitchen and even began to spread into the banquet hall. Enthralled by the seductive scent they were smelling for the first time in their lives, the nobles who had come to dine repeatedly flared their nostrils.
"What is this smell?"
"Ha! It's incredible."
Their appetites whetted, the nobles could endure no longer and demanded the dish emitting the scent be brought to them. But the chefs had no such authority to begin with. It was a dish the customer was making for himself—how could they possibly serve it? They showed signs of distress and repeatedly bowed at the waist.
"We are deeply sorry, but that dish is one Baron Daemon is preparing himself. Since it is for his own consumption, we cannot take orders for that dish."
"What? He is cooking himself……."
The nobles' eyes grew round at the words that a baron would cook with his own hands. At the statement that the dish could not be ordered, they had no choice but to give up in the end.
"He must be a man with far too little to do. But the scent is truly incredible."
Amid the chefs' gazes of respect, Daemon finally finished the dish. It hadn't taken long for the chefs' eyes to change from contempt to respect. Daemon poured the food from the pan onto a plate and firmly covered it with a lid so the aroma wouldn't escape. And just as he was about to take the plate out, an urgent voice suddenly caught him by the ankle.
"I… I am terribly sorry, but would you not grant me the honor of tasting the dish?"
He turned his head to see the head chef. The chef's eyes were filled with fervor, determined to taste the dish by any means necessary. Having fallen for the aroma, the head chef was unbearably curious about how it would taste. Guessing his thoughts, Daemon readily consented.
"Fine. It's nothing much."
Daemon opened the lid and served the chef a piece. Without even confirming whether the chef ate it, he walked away. Daemon already took pride in the taste of his cooking. When the head chef fell silent for a moment after putting the dish in his mouth, the curious chefs hurriedly approached.
"E-excuse me, Master… how is the taste?"
"It's probably nothing special despite the smell, right?"
Despite the chefs' barrage of questions, the head chef maintained his silence. Suddenly, tears began to stream down from his eyes. The chefs could only be bewildered by the sight.
"Master. Why on earth are you tearing up……."
With a face brimming with tears, the head chef turned his head and opened his mouth heavily.
"Ah, from now on, I hope you will no longer call me Master. I today……."
"Today?"
"T-today, I have seen the true heavens. That person is the true God of Cooking. God. From the fact that I was able to taste such magnificent cuisine, I sincerely thank God. Because even if I died and revived a hundred times, I could never create such a dish."
Barely finishing his words, the head chef eventually began to sob sorrowfully. It was due to the inferiority complex stemming from the pure difference in culinary skill. The chefs stood blankly staring at the head chef's face, their mouths agape.
"It's done."
Daemon set the dish down with a clatter and gestured to Helvertron.
"You said you were curious about the taste, didn't you? You may open the lid and eat. Of course, that permission is limited to you alone."
Helvertron, whose appetite had been stimulated by the appetizing scent wafting from the kitchen, did not refuse and opened the lid. In an instant, the aroma of the dish began to vibrate throughout the entire dining hall.
"Ha! The smell is absolutely killer……."
"The taste will be even more killer. I don't cook for just anyone……."
"Then shall I have a taste?"
Receiving the envious gazes of the people in the banquet hall, Helvertron picked up a piece of the dish and brought it to his mouth. The appetizing aroma lingering at the tip of his nose was already enough to make his head spin. Impatient, Helvertron put the dish in his mouth and took a bite. In an instant, the dish mixed with saliva and slid down his esophagus. At the same time, an indescribable taste filled his mouth.
"Mmph!"
Helvertron's face stiffened rigidly. At the sight, the remaining three knights tensed and brought their hands to their waists. It was a reflexive action in case poison had been placed in the food. But they could only gape at the incomprehensible behavior Helvertron displayed next.
Chomp, chomp.
Helvertron began to chew and swallow the food frantically. He even buried his head completely into the plate. His behavior was no different from that of a child trying to keep delicious snacks from being snatched away. The dish was so superb that one couldn't tell whether it was entering through his nose or his mouth.
His palate, honed by first-class chefs, had been insufficient to endure the temptation of traditional Chinese cuisine. Daemon watched the sight and smiled faintly as he began to eat his portion.
"Hey. Helvertron."
"What are you doing?"
His fellow knights were puzzled. Of course, it wasn't that their mouths weren't watering at the smell too, but they were forcing themselves to endure it for the sake of dignity. However, at the sight Helvertron was showing, they were curious to the point of madness about how the dish tasted.
"Hey! Is it that delicious?"
"Answer us."
Ignoring the repeated questions, Helvertron merely continued burying his head in the plate and eating frantically. Finally, he raised his head only after the plate was completely empty. It was so thoroughly cleaned that there was hardly any need to wash it.
Helvertron, having finished his meal, looked at Daemon's face. An intense awe was thickly etched in his gaze without exception.
"That was truly delicious."
"Well, no need for formalities."
"It was the finest taste this Helvertron has experienced since birth. It may be an absurd explanation, but I felt something akin to an orgasm while eating the dish."
"Well, as long as you enjoyed it……"
Though his plate was not yet empty, Daemon finished his meal. He was somewhat full already, and he also harbored an intention to tease the three knights who were putting on airs. Daemon picked up a napkin, wiped his mouth, and stood up sluggishly.
"Then I must take my leave now. As payment for cooking, won't you show me around the palace?"
If he left Helvertron here, he would surely devour the food Daemon had left behind as well. Therefore, he had to take Helvertron with him by any means necessary.
"Sh-shall we?"
Helvertron reluctantly rose to his feet. Of course, he didn't forget to cast a glance of great regret at the food Daemon had left behind. As he stood up, he didn't forget to leave a word to his comrades.
"The taste was absolutely killer. Probably to a degree you lot wouldn't know even if you died and came back to life."
After Daemon took Helvertron and left, the remaining knights' gazes soon focused on the food left on the plate. Their faces clearly showed expressions of being driven mad with curiosity about how the dish tasted.
But touching the food plate was by no means something they wanted to do. The Sword Masters known as the Four Pillars leading Icarot setting their eyes on leftovers from someone else's meal was an unbelievable sight no matter who saw it.
But the aroma of the food still remained, stimulating their noses, and all the nobles inside the restaurant were staring intently at the plate of food. It was only because the plate was on a different table that they hadn't immediately rushed over; had it been on the same table, they would have undoubtedly lunged for it at once.
'This is driving me mad.'
'What in the world should we do?'
Deep conflicting emotions repeatedly crossed the faces of Rindelf, Primberg, and Saramis. Honestly, they wanted to taste the dish with all their hearts. But due to the concentrated gazes directed at their table, they couldn't rashly act on it.
They were literally torn seriously between temptation and dignity. But unfortunately, the moment came when they had to make a decision.
"If you are finished, we shall clear the table."
A group of chefs approached and surrounded the table tightly. From the way they were all drooling, it was clear they had another purpose besides clearing the table. In the end, Rindelf, having made up his mind, feigned a dry cough.
"No. The meal is not yet finished. If you wish to clear the table, wait a moment."
The chefs showed extremely disappointed expressions as they withdrew, and Rindelf swallowed his saliva with a gulp, picking up his fork and moving it toward the plate. In an instant, countless gazes inside the dining hall pinned themselves to his face. But he had already steeled his resolve.
It was a vow that he would taste the dish no matter what. Though his face burned continuously, Rindelf boldly stabbed the dish with his fork and quickly shoved it into his mouth. And without exception, his face stiffened rigidly. It was an appearance no different from Helvertron's by even an inch.
"H-how is the taste?"
"Are you okay?"
The barrage of questions from Primberg and Saramis continued, but nothing rose in Rindelf's mind anymore. Only one thing remained in his memory.
'Delicious!'
As if he had nothing more to think about, he buried his head into the plate. This too was no different from Helvertron. At the sight, the remaining comrades reflexively rushed toward the plate.
"You sly bastard. Let's eat together."
Soon the place transformed into a hellish scene of colleagues fighting tooth and nail. The poor chefs and nobles who had failed to achieve their goal watched the sight with deeply regretful expressions.
Daemon, having gone outside, was guided around the palace interior by Helvertron for a while. Perhaps as repayment for being treated to the excellent meal, he explained about the palace with relative kindness.
But there was no way Daemon could possibly be interested in a foreign palace far away. No matter how splendid it was, it had nothing whatsoever to do with him.
In the end, he shook off Helvertron with the excuse of a headache. After parting with him, Daemon walked the garden alone. Because worries filled his head to the brim.
"How on earth can I rapidly increase my magic power?"
This was precisely what tormented him. Following Sajunhwan, another target for revenge had emerged, and the fact that it was a powerful being, a Dragon. The Red Dragon Berkis could be considered a being with whom his chances of victory were slim even if he were in perfect condition.
He couldn't fathom how he should exact revenge at all.
"Facing a Dragon with mediocre magic is truly absurd. I must rise to the 8th or 9th Circle and become a Necromancer by any means necessary, as quickly as possible."
But upon thinking it over, it seemed unlikely that he would remain alive that long. Having abused Haste recklessly and treated his body carelessly, his body was already in a severely aged state.
Honestly, at this rate, it would be difficult to guarantee even twenty more years. Having already entered his fifties, Daemon grimaced.
"A mere twenty years. By normal methods, it's hard enough to even reach the 6th Circle. Isn't there somewhere a method to learn magic through attributes?"
But no matter how much he thought, the answer did not come. Inferring from the knowledge he had learned, the study of magic could be seen as even harder than martial arts in terms of attributes.