LightReader

Chapter 19 - Chapter 18: Gout Feast, Each with Their Own Scheme

Byron pretended to be engrossed, but alarms were sounding in his mind.

This "cookbook" was not like ordinary objects that could be easily seen through with a mere glance using "Echoes of History."

Without a doubt, it not only contained forbidden knowledge but also was a **Miracle** possessing some sort of **Extraordinary Power**!

His brain was working overtime.

Salman wants to resolve the conflict between **transcendent abilities** and his illness. Conventional medicine is completely useless, so he has to seek help from 'forbidden knowledge' outside of the normal **Sequence**. It's probably also the reason he dares to cross the line of humanity, using 'his own kind' as the main course. And those most similar to him in nature are more than likely 'chefs' like me! However, considering that previous chefs all disappeared quietly instead of vanishing in the **Captain's** quarters, this **Miracle** must have some necessary conditions to take effect. There's no need to confront him directly for now.

The **Sailing Logbook** doesn't always generate records of all the secrets encountered. But once a record is created, it definitely has some crucial connection to Byron himself. For example, right now, a sailboat is the most fundamental unit of survival at sea. Being on the same boat concerns the life and death of everyone aboard, doesn't it?

It seemed like Byron had to muster tremendous willpower just to tear his gaze away from the cookbook.

He placed the tray containing three dishes and a soup before Salman with utmost respect and did not forget to apologize,

"As a chef, I am always eager to collect various exotic recipes. Please forgive my rudeness. **Captain**, please enjoy the dinner I have prepared for you."

With that, Byron, following **noble** dining etiquette, lifted the cover off the appetizer soup for him—a dense snapper soup.

It immediately diverted Salman's attention, who had been curiously examining him.

The moment the **Gourmet** saw the dish unveiled, it was as if he saw a flash of light.

The gelatin from the fish meat, the skin, the bones… everything had been stewed into the soup, leaving it pure white like milk. Garnished with a piece of vibrant green celery, it was a feast for the eyes.

Completely different from any method he had seen before, Salman couldn't wait to take a sip with his silver spoon.

His blood-red eyes instantly brightened as he exclaimed,

"Delicious! It's incredibly fresh!"

As a **First Order Servant**, a **Gourmet** gains the passive ability "**Detect Poison**," allowing them to distinguish all food harmful to humans. Even if thrown into an unfamiliar primeval forest, they would never die from poison or starvation.

He never imagined that the **Curse** on him was actually because he ate too well, not because he was cursed by **Wealth**.

Unable to stop after the first sip, he soon lifted the bowl and gulped down all the purines that had been stewed in it.

"Ha, it's unlike any fish soup I've ever had. It doesn't rely on a variety of precious **Spices** to mask the fishy smell, which also covers the true taste of the food. There's no butter, cream, or egg yolk to overpower the dish. This is the flavor fish is meant to have. My lips, my tongue, my stomach—my senses, which had become gradually dulled, seem to have regained their vibrancy. It's so delicious!"

His eyes brimmed with tears, and he no longer cared about dining etiquette as he personally opened the other three dishes.

The first was four or five lobsters cut in half, garnished with garlic butter. Previously, most pretentious upper-class individuals wouldn't touch this kind of seafood, even considering it a type of bug. All catches were almost exclusively fed to livestock, the poor, prisoners, and servants. It was only after the **King** of the **Irisflower Kingdom**, a culinary powerhouse, highly praised this dish at his **Royal Palace** banquet that it gradually became fashionable among the upper classes.

The current culinary method is simple boiling, creating a somewhat monotonous flavor. Not many ate it, leading to an abundance along the coast, and there were quite a few on this deserted island as well.

Perfectly cooked to keep the lobster meat plump and chewy and paired with the soulmate of seafood, garlic sauce, Salman was instantly conquered by it.

The second dish looked a bit strange. The shell-like head was adorned with bright enamel colors, and **ruby**-like flesh was mounted on a sheath as soft as snake skin. From the sheath, smooth and transparent tentacles extended. These tentacles were just as colorful, with the neck in flesh, marble, and grey tones, ending in a bright orange tip.

When Salman realized what it was, he paused, somewhat uncertainly saying,

"Is this... **Barnacle**?"

Byron waved his hand with feigned profundity.

"No, no, no, this is not just any **Barnacle**, but the King... COUGH, the most delicious goose-neck **Barnacle** in the world!"

The **Sailing Logbook** showed that goose-neck **Barnacles** from both worlds shared similar habits, attaching themselves to floating debris in the **oceans** and found in the great seas worldwide, harvestable in all seasons.

In this world, hardly anyone ate them, though they were one of the most expensive seafood in my past life.

The cooking method was extremely simple. Add some ginger sprouts and salt to the pot, bring the water to a boil, then toss in the **Barnacles** until they are cooked. Eating them poached in plain water is the best. There was no need for any other seasoning, as the **Barnacle's** inherent savoriness was already tongue-tingling.

After Salman confirmed the **Barnacles** were not poisonous several times, he skeptically forked one and put it into his mouth.

The world before his eyes suddenly brightened. He tasted an incomparable sweetness exploding on his taste buds, making him feel as if he were about to float away.

"This flavor... it's like the essence of the entire **ocean** concentrated and bursting in the mouth, with countless fish and shellfish dancing on the tongue. This indescribable taste that I've never experienced before is really too delicious!"

By this point, Salman couldn't help but be moved to tears.

He thought that what he ate before was simply trash. So, I absolutely cannot die; if I die, I'll never get to taste such good stuff again!

The gourmet food solidified his will to live but also led him to eat... even more.

The last dish was not considered exotic, but it was his all-time favorite—the same purine **Bomb**: lamb.

Byron had thoughtfully made it in two ways: cumin lamb chops and hand-pulled lamb. On a **Gourmet's** ship, the **Spices** naturally were ample, including chili, cumin, pepper...

The cumin lamb chops were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The hand-pulled lamb was tender without being mushy, tender without being dry, and fresh without gameyness. Paired with mashed garlic, it brought Salman great satisfaction.

Accompanied by a beer that had been chilled with cold water, it was truly comfort to the extreme, blissful living.

What need is there for a fur-clad garlic-peeling goddess when I am already in heaven!

"I'm so satisfied, Mr. Byron, you're the most outstanding chef I've ever met!"

However, seeing him relishing the food, Byron thought of the sheep pens next to the kitchen, where the goats had been BAA-ING for quite a while. And there were... the **Pirates** lining up to enter and then coming out, holding their belts, each one with a look of sullen weariness on their face.

Byron's complexion turned somewhat green.

In that era, sheep were brought onto sailboats as essential stock, besides being a rare source of fresh rations. But their more important use was actually... UGH—.

Military ships had far stricter discipline than **pirate ships**, and Byron, in his past, truly had never witnessed such things. But these much more lax **Pirates** almost completely shattered his values. He swore he would never again eat lamb from the **Man-Eating Shark**. Not for the life of him. If he ever became **Captain**, he would definitely add a rule to his **Pirate's Ten Commandments**: Sheep, to be used exclusively for eating!

Salman, feeling his already extreme hunger quenched thoroughly, sensed even livelier **Spiritual Radiance** within himself. He greedily eyed Byron in secret.

Staple food: One's own kind! The higher the level of one's culinary skills, the closer the homogenization with my nature, the better the food's effect. The **Miracle**, **Bloody Mary's Gourmet Cookbook**, which I stole from the **Bloodthirsty Cult**, will be drained of all its gourmet **knowledge** to craft the finest 'staple food'. Too bad, I don't know the Decisive Inscription that activates this **Miracle**. I can only use its most basic functionality to deduce one and the only recipe from it. But it's enough for me to perform the ceremony to completely solve the trouble I'm facing.

Soon, very soon. No chef will be able to resist the allure of this cookbook. Mr. Byron, you should choose it as your reward. If one cannot discern its secrets, even a **Low Sequence Transcendent** will be powerless against it, let alone a mere mortal boy. You... will be mine sooner or later!

It might have been an illusion. The pain, which normally only occurred in the wee hours, now seemed somewhat eager to make an early appearance.

More Chapters