The Military Chef of a Ruined World - Chapter 440



Only Noblemtl

Episode 440 Lieutenant Kim (2)

Percussion!

“Please put this crater over there.”

“okay.”

I took out my tools and materials from the shadows.

I started preparing the food right away.

‘A dish I cooked with all my might after a long time.’

There was a lot to prepare.

“Please take these ingredients to the stream over there and wash them.”

“okay!”

With the help of Lieutenant Kim.

I prepared as quickly as possible.

Hwaruk.

Paaaaak!!!

Cooking begins on a lit fire pit.

Due to the effect of [Field Cooking].

My cooking speed on the battlefield becomes ridiculously fast.

[Assistant chefs] are also busy flying around the sky.

I guess I can finish this dish quickly too.

“… … Lieutenant Kim?”

“Uh. What should I do next?”

As I expected.

Perhaps the dish will be ready in time.

And then, if so.

“I don’t have anything else to say, but I have one question.”

“hmm?”

While I was cooking that dish.

There was one issue I wanted to touch on.

“As you said earlier, Lieutenant Kim’s mental power, which activated [Expectations], is at a level where he can overcome any mental interference.”

“That’s right.”

“You even said that it can overcome interference from the past.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

It’s a ridiculous scam skill though.

Seeing as I overcame the illusion of [the godmother] on my own, there is no doubt that this is true.

“Then, that’s what it is. That mental immunity.”

And when I first heard that story.

There was only one thought in my head.

Although [the godmother] has been mentally interfering with our unit members.

actually.

“Does the effect of my cooking… …also count?”

“… … .”

What had the greatest impact on the spirit of our unit members.

The fact that it was me, not [the godmother].

and.

“Isn’t the food I fed to Lieutenant Kim the same?”

Lieutenant Kim Hyeon-seok.

Among them, he was the one who suffered the most mental interference.

I just asked a question just in case.

“Well… … that’s right.”

That’s what I think.

It seems like it hit the mark.

* * *

“At the moment I used the skill, I felt like my head was clear.”

“… … .”

“My head was spinning, so it wasn’t hard to figure out why. There was something in my head that was clouding my mind. And.”

Lieutenant Kim Hyeon-seok.

He looked at me with an expression that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

“My mind was considerably influenced by your cooking.”

“… … .”

After the day of destruction.

There are many things I have done.

Of all the things that made me feel the most guilty, the one that had to do with Lieutenant Kim was this.

past.

There was a time when I thought that if we left Lieutenant Kim alone, our survival would be in great danger.

We wanted to oust Lieutenant Kim and install another commander.

As a means… … even murder was discussed.

but.

I voted against murder.

Instead, I suggested another way.

‘To bring Lieutenant Kim’s mind under my control through cooking.’

He was forcibly detained by me.

So that you have no choice but to follow my orders.

My body has been transformed into one that can only be satisfied with my cooking.

At that time, it was something that had to be done to survive.

There was also a time when I didn’t have a sufficient understanding of my own strength.

But, the result.

Lieutenant Kim, who clearly had dignity as a human being.

I ended up becoming an addict who couldn’t even live properly without my cooking.

‘I used Lieutenant Kim as I pleased through my cooking.’

An act that blatantly disregards the dignity of the subject.

Even.

‘Unlike other criminals.’

Unlike the criminals who openly opposed us.

Lieutenant Kim was a factor that could have been a problem for our unit in the long run.

It wasn’t even like I had committed any crime.

Literally.

Just because I didn’t have the ability.

Their dignity as human beings has been trampled, and they have been reduced to having to submit only to the orders of others.

“I guess you hated me.”

If this had happened to me.

And if only later did you realize that fact and were able to escape its domination.

“If it were me… … I would first take out a kitchen knife, grab it, and then immediately stab him in the stomach.”

“Haha.”

A terrible crime that leaves no room for revenge.

If Lieutenant Kim wants that kind of revenge.

First, I will eliminate Lieutenant Kim from this position.

I guess I’ll have to figure out another way to handle this situation though.

“I’m truly sorry to say this, Lieutenant.”

“okay.”

“Can I consider you as an ally right now… Lieutenant?”

Still.

There was one reason why I asked this question.

Through [taste bud enhancement].

I can taste more things than before.

And, judging by the taste.

“Well.”

From Lieutenant Kim.

Because I didn’t feel any spicy taste like anger.

“Do you hate me? If I said I never had those feelings, that would be a lie… … But if I were to say I was that angry, that’s not it.”

Lieutenant Kim said that.

He soon gave a sly laugh.

“If you were that angry in the first place, instead of talking like this, why didn’t you just stab me as soon as you used your skill?”

“ah.”

surely.

It was only after I heard that that I realized.

‘The repetitions so far… … .’

A repetition made by Jang Young-woong.

In that repetition, Lieutenant Kim used that skill quite a few times.

And now that I think about it.

Every time.

Lieutenant Kim is released from the mental control caused by my cooking.

This means that he realized that he was being dominated by cooking.

‘But I never brought it up even once.’

nevertheless.

He has always been cooperative with me.

Thanks to you.

I just thought he was still under the influence of my cooking.

“Why… …?”

“That’s why.”

For me.

Something I just don’t understand.

“Youngjun. The reason you did that to me was because you thought I wasn’t fit to be the leader of the unit.”

“… … I’m sorry, but yes.”

“Well, it’s quite a blow to my pride. But considering my original abilities, it’s not that far off.”

It was he who imprisoned and ruled Lieutenant Kim.

Because I thought he wasn’t fit to be our leader.

In the end, I staged a coup of sorts and took his place.

“If it wasn’t you, Youngjun, who did that… … I would have been really upset.”

“… … .”

“But you know.”

He looked down at his hands.

He said, clenching his fist.

“You were surprised earlier, too, right? This skill. [Living Up to Expectations] is an unbelievable power.”

“I think so.”

“Using this skill, I became an incredibly outstanding person, even in my own opinion. Of course, there is the downside of consuming too much magic power. And.”

He opened and closed his fist several times.

He muttered in a small voice.

“The effect of this skill wouldn’t have been this strong originally.”

“yes?”

“In the end, it’s just the power to raise your level to what others think you are capable of.”

As you said.

[Living up to expectations] is the power to improve your abilities to match the level evaluated by others.

In other words,

“It’s a skill that’s meaningful only when there’s a big difference between what others think your level is and your actual level.”

“That must be so.”

“Even that wouldn’t be the power to handle and use such magical power unless others think that you are much higher than your actual level. It would probably have been an absurdly trash skill if it had been the original.”

But still.

Now this skill was being used as an absurd fraudulent skill.

“The reason I was able to acquire this level of ability… …is probably because the standard by which others evaluate me is that I am the leader of an organization called [Steel Legion].”

“What does that mean?”

“The power I have now is the result of the achievements the Legion has shown so far, and as the leader of the Legion that has accomplished those achievements. And this means one thing.”

He clenched his fist.

I raised my head, which had been bowed.

“The power I am displaying now is nothing more than the power that a true [Steel Legion Commander] would be able to display.”

“So what is that?”

“And there is no real [Steel Legion Commander].”

He raised his head.

He said, pointing at me with his hand.

“You, sir.”

“… … .”

“The person who has achieved such absurd feats that people consider it a given to have such absurd abilities. The real [Steel Legion Commander] is you, Private Shin Young-jun.”

Only then.

I could understand what he was trying to say.

“All the abilities I can demonstrate now come from your accomplishments. Even my current abilities are just a shadow of what you have accomplished.”

“that.”

“Do you know what the first emotion I felt when I used this ability was?”

I never thought that far.

The legion is just a big group.

Lieutenant Kim is the external head of that group.

I thought that he would be expected to be a person of that level of ability… … That’s all I could think about.

“It gave me goosebumps.”

Lieutenant Kim’s thoughts.

It looked a little different.

“If this level of power is what others think is appropriate for a commander of a legion, then how great must the real commander be to be considered this great by others… … . The thought of it gave me goosebumps.”

Because the power that he can exert is so great.

that.

“It was so awe-inspiring.”

To the being that is the source of that power.

The point is that I couldn’t help but be amazed.

“I personally regret that I was touched by something that affected my mind. But thanks to that, the Legion was able to survive and grow.”

“… … .”

“If I had acted as a commander, this would not have been possible. The fact that I was able to survive like this is also thanks to the corps commander who achieved this level of achievement. So.”

Just like that.

Lieutenant Kim touches my shoulder.

“What I’m feeling right now isn’t hate or anger or anything like that, Youngjun.”

“Lieutenant Kim… … .”

“With awe and respect and.”

He said, patting my shoulder gently.

“Thank you.”

“… … .”

I looked at that face, speechless.

Lieutenant Kim said with a smirk.

“I’m pretty perceptive now. I can probably guess what you think of me when you see me.”

“that.”

“But. Let me be clear. You don’t have to feel guilty or regret anything about this.”

A commander who has acquired abilities greater than anyone else’s.

He opened his mouth with confidence.

“You made the right choice.”

“……still.”

“The person who was involved in this is saying this. No rebuttals will be accepted.”

In that regard.

I felt my insides getting complicated.

The countless regrets that [godmother] showed me.

Among them, there were many events that occurred before the destruction.

‘There were a lot more things that happened after the destruction.’

If only I had made this choice at that time.

Thoughts and regrets about not making that choice back then.

“Trust me, Youngjun. Up until now, you’ve done incredibly well.”

I never could shake off that regret.

That’s why.

Even that godmother’s attack could only be escaped through trickery.

“Even if I were to go back in time with this skill activated right now, it would be impossible for me to achieve this level of accomplishment.”

Those are the choices I’ve always regretted.

It wasn’t all that bad.

“You are the one qualified to lead us.”

“… … .”

The party who thought they were harmed by that choice.

That’s what I said.

‘ah.’

I have regrets that [Godmother] showed me.

As I recall those regrets, the lumps that had settled in my heart.

I felt it slowly coming loose.

“……Thank you.”

“I was just telling the truth.”

however.

“furthermore…….”

“furthermore?”

“You seem to be trying to control my mind with the food you made with your skills.”

Lieutenant Kim, who had said that, scratched his cheek as if embarrassed.

“Even without those skills, I always liked your cooking.”

“… … .”

In that regard.

I recalled my past military days.

Whenever a menu that doesn’t taste good comes out.

Lieutenant Kim always contacted me.

Instead of something like tasteless fried pollack, could you make me some pasta?

It’s really annoying.

It was something only a low-ranking official would do.

“Even if it weren’t for the power of that skill, eating your cooking… was quite enjoyable.”

“… … Haha.”

that.

I also did it because I truly thought my cooking was delicious.

“I probably won’t be able to handle your mind-bending cooking any more. But… …you know?”

“Yes, yes. I’ll cook for you often. But you know, Lieutenant Kim, right?”

“Yeah. If I want to be treated to your cooking… … .”

Lieutenant Kim said that.

He carried the finished dish and went somewhere.

“I should pay for my own meals too.”

Soldiers lying on the ground, trapped in the illusion of that great mother.

Was there.