It Was Clean
“It was clean.”
Nang Hyeon murmured the words under his breath after finishing his breakfast. He slipped the last piece of pork cutlet from the plate into his mouth and chewed slowly, savoring the way the crisp, savory batter harmonized with the juicy pork. A sip of warm tea slid down his throat, and a comfortable ease spread through his entire body.
“To feel this settled after a morning meal…”
He tilted his head, taking stock of himself. As his cultivation advanced and his realm rose, his appetite had grown right along with it; there had been plenty of days when no amount of food seemed to drive the hunger away. But the cooking here at the West Lake Number One Inn was different. It went beyond simply filling his stomach—there was a strange, lingering addictiveness that made him crave it again the moment he finished. He tried to count how many extra orders he had placed without realizing it, then gave up. He had been too lost in the flavors to bother counting on his fingers.
“Did you enjoy your meal?”
Jo Seol approached and asked. Her face carried the gentle smile of a server greeting a guest, but pride glowed beneath it as well. Looking at her bright expression left Nang Hyeon feeling a little sheepish. He took pride in being the inn’s first customer, yet he was also a little embarrassed by how completely the food had captured him.
“Yes. It was truly delicious.”
Nang Hyeon nodded as he answered.
“Thanks to it, I think I’ll be able to start the day feeling fresh.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Jo Seol’s smile brightened further as she continued.
“We’re serving different dishes for lunch and dinner, so please come back.”
“Just hearing that makes me look forward to it.”
Nang Hyeon rose from his seat with a small smile.
“Then I’ll return this evening.”
He paid Jo Seol for breakfast and headed for the entrance. As he opened the door and glanced back, he saw her waving him off. Nang Hyeon gave a light nod and stepped out into the morning streets of West Lake. The streets still looked half-asleep and quiet, yet his heart was already full of thoughts of returning that evening.
After he left, a brief hush settled over the inn. Morning service had ended, and customers were sparse. Kang Yeon wiped his hands in the kitchen, glanced at Jo Seol, and let out a quiet snort of laughter.
“Doesn’t seem to be working. You said he was some big-name celebrity.”
Playfulness colored Kang Yeon’s voice. Jo Seol bristled at once.
“That’s not true! He really is famous… just wait a little longer.”
“Fine, fine. If he’s as famous as you say, customers will come flooding in soon enough.”
Kang Yeon shrugged and returned to the kitchen. Jo Seol pouted at his retreating back, then heaved a long sigh and began tidying the dining room. She was certain Nang Hyeon was known throughout West Lake as a gourmet. Once his favorable opinion spread, customers would surely increase.
Time passed, and lunch hour drew near.
With no special guests from morning until noon, the inn remained leisurely. Jo Seol polished the standing signboard near the entrance, casting hopeful glances down the street. In the kitchen, Kang Yeon and Jo Hwan prepared the lunch menu at a relaxed pace.
Then the door opened.
Clack.
Jo Seol turned. A stranger stepped inside—a rough-looking man. A thick beard, heavy brows, and a worn cloth draped over one shoulder sharpened his fierce impression. The sword hilt in his hand and the hard muscle showing on his forearms marked him clearly as a martial artist. Jo Seol tensed for an instant, then her server’s instincts took over and she offered a gentle smile.
“You open for business?”
The man asked in a low, gravelly voice.
“Of course!!”
Jo Seol answered brightly as she welcomed him.
“Please come in. Thank you for visiting our inn.”
The man paused at her radiant smile, then cleared his throat with a rough cough.
“Ahem… so, uh… I heard there’s some mysterious thing here that lets you see the food before you order. That true?”
Jo Seol’s eyes sparkled. Had Nang Hyeon already spread the word? Her smile grew even brighter as she guided him.
“That’s right! At our inn you can check the dishes in advance on the standing signboard by the entrance. Take a look at your leisure and then order.”
The man tilted his head and approached the signboard. When Jo Seol pointed it out, he eyed the wooden board with mild suspicion, then gave it a light tap with one finger.
Hum.
A soft vibration sounded, and bright light rose before his eyes. Within the light, Lunch Special Number Two—Chinese-style stir-fried noodles Kang Yeon had newly developed—appeared with vivid clarity. Noodles tangled in red sauce, pieces of meat, and fresh vegetables floated together in the air. The man’s eyes went round.
“Wh-what in the…?”
Startled, he flailed at the illusion, but his fingertips only sliced empty space. After a moment of blank confusion, wonder overtook him and he began tapping the signboard again and again. Pork cutlet, stir-fried noodles, fried vegetable dishes—each time a new projection appeared, his mouth fell further open.
Watching from the kitchen, Kang Yeon huffed a quiet laugh.
“Guess it works after all.”
Jo Seol turned to him with a triumphant look.
“See? What did I tell you!”
Kang Yeon nodded and returned his gaze to the kitchen. Applying a formation technique to the signboard had been nothing more than a curiosity-drawing device, yet he hadn’t expected this strong a reaction. A martial artist should have been familiar with arrays and illusions, yet this man treated the board like some marvelous new toy. Moments later the man stepped fully inside with a bright face; his earlier ferocity had softened.
“I’d like to try everything, but is there anything you’d recommend?”
Jo Seol answered without hesitation.
“I recommend Lunch Special Number Two. It’s a dish called hand-pulled open noodles—it should suit your taste.”
The man nodded and sat.
“I’ll have that, then.”
The moment they heard the order, Kang Yeon and Jo Hwan moved into the kitchen. Kang Yeon lit the stove as he spoke.
“First lunch customer. Let’s do this properly.”
Jo Hwan grinned and pulled out ingredients.
“Of course. We’ll make it with the reputation of our inn on the line.”
Whoosh.
Blue flames leapt from the stove. When Kang Yeon fed a thread of energy through his fingertips, the fire burned even fiercer. Jo Hwan’s practiced hands began boiling the noodles while Kang Yeon heated oil in the wok and stir-fried meat and vegetables. A sizzle filled the kitchen with rich aroma. Tomato sauce went in and the red glow danced inside the wok; Jo Hwan’s perfectly timed noodles landed in the bowl. Kang Yeon ladled sauce over them, finished with the garnish, and Lunch Special Number Two—hand-pulled open noodles set—was complete.
“Seol-ah, take this.”
Kang Yeon called. Jo Seol carried the tray to the guest. The moment the man saw the plate, his eyes lit up.
“Oh? This really is some strange dish.”
He lifted his chopsticks and took a bite of the stir-fried noodles. The tangy tomato sauce, the savory depth of the meat, and the springy noodles combined; his eyes widened.
“Huh… what is this?”
One bite, two bites. The man began eating with single-minded focus. His fierce expression gradually relaxed until a smile spread across his lips. Jo Seol watched with quiet pride.
“It’s good, isn’t it?”
“‘Good’ doesn’t even cover it!”
The man set down his chopsticks and exhaled in admiration.
“I’ve never eaten anything like this. Who made it?”
“My older brother Kang Yeon in the kitchen made it.”
Jo Seol answered proudly.
The man nodded.
“Kang Yeon… I’ll remember that name. Bring me another one.”
The extra order sent the inn bustling again. Kang Yeon and Jo Hwan smiled as they worked the kitchen; Jo Seol hurried to serve. Starting with that man, guests began arriving one after another. At first they came drawn by the marvel of the signboard, but after tasting the food every face softened into a smile as they ate.
“Wow, I’ve never tasted anything like this—it’s amazing!”
One guest said to the person at the next table.
“Right? It’s a flavor you won’t forget!”
The neighbor agreed.
Before long the inn filled with lively voices and warm laughter. Jo Seol moved among the tables taking orders and carrying dishes, sweat beading on her forehead and sliding down her cheek. Yet her face held joy instead of fatigue. Every time she saw a guest’s happy expression, her chest swelled.
In the kitchen Kang Yeon watched the guests eat and felt a quiet happiness. The fatigue and karma piled up through countless battles in the martial world seemed to wash away, little by little, in these moments of giving people joy through food. He shook the wok and murmured,
“Cooking really is a happy thing.”
Beside him, Jo Hwan—prepping meat—heard the words and grinned.
“Cooking with you again after so long brings back the old days. No wonder the guests can’t help but be happy.”
“I know.”
Kang Yeon nodded.
“I hope they can’t forget the taste and come back.”
Before their conversation finished, another guest pushed open the door.
Clack.
“Hello there? Is this the inn Warrior Nang recommended?”
The speaker was a tall, broad-shouldered middle-aged martial artist. The sword at his waist and solid build hinted at a long career. Jo Seol hurried forward to welcome him.
“That’s right! This is the West Lake Number One Inn recommended by Master Nang Hyeon. Welcome!”
“Ah, then I’m in the right place.”
The middle-aged martial artist nodded as he stepped inside.
“That friend Nang Hyeon praised this place until his mouth ran dry, so I came to see what the fuss was about.”
From the kitchen Kang Yeon heard the words and glanced sideways at Jo Seol.
“You said he was famous—turns out you were right.”
Jo Seol shot him a look of pure triumph.
“What did I tell you? Master Nang Hyeon really is famous!”
After checking the dishes on the signboard, the middle-aged martial artist spoke to Jo Seol.
“One Lunch Special Number One, if you please.”
“Understood!”
Jo Seol answered brightly and relayed the order. Kang Yeon and Jo Hwan moved busily once more. Lunch Special Number One was pork cutlet fried in olive oil, served with fresh vegetables and a house seasoning. The stove flames danced as the dish came together; Jo Seol carried it out.
The middle-aged martial artist took one bite of the cutlet and his eyes flew wide.
“Huh… what is this? I’ve never had fried food this clean.”
He kept exclaiming as he polished off the plate. As more guests arrived the inn grew steadily livelier. Whether thanks to Nang Hyeon’s word-of-mouth or not, not only martial artists but ordinary merchants and passersby sought the place out. The signboard at the entrance sparked curiosity; the taste of the food turned them into regulars.
“What even is this inn? I can’t believe a place this delicious exists!”
One guest marveled.
“I know. No wonder Master Nang Hyeon recommended it.”
The person beside him agreed. Listening from the kitchen, Kang Yeon smiled.
“A good start.”
Jo Seol moved busily, welcoming guests. Even with a sweat-damp face her smile never left.
“Oppa, today is a real hit!”
“Yeah.”
Kang Yeon nodded.
“This is only the real beginning.”
The inn stayed packed with guests from lunch straight through into evening. When Nang Hyeon returned that night, he could not hide his surprise at the lively atmosphere.
“Huh… it turned into this while I was gone this morning?”
He said with a smile to Jo Seol.
“I’m looking forward to the dinner dishes too. What would you recommend?”
Jo Seol answered with full confidence.
“Dinner Special Number Three. You won’t regret it.”
Nang Hyeon sat and said,
“Then I’ll have that.”
And so the West Lake Number One Inn filled the day with energy. Kang Yeon’s cooking, Jo Seol’s warm hospitality, and Jo Hwan’s skilled hands wove together until guests’ laughter never left the hall. Listening to that sound, Kang Yeon quietly resolved,
This place is my sanctuary. I’ll protect this happiness.