A Suspicious Delivery
Dong Gyeongdo’s words sounded as if... I had orchestrated this entire mess because I was greedy for his position as Cafeteria Master. Honestly, I could understand why it might look that way. Being the Inner and Outer Hall Master of the Mutual Righteousness Academy was a prestigious position, but the Cafeteria Master of the Murim Alliance was also highly coveted. Especially since a major incident had befallen Dong Gyeongdo right after my arrival, and I had stepped in to take his place, it was only natural for him to be suspicious.
I had countless pieces of evidence, testimonies, and excuses to prove I was absolutely not the culprit, but since I didn't want to waste my breath, I shortened it to a few choice words.
"Stop talking absolute bullshit."
"W-what?"
He seemed flustered by the sudden profanity, but what did I care? If Zhuge Bi hadn't asked me for a favor, I would have ignored him and walked away.
"Why don't you go ask Hero Zhuge Bi over there, who is currently enjoying his meal? Why are you whining to me when you're the one who ate something weird and got sick?"
"Y-you...!"
Dong Gyeongdo couldn't say a word and turned his head in the direction I pointed. Over there, Zhuge Bi was sitting in a corner of the dining hall, happily devouring the braised pork. Judging by the grin on his face as he ate, he seemed to thoroughly enjoy the food.
Seeing Zhuge Bi like that, Dong Gyeongdo wore a look of sheer frustration. He was utterly pathetic. Hearing his ugly deduction had ruined my mood, and I didn't want to deal with him any longer, so I ripped off my apron and threw it down.
"Since you've made it all the way here, you must have regained your senses. You don't need me anymore. Figure it out yourself."
Fwip. As the apron landed on the kitchen counter, Dong Gyeongdo glared at me in silence. Feeling like he was endlessly defying me, I glared right back at him, lacing my gaze with a hint of battle spirit.
"..."
Dong Gyeongdo flinched and quickly averted his eyes. He must have just remembered how I had embedded a kitchen knife into the counter earlier. Using the Baekyak-gwonkyeol on him would be a waste of my energy. Besides, if I hit him, he would undoubtedly throw a tantrum, crying, "Aigoo, the rolling stone is hitting the settled stone!"
Thoroughly terrified, Dong Gyeongdo naturally couldn't say another word, and I headed straight back to our quarters. Since my mood was ruined, I figured I should go spar with Man Hanseok to blow off some steam.
As I trudged back to the quarters with an annoyed expression, Man Hanseok, who was sweating profusely while diligently practicing his martial arts with a staff in the front yard, greeted me warmly.
"Are you finished? I thought you said you'd be back before lunch."
"Something came up. My good mood was completely ruined."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
When I explained what had just happened, Man Hanseok scowled deeply.
"That guy is out of his mind. You went out of your way to help him, and he treats you like the culprit who caused the food poisoning?"
"Exactly. I barely held myself back from beating him to a pulp."
"But can cooked eggs really cause food poisoning? Wouldn't everyone know from the smell of rotten eggs?"
"If you don't wash the eggshells properly, it's definitely possible. After all, the place where chickens lay eggs is... well, that kind of place."
To put it in scientific terms, it's called a cloaca, but in simple terms, it's just where eggs and feces come out of the same hole. I heard it has something to do with Salmonella, but since I was a humanities major, I don't know much about the science. However, I know of one real-world case very well. Back when I was in Korea, people were actually hospitalized with food poisoning because of unwashed eggshells, so it's quite dangerous. I wonder if that's why the three chefs collapsed, but who knows. What are the odds of that actually happening?
"I don't even want to bring those guys up anymore, so let's talk about something else. Where did the young lady and Gongson Yeongji go?"
"They're probably taking a nap right now. They said they didn't want to move around in this scorching heat."
No wonder it was so quiet; they were sleeping inside. There wasn't much to do here other than sightsee anyway, so sleeping was a pretty good choice.
"That's actually better. It's much better than wandering around and getting picked on for no reason."
"Then what are you going to do now, Chef Yoon?"
"I don't really have anything to do. I already put the Jeho in the ice house for the banquet."
"Then... since you must have a lot of pent-up anger, how about blowing it off with a spar?"
"Feeling confident, are we?"
"It's been a while since we last sparred, hasn't it?"
With those words, Man Hanseok spun his staff a few times. He had lost so much weight that he could easily pass for an imperial guard now, boasting a normal, sturdy physique. If he could just build a bit more muscle, he would have a body anyone would envy. Since he was naturally larger than me, just spinning the staff was quite intimidating.
"Well then, shall we?"
"First one to fall loses?"
"Are you going to use that weird technique where you sweep the floor with your long spear again?"
"Aw, I won't use that. I'm going to use a new technique I recently came up with."
"You're acting suspicious, kid."
Since we sparred whenever we had free time, we knew each other's techniques inside out. The reason I knew Man Hanseok's moves so well was because he kept asking me how to improve or completely revise them. I also used our spars to correct awkward movements in my Baekyak-gwonkyeol or bad habits I picked up while training alone. The problem was that he was starting to pick up some strange habits of his own. Because I memorized the techniques he used every time, I would sometimes block them before he could even execute them. Perhaps he had reinterpreted his own forms, but his routines—which were originally supposed to honestly target either the upper or lower body—began to change unpredictably. For example, a technique like this.
Whoosh! Man Hanseok's staff seemed to sweep the ground, but then it spun around in a full circle and suddenly aimed for my waist.
Thwack! A dull thud echoed as my arm collided with the staff.
"Hey, go easy on me!"
"If I don't go this hard, I'm the one who ends up getting hurt!"
Well, he wasn't wrong. I immediately slipped into his blind spot where he couldn't defend, preparing to strike downward with an open palm. Man Hanseok hurriedly leaped backward and cried out.
"Whoa, whoa!"
He wasn't telling me to come closer; he was just startled by the inner energy concentrated in my palm. Why get so worked up over this much?
With a hardened expression, Man Hanseok immediately launched a counterattack with his staff. As he rapidly switched between offense and defense, a chilling frost slowly emanated from him. In the past, this cold energy would leak out unintentionally, but looking at him now, he seemed capable of releasing it at will. The only drawback was that it didn't last long, but that was a problem that would naturally resolve itself as he grew older. It would be a fresh experience to have him spar with Gongson Yeongji sometime.
As his endlessly spinning staff thrust at every part of my body, I deflected the blows slightly and tried to slip inside his guard once more. It wasn't that I disliked the Baekyak-gwonkyeol, but if I had to name its single flaw, it was that it was ultimately a hand-to-hand martial art. I had to close the distance to land an effective blow, which put me at a severe disadvantage against opponents wielding long weapons like swords, sabers, or spears. The greater the distance, the worse it got. That was why dodging and closing in were crucial.
Crack! After striking the staff with the Baekyak-gwonkyeol, I seized the moment it was knocked off course and darted forward in a zigzag pattern, closing the distance instantly.
"Again?!"
"You know it's coming, yet you still fall for it, don't you?"
Man Hanseok grimaced. It was an attack method he was forced to fall for every single time. After all, if your weapon is knocked away, it's only natural that you can't attack. The larger and clumsier the weapon, the easier it was to pull off, whereas it didn't work as well against thin or flexible weapons. But that drawback didn't really matter to me.
Thud! "Ugh!"
Having finally allowed a clean hit, Man Hanseok stumbled backward. I told you, long weapons aren't invincible.
"Want to go again?"
"Of course!"
Hah! With that shout, Man Hanseok charged at me again. Seeing him run so fast with that bear-like build, he really was a martial artist to the bone.
By the time we had exchanged about fifty blows, Man Hanseok had been hit three times. Two of those hits would have been fatal in a real fight. Feeling frustrated, Man Hanseok kept muttering to himself, "Ah, I shouldn't have stepped forward like that back then."
"This is the difference in our levels."
"Ugh... saying that with such a smug look on your face just makes you look incredibly annoying."
"Yeah, that was the point."
"You really have a terrible personality."
Hmm, is this what it feels like to smurf on low-tier newbies? I extended my hand to Man Hanseok, who had collapsed onto the ground, and he grabbed it to pull himself up. Just then, I sensed someone approaching from the quarters and turned my head.
"...When did you get back?"
Seonwoo Seol, her voice raspy from just waking up, appeared with her disguise technique only half-applied.
"I got back a little while ago and was sparring with Hanseok. But, young lady, your disguise seems a bit incomplete."
"Ah... Yeongji, where is unni's mirror?"
Gongson Yeongji, whose hair was equally disheveled from sleep, scurried back inside the quarters and returned with a silver mirror.
"...Oh my."
Startled by her bizarre appearance, which was neither 'Hong Seol' nor 'Seonwoo Seol', Seonwoo Seol immediately patted her face. Honestly, she was acting so comfortable here, it was like she was in her own living room.
Slipping back inside the quarters, Seonwoo Seol quickly finished applying her disguise and returned, looking completely refreshed.
"Ahem, did something happen?"
"It's weird that you're asking if something did happen, rather than if everything was fine."
"Well, there's no way Chef Yoon wouldn't get into some kind of trouble, right?"
What am I, Conan or Kindaichi? She acts like incidents and accidents only happen around me. But since I really did almost get into a massive fight, I couldn't even argue.
"When we first met, every single one of your guesses was wrong, but lately your accuracy rate seems pretty high."
"The me of back then and the me of now are obviously differ—wait, did you really get into trouble? Even though you told me to stay quiet inside the quarters as much as possible?"
"Isn't life originally something that doesn't go according to one's plans?"
"Stop quoting weird things you heard somewhere! What happened?"
When I told her about what happened during lunchtime, Seonwoo Seol scowled deeply.
"Careful, your disguise might crack if you make that face."
"What is wrong with those people? How dare they frame the very person they invited? You should have just smashed them to pieces!"
"Revenge is a dish best served cold."
"What are you talking about? Smashed on the spot is the tastiest!"
"Well, you do tend to eat the tastiest things first, young lady."
That was just Seonwoo Seol's preference. It was like she had to snatch up the delicious food before anyone else could. I, on the other hand, was the type to save the best for last, so we were quite different.
"So, did you finish making that Jeho thing? You've been out since this morning."
"I finished making it and put it in the ice house, but..."
"Can't we try some before the conference starts? You said it would suit my taste perfectly."
"Did I say that?"
"You did! You said it would be incredibly delicious if we sprinkled Jeho all over the Nalcho Yeongo!"
"Ah, right."
As I was heading out to the kitchen this morning, I did mention that it would taste amazing if sprinkled on top of the tteokbokki I made for them before.
"Then let's go to the kitchen. I made plenty anyway, so using a bit of it once or twice should be fine."
At those words, the three of them cheered in excitement. Well, staying cooped up inside the quarters must have made them incredibly restless.
As the three of them and I strolled toward the kitchen, we saw Dong Gyeongdo groaning in a chair. Why was he groaning here instead of going to the Uiyakdang?
"..."
Seeing me, Dong Gyeongdo flinched in surprise, then quickly shut his mouth and began rubbing his stomach. He seemed to be showing off his stomachache, but that was none of my business. He must have heard about me from Zhuge Bi, as he couldn't say a single word.
As we stepped into the cool ice house, Gongson Yeongji looked around and asked.
"Why did you put the Jeho in the ice house...?"
Unlike Seonwoo Seol and Man Hanseok, Gongson Yeongji, who had many connections with the northern steppes, knew what Jeho was. However, the Jeho she knew and the Jeho I was talking about were completely different.
"The Jeho you're thinking of is so hard that it's difficult to cut with a knife, so you can leave it at room temperature. But the one I made this time is completely different."
"Are there different kinds of Jeho?"
"Of course. Jeho comes in all shapes, tastes, and colors. In the far West, there's even a Jeho teeming with maggots..."
"Seriously, you're ruining my appetite!"
Seonwoo Seol grimaced in disgust. If I told her they ate the maggots too, she'd probably smack me on the back. Chuckling, I walked over to a large wooden barrel in one corner of the ice house.
When I opened the lid of the wooden barrel, white lumps were submerged in clear, sloshing water.
"This is Jeho."
"It's just white and looks like flour dough... Is this really that delicious?"
"If you eat it on its own, it's just okay. But when you tear it into pieces and melt it, that's when its true value shines."
I tore off a large chunk of the white lump submerged in the water. Not too much, just enough for the four of us to eat. Since they had followed me all the way here, I should at least feed them this much.
"What are you going to make with this?"
"Well, eggplants are in season right now, so I think baking them with Jeho on top would be nice."
"Baked eggplant! With some Sichuan seasoning brushed on top!"
Seonwoo Seol was already swallowing her drool, as if she had eaten it like that a few times before. Actually, I had only planned to bake the eggplant with the cheese on top, but as Seonwoo Seol suggested, cooking it with a spicy Sichuan-style kick sounded delicious too. With a satisfied smile, I prepared to step out of the ice house.
"Ingredients delivery! Ah, hello!"
A man who entered the ice house bowed to me. He was someone I hadn't seen all day.
"Ah, yes. Don't mind us, just move the goods."
It seemed the ingredients for the dining hall were being delivered, as two young men entered the ice house and began stacking vegetables and meat.
"Hanseok, squeeze in a bit. We shouldn't get in the way of their work."
Since the massive Man Hanseok seemed to be blocking the path, I told him to press close to the wall.
"Heave-ho... Oh, whoops!"
"Huh?"
Crash!
The man carrying a large wooden crate of vegetables collided with Man Hanseok. Looking closely, a protruding nail on the wooden crate had caught on Man Hanseok's clothes. Neither of them fell, but the crate slipped and crashed to the ground, scattering the vegetables all over the floor. The delivery man's face instantly filled with panic. It was understandable, considering all the vegetables were now rolling on the floor.
"Oh dear, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Ah, yes... I'm fine."
"Hanseok, I told you to be careful."
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize it caught on my clothes..."
While the three of us, including myself, helped pick up the fallen vegetables, something rolled.
Clatter.
"...?"
A small glass bottle rolled out from among the vegetables. It was a tiny glass bottle of a size rarely seen in the Central Plains, containing a viscous, clear liquid sloshing inside. Wait, where have I seen this bottle before?
"...Hyeondong Merchant Guild?"
"!"
The moment the words 'Hyeondong Merchant Guild' left my mouth, the man's face turned pale. He stared at the glass bottle on the floor and quickly lunged for it.