Chapter 33
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Succubus Chef
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In this otherworld where I'd ended up, there were all sorts of races, but I hadn't met every single one of them. Humans and beastkin were common enough that I'd seen plenty even back when I was working at the clinic. Elves and dwarves were rarer, but I'd spotted them now and then in commercial districts.
Even so, I'd never laid eyes on a demonkin. Of course, the term "demonkin" here lumped together any race that handled demonic energy, so there were all varieties—maybe I'd seen some without realizing it...
There might be other races I didn't know about, but based on what I did know, the woman in front of me was definitely demonkin—a succubus, no less. Her horns, wings, and tail matched the classic features I'd heard of. Seeing races straight out of Earth's fantasies fulfilled some weird fantasy of mine every time. A succubus chef, though? That was a new one.
"Thank you for ordering today's special. I'm Lilian, the owner and chef here at Cradle of Flavors."
"Pleased to meet you, Chef."
"Ah, hello?"
Alensia greeted her coolly, but I managed only an awkward one. I'd never even set foot in a fancy restaurant back on Earth, and now the chef was coming out personally? It felt incredibly out of place and intimidating.
"If I may ask, which of you ordered today's special?"
Lilian glanced our way, and Alensia looked at me. Wait, hadn't she been the one to order it? I never would have gone for a 100-gold-coin dish! Sure, I was curious, but still!
Come to think of it, she had that uncanny decisiveness in weird situations—like when she'd slipped poison into my food. I figured picking the menu was the treater's call, though...
Seeing Alensia's reaction, Lilian set the plate in front of me and lifted the lid. The other customers were staring too, clearly curious about today's special. Geez, eat your own meals.
"Today's special is 'Umbra'."
"Whoa..."
When she uncovered it, what I saw was... like the night sky.
The stew had a deep black sheen that evoked a pitch-black night sky, and the pristine white garnishes scattered on top looked just like stars twinkling in it.
I'd always imagined black food as off-putting and appetite-killing, but this dish's darkness had the opposite effect—it instantly whetted my hunger.
The moment it was revealed, the ambient chatter died down as every customer in the place turned to stare.
"Start with the plain stew, then try it with the garnishes."
Following Lilian's guidance like I was entranced, I scooped up a spoonful of the black stew and brought it to my lips. First, though...
[Sensory Block] – Roughly blocks lower-body sensations. Then [Sensory Amplification] – Amplifies taste perception.
Just like when I'd been training my [Cooking] skill lately, I amplified my sense of taste—or more precisely, the sensations involved in tasting. Normally, [Sensory Amplification] boosted only one sense at a time, and taste combined taste buds and smell anyway, with smell often playing the bigger role.
But my skill could amplify "taste" directly. My guess was that the [Cooking] skill treated "taste" as its own distinct sensation, enhancing it holistically rather than breaking it down into components like sweetness or aroma.
Once the skills were active, I slipped the stew into my mouth.
"!!!!!"
What... is this? Incredibly rich. No clue what it was simmered from. The umami was profound—couldn't tell if it was meat, fish, or something else entirely. No aroma when I scooped it up, but the instant it hit my tongue and mixed with saliva, a burst of rich fragrance exploded in my mouth.
I'd planned to savor it and guess the ingredients, but before I knew it, I'd gulped it down.
"Now with the garnish."
Enthralled, I followed her lead, topping another spoonful with a bit of the pristine white garnish and tasting again.
'Whoa...!'
Totally different. The first taste had been overwhelming umami with meat- or fish-like notes. Now it was fresh vegetal flavors. The amazing part? That crispness came from the stew, not the garnish. Just combining them had transformed the stew's flavor to match.
Shocked, I tried another clump—suddenly seaweed notes. Visually identical to the last one, but the moment it hit my tongue, it was distinctly different.
Experiencing cuisine of an exalted realm and absorbing it as your own nourishment. [Cooking] skill has risen to level 4.
I devoured the bowl in a trance, and that's when the level-up notice appeared. A skill level-up from just one bowl? Non-combat skills like this didn't rise easily—that was astonishing, even if it had some prior experience built up.
Reaching level 4 boosted my taste and smell, perfect for cooking. Combined with my active [Sensory Amplification], the lingering flavors danced vividly on my tongue.
Id experienced something similar in the Labyrinth. When I'd amplified a wolf beastkin's already keen smell, the effect was way stronger than on me. Same here—the [Cooking] skill's sensory boosts amplified my [Sensory Amplification] several times over.
"Did the meal live up to your expectations?"
As I savored the aftertaste, Lilian's voice snapped me out of it. Looking up, I saw a tray on the table neatly arrayed with ingredients and seasonings in exactly 100 small bowls.
"You know the rules of today's special, right? Identify which of these 100 ingredients were used. Hint: there are 10."
She skipped further food talk and briskly explained the real challenge. Each bowl held a tiny sample—meats, fish, spices, fruits, and more.
"Ready?"
Her confident expression screamed I had no chance, but...
How could I not nail this? I was brimming with confidence.
[Sensory Amplification]
"And... this one."
"...Y-Yes... correct."
As I tasted each ingredient bit by bit and called them out, Lilian's relaxed expression gradually stiffened. By the 8th and 9th, her face was full of shock.
"Who is that guy?"
"Some famous foodie? Or does he have a skill that boosts taste?"
"Taste-boosting? Isn't that just the [Cooking] skill? Is he a chef too?"
The onlookers grew noisier with each correct answer. Aren't you eating your own food?
"Finally... this."
The last one I picked was a turquoise sauce. Wondering why sauce came in that color, but whatever.
"Y-Yes... correct."
With my final pick confirmed, the customers erupted in cheers. Could you tone it down? Meanwhile, Alensia was quietly eating her own meal... no, sneaking glances over here.
"Customer, could you come back during our break time later?"
Right—if you nailed it, the dish was free, plus a prize. Even with [Sensory Amplification], I hadn't expected to succeed... but prizes sounded nice. And honestly, having tasted them while guessing, the difficulty was no joke.
They'd deliberately included similar-tasting ingredients, so I'd rolled them on my tongue under [Sensory Block], then unleashed [Sensory Release] for precise comparisons.
Who were those other two who'd beaten it before? Sure, I used skills, but... maybe they did too?
The restaurant only opened for limited times anyway, and break was soon, so Lilian showed me to a lounge-like waiting room.
Alensia left first when it seemed like we needed to talk privately. She'd mentioned the previous winners had kept prize details secret.
As I waited, inhaling the array of aromas wafting from the kitchen, Lilian entered.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"No issue—my schedule's free afterward anyway."
She sat across from me and offered tea. That aroma... coffee? This world had it too? I'd never seen it for sale before!
Savoring the nostalgic scent, I sipped. I wanted ice for an Americano, but refusing would be rude. First espresso for me—bitter flooding my mouth, but leagues beyond any Earth beans I'd had. Pure class.
"Knew you'd appreciate it. First-timers can't handle the 'espresso' aroma—too bitter. But I figured you'd savor it properly."
She seemed friendly, but... honestly, I wasn't a huge espresso fan either. I was enjoying it now because it had been so long, but I'd have added sugar if it were mine. Felt awkward saying that, like dissing iced Americano to an Italian from my past life...
"May I have your name?"
"Ian. Beginner adventurer."
Her relaxed coffee-sipping face shifted oddly at my intro.
"An adventurer? Were you a chef before that, by any chance...?"
"No, I worked at a clinic prior."
"...A food enthusiast normally...?"
"Nope, first time in a place this upscale."
Her expression hardened more with each answer until she set down her cup.
"Do you have the [Cooking] skill, perhaps?"
"Yeah, I do."
"What level? Over 7, maybe?"
"Level 3... just hit 4, actually."
I considered hiding it but figured cooking wasn't a big deal. Her serious vibe made me answer straight.
"Not in the food industry, yet you nailed 'today's special' ingredients, and [Cooking] at level 4... "
"Lilian?"
She muttered to herself, then fixed sparkling eyes on me.
"Ian, would you ever consider working at my restaurant?"
"Pardon?"
"You've got star chef potential. Your palate's proven, and hitting level 4 outside your main job screams talent...!"
"Lilian, calm down."
"Join me—let's spread Cradle of Flavors beyond Labyrinth City across the continent!"
"Seriously, calm down."
That manic glint had me calming her repeatedly. Cooking wasn't my career goal anyway.
"Whew... sorry. First time seeing such a palate—I got carried away."
"First? I heard two others beat 'today's special' before."
"Those two?"
Her friendly tone iced over instantly.
"They didn't pass on palate. Used [Appraisal]-type skills to analyze the dish and list ingredients. Ridiculous, right? I didn't charge for the meal since they succeeded, but banned appraisal skills after."
News to me—Alensia hadn't mentioned that. Maybe even she didn't know.
"'Today's special' exists to find exceptional palates. Ideally, for my staff, but..."
"Sorry, but I won't quit adventuring."
"Of course. Won't push my greed on you."
She'd seemed a tad off earlier. That glint was risky.
"Still, Ian, why not drop by sometimes to learn cooking? Wasting that talent would be a shame."
"You sure that's okay?"
"I assumed anyone beating it was in food service... since you're an adventurer, we'll make the prize lessons instead. Was going to give rare ingredients from my stock, but..."
Music to my ears. With [Cooking] leveling up and boosting my senses, high-level lifestyle skills punched above combat ones. Like how master-level [Massage] increased grip strength—[Cooking] might gain extras too.
"I'm in."
"Great. I only operate weekends, so come weekdays. Once a week as an adventurer?"
Weekdays... yeah, worth a weekly visit. Daily was pushing it, but once a week? Doable.
"Sounds good."
"Hehe. Can't wait. With your talent, you'll be an amazing chef."
Skill hacks, mostly... but in this world, skills were talent, right?
We set a schedule, wrapping up—then I couldn't hold back my curiosity.
"By the way, Lilian... are you a succubus?"
Her face froze solid.