A Bigger Stage Awaits
“Are you on your way back from giving the chef a piece of your mind?”
“Of course not. Why would I ever scold someone who cooks that beautifully?”
I could hear Dan Buyong’s crisp, firm voice replying to Oh Waja’s playful teasing. Stepping back inside the inn, I slumped into a chair in the kitchen.
“What’s got you looking so terribly serious?” Mrs. Jang asked, noticing my grim expression as I walked in. She seemed to grow worried too. I hesitated, wondering if I should even tell her. Nothing was set in stone yet.
“I’m not sure if I should tell you this, but...”
“Is it some top-secret business of the martial world?”
“Huh? No, nothing like that. They asked if I’d be interested in working at the Mutual Righteousness Academy. As a nutritionist.”
“A nutritionist?” Mrs. Jang asked, looking utterly bewildered.
The concept of a nutritionist was completely foreign to the Central Plains. While some did cook based on the principles of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, that luxury was reserved for the wealthy and powerful. To commoners and ordinary martial artists, a meal was considered perfect as long as it was greasy and filling.
What was it that Dan Buyong, the one who offered me the job, had said again?
“Our academy doesn’t just need a chef who makes delicious food. We need a chef who can prepare nutritious meals that balance Yin-Yang, the Five Elements, and overall health.”
She had only said that; she hadn’t actually used the word “nutritionist.”
“A nutritionist is someone who plans and prepares meals specifically designed to boost the health of the students,” I explained.
“Well, then you’re the perfect man for the job!” Mrs. Jang clapped her hands in delight. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I scratched the back of my neck and replied.
“Aw, come on. I have to stay here in Gaeun and sell pork noodles.”
“What are you talking about? Your skills are far too grand to waste away in a tiny village like Gaeun.” Mrs. Jang took my hands in a warm, firm grip. “You know my son and daughter are both in Jinan, don’t you? It’s fine for an old woman like me to stay here, but a young person belongs in the provincial capital, not cooped up in these remote mountains. That’s why I sent them away.”
Jinan was indeed the capital of Shandong Province. Just as the old saying goes—send horses to Jeju and people to the capital—it was common practice here to make a name for oneself in the big city and return to the countryside only in one’s twilight years.
“We’re practically strangers, yet you went and developed an incredible dish like our pork noodles. You could have easily opened your own restaurant under your own name, but instead, you chose to share the net profits and run your business out of our inn. Where else in the world would I find a young man like you?”
“Anyone listening would think I’m some kind of saint.”
“But you are a saint, young man.”
“I might not be a saint, but I’m certainly old enough to be called an adult.”
“Stop talking nonsense. We can make and sell the pork noodles just fine on our own, so don’t worry about us and go on up.”
“Are you sure... it’s really okay for me to go?”
“You’re still in the prime of your youth. It would be foolish of us to hold you back.” Having said her piece, Mrs. Jang turned and walked out the back of the inn. “From now on, make sure you properly train the kitchen ladies on how to make the pork noodles. From what I heard earlier, they’re eager to sell as much of it as they can.”
When we first started, she was just the elderly owner of a declining inn like any other. But now, she had become a reliable pillar of support, guiding me with her years of wisdom. To someone like me who had no family, she treated me like her own youngest son.
“Hey, hyung, are you really going to the Mutual Righteousness Academy?”
The errand boy poked his head out, having clearly been eavesdropping on us the entire time.
“I’m still not sure.”
“If it were me, I’d go in a heartbeat! Why are you even hesitating? Hyung, are you an idiot?”
“Why, you little brat, watch your mouth when talking to your hyung!”
I lunged at the boy as he tried to make a break for it, giving him a fierce knuckle-rub on his temples. He let out a sharp shriek.
“Ah! I surrender! I surrender!”
“Never disrespect the chef again.”
“Ow, my head... Seriously, hyung, why are you so ridiculously strong?”
“Hey, if I’m gone, who’s going to run the inn?”
The errand boy grumbled at my question. “Mrs. Jang and the other ladies have lived here their entire lives. Why are you worrying about them? They managed to run the business well enough before you showed up.”
“...Is that so?”
“Exactly. How often do opportunities like this come along? If I were you, I’d have packed my bags for the academy already. Aren’t you wasting your talent here?”
Sometimes, even those younger than you can offer surprisingly insightful advice. And in this case, it was the little brat of an errand boy standing right in front of me.
The kid was right. Up until now, I had kept a low profile to avoid getting stabbed by some random martial artist. But now, I possessed a decent amount of strength and had earned the respect of those around me.
“Besides, if things go south, you can always just run back here.”
“Why, you little...”
Flick! I gave him a sharp flick on the forehead. He winced, rubbing his brow furiously.
“Ow! Hyung! Are you crazy?”
“I’m perfectly sane, kid. Consider that payment for waking me up.”
“Then pay me back with delicious food! Why do you always pay me back with violence?”
Fearing another blow, the errand boy scurried away. I chuckled at his retreat, but as the reality of the situation settled in, a strange feeling washed over me. What should I do? I had declared my devotion to the culinary arts, yet was it right to remain confined to this tiny village? Was I merely acting like a spoiled child, coddled by the kindness of these good-hearted villagers?
Running a small business day by day was enjoyable, but to truly realize my ambitions, I needed a grander stage. Only then could I showcase my skills to the world and receive the acclaim I deserved.
“.......”
Just like my decision to work as a chef at Gaeun Inn, it felt right to strike while the iron was hot. Steeling my resolve, I walked up to Dan Buyong and bowed my head.
“Thank you for the offer.”
“Don’t tell me you’re turning it down?”
“No, I’m accepting it.”
“...Are you the type who likes to turn a single scolding into a double beating by running your mouth?”
“Since you already know me so well, I suppose I won’t need to write a resume.”
I didn’t expect someone I’d met for the first time today to read me like an open book. Dan Buyong glared at me with a pout before nodding in understanding. Meanwhile, Oh Waja drained his tea and asked.
“What did you offer him?”
“I asked if he would take on the role of Chief Chef of the Outer Dining Hall.”
“Ah, that position is currently vacant, isn’t it? I believe the Chief Chef of the Inner Dining Hall has been pulling double duty.”
“Indeed. A chef who can perfectly blend fleeceflower root and eleven other medicinal herbs into a chicken soup is someone we absolutely must recruit.”
“……!”
How on earth did he know I used eleven different herbs?
“Did you say your name was Chef Yoon?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. I am Yoon Gomyung.”
“If you’re heading to the Outer Dining Hall, you’ll need to learn to hide that readable face of yours.”
Oh Waja grinned as he spoke. He had caught the fleeting micro-expression on my face—truly advice befitting an Absolute Master.
“Daoist Priest Cheongjo, did you not sense it?”
“To draw out such efficacy from a ten-year-old fleeceflower root was truly remarkable. It reminded me of the medicine formulation methods that the esteemed Medicine Sage showed me back when I was a mere novice in the martial world.”
Cheongjo nodded, stroking his long, half-white beard.
Wait, why is that title coming up here...?
Maximizing the efficacy of common herbs was indeed a special formulation technique developed by my late master, the Medicine Sage. But the fact that they could sense his technique woven into the food was terrifying. I thought they were just enjoying a delicious meal, but it turned out they were conducting a food-safety-agency-level inspection using the refined palates of Absolute Masters. These people were the real deal.
It seemed no one had any objections to appointing me as the Chief Chef of the Outer Dining Hall—essentially the nutritionist of the student cafeteria. Even their six attendants were nodding in agreement, murmuring that someone of my caliber was more than worthy of the position. Being recognized felt great, but I couldn't help but wonder if it was okay to decide something this important so casually.
“Is it really alright for a country bumpkin like me to become the Chief Chef?”
I asked, worried that others might accuse me of getting the job through nepotism. Oh Waja replied.
“The Academy Director certainly holds enough sway to recommend talent. Besides, anyone who can whip up such extraordinary dishes is a gem we cannot afford to lose. Wouldn’t you agree, Daoist Priest Cheongjo?”
“Indeed. Where else could we ever encounter such a precious individual?”
At this rate, they were practically spray-painting my face with gold leaf. I guess once you reach the level of an Absolute Master, your silver tongue is just as sharp as your blade.
“If anyone dares to question you, just tell them to take it up with me, the Northern Hall Master here, or Daoist Priest Cheongjo. We will gladly vouch for Chef Yoon’s skills.”
Dan Buyong’s expression remained cold, but her heart was warm. She was telling me not to let anyone look down on me and to use the names of these Absolute Masters as my shield. Having legally acquired the rights to drop the names of Absolute Masters, I bowed deeply.
“Thank you for this opportunity.”
“I’d love for you to join us immediately, but I assume you need time to hand over your duties?”
“It should take... about a week.”
Making the pork noodles wasn’t inherently difficult. The real challenge lay in adjusting the broth’s simmering time based on the quality of the pork bones and the daily weather. However, with Mrs. Jang overseeing things, the quality and portion sizes would remain consistent. Just to be safe, I planned to spend the week monitoring the broth to ensure the flavor didn’t drift, while writing down a detailed recipe. That was why I asked for a week. Dan Buyong nodded in agreement.
“Very well. We will send a carriage for you in a week.”
“Pardon? A carriage?”
I had expected them to give me some travel expenses at most, but this was far grander. Weren’t carriages in the Central Plains reserved for the incredibly wealthy? Was it really okay for someone like me to ride in one?
“Some might see Chef Yoon as just a cook who got lucky, but the Outer Dining Hall is still one of the official ‘Halls’ of our academy. As a Hall Master, you are fully entitled to such treatment.”
“I am deeply grateful.”
I bowed quietly to express my gratitude, but inside, I was practically jumping for joy. To think a single dish had made me the Master of the Outer Dining Hall at the Mutual Righteousness Academy! Good job, Yoon Gomyung! Go out there and move the hearts of the martial world with your food!
The week flew by in a blur. My days were spent teaching the recipe to the kitchen ladies who would take my place, and my nights were dedicated to writing down advice to help run the inn. Between all that and packing my modest belongings, the day of the carriage’s arrival was upon me before I knew it.
A crowd had gathered in front of the inn where the carriage waited. Normally, these would be customers waiting to eat pork noodles, but today was different. They weren’t customers; they were the residents of Gaeun Village.
“Those occasional special dishes of yours were a real treat... It’s a shame to see you go.”
“I’ll come back to Gaeun whenever I get a break.”
“Even if it’s just polite talk, I appreciate it.”
Old Man Yeon, acting as the village representative, patted my hand warmly and handed me a heavy bundle.
“What’s this?”
“The villagers all chipped in to gather these ingredients. We selected items that keep for a long time, including dried abalone.”
“Oh my, such precious things for someone like me...”
“It’s thanks to you that so many people have been visiting Gaeun. They say our village hasn’t seen this many visitors since it was first founded.”
“That’s right, young man. Our whole village benefited immensely because of you. Just look at this boy’s face, all plump and healthy now. He used to be so scrawny because he never ate properly.”
Mrs. Jang pointed at the errand boy. Come to think of it, the kid who used to be dark-skinned and bone-thin from malnutrition had indeed developed quite the chubby cheeks lately.
“Hyung...”
The errand boy looked like he was on the verge of tears. Why was he acting so out of character?
“Hey, are you crying? Careful, or your manhood might fall off.”
Instantly wiping the tears from his face, the errand boy grinned and held out his hand. I don’t know who he took after, but his mischievous streak was definitely a match for mine.
“Still, this past year was really fun, hyung.”
“I’d normally ask if you think work is supposed to be fun, but... yeah, I had fun too.”
After shaking hands with the errand boy, I gave Mrs. Jang a warm farewell hug and turned toward the carriage.
“Sniff... sob...”
“Uh, excuse me, Mr. Carriage Driver. Why are you crying?”
“Seeing you say goodbye to everyone... it’s just so beautiful and sad...”
I, the one actually leaving, was perfectly fine, yet the carriage driver was weeping like a baby. He must have been an incredibly sensitive soul. As I climbed into the carriage, the errand boy shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Hyung! Write to us!”
“Can you even read?”
“I know at least a hundred characters!”
“By the time I come back, make sure you’ve studied the other nine hundred!”
I was turning into a real nagging elder. Here I was, telling someone else to study when I barely did any studying myself. Still, I waved my hand vigorously at the villagers. This was the only thing I could do for these wonderful people who had trusted and cared for me when I had absolutely nothing.
“Hyah!”
The tear-streaked driver urged the horses forward, and the carriage began to roll out of Gaeun Village. Watching the villagers grow smaller in the distance, even my usually dry eyes began to sweat.
Our destination was the Mutual Righteousness Academy. A place where a brand-new chapter of my life was about to unfold.