Her Prime, and Beyond
Her prime—no, beyond it. Kim Hyeyun picked up the knife. "With this..."
She placed an onion on the cutting board. Giving her wrist a light flick, she brought the knife down. Without a sound, the blade slipped through the onion. Slices so thin they were practically translucent cascaded onto the board. The thickness was perfectly uniform, without a millimeter of error.
"...I can do this," she muttered to herself. Her wrist was perfectly fine. Even the weight of holding the knife felt faint. Because she couldn't feel the weight, she didn't need to apply force. Because she didn't need to apply force, there was no trembling in her wrist. Her hand simply traced the lines she drew in her mind.
Just a few days ago, even holding a knife had terrified her. She had woken up every dawn drenched in cold sweat, her knife-work slightly off, and her seasoning growing more inconsistent by the day. For a perfectionist like her, it had been unbearable.
But now. *Tap, tap, tap, tap—* her hand moved so fast it was a blur. With every stroke, the ingredients were sliced into identical sizes. Nothing stuck to the blade. There wasn't a single ounce of strain on her wrist.
Her prime. She recalled the days when she made a name for herself as the youngest sous chef in a Michelin-starred kitchen abroad. Back when her fingertips were at their sharpest. ...No. It cut even better than back then. If her past self saw her now, her jaw would surely drop. Her prime, and beyond.
"...What on earth is this knife?" Her heart raced. Her grip on the hilt tightened instinctively. She felt like she could do it. Just a few days ago, she had thought everything was over, that she was finished. But now... she could do it. This was absolutely going to work.
The top floor of the hotel, a private restaurant.
"...Everyone," Hyeyun said, looking around at the staff lined up before her. Every single face was tense. It was only natural. This was a social gathering where giants of politics, business, and household names gathered in one place. And they were the ones responsible for tonight's banquet.
"I know everyone is nervous, but it's nothing to worry about." Hyeyun offered a faint smile. "Just do what you always do. Exactly like we do every day."
"Yes, Chef!"
"Good. Let's go."
Prep began. Broth simmered, sauces reduced, and ingredients were prepped. The spacious kitchen operated like a finely tuned machine, gears interlocking perfectly. And at the center of it all stood Hyeyun.
Once service started, the version of her that had trembled in fear just days ago vanished as if she had never existed.
*Tap-tap-tap-tap—*
the knife danced. With a mere flick of her wrist, thick beef tenderloin parted into uniform slices. Even the tough, sinewy parts offered no resistance. Because she didn't fight the grain, not a single drop of juice escaped.
Moreover, her body felt unbelievably light. Ever since the day she collapsed, she hadn't had that dreadful nightmare even once. Waking up in a cold sweat at dawn, the heavy weight pressing down on her shoulders—all of it was gone. Her body had completely recovered. Every single fingertip moved exactly as she willed.
"..." A plated dish was placed on the pass. The assistant standing beside her swallowed hard without realizing it. This wasn't the usual Chef. No, she was always good—she hadn't earned the title of genius for nothing. But today was on an entirely different level.
Her hands moved so fast they were a blur. Hard carrots, soft tomatoes, and tough chunks of meat were sliced into identical thicknesses as if by magic. It was as if the knife and her hand had become one, each movement painting a masterpiece on the plate.
What is with this woman...? The assistant could only vaguely sense that they were witnessing something truly extraordinary. And it wasn't just them. Swept up by the head chef's almost possessed momentum, the entire kitchen heated up in tandem. Even without anyone urging them on, everyone's hands moved faster.
"Chef, the garnish is ready!"
"The sauce is reducing!"
"Lower the heat and wait thirty seconds. I'm putting the meat on right now, so match my timing!" Hyeyun's voice, commanding the open kitchen, didn't tremble in the slightest.
"..." At some point, the noise of the kitchen faded into the background. Just the cutting board and the knife. That was all. With every slice, she could feel the unique aroma and texture of the ingredients coming perfectly alive. It was the ultimate catharsis a chef could experience.
Suddenly, a faint smile spread across her lips. ...This is fun. She had dedicated her entire life to cooking, but she had never felt such a thrilling rush of joy standing in a kitchen before.
She was right in the middle of plating the main dishes, riding a peak state of flow, when the dining room manager rushed into the kitchen. "Chef," the manager said urgently. "Someone... would like to see you."
"Pardon?" Hyeyun's heart sank. Summoning the head chef to the dining room in the middle of a busy service at a VIP social gathering? ...Did something go wrong? Had a foreign object gotten into the food? Or was the doneness of the meat so terrible that it triggered a complaint?
Her mind went blank. Today of all days, not a single mistake could be tolerated. She hurriedly adjusted her apron and followed the manager with a tense face.
The deepest corner of the dining room. It was the table where the highest-ranking VIPs were gathered. Executive Director Yoon Seah, along with conglomerate chairmen she had only ever seen on the news and other prominent figures, were seated there. She swallowed hard.
"Director Yoon, did you call..."
"Ah, Chef Kim!" Seeing the stiff Hyeyun, Director Yoon stood up with a bright smile. "Hahaha, Chairman. This is the pride of our hotel I was telling you about, Head Chef Kim Hyeyun. I told you that despite her youth, her skills are absolutely guaranteed, didn't I?"
"Hoho, so this is the young lady who used to be at Le Ciel." A white-haired conglomerate chairman raised his wine glass with a satisfied smile. "In all my years, I've never had a steak like this. It melts the moment it touches the tongue, yet it's so incredibly juicy... This young chef is truly remarkable!"
"Exactly! I was so shocked when I took a bite just now. Chef, how did you cook this? It literally just dissolved in my mouth." A young third-generation heiress sitting next to him chimed in, her eyes sparkling with praise. "Honestly, I've been to most of the Michelin-starred restaurants abroad, but I think this place is the best. Truly."
"Haha, how did you manage to recruit such talent? Director Yoon, mind if we scout her to our side?"
"Haha, I'm afraid that's out of the question. She's our hotel's treasure." Yoon Seah laughed and deflected. "Everyone was just singing praises for your cooking, Chef."
...It wasn't a complaint.
"Ah... Thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed it." Only then did Hyeyun relax her tense shoulders and bow deeply. She managed to suppress it, but she couldn't stop her voice from trembling slightly. A wave of overwhelming joy washed over her.
This was a gathering of South Korea's wealth and power. Before such people, her cooking was being recognized. It was perfect. It felt as though all the pressure that had been crushing her was washed away in an instant. But now was not the time to relax.
The banquet wasn't over yet. Hyeyun stepped back into the open kitchen and gripped her knife. Tonight, the flames of the open kitchen looked exceptionally beautiful.
At the same time, in a corner of the kitchen, Kang Mirae was gritting her teeth. ...Fuck. How did this happen? On the outside, she still wore a gentle smile. The sous chef who supported the head chef like a shadow and meticulously catered to the whims of the junior staff. The one who was known for having a solid reputation and popularity among the kitchen crew. That was Kang Mirae.
But behind that smiling face, her insides were actually burning up. It had definitely been working. Just a few days ago, that high-and-mighty head chef had been visibly falling apart. Her pale face.
The dark circles under her eyes. The way she kept massaging her right wrist. Mirae had seen it all. Just a little more. If she pushed just a little more, it would have been over. But now, that woman was wielding her knife as if she were possessed by a god.
...I really can't stand her. Mirae bit the inside of her lip. Looking back, she had hated her from the very beginning. The head chef position in this kitchen should have been hers. She had held a knife for over ten years.
She had come in at the crack of dawn, turning on the lights before anyone else, and climbed up step by step from her days as the youngest kitchen hand, building calluses on her hands. She had clawed her way up to the sous chef position with sheer desperation. She only had one more step to go. The position was right in front of her.
And yet, they brought in some kid who was years younger than her from abroad and plopped her right into that seat. Just because she was a former sous chef overseas. Fine. She thought she could accept it. ...Well, she must have had the skills to get hired. If she had gotten the job purely on merit, Mirae would have had no choice but to accept it.
But then she heard the rumors. Rumors that Kim Hyeyun hadn't landed the position solely because of her skills. That Director Yoon Seah, who had become an executive at a young age, had placed her there as a sort of example to prove that 'even the young can do it.' Not because of her skills, but as a symbol.
...Fuck. It drove her mad with resentment. The position she had dedicated her entire life to was filled as a mere tool to serve as someone's symbol. And by a kid seven years younger than her, no less. Of course, she acted friendly on the outside. She smiled warmly and took care of things first. Because she was a professional. Because she was the sous chef.
No matter what she thought inside, showing it was something only third-rate amateurs did. She knew better than anyone that in this industry, the moment you let your emotions show on your face, you were finished. One day, while she was swallowing her resentment... they made contact.
When she first heard the proposal, Mirae couldn't help but be shocked. They told her that the position was originally hers, and they would help her reclaim it.
"...Excuse me?" She couldn't quite understand what was happening. Who were these people, showing up out of nowhere and saying such things? Did that bitch buy a grudge from somewhere? Or was it... on Director Yoon's side? In return, they said there was a condition. She only had to help with one thing. To 'curse' that young chef.
"...What?" Her excitement fizzled out. She thought they were some kind of cult. They babbled on about talismans and spiritual power, and listening to such nonsense only made her let out a hollow laugh.
Naturally, she tried to leave, telling them to stop talking nonsense. ...But strangely, as she tried to stand up, her feet wouldn't move easily. In the end, she accepted the ridiculous proposal. The reason was simple. She didn't feel any guilt.
...There's no proof anyway. Even if something happened because she put up a talisman, it wasn't like the police would show up and arrest her for casting a curse. Right. She would just give it a try. She knew it probably wouldn't work anyway. But wasn't it only natural to want to curse the unlucky bitch who stole her position? She comforted herself with that thought.
But somehow, it actually worked. From the day she placed the talisman, Hyeyun began to visibly fall apart. Her gaunt face. Her bloodshot eyes, clear evidence of sleepless nights. And her right wrist, which she kept rubbing whenever she held a knife. Mirae watched all of it with a sweet smile by her side. ...Yes. It just had to keep going like this.
The highlight was supposed to be today. Either the young head chef would make a massive mistake during this crucial event, or she would collapse in front of everyone before that. Then, naturally, Mirae would step in to fill the void. She had endured all that time just for today. And yet—
...How is this happening? Mirae glared at Hyeyun's back as she wielded her knife perfectly—no, not just perfectly, but like a madwoman. Just a short while ago, she was a girl who couldn't even control her own wrist.
But today, she was in her prime. No, beyond it. It was as if the knife was glued to her hand, slicing through ingredients without a single tremor. Those weren't movements a human should be capable of.
This can't be happening... Mirae's expression gradually distorted. The corners of her mouth, which had been smiling sweetly, stiffened. ...This wouldn't do. She couldn't let it go on like this. Mirae made up her mind. No matter what it took, she had to finish this today.
First, I grabbed a ton of food from the catering. Wow, this looks insanely delicious. It's my first time at a hotel restaurant. Teehee. Sitting comfortably in the VIP section, I eagerly stuffed the course dishes into my mouth. Mmm. Oh! This is crazy! The moment I bit into it, the juices exploded, wrapping around my tongue. It was hands down the best food I'd ever eaten in my life.
Actually, I knew it would turn out like this. Because I had imbued my intent into the knife. 'Become delicious, according to the intention of the chef wielding this knife.' Well, something like that. I didn't know what it originally tasted like since I'd never eaten here before.
But seeing how insanely delicious it was, the effect was definitely real. Today, my secret friend, the Apprentice's Diary, scored another consecutive victory.
I looked toward the open kitchen with a satisfied expression. Yes, yes. This is how it should be. Even from afar, I could see the chef tirelessly working her knife. Come to think of it, that knife was my very first creation in reality.
The first item I crafted outside the game. Maybe that's why, but every time I saw it, I felt a sense of pride. I could see the chef smiling brightly too. Yeah, she must be thrilled. Hehehe... Knowing that a knife I made could make someone smile like that felt a lot better than I expected.
Only then did I start to look around at my surroundings. Hmm. This really was an insane social gathering. It was packed with people draped in obviously expensive luxury brands.
These were people whose wristwatches looked more expensive than the deposit for my studio apartment in Seoul. I think I recognized that guy over there. Wasn't he a conglomerate chairman who always appeared on the news?
But then. ...Huh? Scattered among the crowd, I could sense people with strangely dense spiritual energy. Of course, they were hiding it tightly with things like restraining charms, but I could see it leaking out in tiny amounts. They said the sorcery world had deep roots in politics and business. I guess it was true.
I was leisurely savoring my food when I saw a woman slip out of the kitchen. It was the sous chef. "...I'll go grab some more ingredients," she told someone before scurrying across the hall.
But then, someone quietly stood up and followed her. It was the person who, even among those I'd noticed earlier, exuded a particularly ominous aura.
A moment later, as the sous chef walked back into the hall carrying an ingredient tub, something wavered inside it. A shimmering black energy. A disgusting mass of cursed energy, similar to the curses that had poured out of the vent the other day. That's...!
She had to make sure of it this time. Kang Mirae's grip tightened on the ingredient tub. She had just received this from that man. The moment she took it, her palm tingled and went numb. She didn't know exactly what it was, but she was certain it was something far stronger than the last one.
If I can just slip this onto her body... Well, making up an excuse would be easy. She had built up such a warm, caring image, after all. She could pretend the chef's shoelaces were untied or offer to tighten her apron, and slip it onto the back of her apron. No one would ever know. Then, it would finally be over.
Kang Mirae squeezed through the crowd and made her way toward the open kitchen. Her heart pounded frantically. Just a little more. Just a little closer. She was about to take another step when—*bump.*
"Ah." Turning a corner in the hall, she bumped shoulders with someone. It was a man wearing a black shirt, with a black mask covering half his face.
"Ah, sorry—" Without even looking back at her, the man walked past her with a lazy stride, heading toward the buffet area.
...What, he's not even going to apologize? Kang Mirae frowned. He didn't even follow the dress code for a place like this, and why the hell is he wearing a mask? Annoyance flared up, but now was not the time to argue. The man had already turned his back indifferently, disappearing into the crowd.
Mirae shook herself out of it and reached down to check if the talisman inside the ingredient tub was safe. But then.
...Huh? Her fingertips felt hot. Why...? *Sssss.* A thin wisp of smoke rose from the talisman resting in the tub.
"...What?" Before she could even panic, *whoosh!* The talisman burst into flames, crumbling into a pile of ash.
"..." Kang Mirae stared blankly down at the tub, which now held nothing but ashes. It had definitely been there just a second ago. What... what on earth had just happened? She couldn't comprehend it at all.
Meanwhile, Dohyun was back to happily stuffing his face. Oh, they have salmon over there too. Nice. I piled my plate high. *Nom, nom.* They said she was heavily targeted by some family. I guess she really was. *Munch, munch.* That woman... she was definitely the one standing next to the chef when I went to deliver the knife last time. I think I heard she was the sous chef. They seemed close.
Even back then, she was acting all sweet and affectionate toward the head chef. Of course, I couldn't sense even a speck of spiritual energy from her. It didn't seem like she was hiding it with a restraining charm or anything either. She was just a regular ordinary person.
"Sigh..." Since they couldn't get to the head chef, they must have targeted the sous chef instead. *Tsk, tsk.* Well, there was no need to tell her. Today was probably a crucial day for them, and once today passed, nothing major would happen. That's why, on my way to grab some food earlier, I had casually drawn a circuit as I brushed past the talisman shimmering inside the sous chef's tub.
Pretending to bump into her, I just grazed past. I merely drew a single straight circuit with my fingertip, slipping a bit of my spiritual energy into it. It was no big deal. It had probably burned up and vanished by now. *Ahem.* I couldn't let them ruin such a delicious dinner. *Munch, munch.* Man, this place is a real gourmet spot.