A Sweet Sacrifice
Having offered up the promise of future chocolate as a sacrifice, I immediately headed to the Inner Dining Hall Master's Office with On Ban-hui.
“Sword Queen—er, Director of the Eastern Pavilion. How did you know why the Eastern Depot came here?”
“Let's just say... it's a woman's secret,” On Ban-hui replied with a chuckle as she crossed her legs.
“Is it true that Jeogoryeongdang really has an effect similar to an aphrodisiac?”
“Where on earth did you hear that?”
“Let's just say I found out the same way I learned about the Eastern Depot.”
“Aren't you keeping a few too many secrets?”
“A woman must have some mystery, shouldn't she?”
Seeing her brush it off with that enigmatic smile made me realize that she truly was a supreme master. It also reminded me that the one who holds the information holds all the power.
“For ordinary commoners without inner energy, the effects are quite potent. But for martial artists like us who have built up a resistance, it's mostly fine.”
“What do you mean by 'mostly fine'?”
“If you overindulge, it acts exactly like an aphrodisiac. Your blood starts pumping too fast, which can cause nosebleeds or make your face flush red.”
“Hmm...”
With those words, On Ban-hui scanned me from head to toe. Oh my, how scandalous. When I instinctively covered my chest with both hands, she scowled.
“What exactly do you take me for, acting like that?”
“When you talk about aphrodisiacs and then look me up and down like that, even I get scared.”
“Don't talk nonsense. Anyway, let's get back to the Eastern Depot.”
Since this was a serious matter, I stopped joking around and focused.
“I never dreamed that their second-in-command, Attendant Ha, would show up in person. If Lady Seonwoo hadn't pointed it out, I would have completely missed it.”
“Sending Attendant Ha himself is proof of how important this matter is. After all, this is a place where the children of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, the Five Great Clans, the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions, and even the Demonic Cult are gathered. Shouldn't they pay extra attention? Of course, that's not the only reason.”
Not the only reason? As I raised an eyebrow in question, On Ban-hui lightly traced her lower lip with her pinky finger and continued.
“Are you familiar with Princess Bohee?”
“Uh... she's the Emperor's youngest daughter, right?”
Since she was royalty, not much information was publicly available, but I at least knew her approximate age. She was younger than Man Hanseok but older than Gongson Yeongji... so probably around thirteen or fourteen.
“There are rumors that Princess Bohee will be visiting the academy to observe.”
“She's not enrolling as an official student?”
“The Mutual Righteousness Academy is, in the end, a school for commoners. It is no place for the children of the sun itself.”
She didn't mean it literally; her tone carried a hint of sarcasm. True, even though the Mutual Righteousness Academy was a gathering place for the realm's brightest talents, I had never heard of a crown prince or princess enrolling here. I had only heard of the occasional children of high-ranking ministers.
“Are they sending her for no reason at all?”
“She's the youngest daughter, so she probably threw a tantrum about wanting to attend the academy's lectures. Doesn't that sort of thing happen all the time?”
Was... that so? But Gongson Yeongji, the youngest daughter of the Gongson Clan, had never thrown tantrums like that. Then again, she was the Emperor's youngest daughter, so I suppose her tantrums were of imperial proportions.
“Princess Bohee's visit is the first reason. The second is because of information from the Murim Alliance suggesting that an unidentified organization has indeed emerged, just as you feared.”
That actually brought me a sense of relief. It meant I wasn't just being paranoid; others also found my suspicions reasonable.
“And to guard against an unknown organization, it's best to put your most capable agent on the front lines, isn't it?”
“So that's Attendant Ha.”
“Dozens of people have been purged, and hundreds have been subjected to the bastinado under that sweet, high-pitched voice of his. He is absolutely not someone to be taken lightly.”
They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and he seemed to be the perfect example. Then again, considering how he had shown up with a smile and immediately tried to grab me by my weaknesses, it made perfect sense.
“So the first reason is just an excuse, and the second is the real motive?”
“Most likely. But it also allows the Emperor to project the image of a doting father while simultaneously keeping an eye on the mysterious organization in the martial world. For an emperor, managing public perception is of the utmost importance.”
So, he gets to build the image of a family-friendly emperor who listens to his daughter while keeping the martial world in check. Two birds, one stone.
“I knew it—you should never get close to government officials. If you cut them open, I bet you'd find nothing but black ink instead of guts.”
“That is the nature of officials. If you sliced open their bellies, they'd be blacker than a cuttlefish.”
“Hahaha!” After a hearty laugh, On Ban-hui's expression shifted instantly, and she asked with a sly grin,
“By the way, who gave you those cacao beans that allowed you to make such delicious desserts?”
“Are you curious?”
“It would be nice to know, but it doesn't really matter if you don't tell me.”
“I have no reason to lie, so I'll be honest. I received them from the Sacred Cult. From what I gather, they imported them from the West.”
“So you can make desserts even with ingredients from the West, Chef Yoon?”
“Not everything, but I do what I can within my knowledge. I only knew about Jeogoryeongdang because I read about it in an old book.”
“Then, do you also know how to make Dragon's Beard Candy?”
“I know the general method, but... Whoa!”
“You really know how?!”
On Ban-hui suddenly leaned in, her face inches from mine. We were so close our noses almost touched.
“...!”
“...!”
A faint scent of turmeric drifted past. Sensing her intense gaze, I quickly pulled my head back. Ah, this was a bit awkward.
“Th-that was an accident. A mistake. I didn't mean to do that.”
“Ah, yes. Don't worry about it, I make mistakes all the time too.”
If I had said, “Hey, how could you make a mistake like that!” who knows what would have happened. What if she tried to make up for it by inviting me to the Bota Sect for a meal?
“But why the sudden interest in Dragon's Beard Candy...?”
“Ah, well... Ahem.”
On Ban-hui, who had briefly sounded like a flustered young girl, cleared her throat and regained her dignified tone.
“We recently accepted a large batch of young disciples into the Sword Pavilion. But given their tender age, they spend half their nights crying for home.”
“That makes sense. Even here at the academy, the first-years often complain about missing their parents.”
“We've been coaxing them along with their training, and sweet treats seem to do the trick. But even though we've prepared mooncakes, sweet red bean jelly, and tanghulu, they still seem unsatisfied.”
“Can't you try other snacks? There are plenty of options.”
“One of the children specifically begged for Dragon's Beard Candy, so my junior sisters went out of their way to find a shop that sells it. However, the price is so exorbitant that we can't possibly buy enough for all the children.”
“Well, I can teach you how to make it, but it requires a lot of manual labor.”
“We have plenty of hands and time to spare. If you write down the detailed recipe and make a batch of Dragon's Beard Candy as a sample for us to taste, they will be thrilled.”
Just as I was thinking, “At least she's not telling me to go to the Bota Sect again...”
“You might think I'm trying to drag you to the Bota Sect again, but don't worry. I will send a messenger to deliver the recipe to the Sword Pavilion, so you can just make it here at the academy.”
“In that case, of course I'll do it.”
When I answered without hesitation, On Ban-hui glared at me with a chilly gaze.
“Do you really hate the idea of visiting the Sword Pavilion that much?”
“If I went to every place that invited me, my body would end up partitioned like the Sixteen Kingdoms. That's why I have to draw the line.”
“Hmph. What a cheeky man.”
What can I say? It's tough being this popular. Mwahahaha.
Dragon's Beard Candy. In Korea, it was widely known as kkul-tarae, a snack that had somehow acquired the false reputation of being a royal court delicacy from the Joseon Dynasty. While it was indeed a treat with a very long history, it was never actually a Joseon royal court dish. Well, it was certainly delicious enough to be one, though.
To start, I piled a generous amount of starch powder onto a large tray. Next, I boiled down a proper ratio of maltose and honey. While sugar could work in a pinch, honey offered a far richer flavor, so I opted for that.
Stirring gently to prevent it from sticking, the mixture of honey and maltose slowly boiled down into a deep, rich brown syrup. Mmm. With an aroma this sweet, Seonwoo Seol will probably sniff her way in here any second to ask what dessert I'm making.
Next, I poured the boiled syrup into a greased bowl and let it cool until it was lukewarm. Once cooled, I transferred the mixture onto the tray with the starch powder. Rather than a runny liquid, it was now a firm, highly elastic honey dough.
After coating the honey dough thoroughly with starch, I poked a hole right in the center and pulled it outward, stretching it into a wide ring. If I were to cut this into chunks and let it harden, it would become yeot, a traditional Korean taffy. But today, I was making Dragon's Beard Candy, not taffy.
I twisted the ring into a figure eight, folded it in half, dusted it with more starch, and stretched it again. Repeating this process about fourteen times transformed the single ring into thousands of incredibly fine, thread-like strands. Finally, I tore the strands into bite-sized pieces, filled them with finely crushed walnuts, cinnamon powder, and hazelnuts, and rolled them up.
It might look simple at a glance, but the ratio of honey to maltose is critical, and stretching the dough requires precise control of force and technique. Beginners would easily snap the delicate threads.
I headed straight to the Eastern Pavilion Director's office to deliver the freshly made Dragon's Beard Candy to On Ban-hui.
“Chef Yoooooon!!”
“Eek!”
With a booming, cheerful shout, Yang Seoran suddenly burst into view. Her skin looked a bit more tanned than usual. Has she been spending a lot of time outdoors?
“Weren't you supposed to be at the Sword Pavilion?”
“The handover was mostly finished, so I took a boat straight back! I personally felt there was still more to do, but they practically chased me out and told me to get back to the academy immediately!”
I didn't even need to ask. She had undoubtedly driven everyone at the Sword Pavilion mad with her trademark obsession and deafening voice. Honestly, it was probably better for them to send her back to the academy, where people were already accustomed to her sheer volume.
“But what is inside that wooden box you are carrying to Master's office?!”
“I heard the people at the Sword Pavilion were dying to eat some Dragon's Beard Candy, so I whipped up a batch.”
“Huh? That is news to me!”
“Pardon?”
What was she talking about?
“While the disciples of our Sword Pavilion do love sweets, they have never singled out any specific snack like that!”
“But the Sword Queen said...”
“It must have been Master herself who wanted it!”
“Wait, so the Sword Queen lied to me just because she wanted to eat it?”
“She might have asked about various snack recipes, but the chances of her specifically requesting Dragon's Beard Candy are highly unlikely!”
“I appreciate the insider info, but shouldn't a disciple take her master's side?”
“If a master strays from the path of righteousness, is it not the disciple's duty to correct her?!”
She wasn't wrong, but hearing those words come from Yang Seoran felt incredibly bizarre. Just as I was about to open the door to the Eastern Pavilion Director's office to address this, Yang Seoran shook her head and barged in first.
“Masteeeeeer!! What kind of lies have you been telling the Chief Nutritionist?!!”
Clearly used to Yang Seoran's dramatic entrances, On Ban-hui, who was sitting at her desk writing something, didn't even blink. Instead, she looked up at her panting disciple with a thoroughly exhausted expression. Seeing this, she truly was the master who had raised Yang Seoran.
“What lies could I possibly have told?”
“About the Dragon's Beard Candy!”
“It wasn't a lie.”
Glancing sideways at me, On Ban-hui cleared her throat and replied,
“The children of the Sword Pavilion needed a new reward, so I simply thought of feeding them Chef Yoon's snacks.”
“But claiming the children specifically requested Dragon's Beard Candy makes it a lie! Where is the master who always advised her disciple to speak only the truth and act with absolute sincerity?!!”
“How dare you speak back to your master. At my age, am I not allowed to indulge in a little whim now and then?”
“Alright, I get the picture, so please stop fighting.”
If they kept this up, I was going to suffer permanent hearing damage. With those words, I opened the wooden box. When it came to shutting people up, physical intervention was always the most effective method.
“This is Dragon's Beard Candy filled with finely crushed nuts and cinnamon powder. Please, try some first.”
Inside the opened box, the beautifully rolled, snowy-white cocoons of Dragon's Beard Candy showed off their elegant form. Even if I said so myself, I had made them exceptionally well. The moment the box opened, both On Ban-hui and Yang Seoran fell dead silent.
“Should I brew some tea so you two can sit down and enjoy them properly?”
“...Even we have some shame. There is no need for that.”
“Seeing a master and disciple brawling right in front of me, I thought you had completely forgotten about shame.”
When I spoke with a sly grin, both of them cleared their throats in unison, unable to find a retort. I thought as much.
Soon, the two of them each picked up a piece of Dragon's Beard Candy and popped it into their mouths.
Crunch, crunch.
The delicate threads of the candy shattered with a crisp, rustling sound inside their mouths, and immediately, both master and disciple let out the exact same exclamation of wonder.
“Mmm...!”
Looking at their expressions, I could vividly picture the taste without even trying it. The moment the Dragon's Beard Candy melted on their tongues, the rich, distinct sweetness of the honey would burst across their palates. Then, the crunchy texture and deep, savory richness of the walnuts, combined with the sharp, aromatic warmth of the cinnamon powder, would elevate the flavor to a whole new level.
Like someone helplessly snacking on chips, they kept reaching for more. They only stopped when I snatched the box away and firmly shut the lid.
“Any more and your teeth will rot, so let's stop here.”
“What a pity...!”
“Come now, just one more...”
“No.”
Despite On Ban-hui's glare at my cold refusal, rules were rules. I then handed her the letter containing the recipe for the Dragon's Beard Candy.
“You can send this to the Sword Pavilion. I was planning to send the rest of the candy in the box as samples for everyone to taste, but now I'm not sure if I can trust you two.”
“I am the Lord of the Sword Pavilion, the Sword Queen herself. How can you lack such faith in me?”
“I am also the Student Council President and hold the title of the Little Sword Queen! Do you not trust me either?!”
“It's like leaving a fish with a cat.”
And in this case, two very spoiled cats wielding absolute authority.
Neither of them had a comeback, so they quickly averted their eyes. They grumbled under their breaths, muttering that it was my fault for making food and snacks taste too delicious, and that they would never be able to enjoy ordinary Dragon's Beard Candy again. Leaving behind their complaints—which made it sound as if I were the one in the wrong—I stepped out of the Eastern Pavilion Director's office.
Sigh—er, Sword Queen, please grow up.
Just as I was leaving the Eastern Pavilion, feeling satisfied that I had wrapped up another task—
“...!”
Zing!
A sharp, prickling sensation needled the back of my neck. Having experienced this countless times before, I knew exactly what it meant.
“...”
I was being watched. And it was happening right inside the academy.