“Hm? How did you know it was my blood?”  

“As if I wouldn’t recognize the blood I’ve tasted before.”  

As she said,  

That blood was all…  

‘My own blood.’  

Most monster meat is in a frozen state.  

I couldn’t extract fresh blood, and  

It didn’t feel right to get the soldiers to donate.  

But since a considerable amount of blood was used, I did receive some assistance from the medics.  

At some point, I even started making dishes good for treating anemia and ate them myself.  

“Your blood was quite good quality to begin with. And on top of that, you have drained all of mine.”  

“Did it taste good?”  

“Amazingly delicious. A flavor so exquisite that it can’t be explained merely by the high quality of the blood… A happiness that wells up with every bite…”  

No matter how much of a chef I am,  

I feel a bit embarrassed having such lavish praise heaped on me right in front of her.  

“…No! That’s not important!”  

With a loud snap, the thick chains binding the Queen’s body broke apart easily.  

Since she had consumed my blood, which was said to be of such high quality,  

And I had even carefully cooked it for her, it’s only natural that her strength would be restored.  

“I don’t know what you were thinking in feeding me your blood, but now that I’ve regained this much power, there’s nothing you can do to me.”  

“Is that so?”  

“I may not know how you gained the powers of a vampire, but the reason I lost last time was because it was a battle of draining each other’s blood. In a straight fight, someone like you would be easily defeated! I’ll shatter all your fangs so you can never drink my blood again. You’ll be my servant, not a vassal…”  

“If that’s what you hope for, then…”  

Seeming to have regained her confidence along with her strength,  

The Queen proclaims grandly.  

I then approached her and…  

“Then drink it.”  

I exposed my neck,  

Holding it out in front of her.  

In the perfect position to be bitten.  

“…What are you plotting?”  

The Queen seems taken aback by my unexpected reaction.  

“Plot? You said you wanted to make me your vassal. And you said my blood tastes good, right? So just take a big bite.”  

“Even if I don’t know your scheme, do you think I’ll be cowed so easily-!”  

“Ah, but there’s one thing you should know.”  

Just as her fangs are about to pierce the blood vessels in my neck,  

I decided to inform her of one important fact.  

“If you make me your vassal, you’ll never be able to eat my cooking again.”  

“…?”  

She gives me a look that seems to say, “What on earth are you talking about?”  

Guess I should explain this in more detail.  

“Those vassals of yours…”  

“You mean the ones your people killed, don’t you?”  

“Yeah. I took a look at them, and you know what? Their professions were all the same.”  

“…That’s because-”  

While I had lumped them all together as “vampires”,  

There were actually a variety of warriors – mages, sword fighters, archers, spearmen, axe men, and so on.  

But their common profession was…  

“They were all vampire knights.”  

Knights were originally a sort of all-rounder, able to use bows, spears, and swords.  

“So, if I become your vassal, I’ll probably become a vampire knight as well, right?”  

“…Most likely, yes.”  

“Then I’m right.”  

The deliciousness of my cooking is thanks to the fact that I’m an “Intermediate Chef” –  

I have the unique characteristics and skills of a chef.  

Becoming a vampire knight might increase my combat abilities.  

But…  

“Those dishes I made for you, you probably won’t be able to enjoy them again.”  

“I’ve heard various things about the process humans go through during their awakening…”  

“Well, that’s about all I can tell you.”  

I tilted my neck towards her again.  

“Go on, take a bite.”  

“….”  

“Even if it means I can never cook for you again, if you still want to make me your vassal, then so be it.”  

However…  

“Ugh!”  

The fangs touching my neck…  

Did not pierce any further into my skin.  

“Why aren’t you biting? It wouldn’t be hard for you now, would it?”  

“You…!”  

“Drain all the blood from my body, and then put your own blood in me – that’s how I become your vassal, right? Well, go ahead.”  

“I… don’t want to.”  

Instead…  

She gently pushed me back as I leaned in with my neck exposed.  

“L-Let’s do it this way instead.”  

But she still seems to be misunderstanding something.  

Confidently, she declares,  

“I won’t make you, my vassal. And on top of that, I swear I won’t be hostile towards you.”  

I was mostly on the right track.  

“In return, provide me with the dishes you make on a regular basis. What do you say? Isn’t that a good deal for you as well?”  

“Ah, that’s not it.”  

I need to push her a bit further.  

“Why do I need to cook for you? If you are going to be hostile, then I’d rather just die.”  

“…Are you mocking me!”  

Cook for her?  

It’s not like I dislike cooking for her.  

I can certainly do that.  

“But there’s a condition.”  

“A condition?”  

I extended my finger and pointed to the ground,  

Looking at her as I speak.  

“You must submit to me.”  

“…!”  

This one is a noble-class vampire.  

She can turn even ordinary humans into her vassals, rapidly increasing the number of awakened ones.  

And the vampires created this way are quite powerful –  

Able to match our soldiers who are decked out in all kinds of buffs and equipment, even without proper gear of their own.  

‘We only managed to counter them this time thanks to the [Light of Exorcism] buff. If it had just been a regular food buff, we would have lost.’  

They are absurdly strong.  

Add in the equipment and cooking of our guild, and they would become even more formidable.  

‘To kill someone who can mass-produce such powerful vampires?’  

That would be a shame.  

Since I failed to secure an alliance,  

I should at least try to recruit this one.  

“Swear your obedience to me.”  

“W-What are you-”  

“Then I’ll take responsibility for your meals. I’ll provide you with cooking that will blow you away every time.”  

“Ugh…”  

She’s resisting for now,  

But I’m certain.  

Just like Lieutenant Kim, the other criminals, and the plunderers-  

Many have already failed to refuse this offer.  

No matter how noble a vampire she may be,  

She’s already tasted my cooking for days on end.  

There’s no way she can give that up.  

This time as well, she’ll surely-  

“No, I can’t.”  

…Huh?  

What did I just hear?  

“You can’t?”  

Surely, this can’t be.  

“…Is my cooking really not that appealing?”  

I’m crushed in my pride.  

How dare she.  

How dare she refuse the condition of me providing my cooking?  

“I see, so the regular dishes weren’t enough to satisfy your palate yet…”  

In that case,  

I’ll serve you a full-course meal made with all my skill.  

The taste that will make you faint in ecstasy will surely change your mind-  

“Th-That’s not it!”  

“?”