Summoning the Parents
"Yoon Gomyung, the Inner and Outer Hall Master, used a close-range Finger Flicking Technique!"
"Chef Yoon used a lethal move against a student!"
"The student hit by Yoon Gomyung's finger flick is hovering between life and death!"
...Such rumors almost spread like wildfire, but thanks to the students who had actually been there, the wild gossip was quickly put to rest.
By playing the "innocent chef Yoon Gomyung knows nothing" card, the wholesome reputation I'd painstakingly built up worked wonders. Plenty of people rallied to my defense, insisting, "Our Chef Yoon would never do such a thing!"
Instead, I found myself summoned to the academy's main headquarters.
The moment I stepped into the office of the Discipline Hall Master, I froze solid.
"Well, if it isn't our dear Inner and Outer Hall Master?"
Woo Mi-do, the Discipline Hall Master, sat with her fingers laced, staring at me with a smile. It was technically a smile, but it felt like anything but. The fact that an ordinary person with zero inner energy could radiate this much raw, suffocating bloodlust proved it was a threat, not a greeting. In situations like this, keeping your mouth shut and your head low was the golden rule.
"......Yes?"
Zzzzt. The corners of her mouth were curled upward, but her eyes were dead cold. Woo Mi-do—a veritable incarnation of Zeus, practically shooting lightning bolts from her eyes—continued in a sweet, terrifying voice.
"If managing the dining halls was so exhausting, you really should have spoken up."
"W-well, that's entirely separate from what happened, but it has been a bit overwhelming lately. If we could perhaps hire a few more cooks..."
"We will have new cooks hired for the Inner Dining Hall by next week."
"Thank you so much."
"But that is hardly the issue at hand, is it? Chef Yoon, does it make any sense for a staff member to commit an act of physical violence against a student?"
"Physical violence? That's absurd! It was just a finger flick. A harmless forehead flick."
Violence? Seriously? Since when does an adult giving a kid a quick flick of the middle finger to teach him a lesson count as assault? I protested, flicking my middle finger in the air to demonstrate.
"It wasn't anything malicious. I literally just flicked my finger like this. Kids do it to each other all the time when they're messing around, and adults do it as a mild scolding when children misbehave, don't they?"
"The problem is that the student you flicked had to be carried off to the academy's infirmary! Did you secretly learn the Finger Flicking Technique from some hidden master?"
"Oh, come on, he's totally faking it. I'm not some Shaolin monk—how could I possibly know the actual Finger Flicking Technique? That brat Namgung Geum probably just pretended to pass out because he was humiliated."
That was a blatant lie. Taking my customized forehead flick dead-center was roughly equivalent to taking a solid hook straight to the jaw. Was it wrong to do that to a kid who, in Korean age, was barely a high schooler? Well, a true martial artist always gives their absolute all in a life-or-death duel, regardless of who the opponent is. Even if they're an elementary schooler. Besides, I'd spent plenty of time reading medical texts back in that cave. I had calibrated the force perfectly to ensure no permanent damage.
"From what I've heard of his condition, it doesn't sound like he's faking it..."
Doubt still lingered in Woo Mi-do's eyes. Time to go on the offensive and play the victim.
"Then does it make sense for him to throw the food I painstakingly prepared onto the floor? That is a direct insult to me!"
"He threw his food? What on earth are you talking about?"
"Wait, you didn't know?"
Unbelievable. She summoned me here to interrogate me without even knowing the full story? I took a deep breath and calmly explained the events of that day. Skipping a meal was one thing, but slamming a bowl of food onto the floor was a massive line crossed. As she listened, Woo Mi-do's expression grew solemn, and she nodded slowly.
"I was only told that Chef Yoon had overreacted and disciplined a student too harshly, but it seems there was much more to it."
"Even if I can be a bit hot-headed, I'm not some lunatic who goes around picking fights with random students. Especially not the youngest son of the prestigious Namgung Clan. Why would I invite that kind of trouble?"
Sure, the forehead flick was a bit of an impulsive, red-misted reaction, but I still considered myself a man of reason. Woo Mi-do seemed to share the sentiment. She massaged her temples and gestured toward a scroll resting on her desk.
"As a matter of fact, the Namgung Clan has already sent a formal complaint."
"And what does it say?"
"The tone demands that you, Chef Yoon, personally apologize to student Namgung Geum. On top of that, a representative from the Namgung Clan is coming here to oversee it."
"Are you kidding me? The kid behaves like a spoiled brat, and all they care about is their precious youngest son getting a little bump on his head?"
"Tsk. Watch your tongue."
"Right, sorry."
Ugh. What a massive pain in the neck. As I scratched my head and grimaced, Woo Mi-do tied the scroll back up.
"Even though you aren't officially registered as a martial artist, Chef Yoon, this is still a matter concerning the treatment of our faculty. The academy cannot simply let this slide, so your actions will be evaluated with mitigating circumstances. If any political issues arise, the Discipline Hall will take full responsibility."
"Hall Master Woo..."
As expected of our god-tier Discipline Hall Master! It really paid to stay on the good side of the administration.
"However, next time something like this happens, please consult with the Discipline Hall first. If you take matters into your own hands, we are bound to have a repeat of this headache."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"You will be summoned again this afternoon, so focus on your duties until then."
"Understood. Oh, and I don't care if the new cook is a man, so please, just hire someone quickly..."
"Tsk. Does yelling at the rice make it cook any faster?"
With that sharp retort, she shot me a glare, and I quickly made my exit. Honestly, if I weren't so overworked, I wouldn't have been so stressed in the first place. If my stress levels had been normal, I probably would've just shrugged off Namgung Geum's bratty behavior. This whole mess could have been avoided!
After leaving the Responding Dragon Hall, I threw myself back into my work. Before I knew it, afternoon had arrived.
"The representatives from the Namgung Clan will be arriving shortly."
A messenger from the main office came to deliver the news. I was about to hand over the kitchen duties to the senior kitchen ladies and servants and head over to the Responding Dragon Hall, but the messenger shook his head.
"They have requested to meet you in a private room here in the Inner Dining Hall."
Well, that was much more convenient for me. As I waited quietly in the private room, a middle-aged man whose aura was distinctly different from anyone at the academy walked in with firm, measured steps.
Up close, he looked incredibly stern and rigid—the type who probably had a terrible temper. I know it's bad to judge a book by its cover, but sometimes you just get a gut feeling, you know?
"Are you the Inner and Outer Hall Master?"
"Yes, I am Yoon Gomyung, the Inner and Outer Hall Master."
"I am Namgung Ye, Geum's uncle."
Whoa... His name was literally Namgung Ye. He sounded like someone who would wear an eyepatch and order his guards to smash the skull of anyone who dared to cough in his presence. Come to think of it, he actually bore a striking resemblance to the actor who played that famous historical king. If he grew out his beard, the likeness would be uncanny.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. Please, have a seat."
I kept my thoughts to myself and gestured toward the table. I had half-expected him to leap up the moment he saw me, roar, "What color is the blood of the mere cook who dared strike my nephew?!" and unleash the Namgung Clan's ultimate Boundless Sky Sword technique. To my surprise, he remained perfectly calm.
Namgung Ye took a seat, accepted a cup of tea from the attending servant, and began to speak.
"I heard that my nephew, Geum, was struck by Chef Yoon and knocked unconscious."
In the Central Plains, prefixing a name with "Ah" was a common term of endearment for family members. It seemed he held the boy in high regard.
"Yes. Normally, I would never resort to such measures, but I lost my temper and disciplined student Namgung."
Yoon Gomyung, a real man, doesn't dodge or run! Since I owned up to it so cleanly, Namgung Ye nodded slowly and continued.
"This is the official stance of the Namgung Clan's Council of Elders. They were outraged that a mere cook would dare lay a hand on a noble descendant, demanding severe punishment and that you kneel and beg Geum for forgiveness."
Whoa, that's a bit much, don't you think? Just as I was about to protest, Namgung Ye beat me to the punch.
"But that is merely the opinion of those old fogeys in the council. My thoughts on the matter are quite different."
With a dry chuckle, Namgung Ye shook his head in disbelief. The tense atmosphere evaporated in an instant.
"Oh... is that so?"
"I would rather listen to a newborn baby's babbling than heed their nonsense. So, tell me, Chef Yoon. What exactly transpired that day? Spare no details."
"Ah, yes. Well, you see..."
I laid out the entire story, down to the very last detail. Some might call me a tattle-tale, but hey, I wasn't making anything up. He asked, and I simply answered truthfully. Namgung Ye listened in silence. Once I finished, he sat quietly for a moment before looking up.
"Do you mind if I borrow one of your servants for a moment?"
"Pardon? Oh, of course. As long as it's nothing too difficult. Is anyone out there?"
When a servant stepped into the room, Namgung Ye stroked his mustache and gave an order.
"Go to the infirmary in the Responding Dragon Hall. You will find one of our clan's servants there. Tell him we have a 'Status Blue' and order him to bring Geum here immediately."
Status Blue? What on earth is that supposed to mean? While the servant bowed and scurried off to the infirmary, Namgung Ye smoothed his mustache once more and sighed.
"Chef Yoon, you have my apologies. Normally, the clan should have kept a tighter leash on our youth to prevent such disgraceful behavior. However, with our Patriarch having entered closed-door cultivation for the past few years, things have degenerated to this state."
Namgung Ye offered a polite bow of his head. I had heard that the father of the troublesome Namgung Trio—the legendary 'Emperor's Sword' Namgung Chan—was currently in closed-door cultivation. The exact details were scarce, but rumors whispered that he had fought a desperate, life-or-death duel against an unidentified intruder and emerged victorious. The catch was that he had sustained severe internal injuries during the fight, forcing him to spend years recovering in seclusion. Even if it was just a rumor, it made you realize how dangerous the Jianghu really was. Seriously, why were there always so many 'unidentified intruders' running around the martial world?
In any case, with the Patriarch—the only one capable of putting the brakes on the Namgung Trio—out of commission, the clan's affairs had fallen into the hands of the Council of Elders. Unfortunately, those old geezers seemed to think their grandchildren were made of gold, coddling them at every turn. Sure, family is precious, but you still have to draw a line somewhere. Hearing Namgung Ye explain how things had gotten so out of hand, I couldn't help but nod in understanding. I already knew about Namgung Chan's situation, and seeing how the Namgung Trio behaved, it was obvious this was a long-standing issue. Besides, the fact that Namgung Ye was willing to bow his head to a cook showed he was a man of genuine integrity.
"Please, do not trouble yourself. Is it not the duty of the academy's faculty to guide wayward youth back onto the right path?"
"I am deeply grateful for your understanding."
I had pegged him as a rigid, stubborn old man, but he was actually incredibly reasonable and straightforward. Yep, my judge of character was officially terrible. So much for reading faces.
Before long, the servant returned with two people in tow. One was a burly, muscular man, and the other was Namgung Geum, the very boy who had fainted from my forehead flick. I couldn't help but notice the massive, bulbous lump protruding right from the center of his forehead. It was swollen so high it practically qualified as a horn.
Namgung Geum had stomped into the room with a furious scowl, but the moment his eyes landed on Namgung Ye sitting near the entrance, he visibly flinched.
"U-Uncle!"
Namgung Ye glanced at his nephew, pointed a finger at his own forehead, and let out a dry chuckle.
"Haha! Look at you. You look like a unicorn."
"Uncle, this is no laughing matter! It's him! That is the wicked cook who struck me down with his underhanded Finger Flicking Technique!"
"Geum."
"What are you waiting for, Uncle?! You need to force him to his knees right now and make him beg for mercy until his hands wear down to the bone—"
"Geum. Do I look like your servant?"
Was this truly the same gentle, reasonable man I had been chatting with just moments ago? The atmosphere in the room shifted in a heartbeat. True to the lineage of the 'Emperor's Sword', a suffocating, heavy pressure flooded the space, dominating every corner. As Namgung Ye leveled a cold glare at his nephew, the boy visibly trembled.
"P-Please speak, Uncle."
"Have you heard about Geuk's recent situation?"
"I... I heard that Brother Geuk failed the head tutor exam and went to travel the Jianghu with his companions."
"Ha. So that is the lie they fed you."
"Pardon?"
"He is currently in closed-door cultivation under my direct orders."
"B-Brother is in seclusion?"
"He brought the atrocious habits he learned at this academy back to the clan and tried to throw his weight around. That is where it got him."
Namgung Ye pointed a sharp finger directly at Namgung Geum.
"And now you have dared to cause trouble for Chef Yoon. Tell me, do you wish to file for a leave of absence and join your brother back at the estate?"
Under the crushing weight of his uncle's gaze, Namgung Geum stammered.
"T-That's not what I... B-But Uncle, he is just a mere cook who prepares meals—"
"A mere cook who prepares meals?! Do you even comprehend the sheer stupidity of what you are saying?!"
*Slam!* Namgung Ye struck the table with his palm, making Namgung Geum jump out of his skin.
"If he is a mere cook, then what does that make you—the pathetic weakling who was knocked unconscious by his single finger?! You are nothing but a spoiled brat who can barely swing a sword!"
"......!"
"You possess eyes no better than knot-holes in a fence, unable to even recognize the profound realm Chef Yoon has attained! How dare you spew such arrogant nonsense?! Have you no shame before your father, who trains tirelessly day and night?!"
"I-I..."
"Silence! You bring nothing but disgrace to our clan with your insolence, and yet you had the audacity to cry to the Council of Elders?!"
Under Namgung Ye's thunderous scolding, Namgung Geum was now shaking like a leaf. Well, it's never polite to interfere in another family's domestic discipline, so I'll just sit here quietly.
After taking a moment to catch his breath and compose himself, Namgung Ye let out a long, heavy sigh and delivered his final command.
"Get down on your knees and apologize to Chef Yoon. Right now."
"But Uncle..."
"Do it!"
Namgung Geum cast a desperate, pleading look at the burly servant who had brought him, but the man simply snorted and glared back with cold disapproval. With a face twisted in a mixture of tears and sheer humiliation, Namgung Geum slowly sank to his knees before me.
"......I am sorry."
"State exactly what you are apologizing for."
"I am sorry... for looking down on you as a mere cook... and for disrespecting the food that Chef Yoon worked so hard to prepare..."
As Namgung Geum bowed his head to the floor, a wave of pure, unadulterated satisfaction washed over me. Was it really that satisfying to extract a tearful apology from a kid who was basically a high schooler?
Well... yeah, it felt absolutely fantastic. I guess I was just a petty, small-minded guy after all.