Chapter 73: Master’s cooking skills

Krektar was dead but there was no reward to be gained from him.

Those who captured demons used to cut off their horns to prove their accomplishments, but I didn’t need to because I didn’t belong anywhere.

To pretend to belong somewhere..No organization would come to me to dispose of a demon’s corpse.

In the end, all I got was experience but at least I gained two levels and was now level 35.

I hadn’t gained as many levels as the Lich, so.. I didn’t feel like I’d gained much.

I spent all my remaining skill points and since there were no big fights for a while, I figured I’d be good enough, so I spent my points on two skills that I usually find useful.

Acupuncture went from level 3 to level 5, and Superior Senses went from level 7 to level 10.

It’s always nice to have clean numbers.

In the case of the Acupuncture skill, the amount of knowledge gained per point was high because it was a healing skill, not a combat skill.

Level 5 was the skill level required to heal Anthony’s daughter, Emilia.

I’ve also made progress in my other senses. If I focused on my hearing, I could now pick up the sound of people’s hearts from a distance.

..If I get good enough, I might even be able to tell them apart.

These superhuman senses will be useful in the future.

The only question that remained was when Aizel would realize that Krektar was dead.

If she did, she would sense that something was amiss.

Krektar had to die and there was no way I was going to keep him around waiting for Aizel to kill him so it didn’t matter.

It was better to be safe than sorry.

Things had to happen, and I couldn’t just stand still and let them happen.

Despite my recent wanderings outside the academy, Varsum was nowhere to be seen.

‘If he’s out of the game, he’s out of the game..’

I couldn’t say for sure, but it seemed more likely at this point.

If he doesn’t show up, I don’t think I need to go looking for him. For now, it was an unknown enemy with unknown attacks.

Anyway, back at the academy once again, I was taking a ‘break’ as I had promised Sierra and since it was the weekend, I decided to take it easy in my dorm.

For breakfast, I bought chicken soup from Cranberries Soup.

“..Mmm.”

[What’s wrong, it’s a good soup..but suddenly it doesn’t taste good to you?]

As I scooped up the soup Sierra asked me.

“It’s just that I can’t really taste it.”

Hearing my answer, Sierra clicked her tongue and then opened her mouth.

[..I wonder if your tongue got weird after eating so many tasteless elixirs.]

Sierra, who was pressing her finger to her lips, raised an eyebrow.

If this is a side effect of the elixir, I guess it’s a side effect.

Soon after, Sierra’s violet eyes roll and she lets out a meaningful laugh.

I wonder what she’s going to say.

[Fufu..I think it’s time for me to show off my cooking skills.]

At Sierra’s next words, I stopped stirring my soup.

‘Cooking..?’

I questioned.

“..How does Master cook?”

I didn’t think Sierra, who could be considered a spirit, could even touch the ingredients, let alone cook.

Then she squinted her eyes and raised a finger to touch my body.

[There is a way....I have your body.]

Sierra was saying she would use my body and I understood what she was saying.

Sierra couldn’t possess me, so she had to use my body..In my head, I remembered an animation where a mouse was cooking by controlling a human body.

“Haha, I have no talent for cooking.. I don’t think Master would be comfortable with me either.”

[It’s okay, I’m very good at cooking.]

Eventually, I finished the soup and Sierra and I went outside to buy the ingredients for the dish.

She didn’t tell me what she was going to cook but said she’d let me know when it was ready.

We went to the market inside the academy and bought all sorts of vegetables, eastern spices, and a long fish that looked like an eel but was a little more grotesque than an eel.

The vendor who was explaining it to me said, “This fish is so good for men,” and patted me on the shoulder.

In the game, I remember that the food made with this fish had quite a high health restoration value and was quite expensive.

[That’s right, it had that effect..I heard it was good for stamina..]

..I guess Sierra didn’t realize that it was good for men.

I bought the ingredients and went back to my dorm, where I put the ingredients in the kitchen, and Sierra offered to cook.

Sierra sneaked up behind me and soon she was hugging me from behind.

“..Master?”

[This is how I’ll be able to cook, too.]

At my panic, Sierra soothed me in a soothing voice, but it wasn’t out of discomfort.

Her breasts were completely pressed against my back and I just spent skill points on Superior Senses so I could feel her breasts against my back all too well.

‘Let’s focus on the food.’

I’ll be fine if I focus on something else.

Soon Sierra was resting her face on my shoulder and grabbing my arm with both hands.

First, the ingredients.

Sierra moved my hand to the knife and said, “Pick it up,” and I did while she burst out laughing.

[Phew.. From the way you’re holding the knife like a sword, I can tell that my disciple isn’t used to cooking.]

I’ve never been much of a cook since I was used to buying food.

Next, she started chopping vegetables. But no matter how good Sierra was at cooking, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with the state of the vegetables.

The vegetables were a bit sloppy.

[I thought my apprentice had good dexterity..]

Sierra muttered to herself as she inspected the vegetables, then moved my arm to pick up the fish.

When she says dexterity, I wonder if she’s referring to the way I used to clean my sword.

For a moment, I wondered if it would be a good idea to take care of Sierra, since she’s cooking for me.

Instead, Sierra, who was trying to clean the fish, stretched out her arm to hold my arm a little closer, and her chest was heaving against my back.

It was almost crushing. And then..

“..”

..I lost my concentration and sliced my finger with the knife.

A small trickle of blood was leaking from my cut index finger.

[Disciple, are you okay?]

“I’m fine. I just lost my concentration for a moment.”

I replied, smiling at the worried Sierra.

She immediately moved my left arm, where my injured finger was and the next thing I know, my bleeding index finger is in Sierra’s mouth.

“Uh..”

My panicked exclamation is followed by Sierra opening her mouth.The origin of this chapter's debut can be traced to /n/o/vel/b/in.

[‘It’s nothing less than a ‘cure’..]

Sierra’s cheeks were flushed, and she started sucking on my finger and the sound of her sucking echoes in my head.

I could feel her tongue on my finger, how soft it was.. how it moved, and how hot it was in her mouth.

“..”

It was so arousing.

In this state, it was a good thing Sierra couldn’t see my lower body.

Blood must taste good as Sierra was sucking on my finger.

The effect of the vampiric iron used to make the Spectral Sword seemed to be strong.

Finally, my finger slipped out of Sierra’s mouth and a long line of her thick saliva stretched from her lips to my finger.

[The bleeding seems to have stopped somewhat]

For some reason, there’s a hint of regret in Sierra’s voice.

Oddly enough, the wound had healed and stopped bleeding. Maybe it was her power, or maybe it was just that it was a small cut.

Sierra licked her fingers, noticing the dangling saliva.

“..Mmmm. Let’s finish cooking.”

I say, coughing and picking up a knife to break the mood.

Sierra, who had once again taken hold of both my arms, wiggled them around and started cooking and I tried my best to concentrate and not cut my fingers.

The fish was done without a hitch, and I rarely picked up a knife after that.

I grilled the fish and sautéed the vegetables then I sprinkled some spices in the middle of the process and it started to smell delicious.

The dish was ready.

[This is a dish I used to make often, and while I don’t know if it’s suitable for my apprentice’s palate, I’m confident in its taste..!]

Sierra said excitedly as I followed her hand to transfer the food to the bowl.

Clearly, Sierra was confident in her cooking and even though it looked a little.. I couldn’t help it, but it smelled good and spicy because of the spices she had sprinkled in the middle.

I wasn’t confident about spicy food.

‘I can’t even eat spicy curry, but spicy fish..’

Why do people like spicy food?

I set the bowl down on the table as I thought about it. Then I grabbed my cutlery and sat down.

Sierra watched me silently from the sidelines, anxiously awaiting my reaction.

I dipped my fork into a piece of bone-in fish and the vegetables on the side then I popped it into my mouth.

[How are my culinary skills?]

I chewed the food and swallowed, then opened my mouth to give her an answer.

“.. It’s delicious.”

Unlike the smell, it wasn’t too spicy and it tasted even better because Sierra had put her heart into it.

The food was quickly devoured and it was a quality meal that I wouldn’t mind paying for.

[ Hmph, I can’t believe you ate so quickly.. It seems I’ve restored my apprentice’s lost sense of taste.]

Watching me finish the food, Sierra clasped her hands together, smiled, while I said.

“Thank you, Master.”

I’ll do it again anytime you want, but next time I think it would be better if I cooked in front of you. ..I can’t reach it as well from behind.]

Said Sierra, pursing her lips and I visualized her cooking in front of me.

..There’s a high probability that something very embarrassing will happen.

“..I suppose that’s true.”

Still, I couldn’t say no to someone offering to cook for me out of the goodness of their heart, so I nodded and stood up to clean up the dishes.

“Since you seem to be stuck in your room all day, why don’t we go for a walk?”

After putting the dishes away, I walked over to Sierra and suggested a walk.

There was nothing more to do in the room and she’d been moving around so much that she was getting anxious to be still.

[Why don’t you go on this break alone? I think you need some alone time sometimes..]

Sierra was looking out for me.

I was happy to have her around, but she was never intrusive, so I couldn’t say no to her.

“Well.. I’ll be gone for a while, and I’ll make sure to clean the sword for your cooking when I get back.”

[That’s okay, there is no rust on the sword..! Hurry up and go..!]

Sierra suddenly pulled away from me, wrapping her arms around herself and huddling.

I smiled at her, put on my coat, and left the room.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve been out alone.’

***

Krektar sudden death and his connection to Zetto was the only variable in the regression.

My head was spinning, and I needed to organize my thoughts.

I came to the small flower garden at the academy. It was where Zetto had brought me in the previous episode.

I don’t know why it’s there, or who put it there, but.. It wasn’t a popular spot for eager cadets, so it was always quiet around here.

Still, I was curious why he brought me to this garden when he couldn’t even see the flowers?

Was it simply because he liked the scent?

Zetto didn’t seem to know much about flowers. Nevertheless, he brought me here as if he knew I liked flowers.

At that moment, I was on the verge of breaking down.

..Now that I think about it, maybe I just wanted to make a fool of Zetto.

He had always understood me and held my hand so I wouldn’t give up right here, in this spot.

I was in this beautiful flower garden, looking at the ground, not the flowers, and feeling increasingly depressed when I could feel someone approaching the garden.

I heard footsteps.. and I knew who it was. Then he spotted me, and I heard his voice.

“Miss Aizel?”

Zetto called out to me as I poked my head into the flower garden.

My head was already spinning with thoughts of Zetto, but now that I had his face in my eyes, it was rapidly becoming blank.

“This is.. A flower garden, it looks like there are a lot of flowers.”

Zetto said as he approached me, sniffing the scents around him.

I wondered if this was his first time in the garden at this time of year and I didn’t respond to him, but as he leaned closer to me, he continued nonchalantly.

“By the way, you were sitting in front of the flower beds the other day. Does Miss Aizel like flowers by any chance?”

His sweet voice echoed through the fragrant flower garden so I stared at him and replied.

“....I like them a lot.”