Chef Mata Hari
The morning after my days off ended, I went straight to see Woo Mi-do at the Discipline Hall. The moment I knocked and stepped into the Discipline Hall Master's office, she welcomed me warmly.
"Ah, Chef Yoon." Mi-do greeted me with a gentle smile, immediately throwing a question my way. "The steamed eggs you served for breakfast this morning were incredibly mild and silky. Would you mind sharing the recipe?"
As expected of my devilishly delicious steamed eggs... No, wait, that's not what's important right now.
"I can certainly give you the recipe, but there's something far more important I need to discuss."
"Something more important?"
"Well, a new chef arrived while I was away. I was told that you were the one who hired her, Hall Master."
"The Discipline Hall handles personnel management, but do you really think I would hire someone without the consent of our Head Chef? What is this new chef's name?"
"Her name is Hye-woon. That's what she told me."
"Hye-woon, Hye-woon..." Mi-do immediately pulled a scroll from the bookshelf, unrolling it to scan the names. "...Ah!"
"Do you remember her?"
"I think I've figured out how this happened." Her eyes remained glued to the scroll as she continued, "The former Head Chef... that is, Chef Geum, seems to have handed out letters of recommendation all over the place."
"Letters of recommendation?"
"To put it nicely, yes. In reality, it was more like taking bribes to broker jobs within the academy."
Ugh, that damn Geum Ho. Did he seriously live off under-the-table bribes like that? I couldn't help but press a hand to my forehead at the realization that I was the one who had to clean up the massive mess he left behind.
Seeing me pinch the bridge of my nose, Mi-do spoke in a soothing tone. "The Discipline Hall received her because she came with a recommendation letter from the Head of the Inner Dining Hall. They must have assumed it was a recommendation from you, Chef Yoon."
"So that's why they said she was sent by the Discipline Hall. Ugh, that bastard Geum Ho is still causing trouble even after he's gone."
"Would you like to see the recommendation letter?"
"Yes, I should probably take a look at it."
Mi-do pulled a thick sheet of paper from her drawer. It was smooth and glossy, clearly of premium quality.
"It's definitely the kind of paper that flashy bastard would love."
"The handwriting matches perfectly, and the official seal is stamped right there." Even to my eyes, the handwriting was identical.
Recommended by Geum Ho, Head of the Inner Dining Hall, trained under a chef of the Imperial Kitchen.
And that characteristically pretentious phrasing.
He was always bragging about the Imperial Kitchen, but when I looked into it later, it turned out that while he was taught by a chef from the Imperial Kitchen, that chef had only been stationed there on a temporary one-week dispatch.
If a mere week is enough to boast like that, then I might as well go around claiming I'm the next successor of the Beggar Sect, personally trained by the Sect Leader himself.
Anyway, seeing that the seal matched the Head of the Inner Dining Hall stamp perfectly, it didn't look like a forgery. It seemed this woman named Hye-woon had simply bought one of the recommendation letters he sold for cash. Well, nothing to be done about it. I'd just have to deal with it.
"I don't even know if she has any actual skills. Yesterday was such a blur trying to get dinner ready."
"Then do this," Mi-do replied with a slight smile, addressing my concern. "A recommendation letter isn't an absolute shield. If she doesn't meet your standards, Chef Yoon, you can quietly let her go. Or you could always send her to the academy's admissions office in the Capital."
"Ah, is that really okay?"
"Of course. There's no one to stop you. As the Dining Hall Master, you hold absolute authority over the dining halls. With the Discipline Hall Master's permission on top of that, there won't be any issues."
Oho, what a useful tip. I thanked her and headed straight to the Inner Dining Hall kitchen. But when I arrived... what on earth was going on now?
"That's not how you do it, Chef Hye. You have to grab it firmly and pull it all the way back!"
"I'm not really sure how..."
"Here, let me do it for you. Hehe."
Three or four servants were crowding around Hye-woon. In front of her lay a massive scale carp.
Skinning a scale carp required applying solid force and pulling it in one smooth motion. Without decent physical strength, it was a tough task.
Since Hye-woon was struggling so much, the servants were doing it for her... but what kind of professional chef couldn't even skin a fish? Even the kitchen ladies in the Outer Dining Hall did this daily.
Hye-woon whimpered, unable to peel a single strip of skin, and looked up at me. What, is she expecting me to help? Seriously, everyone else around me always handled their own business.
If it were Seonwoo Seol:
"Isn't this basic?" she would have said, peeling it off flawlessly.
If it were Yang Seoran:
"I've never prepped a fish before, but I am the Young Sword Queen, after all! Let me show you what it means to cleave something in two, Head Chef!" she would have shouted, completely obliterating the carp.
If it were On Ban-hui... well:
"Must I really stoop to doing such trivial things?" she would have muttered, channeling sword qi through a tiny toothpick-like splinter to slice the skin off in a flash.
And finally, if it were Gongson Yeongji:
"...Is this how you do it?" she would have asked, straining to peel the skin, placing the prepped carp on a plate, and looking up at me with a proud expression. Just thinking about it was adorable.
Even the four people who immediately came to mind could do it, so how could a professional chef be this helpless? Left with no choice, I stepped in to help. The moment I did, Hye-woon pressed her body close to mine and squealed in admiration.
"You are amazing...! I had no idea you could do it so quickly...!"
"Ah, well... this is just the basics."
"As expected of the Three-Virtue Chef!"
With those words, she clung tightly to my arm, launching a full-on physical offensive. I almost blushed at the soft sensation, but the sheer obviousness of her ploy instantly cooled any excitement.
This was a blatant honey trap. Under normal circumstances, I might have been flattered by a pretty woman's compliments, but this felt so incredibly suspicious that I couldn't bring myself to enjoy it.
Moreover, Seonwoo Seol's words suddenly flashed through my mind.
"She's a spy."
"A spy from where?"
"From someone who can easily smuggle people into the academy and absolutely detests you, Chef Yoon, of course."
I had wondered if it was really possible. But the man who had threatened Seonwoo Seol, Man Hanseok, and Gongson Yeongji just to find a weakness to use against me was none other than Ha Migwa. The Eastern Depot. They were undoubtedly the ones backing Hye-woon.
How should I handle this? After a brief moment of deliberation, I looked at Hye-woon with a faint smile and spoke.
"Chef Hye."
"Yes?"
"For today, let's just have you watch and learn how the other chefs and I do things."
"Ah, yes..."
"And after breakfast is over, please come to the Inner Dining Hall Master's office for a moment."
"Alone?"
"Yes, alone."
It was an invitation I would normally never extend. In fact, I secretly hoped she would decline. However...
"Then, I'll see you later." Hye-woon accepted immediately with a giggling smile.
If an unrelated man asked to meet in private, women of the Central Plains would normally decline once or twice out of propriety—unless they were as close as Seonwoo Seol and I. This woman was definitely unusual. Her lack of hesitation sent a chill down my spine.
Right, so that's how you want to play it? If the Eastern Depot wanted something from me, I'd give them exactly what they were looking for.
Late at night, under the round glow of a white moon. A man stood waiting beneath the dark shadow of a tree just outside the academy, his hands tucked into his sleeves. He was the eunuch whom Ha Migwa always referred to as "Jangma."
What's taking her so long? As he waited anxiously, he spotted a petite figure approaching and immediately went on high alert. He asked in a hushed whisper,
"What did you have for dessert after dinner?"
"I ate tuckahoe cake."
When the man visibly relaxed at her reply, the woman ran a hand through her hair and grumbled.
"Who came up with such a tacky password?"
"Associate Director Ha."
"He managed to rise to the position of second-in-command with taste like that? Truly remarkable."
"If Associate Director Ha heard that, you'd be in serious trouble. Watch your tongue."
"Hmph."
The man and woman were Jang Yu, the eunuch spy Ha Migwa always called "Jangma," and Hye-woon, the new chef of the Inner Dining Hall. Knowing that lingering too long increased the risk of being caught, Jang Yu got straight to the point.
"So, did you make contact with Yoon Gomyung?"
"I did. He was practically itching to help me."
"I heard from others that he called you into the Inner Dining Hall Master's office privately. How did that go?"
"I thought he'd say something secretive, but it wasn't like that at all. He just kept telling me 'don't do it this way' and 'work harder'... Honestly, he sounded like my father."
"I thought he was up to something since he called you to his private office, but it was nothing?"
"But even that is more than enough, isn't it?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"The only people in that private office were the Head Chef and me. Who could possibly know what actually happened inside?"
"You're going to frame him? That is a very..."
"...dog-shit idea."
The two flinched in shock as a third voice, completely foreign to their conversation, cut in.
"W-who's there?"
"Who do you think?"
Flick! With the sound of a fire striker lighting a candle, a man's silhouette emerged right beside them.
"Y-Yoon Gomyung?"
"Yeah, it's me." Yoon Gomyung's chilling smile was illuminated by the candle's glow.
Upon hearing that Hye-woon had slipped out of the East Blue Bird Pavilion in the dead of night, I immediately shadowed her with my ally. Fearing we might be spotted, we utilized the Hidden Concealment Technique to tail her, which led us straight to the exact scene I had anticipated. I listened intently to the conversation between the eunuch called Jangma and Hye-woon.
"The only people in that private office were the Head Chef and me. Who could possibly know what actually happened inside?"
Well, look at that. They were playing right into my hands.
"You're going to frame him? That is a very..."
"...dog-shit idea."
Glad I caught you two, you miserable bastards.
"W-who's there?"
"Who do you think?"
The bright moonlight illuminated Jangma's terrified face.
"Y-Yoon Gomyung?"
"Yeah, it's me."
Even in this situation, Hye-woon didn't lose her composure. She responded in an incredibly soft, sweet voice.
"Head Chef, what brings you here...?"
"What brings me here? I just caught you trying to frame me as if we had some sort of 'special relationship,' so I figured we should have a little chat."
"R-right. Surely educated people like us can resolve this through dialogue."
"Oh, but here's the thing." *Crack.* As I clenched my fists tightly, my knuckles let out an angry pop.
"I don't plan on using my mouth to talk."
"H-how dare you! To a eunuch of the Eastern Depot, such insolence—"
*Slap!*
"A-argh!" Stunned by the sudden slap, Jangma clutched his burning cheek and stared at me in utter bewilderment.
"Hey."
"W-what do you want!"
"Do I look like a joke to you just because I spend my days cooking at the academy?"
"N-no, that's not it! You said you wanted to talk...!"
"I've taken down two grand arch-demons. Two. Just because I'm nice to the staff and students here, did you think I'd be nice to scum like you?"
"..."
Jangma shut his mouth tight and swallowed hard.
"If you open your mouth without my permission, it won't be a slap next time. It'll be my fist."
He nodded frantically. As expected of someone working under Ha Migwa, he was quick on the uptake. Honestly, I was hoping he'd be stupid enough to say one more word so I could punch him, but what a shame.
"Hey, Chef Hye."
"..."
"I won't hit you, so why don't you try making an excuse?"
The innocent, naive expression she wore when we first met was completely gone, replaced by a venomous glare. Wow, this is going to give me trust issues. I've never met someone who could flip their switch like this.
If she had been openly hostile from the start like Geum Ho, it would have been one thing. But having someone who was so sweet and gentle at first turn on me like this was a novel experience.
"Do you have proof?"
"Proof of what?"
"Proof that nothing happened when the Head Chef and I were alone."
"Ah, that proof." So that's how you want to play it. Instead of answering, I snapped my fingers.
"...Did you call?"
"Kyaaa!" Hye-woon shrieked in terror as a man suddenly stepped out from behind the tree.
"W-what is the meaning of this!"
"Anyone watching would think we're kidnapping you. Let me introduce him. He is the Vice Commander of the Hidden Shadow Unit."
A reliable ally had arrived.
"...Vice Commander of the Hidden Shadow Unit?" At the appearance of this completely unexpected figure, Hye-woon's face stiffened.
"Yes. He's exceptionally skilled in the Hidden Concealment Technique. And he was with me in the Inner Dining Hall Master's office the entire time."
"What do you mean...!"
"He was using his concealment technique to hide in the office the whole time you were there."
To be honest, I had originally thought of calling Man Hanseok or Seonwoo Seol. But Seonwoo Seol suggested that since the Vice Commander was resting nearby, I should ask him for help instead. I had hesitated, feeling like I was using her forces for personal matters, but the Vice Commander had readily agreed.
Hye-woon glared at the Vice Commander with a resentful expression, but he merely spoke with a bored look on his face.
"I can recount every single thing that transpired in that room. Do you still intend to frame the Head Chef?"
"T-that...!"
"You'd better choose your next words carefully, Chef Hye," I cut her off before she could even open her mouth. "Because I'm taking both of you straight to Associate Director Ha—no, that bastard Ha Migwa—right now."
At those words, Hye-woon shut her mouth. She knew that any further word she spoke would immediately be turned into a weapon against Ha Migwa.
"If you have nothing to say, let's go."
Accompanied by the Vice Commander of the Hidden Shadow Unit, I set off for Poeun County to find Ha Migwa, who was staying at a local inn.
"Who goes there?" A burly soldier of the Brocade Guard stood watch outside the inn, which they seemed to have rented out entirely. Of course, that was none of my concern.
"I am Yoon Gomyung of the Mutual Righteousness Academy."
"It is too late at night, so—*urgh!*"
*Thud!* I drove my fist straight into the solar plexus of the guard on my right, while simultaneously grabbing the collar of the one next to him.
"I don't have time to play games with you, so go get Ha Migwa."
The Brocade Guard soldier, held tightly by his collar, asked in a panicked voice, "...Three-Virtue Chef, do you intend to violate the Non-interference between Government and Wulin?"
"You guys threw the first punch, and you're accusing me of violating it? Shut up and get Ha Migwa out here. Can't you see these two bastards behind me?"
Behind me, the Vice Commander of the Hidden Shadow Unit held Jangma and Hye-woon firmly in his grasp.
"Hurry up and call Associate Director Ha!" Jangma urged frantically. The Brocade Guard, utterly bewildered by the situation, scurried inside the inn.
"Let's go inside."
"Are you sure about this, Chef Yoon?" At the Vice Commander's question, I answered honestly.
"If I hold back any longer, I'm going to die of stress. I'd rather just blow things up."
If they were going to pick a fight first, they should have at least been prepared to get slapped.