Otaku Witch

Although any ingredient that can appear in this Imperial Kitchen is by no means low level to begin with.

"Galahad, are you planning to make barbecue? Then I’ll do barbecue too."

The homebody witch has a bit of choice paralysis; she’d been agonizing over what dish to make, but seeing the halfling witch’s movements, she decided to follow along.

Yeah, doing the same dish makes it easier to compare and chat.

So she also picked a Sea Dragon Beast tail from the ingredients storehouse to the side.

Judging from the Magic Power still lingering on this tail, this Sea Dragon Beast probably had around 600,000 Mana when it was alive, definitely a very powerful Great Demon Beast, and this power range is also the current upper limit that Dorothy can fully handle.

She has to thank the Dragon King for granting her the Dragonflame; if it were before, without borrowing Strength from her senior, she could only handle ingredients with about 300,000 to 400,000 Mana.

After choosing the ingredient, she didn’t directly take the standard kitchen knife on the stove.

Well, she doesn’t have Galahad’s kind of Strength, able to boost any knife to dragon slaying level, so a scrub like her shouldn’t try to act tough.

Right then, she stomped her foot, and a blood-colored long blade rose up from her shadow.

This was the Demon Blade Red Shadow.

"Long time no see, Red Shadow, you’ve grown a bit stronger again."

Dorothy looked at her own Demon Sword Princess who she hadn’t seen for a while and sighed like this.

During this period, Red Shadow had been on Monster Mountain receiving compulsory literacy education for the new-era witches together with the Hyakki Witch, since Japan had been cut off from the outside world for too long.

Seeing her again now, just from that sharp aura you could feel even before she left the sheath, it was clear she’d been studying really hard.

"I am a sword; a sword cannot drag down its Sword Master’s edge."

In response to the homebody witch’s praise, Red Shadow merely said this; the kid was still as cool and aloof as ever.

"Then, Sword Master, where is the enemy..."

The cold Demon Sword Princess, summoned again after so long, was ready to properly show off the edge she’d honed over this time, but looking at the surroundings, a question mark popped up on her hilt.

Um, if she wasn’t mistaken, this was a kitchen, right?

Dorothy: "...."

The homebody witch scratched her head a bit guiltily; for a moment she didn’t know how to explain to Red Shadow that she hadn’t summoned her to fight, but to chop ingredients.

But it couldn’t be helped; she didn’t have any other suitable knives on hand. If she didn’t Summon Red Shadow, she’d have to Summon Ibuki Yuuki’s Tiancong Cloud.

However, although Red Shadow’s temperament was on the colder side, she wasn’t stupid. After glancing at the section of dragon tail in front of her Sword Master, she realized what her duty was.

"...."

After a brief silence, she still urged softly.

"Sword Master, draw the blade. I can do it."

She said it very earnestly.

"Uh....."

Dorothy was still wondering if she should try explaining again.

But the hilt of this two-meter-tall Gundam-sized giant Tachi had already fallen into her hand on its own.

"You are the Sword Master; your will is the meaning of my existence. Whatever you wish to cut, no matter what it is, I will sever it."

As the hilt landed in her hand, Red Shadow’s voice echoed in her heart.

In this man-and-blade-as-one state, Dorothy could sense that her Demon Sword Princess really wasn’t angry, and only then did she breathe a sigh of relief; her gaze also turned serious and focused.

Dragon’s Breath, activate.

A crimson flash of blade light flickered and vanished in an instant, and a red Red Spider Lily bloomed on the Sea Dragon Beast’s tail on the chopping board.

The instant the flower bloomed, it withered; falling together with it were the pieces of tail meat.

Ingredient processing complete.

"Thanks, Red Shadow, but don’t rush back yet; take some food with you later before you go."

Dorothy sheathed the blade, and seeing Miss Demon Blade trying to shrink back into the shadow, she hurriedly stopped her.

Red Shadow thought for a moment, then obediently turned into human form. Instead of just standing aside to watch, she very sensibly stepped up to help the homebody witch as an assistant.

Yep, passing ingredients for her one moment, helping wipe her sweat the next.

And the homebody witch had already fully entered cooking mode.

She took out the Ruyi Golden Pot that Astoros had only recently returned to her, then with a thought, this Golden Pot turned into a golden barbecue rack.

Dorothy extended her right hand toward the stove and opened her palm; the Dragon King Mark on her arm lit up, and pitch-black Dragonflame gushed out from her hand.

Mm, everything’s maxed out, my gear is really maxed out.

Dorothy glanced at Galahad beside her, who was grilling meat with gear as plain and humble as a mortal’s, then looked at her own full set of Divine Gear, and couldn’t help feeling like she’d just become the side character in a novel who’s about to get slapped in the face.

"What are you daydreaming about? Start grilling, start grilling."

Dorothy patted her own cheeks, then focused and started hand-cranking the spit to turn the meat.

Just like that, both sides began quietly grilling their meat.

Only, the commotion on their side gradually drew the attention of the others in the Imperial Kitchen.

Well, honestly people had noticed their situation a long time ago, but out of awe for Head Chef Galahad’s authority, everyone only snuck glances from time to time, not daring to pay too much attention.

But now, they couldn’t ignore it even if they wanted to. As the grilling continued, that aroma of roasted meat that made your mouth water and your appetite explode was spreading everywhere.

Everyone in this Imperial Kitchen was a seasoned Imperial Chef who’d seen the world and eaten every kind of delicacy; they should’ve had super high resistance to delicious food. Yet at this moment, they were like kids just home from school who suddenly smelled meat cooking at home, already finding it hard to control themselves, practically itching to reach straight into the pot and fish out a piece for a taste.

Yeah, whether it was Head Chef or this unknown lady beside him, the meat they were grilling was a once-in-a-lifetime ultimate delicacy. It was just way too tempting.

Fortunately, people without enough self-control can’t last long in the Imperial Kitchen anyway. Even though everyone’s drool was practically forming waterfalls, in the end no one actually dared step up and disturb these two while they cooked.

Finally, a little over an hour later, Dorothy lifted the spit in her hands and looked across.

"I’m done."

"Mm, I just finished as well."

Opposite her, Galahad also raised the spit in her hands.

The two of them held up their spits toward each other, looking for all the world like two Swordsmen lifting their blades to cross.

Except the "swords" were covered with golden, glistening, beautifully oiled roasted meat that was way, way too enticing.

"Hahaha..."

The two of them were amused by each other’s pose and looked at each other, laughing.

"Alright, then let’s swap and taste each other’s."

Dorothy tossed the spit in her hands toward the other side as she laughed.

"Mm, I’ve been dying to dig in."

Galahad likewise tossed the spit she was holding to the homebody witch, agreeing as she spoke.

However, after the exchange, neither of them went straight in to gnaw on the meat.

After all, a Great Dragon’s tail meat was enormous. Both Dorothy’s and Galahad’s spits were gigantic slabs seven or eight meters long and three or four meters wide.

This really wasn’t convenient to just take a bite out of; it’d be better to cut it up a bit. Besides, something this massive was obviously meant to be shared.

That’s what Dorothy was thinking. She pulled out a knife and fork and a plate, planning to just cut a piece off this giant tail to taste, then serve the rest as the main course on Dragon King’s table later.

Only, Galahad across from her stopped her.

"Just bite straight in. This whole roast is only for you. My dish is a bit special, and this ingredient is even more special. It only works if you eat it all. If you share it with others, just use your own cooking."

The halfling Lady said this very seriously.

Well, it was a dish she’d specially made for her little sister, and the ingredient was Nidhogg’s tail meat. That’s not something just anyone is qualified to eat; an ordinary witch would literally explode on the spot from a single bite.

No joke. Literally explode.

"Uh..."

Dorothy was a bit puzzled, but she still followed Galahad’s instructions.

Even though hogging all the food by herself made her feel a little uncomfortable, since this was the way the chef specifically told her to eat it, she could only obey.

Thinking that, she took a bite.

And then...

A terrifying sense of hunger crashed over her. The homebody witch was completely overrun by this monstrous appetite and started tearing huge mouthfuls out of the roast in her hands.

By the time she came back to her senses, fully conscious again, she was staring at her own round, bulging belly, lost in thought.

Ah, seriously, I actually finished the whole thing by myself.

But...

"It was so damn good."

She rubbed her overstuffed stomach, thinking that.

...Dorothy is savoring the aftertaste...