After the commotion at Glebevel, Artoria and her party devoted themselves to restoring order to the city.
Under the king's banner, the bandits scattered, and the monsters that had threatened the walls knelt before their might.
On the surface, the city seemed to have regained peace.
But deep in the alleys where the light didn't reach, a more insidious enemy lurked—one that no sword could cut down.
Poverty and famine.
"…This is dire."
Kay walked through the slums with Gareth strapped to his back.
It was a far cry from the lavish squares. The streets reeked of filth, emaciated children sat listless, ribs visible beneath their skin, and the adults' eyes were dull and vacant.
Britain's barren soil and incessant wars had long since emptied the people's granaries.
'Catching monsters doesn't fill stomachs.'
Kay pulled out a strip of dried meat from his tunic and handed it to a child staring up at him.
The child snatched it and shoved it in without a second thought. He devoured it as if thirsting air, not even bothering to chew—an image of desperation.
Kay frowned.
Hunger wasn't a distant concept to him; he'd been feeding eight voracious eaters since he was five.
"Oi, Mage."
Kay approached Merlin, who was resting in the shade of a tree.
"Well, if it isn't the royal nanny-knight. What's up?"
Merlin feigned ignorance with a sly grin.
"Fetch me a cauldron."
"A cauldron?"
"Yes. A massive iron one. Big enough to hold a hundred people, no—five hundred."
Merlin's eyes went wide.
"Five hundred? What are you planning—feeding every wretch in the slums?"
"Can't you see? Look at those kids. They'll starve to death if we do nothing."
Merlin scoffed inwardly.
'He might be good at cooking, but he actually thinks whipping up hundreds of servings is easy? He's got no experience. The cooks at Londinium under Uther numbered dozens.'
Still, he agreed readily. It would be entertaining to watch Kay fail and grow frustrated.
"All right, all right. When the king's brother asks, who am I to refuse?"
Merlin waved his staff, and a pitch-black iron cauldron the size of a house appeared in the clearing.
"What about ingredients? Do you have meat?"
"Plenty. Everything we caught on the way is in the cart."
Kay opened the carriage's storage compartment. Inside, preserved by Magecraft, lay piles of wyvern and boar meat.
Mountains of provisions.
"Shall we begin?"
Kay tied his apron tight.
His gaze sharpened. More focused than in any battle against monsters—it was the determined look of a master chef.
The wood fire roared, and water in the giant cauldron began to boil.
Kay climbed onto the cauldron and gripped a huge ladle as tall as himself—a custom piece carved from an oar.
"Haah!"
Clack! Clatter!
His knife danced across the chopping board.
Fifteen years of preparing over eighty servings daily had honed his skill.
The wyvern meat sliced into bite-sized pieces in an instant, and the boar bones separated cleanly.
Even the Artoria sisters watching beside him were left speechless at the speed.
"As expected… your knife work is art, brother."
"When it comes to a kitchen knife, you're faster than any blade of mine."
Lancer and Alter watched in admiration.
Splash!
The trimmed meat and bones plunged into the cauldron.
Kay added pre-measured spices and, his secret weapon, poured an entire jar of soy sauce in one go.
Soon, an unbelievable aroma began to spread throughout the slums.
The rich, savory scent of meat broth stung the noses of those in despair and roused their dying stomachs.
"What… is that smell?"
"Meat? It smells like meat!"
One by one, people gathered in the clearing.
Before them stood the steaming cauldron and Kay, sweat-soaked, stirring the spoon.
"All right, line up! No cutting in or you get no soup!"
At Kay's command, the crowd obediently formed a line.
He ladled steaming broth into bowls brought by the people, cracked pitchers, even helmets.
"Careful, it's hot. Feed the children first."
The servings were generous—half broth, half meat.
The people's eyes widened as they tasted the first spoonful.
This was no simple gruel. It was a soul-stirring blend of deeply simmered bone broth and the umami of soy sauce.
"S-so good…"
"My god, the meat is falling apart…"
Sobs echoed here and there.
As the most primal pain—hunger—was relieved, their hardened hearts began to melt.
Then X, helping with the distribution, whispered to Kay.
"Brother."
"What? Need another ladle?"
"No. Look… at those people."
Where X pointed stood the young men who had insulted Kay in the square yesterday, now awkwardly waiting in line.
They had come out of hunger, but when their eyes met Kay's, they hung their heads low.
"They're the ones who mocked you as a useless man, saying you just eat up the food. Why are you giving them soup?"
X's voice was full of resentment.
Lancer Alter, standing nearby, chimed in.
"Right. If it were me, I'd have tossed sand into their bowls. How dare they show their faces here?"
But Kay stirred the broth indifferently.
"Doesn't matter."
"Huh?"
"They'll see us today and never again. Why waste energy on petty grudges? If I refused to feed them just because they insulted me, I'd look even more pathetic."
Kay wiped his sweat and spoke calmly.
"And the people in front of me aren't those who cursed me—they're just hungry."
When the young men reached the front, he served them without a hint of hesitation, even adding extra meat.
"Eat up. You young folk shouldn't waste away like this."
"…!"
The young men trembled as they received their bowls.
There was no shame or scorn—only unadorned kindness.
The man they had ridiculed turned out to be the one saving their lives.
Overwhelmed by the generosity of the servings, their faces burned red as if about to explode.
"I-I'm sorry… so, so sorry…"
"We'll enjoy the meal. Thank you…"
They drank the broth, tears streaming down their faces.
Others in the village murmured among themselves.
"We were wrong. He's not just a servant."
"To make that much all alone… he's not an ordinary man."
"Look at his kindness. Maybe he's the real knight?"
The cold stares in the square shifted to looks of respect and gratitude.
He wore no shining armor, but Kay, sweat-stained and smelling of meat, shone brighter than any hero.
The sisters watching his display felt their hearts swell.
"Truly… brother, you're amazing."
"When we defend people with swords, you save them with food."
Lily and Artoria looked at Kay as if falling for him all over again.
They realized something.
While they showed the king's strength with swords, Kay was showing the king's mercy.
Even if Kay himself had acted simply because he hated hunger, he had, in effect, won hearts from the very depths.
But Merlin, resting under a tree, wore a sullen expression.
'…I didn't see this coming.'
Kay had turned the situation around with his specialty—cooking and care.
The ill will vanished, replaced by a reputation akin to a saint's.
'How can he move people's hearts like that?'
Merlin's plan was cracking wide open.
Kay was not merely the Artoria sisters' pampered pet.
He was the only one who could fill the most desperate need—warmth—in this cold land of Britain.
"Well, humans are the kind of creatures who, once kindness continues, take it for granted. Even in Uther's time, there were plenty like that, and eventually… your sincerity will become an entitlement, something people assume and then forget."
He knew human nature too well; he believed it was only a matter of time before Kay fell as predicted. The malice of Britain's people wouldn't vanish so easily.
At the same time, this day marked the beginning.
The tale of the cook-knight began to spread through Britain by way of minstrels.