Chapter 739: Return for Now

Chef.

There had already been many things about this profession that made me wonder.

Unlike with me or Howard.

This little kid...... Doyun had neither the basics nor talent as a chef.

She even said she had never had much to do with cooking herself.

If there was anything, it was only that she had handled cooking a few times when she was with that group of orphan friends.

Even so, this kid had become a chef.

This system bestowed the profession most optimized for an awakened.

Even so.

Not the people who had talent and had worked hard as other chefs, but this kid had become a chef.

'No, now that I think about it, I’m the same way.'

If you asked whether I had outstanding talent as a chef.......

No matter how I thought about it, I did not think it was to that degree.

Maybe.

'This profession called chef might have more complicated concepts tangled up in it than I thought.'

No.

Even so, the parts that made me wonder did not disappear.

'Does it need to be this rare?'

The number of chefs was far too low.

Low enough that I wondered if there was any need for it to be this rare.

It was true that, compared to other professions, it was powerful in terms of large-scale buffs.

But there were also dozens of professions like “commander” that produced a similar level of efficiency.

'......There’s another reason besides that.'

This system did not operate without any reason.

There was definitely some kind of reason here.

“......Senior.”

And.

While I was thinking that.

“At this rate, this is going to be a little difficult.”

“Yeah, it is.”

Howard shook his head and spoke to me.

This guy was a chef closer to the orthodox type than I was.

He called me senior because he had lost to me in a cooking match.

In truth, he was older than me, his career was far longer, and in terms of career and reputation in the industry, even comparing us would be rude.

He had said he had worked in a high position at a fairly famous restaurant.

So he must have had plenty of experience teaching other chefs too.

And according to a guy like that.

“It’ll take too long to bring this kid up to a usable level.”

Even to someone like him.

It seemed this talent was at quite a disastrous level.

'Even if I try to use my trait, this kid needs to gain [enlightenment] first.'

My trait, [Master], brought me one skill or trait from a disciple who had gained enlightenment from me.

Enlightenment was not something you obtained just because you got better at using a knife.

That thing called enlightenment could only come after reaching a certain level.

Since the recipe we were going to create was not ordinary, there was also a major need to raise the kid’s own ability.

“......I-I’m trying too.”

“No, well. It’s not your fault.”

In truth, having no talent was not a fault.

I could see that she was trying too.

If she was only given enough time, she would definitely get on track at some point.

The problem was.

'We can’t stay tied up in this for long.'

We had to leave this peninsula and advance onto the continent.

For now, I had accepted this matter.

But that was because we had confirmed that these were beings with the possibility of becoming allies of humanity.

And.

'It’s not like these guys are the only ones like that.'

There were many others in [New Species] besides this guy.

Somewhere in other regions, there were probably other species willing to cooperate with humanity, or surviving humans, still holding on.

Since we were in a situation where we had to join them as quickly as possible, we could not stay bound here for long.

......In that case.

I thought for a moment, then soon.

“For now, we’ll have to return to the Legion.”

I said that to the prince.

***

{Return?}

The prince, no longer hiding its body, spoke with a puzzled face.

{Why? Have I done something wrong?}

“No, I’m not trying to pretend the contract never happened at this point, so don’t worry.”

Tap.

I placed my hand on Doyun’s head and said,

“I don’t think this place is a good environment for teaching this kid.”

{......Hmm.}

It was a guy that had settled in the city in its own way, preparing for cooperation with humans.

Thanks to that, we had been able to wash this kid here and try cooking as well, but.

'At the current speed, it’s too slow.'

However.

It was not as if there was no way to increase that speed.

[Mobile Fortress Bimana]

[Facility List]

[Dining Hall lv.12]

The base of our Legion.

[Bimana] had facility functions.

In the dining hall, both the efficiency of cooking and its effects increased.

Unless I was out and about, I too spent most of my time cooking in Bimana’s dining hall.

Most of the food I had stashed away in my shadow had been made that way.

And also.

[Growth Speed Greatly Increased]

It was not only the effects of completed dishes.

There was also this effect.

'According to what I’ve experienced...... that isn’t just an increase in the rate of experience gained.'

When actually taking in new knowledge or things like that.

Understanding also became faster if one borrowed the power of the dining hall.

Since I was the guild leader as well, the dining hall’s level was high even compared to Bimana’s other facilities.

'And if I use my cooking to raise her learning ability on top of that.'

Even if she was the sort who could be called dull.

If I forcibly stuffed talent into her with other effects to match that effort.

I was confident I could somehow give that kid “enlightenment” within a short time.

{I see. If it is rather a reason to focus more on this work, then I am relieved.}

“Ah, about that.”

{Hmm?}

I spoke to the relieved prince.

“Do you have any intention of coming with us to the Legion?”

{......By Legion, you mean beyond the southern border?}

“That’s right.”

The number of zombies was enormous, but.

The number of those who followed this guy was not large.

'At this level, we can bring them to the Legion.'

Since we had decided to cooperate anyway.

I thought it would be better to return to the Legion rather than stay in this city for no reason, but.

{......I appreciate the offer, but I will refuse for now.}

“Why? We don’t intend to treat you badly.”

{If I considered only myself, accepting that offer would be good.}

The guy looked over the city and said,

{But those who follow me only follow me. They do not perfectly understand my will.}

“......Ah.”

Now that I thought about it, that was true.

That goblin guy had only said it followed because it was the prince’s command.

It had not been able to properly explain the reason behind the prince’s command.

{If we try to be with humans immediately, there is a high possibility that problems will occur. Moreover...... I still have many things left to do in this land.}

“Things left to do.”

Now that I thought about it.

This guy had been moving around quite busily, separately from the matter it had asked me and the other chefs to do.

{My kin are still hunting other lives somewhere even now. Among those dying at the hands of my kin, there must be species who hold thoughts similar to mine. That is why, to prevent such beings from decreasing, I am going to my kin and attempting to persuade them.}

“Persuasion won’t be easy.”

{That is true. But did you not see it as well? The number of kin who followed me is not nonexistent.}

Well.

There were quite a few zombies in this city besides that goblin.

Monsters, every single one of which possessed considerable power.

They must have been those who had been won over by this guy’s persuasion and resolved to join it.

{And...... if they are kin who do not yield to persuasion, then I must deal with them in another way.}

“Deal with them?”

{You should have already seen it.}

Only after a moment could I understand what those words meant.

The parasites handed over to me and Howard as research materials.

Those guys were individuals that had gone through considerable evolution even by the standards of those insects.

'......I thought they were this guy’s subordinates or parasites that had died naturally.'

Now that I thought about it, when parasites neared the time of natural death, they were said to be eaten by other, stronger individuals.

There was no way the corpse of an individual that had died naturally like that would remain.

'It wants to save its kin...... but I guess it isn’t a complete pacifist.'

Those who seemed unlikely to follow its will.

They were beings who would continue harming the lives of this land.

So the guy who had decided to live together with the lives of this land was reducing their number.

'Now I understand why those zombies invaded.'

The giants that had invaded the city.

They had said something to the prince about how their side had weakened because of its choice.

At the time, I had wondered what they meant, but.

'This guy is reducing the overall power of the zombies.'

Originally, the giants had been unable to do anything because they were suppressed by the zombies’ numbers and power.

But this prince and the zombies that followed it.

And the other zombies who opposed the prince’s will.

Because of the civil war between them, the overall power of the zombies was decreasing.

So those giants had struck at the prince’s side, which they thought was weaker among the weakened forces.

The result was, well, not good, but.

The zombies opposing the prince could not continue being hunted like this.

So they must have gathered like that to eliminate the prince, who was reducing their numbers.

No, perhaps that was not all.

“The ones you hunted and gave us as samples. They seemed pretty strong and numerous.”

{That is true. To my kin, they must have been something that needed to be recovered no matter what.}

They ate kin whose lifespans had ended and became stronger through that evolutionary information and energy.

But the corpses of the powerful kin they should have eaten were piling up in this guy’s camp.

They must have tried to recover them somehow.

{And lastly...... there are also beings I must save.}

The guy tapped its own head as it spoke.

{Humans have survival instincts, and they also possess knowledge of this land. Because of that, there are still a considerable number of them hiding and surviving. Even after you came to this city, there were humans you saved right away.}

“Ah.......”

{My kin will be searching for them to use as hosts. Fortunately, I possess human memories and knowledge. In terms of finding places where humans might be hiding, I have a great advantage over my other kin. Before they are discovered by my other kin and their numbers decrease, I am trying to save as many as possible.}

In fact.

Thanks to that, the number of humans who had survived exceeded a thousand.

Even before joining us, this guy had already been a tremendous help to the humans of this land.

“......If that’s the reason, then it can’t be helped.”

I did not know about other reasons, but.

I could not forcibly drag away someone who wanted to stay for a reason like that.

“It’s a shame, but well...... let’s look for the next opportunity.”

{Mm...... When you return, you will need to break through that group of kin. Chancellor.}

At those words.

The goblin behind the prince lowered its head humbly and stepped forward.

{Go with them.}

{As the prince. Commands......}

{The chancellor is one of the few compatriots besides me capable of human speech. Its ability and knowledge are also excellent...... so it should be helpful in creating the recipe as well.}

The zombies that had not yet regained reason were said to follow the commands of higher individuals.

If this guy was with us, returning to the Legion would be easier.

Just from the fact that it attached a fairly capable person to us, I could tell how sincere that guy was being toward us.

“Then...... let’s meet again soon.”

{Mm. Until then, I will increase the number of compatriots who share my will.}

“When we come back, the recipe will be complete, so look forward to it.”

{That is truly something to look forward to.}

And so.

My unit members and I.

Along with one zombie, left the city and returned to the Legion.

'We decided to leave Sergeant Lee Minjae’s communicator behind, so if something happens, it’ll contact us.'

No.

To begin with, it was a monster with that level of power.

I had also passed along some of the health food dishes I had.

Most ordinary problems could probably all be solved with that guy’s strength.

......Yes.

As long as they were ordinary problems.

***

When the Legion soldiers left the city.

Only the prince and the compatriots who followed it remained in the city again.

'Now that the vitality is gone...... feelings of loneliness are rising.'

Its memories as a human surfaced, and it felt a little loneliness.

At the same time.

There was hope for what was to come.

'I had many fears...... but they were all needless worries.'

When it thought about cooperating with humans, it had been greatly afraid it might be rejected.

That was why it had hidden its body completely and hidden its past as well, wanting to avoid causing even the slightest sense of disgust.

But in reality, it had been the complete opposite.

Rather, when it revealed its past and showed its appearance.

They had decided to help it without hesitation.

A road it could never have walked alone.

But the abilities of the humans who had decided to walk with it seemed considerable.

Of course, that chef.

But also the other soldiers.

They were all skilled enough that they would not fall greatly behind even compared to its compatriots.

'It may be possible.'

The creator who had made them.

The unimaginably cruel destiny he had designed.

Perhaps it might be possible to escape from that.

'If I had opened my heart a little faster, things might have gone better. My wariness almost ruined matters instead.'

If they came to visit next time.

It would not be bad to use human knowledge and create a more welcoming atmosphere for them.

As it was thinking that.......

'Hmm?'

It sensed a presence from far away.

And.

'This presence is.'

After sensing the form of that presence, the prince tilted its head and thought.

'Human?'

Only a few days had passed since the humans who had stayed in the city left.

In that situation.

A group of humans was approaching this city.