"No matter what, this is just..."

"We can't eat monsters..."

"Oh, just be quiet for a moment."

First, I'll try boiling it. It's not meat, so my skill doesn't work properly on it.

I lit a fire in my hand and started to heat the crab shells. The sheer amount of internal organs is overwhelming.

Should I at least add some water?

If I had known it would come to this, I would have studied a cookbook properly. I shoved ice into the heating crab shell. As the ice melted, it started to turn into water...

A fishy smell began to fill the ice cave.

"Ugh."

"Brother, this seems a bit..."

"It's just an experiment. We have to eat, don't we?"

The concoction had started to sizzle and boil, but I hesitated to taste it.

What the heck.

Why does it smell so fishy?

"Getting rid of the fishy smell..."

If I can just get rid of the fishy smell, it might be edible somehow.

Spice... maybe?

I glanced over at the Snake Cult. Although there is an unspoken line, it's almost the first time we've communicated outside of battle.

But so what?

I've even spoken with Isabella!

I stood up decisively and walked towards the Snake Cult. The Inquisitors blocked my path.

"Brother! Where are you going?"

"Those are the evil heretics!"

"We can only trust them in battle!"

"Making this edible is impossible for me to do alone! Please step back for a moment. You're all too scared."

Ratatok smoothly pulled the Inquisitors back. The look in his eyes as he gazed at me was filled with immense trust.

"Leave the brother alone."

"But... it's dangerous..."

"He must have a plan."

The trust level feels like it's skyrocketing, even breaking through the ceiling.

To have the trust of someone as influential as Radatok.

My whole body tingles with excitement.

"Excuse me."

The Snake Cult members, who were sprawled out, flinched and immediately grabbed their weapons.

"Who?!"

As they saw me, they slowly put their weapons back down.

"Ahem. What brings you here?"

I've also built a considerable amount of trust on this side. Unlike the hesitant other Inquisitors, I had even openly helped them before.

"Is Priest Isabella here?"

"Why is the Leader…"

"I'm trying to see if we can eat this."

I casually held out a Crab Shell. The Snake Cult member wrinkled their nose and covered their face.

"Is that... food waste?"

"It's not that bad, okay? Anyway, is Priest Isabella here?"

"What does that have to do with the Leader?"

"It's related. You guys have some spices among your food supplies, right?"

"..."

"Oh, come on, don't play hard to get. Seriously. We're comrades who fight together, aren't we? I know you've got more spices than actual food."

"How do you know that?"

"Priest Isabella always brought some snacks along."

"...What?"

"Anyway, let's try to cook this so we can all eat and survive."

"It's a monster..."

"Whether it's a monster or not, it all looks the same once it's in your stomach."

"..."

Isabella joined the cooking committee.

"You really..."

"Why, Noona?"

"Can't you address me properly?"

Isabella cleared her throat, lowering her tone in front of Radatok.

"I'll lend you the spices. But there's a condition. We take half of the monster carcass."

"Agreed. But..."

Radatok frowned.

"Can we even call this cooking?"

A strong fishy smell wafted up.

I took out some spices, the ones that would counteract the strong fishy smell.

The first thing I pulled out was a whole pepper.

"Isn't it a bit big to just throw in?"

"I think we should grind it..."

"I'll do it."

Isabella tossed the whole pepper into the air. Her sword moved swiftly and sharply.

The powdered pepper was scattered over the Crab Shell. As the pepper's aroma subdued the fishy smell, breathing became noticeably easier.

"Phew."

Alright then, let's give it a try...

"Who wants to taste it?"

"..."

"..."

Everyone caught in my gaze quickly avoided eye contact. I casually pointed at one of the Snake Cult members.

"Go ahead and try it."

"Wh-Why me!"

"The one who studies cooking needs to survive until the end so everyone here can eat to their fill!"

I scooped some broth into the chopped crab shell and offered it.

"Please savor the taste before you die."

"Before I die?! Did he just say before I die?!"

"Oh, come on. Just eat it."

"Surely, you won't actually die."

"You bastards! You think it's none of your business! No, no, nooo..."

I poured the broth into the man's mouth. The eyes of the Snake Cult member widened.

"De...de..."

"Delicious?"

"Deliriously disgustiiiiiing!!!"

The man's eyes rolled back, and he rolled on the ground, drooling. He fainted right there.

Is it still lacking?

It seemed like the issue wasn't just the fishy smell. It looks like the taste was a problem too.

The Inquisitors quickly treated him, and fortunately, it appeared that his life was not in danger.

"What kind of taste could make someone faint?"

"It's definitely something we shouldn't eat."

"Could it be poisoned?"

The three of us whispered as we threw in different spices this time.

"If we keep adding stuff, it'll work out somehow."

People started dropping dead.

And in large numbers.

Hunger drives people insane. It was a widely accepted truth.

We were slowly going mad. The crab shells now just looked like chunks of food.

"Kill them!"

"We need to kill more to conduct research!"

“Damn it! I'd rather die than eat that crap!"

"Lobsters! Hunt the lobsters too!"

"Those bastards might taste better!"

"Don't let them take the bodies after we take them down!"

The Inquisitors and the Snake Cult's Paladins were increasingly working well together. They naturally covered each other's backs now, almost like a single team.

I intensified my efforts in cooking research. Fortunately, we still had a decent supply of spices.

Though it seemed like we used a lot, when we counted, it was only a small portion.

"Specimen 164..."

I scooped up some crab shell and fed it to the Snake Cult follower next to me.

The man rolled his eyes back and fainted.

"Recipe failed."

It had been nearly 20 days. Yet, damn stage 3 had not appeared.

What on earth could have happened? Had someone pre-fed that damned giant octopus?

There was no time to dwell on these questions.

We were surviving on these disgustingly tasteless crab shells.

The first goal was to make this at least edible for humans.

Isabella muttered hopelessly. Her eyes, having survived on the tasteless crab shells, were unfocused.

"I'd rather die..."

Radatok stared blankly at the wall. Each day, he spent more time on meaningless actions.

"Inquisitor... you mustn't do this..."

The mysterious flavor of the crab shell that could break down even the toughest willpower.

[The Sun God’s Prayer activates.]

[Prevents mental contamination.]

The only reason I hadn't collapsed was because of this skill. My tongue was growing numb, but I was still alive.

"Specimen... number 227..."

I altered the recipe once again. And finally, I discovered it.

"Specimen number 328."

Standing before the dazzlingly radiant crab shell, I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

"Su...ccess..."

[You have obtained the Seafood Recipe (F).]

[The rank of the Seafood Recipe (F) is increasing.]

[Seafood Recipe (B).]

[How could you make such notoriously disgusting things taste like this?]

Slowly, I fed the astonished Sun God Ra the food.

The right spices and the precise intensity of the fire that only I could manage.

The taste of the crab shell broth, crafted under the mysterious control of divine power, spread all over my mouth.

"This is... this is!"

My whole body trembled as if it would explode.

"It's... delicious!"

I immediately began distribution. I first approached the crawling Isabella.

"Noona, try this."

"Please... stop the torture..."

"Just try it first."

As soon as I slid it into her mouth, Isabella's eyes changed.

She suddenly jumped up and began devouring the crab shell.

"This is insane!! It's so freaking delicious!!!"

Radatok was no different. He clung to the crab shell, tears streaming down his face.

"Brother."

"Yes?"

"I will protect you no matter what happens."

With just one dish, I had secured a vow of loyalty. As expected, I'm amazing.

Watching the people I've saved fills me with pride. But I can't stop here.

Smiling benevolently like a saint, I personally grilled more crab shells for them. The members of the Snake Cult, who were ravenously eating, began to call me Priest.

Recognition Up!

"Priest... ahh..."

"May the light shine... on the Priest..."

Ra clicked her tongue at the strange atmosphere.

[If Naga saw this, she would be shocked.]

‘Isn't she watching right now?’

[...Probably. It might be that she can't make contact because of me.]

Ra whispered.

[She probably wants to thank you. That Naga, as tough as she seems, has a surprisingly warm heart. She must have felt sorry seeing Isabella dying.]

‘...And then?’

[I'll step aside for a moment. Take care of Isabella. Though the sects dislike each other, it doesn't really matter to us. She likely harbors no animosity towards you. On the contrary…]

‘She wants to give me something, right?’

[Exactly.]

Ra smiled darkly.

[We should take what we can get.]

To save my world, don't I need to make use of other gods as well?

‘Hehehe. As expected of my god.

Demand all of the causality she possesses. If we're lucky, we might be able to extract a holy relic.’

[Naturally.]

Seeing the increasingly cunning Sun God filled me with a sense of pride.

Yes!

That's the backup I need!

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