I Became a Hotelier at the Goryeo National Hotel - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 18

Following her gaze, Shin Yi was standing with her arms crossed, watching with a displeased expression.

When Da Sim followed that gaze to look at Shin Yi and then turned her attention back to Seon Ji, Seon Ji lifted her chin triumphantly with an expression that said ‘now you understand.’

“Aha. So she’s your backer, is that it?”

“That’s right! If you didn’t know before, you better remember it from now on! Shin Yi and I are roommates!”

“So what?”

Seo Rin, who had been sitting and observing the situation, stood up and spoke.

“…Huh?”

When it became a 1 versus 3 situation, Seon Ji shrank back slightly, then became conscious of Shin Yi watching from behind and raised her voice even louder than before.

“Do you know whose niece Shin Yi is?!”

“I know. She’s the Assistant Head Cook’s niece. So what, what am I supposed to do about it? I don’t care whose niece or daughter anyone is, so you two who came late should either hurry up and find other seats to sit in, or don’t.”

When Seo Rin neither backed down obediently nor was intimidated, Da Sim looked at Seo Rin with an impressed expression while Seon Ji was flustered.

‘Th-this isn’t how it’s supposed to go?’

“You, you’re going to regret this!”

Just then, Seo Rin heard the sound of someone arriving at the stepping stones outside the training hall and taking off their shoes. Seo Rin quickly counted the number of trainees.

‘Twenty-one people. All the kids are here though?’

Then whose footsteps were those?

Seo Rin grinned, then cleared her throat and shouted at the top of her lungs, making the training hall echo.

“Oh my! So because you’re roommates with Shin Yi, who has the Assistant Head Cook as her uncle, we have to give up our warm seats by the brazier that we came early to claim?! And if we don’t do that, what?! You’ll make us regret it?!”

“Wh-why are you suddenly shouting and making such a fuss!”

Seon Ji shouted while covering her ears.

“Right? I’m even more curious myself. Why should we give up our seats for those who arrived late?”

“!!”

Seon Ji, who had been standing with her ears covered, slowly turned her body toward the direction the voice came from.

And in that direction stood the Deputy Director, Lee Jeong Ah.

“Uh, huh?”

When Seon Ji malfunctioned at the sight of Lee Jeong Ah who had suddenly appeared, Lee Jeong Ah struck the desk with a sharp bang using the thin bamboo rod she was holding, her expression annoyed.

The atmosphere in the training hall instantly froze.

“The training time has already arrived, yet what are you doing still not seated?”

When Shin Yi and Seon Ji hesitated and couldn’t answer the sharp reprimand, she commanded in a low voice.

“Go sit in the empty seats immediately.”

Startled by the scolding, the two hurriedly went to sit in the remaining seats at the very back.

Lee Jeong Ah looked at the two with disapproving eyes and went to stand in front of the desk.

‘Sigh… Those girls, from the very first day of training…’

Lee Jeong Ah’s head throbbed when she saw Shin Yi glaring at Seon Ji from the back seat as if she wanted to tear her apart for not handling the situation properly.

She knew that Assistant Head Cook Dok Su had manipulated his niece’s scores to get her into Hyeeumwon.

Naturally, as an examiner who had participated, Shin Yi couldn’t look good in her eyes. But even so, since she had become a member of Hyeeumwon, she had decided to treat her fairly and equally like the other trainees.

‘But to cause such trouble from the very first day…’

Moreover, far from reflecting on causing this commotion, she was glaring at the back of Seo Rin’s head from the back seat as if she wanted to devour her.

Lee Jeong Ah looked at Seo Rin.

‘Just before I entered the training hall, that girl’s voice suddenly got louder. As if she wanted me to hear it.’

But Seo Rin just looked back at Lee Jeong Ah innocently with an expression that said ‘I don’t know anything about that~’.

‘…Well, I’ll deal with this problem gradually.’

Establishing discipline was important, but education came first right now. The opening was right around the corner—

“…Da Sim?! What are you eating right now?!”

When Da Sim, who had been caught secretly taking out a piece of jerky and putting it in her mouth, tried to swallow it without chewing, Lee Jeong Ah spoke with a disappointed expression.

“…Chew slowly and then swallow. From next time, don’t bring food into the training hall.”

Lee Jeong Ah looked over the new trainees sitting in the training hall. Perhaps because of the earlier commotion, they all seemed nervous.

She introduced herself to the trainees in a somewhat softer voice.

“Nice to meet you. I am Lee Jeong Ah, the Deputy General Manager of Hyeeumwon. Once again, congratulations on your acceptance.”

‘De, Deputy General Manager! Then she’s right below General Manager Lee Eun Cheon?!’

The trainees froze at her higher status than expected.

“I am originally from Bongseong County, and while helping my father, who is the Ho Jang, with the county’s affairs both big and small, I was graciously appointed to the position of Deputy General Manager of Hyeeumwon by the solemn command of the Imperial Court.”

The trainees gasped upon hearing Lee Jeong Ah’s words.

‘Imperial command?!’

Shin Yi in particular clenched her fist tightly at Lee Jeong Ah’s words.

As the daughter of a Ho Jang and a Deputy General Manager, she was someone her uncle couldn’t do anything about. And she received an imperial command?! Irritation welled up at the fact that she had shown a bad side from the first day to such a person.

‘This is all because of that girl!’

When Shin Yi glared at Seo Rin with a terrifying look, Seon Ji, who was beside her, flinched for no reason.

She should have properly stolen those seats from those girls earlier, but she failed to do it properly and even got reprimanded by the Deputy General Manager…

Lee Jeong Ah continued speaking while looking at the trainees.

“Since this is the first day of education, what I will tell you today is about the background of Hyeeumwon’s establishment. As for the reason why His Majesty established Hyeeumwon, you trainees who applied here with aspirations should mostly know about it.”

Pride emanated from Lee Jeong Ah’s face as she spoke about Hyeeumwon.

“Hyeeumwon is a state-run accommodation facility that His Majesty personally commanded to be established. Therefore, it would be troublesome to think of this place as an ordinary guest inn that simply provides sleeping quarters. Not only will it provide comfortable rest for officials performing official duties, but it will also serve as a vanguard to inform distinguished guests from various countries of the greatness of our Goryeo. Also, the profits generated here are planned to be used for relieving the people. The reason we selected trainees through a difficult and demanding process is the same. The trainees who will share in the opening and beginning of Hyeeumwon cannot be ordinary.”

The Deputy General Manager’s weighty voice spread throughout the training hall. The trainees’ eyes sparkled as if they felt pride in Lee Jeong Ah’s words.

“Is there any trainee who knows the reason why Hyeeumwon came to be located at Hyeeum Pass?”

Then Shin Yi raised her hand quickly. It was lightning fast, so the other trainees, including Seo Rin, quietly lowered their raised hands.

“Yes, Shin Yi, you tell us.”

Shin Yi, thinking it was a chance to make up for earlier, quickly answered the question.

“I understand it’s because Hyeeum Pass is located in the middle connecting Namgyeong and Gaekyeong.”

“Correct. You know well.”

When Lee Jeong Ah praised her, Shin Yi looked triumphantly at Seo Rin who had been watching her.

‘…Well, so what.’

Seo Rin thought to herself and turned her head forward again.

“As Shin Yi said, since Hyeeum Pass is located at a place connecting Namgyeong and Gaekyeong, there were many people who used the road passing through here, but there were no facilities nearby to rest, and there had been considerable damage from bandits and tigers.”

The trainees nodded and listened to Lee Jeong Ah’s words.

“Those who use this place are not only our people and officials. Visitors from other countries such as Dashi Kingdom and Wa Kingdom also use this road. His Majesty established this Hyeeumwon to protect their safety while making this place a central hub for international trade to spread Goryeo’s prestige widely throughout the world. So I hope you too will take pride and do your best in your assigned work.”

Then one of the new trainees cautiously raised their hand.

“Um… Deputy General Manager, what kind of work will we be assigned to now?”

“Hyeeumwon has departments responsible for cooking, customer service, and operational management. Since all departments work together like gears, you will initially experience all types of work regardless of department. After that, you will be assigned to each department based on your aptitude and abilities.”

At Lee Jeong Ah’s words, the trainees’ faces filled with anticipation.

“Oh, and know this in advance. Right after your training ends, merchants from the Dashi Kingdom are scheduled to stay as Hyeeumwon’s first guests.”

Footnote

1) Bongseong County : The old name for Paju.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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