The Shadow of the Eastern Depot

The Eastern Depot. One of the two major factions serving the absolute authority of the Emperor. In modern Korean terms, they were roughly equivalent to the National Intelligence Service, making them an object of sheer terror to ordinary citizens and martial artists alike.

That was exactly why kids like Man Hanseok and Gye-yeong practically jumped out of their skins whenever I so much as mentioned "the government." One wrong word could get you branded a traitor or conspirator, and the Eastern Depot would drag you away in the dead of night. But now, an actual eunuch from the Eastern Depot was sitting right in front of me, making my head throb. Why on earth was he here?

Ha Migwa pulled out one of the chairs in front of me, slumped into it, and asked, "I hear you hold a position overseeing both the Inner and Outer Dining Halls at quite a young age. What was the name of the previous fellow... Geum-something?"

"Are you referring to the former Head Chef, Geum Ho?"

"Ah, yes, Geum Ho. I hear you seized his position?"

"I wouldn't say I 'seized' it. He let his absurd jealousy get the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠better of him, and the position just happened to fall into my lap."

"Hmm, is that so?"

It was a bit annoying how he kept speaking down to me from our very first meeting, but... well, biologically speaking, he was probably around my father's age, so I decided to let it slide. Besides, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I had absolutely no intention of asking the second-in-command of the Eastern Depot, 'Hey, why are you talking down to me?'

"May I ask what brings someone of your stature to seek out a humble person like myself...?"

"Oh, nothing major."

Ha Migwa flicked his finger at the eunuch standing behind him, who immediately handed over a letter envelope. Another envelope? I am so sick of these.

"What is this?"

"From now on, I would like the Inner Dining Hall to prepare meals using only these ingredients."

"Excuse me? Ingredients?"

What kind of nonsense is this? Did the Imperial Palace pass some special food safety act? I stared at Ha Migwa with a thoroughly bewildered expression, and he stared back as if wondering why I was looking at him that way. Seriously, who do you think you are?

"Your eyes are practically screaming, 'Why are you giving me this?'"

"If that is how you interpreted it, then your observation is entirely correct."

"Hmm? Why do you not know?"

"Because I genuinely have no idea?"

Could you please just explain it to me instead of keeping me in suspense?

"Jangma. What is the meaning of this?"

"T-That is... Ah, I will look into it immediately!"

The eunuch addressed as Jangma trembled violently as he bowed his head. How can someone's name literally mean 'Cockroach'? Considering most eunuchs didn't use their real names, it was likely a nickname. The problem was, he probably didn't choose it himself; this guy sitting in front of me must have given it to him.

"Forget it. What is the point of verifying the facts now that I am already here?"

"Y-Yes, sir..."

"I will deal with you in a moment."

Unlike the gentle, soft-spoken tone typical of eunuchs, the underlying meaning was terrifying. Ha Migwa's words were essentially a death sentence. The man named Jangma turned pale in an instant.

Ignoring his subordinate's terror, Ha Migwa chuckled and turned back to me. "I have already notified the academy officials, so it should not be an issue. I will be staying at the academy starting this semester, so keep that in mind."

"...Is the Eastern Depot spying on the academy?"

"Tsk, tsk. If anyone heard you, they might think His Imperial Majesty is trying to keep the academy in check. Since the current state of the martial world is unstable, His Majesty is merely cooperating so that the Eastern Depot can assist at any time to ensure the safety of the students from the orthodox, unorthodox, and demonic factions."

That is literally the definition of spying, you old fox. But as expected of the second-in-command of the Eastern Depot, his expression didn't even flicker as he shamelessly continued. "Well, I cannot exactly buy meals every single day, so I will have to eat at the Inner Dining Hall from time to time, will I not?"

In other words, he wanted to treat me like his personal chef... which rubbed me the wrong way. Let's try a little push-and-pull.

"I appreciate the Associate Director of the Eastern Depot making this request in advance, but as the Hall Master responsible for the dining halls, this is not a decision I can make on my own. I believe I must obtain permission from the Eastern Hall Director or the Headmaster first."

"I heard that planning the menu and allocating the budget falls entirely under the Hall Master's authority?"

"That authority is meant for the students and staff. If I were to arbitrarily extend that to dispatched external personnel, it would be an abuse of power."

"An abuse of power, you say."

Ha Migwa smirked, looking at me. Ah, that was definitely the face of someone who had just sprung a trap. Crossing his legs and stroking his chin, Ha Migwa pointed at Seonwoo Seol, who was standing beside me.

"This one here must be the Socheonma, the daughter of the infamous Heavenly Demon."

Next, he pointed at Gongson Yeongji.

"And this is Gongson Yeongji, the youngest daughter of the Gongson Clan, who is currently under suspicion of... well, not treason, but certainly something close to it."

Next was Man Hanseok.

"And Man Hanseok of the Donhwa Sect, a small sect in Guangdong that has recently gained quite a reputation. I believe he was recently dubbed the Mount Tai New Hero."

"..."

"I have received intelligence that you have been providing personal favors and entertainment to these three."

"Who is providing favors?"

"Who do you think?"

"Me? Why would I?"

"Are you denying it?"

Favors, my foot. I had given far more to those three, including Seonwoo Seol, than I had ever received. If anything, I would be the one giving more in the future; there was no way I'd be receiving favors. The problem was, explaining this logically wouldn't work on him. I glanced at the faces of the three looking at me. They were visibly tense. Why were they so terrified when they hadn't even done anything wrong?

"Of course it wasn't a personal favor."

"Hmm? And why is that?"

"I cannot simply introduce untested new recipes to all the students at once. I merely asked these three, with whom I share a personal acquaintance, to taste-test the dishes before I finalized the menus."

"I believe there is a clause stating that staff members must treat all students equally."

"I frequently spend my own money to provide highly experimental snacks and desserts to both the students in the Outer Dining Hall and the staff in the Inner Dining Hall. By that logic, am I providing personal favors to the entire academy?"

This was actually true. Honestly, if I only favored specific students and staff, people would obviously talk. Just a few days ago, I had offered a pound cake with a low cacao mass content to On Ban-hui. 'If we cultivate these cacao beans at the Bota Sect, will Chef Yoon come join us?''No, I will not.' Every single conversation with her somehow ended with an invitation to join her sect, forcing me to constantly run away.

"So you intend to wriggle your way out of this?"

"Wriggle out of what? It is the absolute truth."

It was practically a declaration of defeat on his part, but Ha Migwa refused to back down and tried to find another loophole. "I hear you hail from Shandong."

"..."

Ugh, of course he'd bring that up. Classic Eastern Depot. He had just poked at my weakest spot. However, I was actually curious about what he knew, so I decided to keep listening.

"Yet, my sources say no one around Shandong has ever heard of anyone named 'Yoon Gomyung.' Oh, of course, the residents of that small village called Gaeun consider you a great benefactor, but you were merely an outsider to them."

Seeing me offer no excuses, Ha Migwa wore a triumphant expression, as if he had finally caught me in a lie. But it wasn't quite what he thought.

"Did you change your identity or hide your past elsewhere?"

"I merely stayed in Shandong before coming to the academy. I never once claimed Shandong was my hometown."

"Hmm?"

"By the time I was old enough to understand the world, I was a complete orphan with no parents, no relatives, and not a single copper to my name. Once I grew a bit older, I traveled all across the Central Plains working as a woodcutter."

"...A woodcutter?"

"You went through all the trouble of investigating my background, yet you did not know I lived as a woodcutter?"

I actually had worked as a woodcutter, though it was barely for a year. I had been chopping wood when I stumbled into the Medicine Sage's cave.

"As I wandered from place to place, I eventually met my master, who lived alone in the deep, secluded mountains. His surname was Yoon. He gave the name 'Gomyung' to me, a boy who had neither a surname nor a proper name, and taught me martial arts."

"..."

"I lived under his care, learning how to cook, but he passed away not long after. That was roughly... around the spring of last year."

I lightly covered my eyes as I spoke, making it look as though I were holding back tears. "So it is only natural that you have never heard the name Yoon Gomyung. My master made that choice... just to give a wretched wretch like me a chance at a proper life."

As I spoke in a melancholy voice, Ha Migwa became visibly flustered. My acting had worked beautifully, but a new problem arose. Not only Seonwoo Seol, but Man Hanseok and Gongson Yeongji as well, seemed to believe my story hook, line, and sinker. Seonwoo Seol, in particular, had been covering her mouth with her hands ever since I mentioned being a complete orphan. Ah, this is awkward... Still, I couldn't exactly confess it was a lie right now, so I decided to drive the final nail into the coffin.

"You are free to suspect me as much as you like, but please do not insult ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my late master, who bestowed his own surname upon me and gave me my name."

With those words, I stood up and clasped my hands in a formal martial salute. Ha Migwa quickly averted his gaze.

"Ahem... Cough!"

No matter how lawless the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Central Plains could be, and no matter how absolute the power of the Eastern Depot was, this was still a society deeply rooted in Confucian principles. Insulting someone's master—especially a martial artist's master—was a surefire way to get yourself stabbed, and rightfully so. Ha Migwa was well aware of this, which was why he looked so flustered. Even the second-in-command of the Eastern Depot would face severe backlash if he crossed that line.

Now that I had pushed him into a corner and made him sweat, it was time to pull him back in. I glanced at him, placed the list of ingredients I was holding onto the table, and spoke. "However, looking at the list of ingredients you have provided, as long as you let me know when you plan to dine at the Inner Dining Hall, I should be able to prepare suitable meals for you."

"Hmm? I thought you were about to refuse, claiming you could not do it?"

"How could I possibly do that? I would never dare refuse a request from the Associate Director of the Eastern Depot. However, if it appears as though you are forcing me to cook for you, it might look a bit coercive. Therefore, I will personally make the request to the Headmaster."

When I answered like that, Ha Migwa's expression turned incredibly bizarre. He looked like he was trying to figure out what kind of crazy bastard would flip-flop his stance so seamlessly. But this was a crucial distinction to make. There was a massive difference between me cooking for him because he held leverage over me, and me cooking for him out of my own goodwill.

"So, let us conclude today's meeting here. I will make sure to prepare a full spread for you later, including the Beggar's Chicken I made for the Beggar Sect's banquet."

This was my way of saying, 'I've thrown you a bone, so back off now.' Ha Migwa stared at me for a moment, then let out a chuckle. He's laughing?

"I thought only we eunuchs possessed such silver tongues, but it seems the academy houses quite an extraordinary individual as well."

"Oh, not at all. I still have much to learn."

"The Imperial Kitchen... No, never mind. Forget it. I shall take my leave now."

With a look of satisfaction, as if he had gotten everything he wanted, Ha Migwa swept his robes and stood up.

"Keep your eyes open, Inner and Outer Hall Master."

"...?"

"The Grand Eunuch of the Eastern Depot is watching your name very closely."

Hohohoho. Leaving behind that ominous warning, Ha Migwa walked out of the room with a high-pitched, echoing laugh. What a terrifying man.

Letting out a deep sigh of relief, I slumped and buried my face in the table. Immediately, Seonwoo Seol began tugging frantically at my sleeve.

"What is it?"

"I-Is it true? Your master passed away?"

"I'll explain everything later. Right now, my brain is fried from thinking too much, and I'm dizzy."

I had fabricated this fake identity in my spare time, anticipating that someone would eventually dig into my past, but I never expected to use it like this.

"Oh dear, we had no idea..."

"Chef Yoon... why didn't you tell us sooner...?"

"Good grief. Hanseok, Yeongji, I told you I'll explain everything later."

Why are they looking at me with such pity? This is driving me crazy, seriously.

Two letter envelopes sat before me. One was the list of preferred ingredients written by the eunuch Ha Migwa—essentially a list of his picky eating habits. The other was the results of the poison investigation handed over by Dang Go-hye.

I had already read the first one earlier and dismissed it as a mere "picky eater's list." It was filled with complaints like 'I hate eggplants because of their texture' and 'I hate bitter melon because of its bitter taste.' Based on this, I concluded that Ha Migwa possessed the palate of a toddler, worse than even a first-year student.

The other document, however, was quite serious.

The true nature of this poison, which we temporarily dubbed "Glass Poison," was highly suspicious. A deadly poison like this suddenly spreading, accompanied by the emergence of a group chanting "Repay resentment with blood"...

"..."

It was incredibly suspicious, but there was nothing I could do about it right now. I decided to head over to the Inner Dining Hall to check on how the chefs were doing. While I was at it, I figured I could listen in on whatever rumors were circulating among the staff.

"Ah, Head Chef! You're here!"

"Everything running smoothly?"

"Well, a new supplier sent us some tofu today... but the taste seems a bit off."

"In what way?"

One of the kitchen assistants pointed at the tofu soaking in water. I took a small sip of the water. Though it looked perfectly clear, it tasted distinctly of dirt.

"It rained a few days ago, didn't it? Was it a yellow dust rain?"

"Ah, yes. We did have some mud rain."

"It seems they made the tofu using water contaminated by that yellow dust rain. Send a letter to the supplier, or tell them directly, not to make tofu with water from the yellow dust rain. Aside from the earthy smell, it will make the tofu spoil much faster."

Perhaps because Northern Yuan, located just north of Poeun, consisted of vast steppes and deserts, yellow dust storms often brought rain mixed with sand. Here, they called it yellow dust rain. Cooking with water affected by this rain caused food to spoil quickly and emit a foul odor. I instructed the staff to boil all water thoroughly just in case, or to fetch water from deep wells unaffected by the rain, before stepping out of the kitchen.

"Chef Yoon."

"Ack."

"What do you mean, 'Ack'? You wound me."

The moment I stepped outside, the Sword Queen, On Ban-hui, was standing there with her hands on her hips, staring at me.

"It feels as though you have been actively avoiding me lately."

"You must be mistaken."

"I heard you reported the mysterious organization that recruited the Drunken King and the Twin Bat Fiends to the Cold-Hearted Fist King. Why did you not share this information with me?"

"Well, since both of you are Academy Directors, I assumed the information would naturally be shared..."

"Are you sure it is not because you find me difficult to deal with?"

"Oh, of course not! How could I possibly find the greatest swordswoman of our generation difficult to deal with?"

"That sounded suspiciously like sarcasm..."

On Ban-hui glared at me out of the corner of her eye. This was exactly why I disliked sharp-witted masters.

However, On Ban-hui had brought along a piece of bait far more enticing than I had anticipated.

"I have caught wind of some news regarding the Eastern Depot. Care to listen?"

"News regarding the Eastern Depot?"

"Yes. I obtained information regarding their true purpose for coming here."

On Ban-hui flashed a smug smile. It was clearly a trap, but such was the tragic fate of a fish that had no choice but to bite.

"...What do you want?"

"I hear that chocolate made from those cacao beans is absolutely exquisite."

On Ban-hui extended her hand, her mouth practically watering.

"...Very well."

If I can trade some chocolate for information on the Eastern Depot, then I'm the one coming out ahead. ...Or so I chose to believe to cope with the loss. Ugh.