Chapter 22: A Necromancer’s Knowledge of Spices
Leona didn’t recognize the wide-mouthed catfish beside Abyss, but Flora was very familiar with it.
This was one of Abyss’s few companions not created from a corpse, a Magic Catfish. Abyss had crafted it from mana, combining typical spatial magic with his practical understanding of the Shadow Realm.
Most mages had familiars molded from mana, but the vast majority of them, created by mediocre mages, were nothing more than pets that didn’t need to eat, drink, sleep, or excrete waste. Only a few mages with unique understandings of magic could create familiars with special abilities.
Some familiars could participate in combat, some could assist with spellcasting, some could give their masters full-body massages, and some, belonging to mages with peculiar hobbies, could even perform certain “special services.”
Abyss, of course, had no such bold ideas for a catfish. His Magic Catfish had a much more awesome function.
Where did Flora’s inconvenient and flashy burial gown go? Where did the pile of money they earned disappear to? The answer was simple: inside the catfish’s belly.
The Magic Catfish had a stomach with infinite capacity. Anything placed inside would be preserved indefinitely. Out of curiosity, Abyss had even put an undead inside. The undead, after staying inside for an hour, emerged claiming that it had been pulled out immediately after entering, unable to see anything inside—meaning time didn’t flow within the catfish’s stomach.
As long as Abyss remembered the general appearance of the stored items, he could avoid rummaging and retrieve precisely what he needed.
Thus, Flora watched with amusement as Leona stared in astonishment at Abyss pulling out various bottles and jars from the catfish’s mouth.
“What’s that fish for? What kind of treasure is that?”
“It’s my familiar. If you have anything you don’t need, you can put it in its mouth. It’ll be preserved forever,” Abyss said leisurely, arranging the bottles and jars in a row. “By the way, you need to change your clothes. I’m going to buy you new ones. The Imperial family wouldn’t like it if someone took their dead princess running around.”
“Whatever, I don’t like this dress anyway. I hate formal wear the most,” Leona said nonchalantly, her eyes fixed on the row of small jars beside Abyss. “What are those?”
“These? These are top-grade spices and wine,” Abyss said, rattling off the names. “Palm wine from the Eastern Empire, frankincense from the Kingdom of Ossi, cumin from the elves, basil from the Western Empire, and cinnamon from the Kingdom of Tammy…”
“Why does a necromancer carry so many spices?”
“These are spices I learned about from various local customs, used for treating corpses,” Abyss smiled. “Smell yourself. Your skin definitely has a hint of cinnamon.”
Leona was struck dumb. She hurriedly rolled up her sleeve and sniffed her arm, her expression shifting from surprise to despair.
“I’m not eating! I refuse to eat spices used for embalming corpses!”
“It’s not scraped off corpses. I bought them directly from farmers in the producing regions. They’re of excellent quality.”
“I don’t care! I’d rather starve to death than eat a single bite of your food!”
…
“It smells so good!”
Leona exclaimed, genuinely impressed by the aroma of Abyss’s cooking.
The captured boar had been expertly butchered by Abyss. A skinned leg of pork was now skewered on a branch over the fire, rotating slowly under his control. The fresh meat, marinated with various spices and honey, had a beautiful rosy hue, sizzling on the flames, releasing its fat and an enticing fragrance.
“Do you want to eat now?” Abyss sprinkled some sea salt on the leg of pork.
“I’ve changed my mind. Refusing to eat because these spices are used for treating corpses clearly violates the knightly virtue of courage!” Leona declared, pointing a finger at the sky. “As a glorious knight, I’ve decided to accept this challenge. I might as well try your food!”
Flora raised a hand timidly. “Abyss… I want to eat too…”
The poor Saint, whose diet had been controlled by the Church, had never experienced such freedom, nor had she ever smelled such delicious roasted meat.
“Don’t worry, there’s enough for everyone,” Abyss said, slowly rotating the leg of pork.
High-ranking undead didn’t need to eat to survive. The energy they needed for their activities was partially absorbed from external magic and Dou Qi, and partially supplied by Abyss’s necromancy. If an ordinary necromancer resurrected a Dou Warrior of Leona’s level, they would have no energy left for anything else. Maintaining her activity alone would require all their effort, and they would eventually be drained dry by Leona. However, Abyss wasn’t concerned. With his mana reserves, this expenditure was just a drop in the bucket.
Not needing food for sustenance didn’t mean high-ranking undead couldn’t eat. Food they consumed would be digested like in normal creatures, with no adverse effects. Moreover, due to their enhanced senses, high-ranking undead were even more sensitive to delicious flavors.
The leg of pork was finally cooked. Abyss sniffed it, confirming the taste was perfect, then carried the still-hot meat over to Leona. “Your Highness, please behold, your leg of pork.”
Leona instinctively glanced at her own legs. Although short, they weren’t fat. After confirming that Abyss wasn’t insulting her, she accepted the leg of pork. “Very well, I accept your tribute.”
She sliced off a piece with her hand and handed it to Flora, then grabbed the exposed bone and started gnawing on the meat.
Compared to Flora, who was saying grace before eating, Leona’s eating manners were indeed comparable to a two-headed ogre. Abyss couldn’t help but make a mental note.
“You’re definitely thinking something rude. I can sense it!” Leona said, her mouth full of crispy, juicy meat, her words muffled. But she quickly abandoned her interrogation of Abyss and continued devouring the leg of pork. “Mmm! Delicious! Delicious! I never knew roasted meat could be so good! Compared to this, the royal roast pig in the palace is garbage!”
Abyss said calmly, “Each nation on the continent has its own unique methods for embalming corpses. I’ve taken the best aspects of each method and combined them into a perfect spice blend. The corpses I embalm not only…”
“Shut up!” Leona kicked Abyss. “Don’t talk about embalming corpses while I’m eating!”
Abyss obediently shut his mouth, watching as Flora ate her meat delicately, taking small bites, while Leona devoured her portion like a demon from hell. Finally, they both finished their vastly different portions.
“Excellent, very delicious! I’ve decided, I’m hiring you as my personal chef. You’ll cook for me for the rest of my life!” Leona said, sucking on her fingers. “I’m done. Five-tenths full, but a lady should eat less. Now what?”
“Finished?” Abyss asked, handing her a handkerchief. “Now throw it up.”
“Huh!?”
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