I Became a Hotelier at the Goryeo National Hotel - Chapter 32

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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 32

Early the next morning.

“Ugh—”

The trainees dragged their creaking bodies to the Butler Office Central Courtyard around dawn.

Everyone seemed to have overexerted themselves yesterday in the rush to welcome the guests, and despite spending the night warming their bodies on the heated floor, their fatigue still hadn’t fully lifted.

“Who’s preparing breakfast this morning?”

“When will the Head Cook return?”

Yesterday’s situation was what it was, so they had no choice but to follow Seo Rin’s orders, but taking instructions from a peer wasn’t exactly pleasant.

“We don’t have to watch that girl boss us around again, do we?!”

“Come to think of it, the Assistant Head Cook leaving was all because of that girl too.”

Seon Ji spoke loudly as if wanting to be heard.

Several other peers echoed Seon Ji’s words and glared at Seo Rin with envious faces, as she had firmly caught the Deputy Commander’s attention yesterday.

‘Well, I expected this. I wouldn’t have felt great about it either. They probably think I took all the credit.’

It was urgent, but she had bossed around her peers like she was some military senior ordering around juniors.

Gap-i was looking at Seo Rin with concern when Jeong Yeon Hwa stood before the trainees with Go Jang Nam.

“Oh?! It’s the Head Cook!”

“Thank goodness! You must be feeling better!”

The Head Cook’s face looked somewhat gaunt, but there was strength in her eyes as she looked at the trainees. Fortunately, she seemed to have recovered. Seo Rin was also relieved that the Head Cook had returned.

Even she thought that standing out from the group wasn’t necessarily always a good thing.

“Ahem! I heard you all worked hard yesterday. Despite the sudden schedule change and unexpected incidents, you followed the Deputy Commander well.”

They say praise can make even whales dance. When the Head Cook suddenly praised them, the trainees temporarily forgot yesterday’s complaints and all wore proud smiles.

“Now, let me inform you about today’s schedule.”

Jeong Yeon Hwa explained who would be assigned to which tasks according to the Daesik Kingdom merchants’ schedule.

“In the morning, you’ll work together on joint tasks, and afterwards you’ll handle individual duties. As you know, due to the current situation, we don’t have the luxury of providing separate training. Instead, we’ll substitute training through the morning work.”

Jeong Yeon Hwa pointed to one side of Chanseon Bang.

“The work details have been posted on the Task Notice Board at the Administrative Office entrance over there, so go check it right now. From now on, whenever there are additional announcements, they’ll be posted on the notice board, so check it frequently. Now, the morning assembly is concluded.”

As soon as Jeong Yeon Hwa finished speaking, the trainees rushed toward the wall notice in front of the notice board.

Today’s morning work was vegetable preparation at Chanseon Bang. And Seo Rin’s individual assignment was to be in charge of the Deputy Merchant Leader and Nasim until the Al-Fairuz Merchant Group checked out.

The trainees assigned to relatively difficult tasks glared at Seo Rin with envious eyes. Seon Ji and Shin Yi, who were assigned to the kitchen and laundry area, also looked at Seo Rin with displeased expressions.

“Just because she speaks well, she slips out of all the hard work like an eel?”

“I mean, it’s not like she has to be next to the guests all day! Isn’t this going too far?”

At Shin Yi and Seon Ji’s criticism, complaints erupted among the peer trainees as well.

“Exactly. What does cleaning rooms have to do with speaking the Daesik Kingdom language?”

“My point exactly! At most it’s just wiping, sweeping, and folding blankets.”

Seo Rin, who ended up hearing all this while standing behind them, couldn’t really argue back. Even she thought it looked like special treatment.

“Hey, don’t mind what those girls are saying. If the situation were reversed, they’d be thrilled.”

Da Sim offered a dried squid leg and comforted Seo Rin.

“…Your pocket is just like a treasure pot. Anyway, thank you.”

“Treasure pot?”

“No, there is such a thing.”

Once all the work assignments were finished, the trainees scattered to carry out their assigned duties. At that moment, Jeong Yeon Hwa called Seo Rin.

“You follow me. The General Manager is calling for you.”

Seo Rin became bewildered.

‘Why me?’

Jeong Yeon Hwa glanced at Seo Rin, who was silently following, then opened her mouth.

“You really worked hard yesterday. The General Manager is calling you to commend you for that work.”

“Hard work? No, not at all. I was happy to be of help.”

At the words that seemed to acknowledge her work, Seo Rin smiled broadly. Seeing this, Jeong Yeon Hwa looked at her with greedy eyes.

‘Once this matter is settled, I must bring her to our Guest Room Management Department.’

* * *

Climbing the stairs between the Flower Terraces and entering the district where the government building was located, a garden with maple trees quietly lined up spread out before them.

The red-tinted leaves sparkled in the autumn sunlight and rustled in the breeze. Several maple leaves had already fallen to the ground.

Jeong Yeon Hwa and Seo Rin walked along the long corridor that crossed the central pond located in the middle of the garden. The end of the corridor connected to the entrance of the Administrative Office building.

The two people who entered the government building after passing through the corridor quietly moved their feet along the long hallway. The windows lined up on both sides of the hallway were woven in neat lattice patterns, and the stone slabs laid on the floor were smooth without a speck of dust.

Seo Rin followed behind silently, looking around the interior of the government building with curiosity.

After climbing the wide stairs at the end of the hallway to reach the second floor, a corridor with quiet stillness appeared. Eun Cheon’s office was located at the end of the corridor.

Jeong Yeon Hwa stopped in front of the dark-colored double doors without any decoration.

“General Manager, this is Deputy Jeong Yeon Hwa. I have brought Oh Seo Rin.”

Jeong Yeon Hwa announced their arrival in front of the door.

“Send her in.”

Jeong Yeon Hwa guided Seo Rin to the front of the room and immediately left.

Left alone, Seo Rin swallowed and quietly took a deep breath in front of the office.

After grasping the door handle with her fingertips, she carefully opened the door and stepped inside.

The General Manager’s office, located in the deepest part of Hyeeumwon, was filled with quietude as if cut off from the commotion outside.

One entire wall of the room she carefully entered was filled with books. A subtle scent of ink wafted from the neatly arranged books.

Seo Rin’s gaze turned toward the desk positioned in the center of one side of the room, with its back to the window.

The morning sunlight filtering through the slats gently illuminated Eun Cheon, the owner of the room.

His hands holding documents in an upright posture, his eyes deeply contemplating as he looked at the documents. At his flawlessly perfect picture-like appearance, Seo Rin momentarily had the illusion of being in another world.

‘Wow… It’s like looking at a photo shoot.’

His figure sitting with the pouring sunlight behind him was indeed like a perfect actor who had come for a photo shoot, just as Seo Rin said.

The brush in his picture-like hands glided across the white paper, creating elegant characters that resembled their owner.

While Seo Rin was staring at this scene in a daze, the lips of the man in the photo moved.

“I heard your contribution was great yesterday.”

Eun Cheon lifted his gaze from the documents and looked at Seo Rin.

“Wow… The picture is talking.”

“Picture?”

“Oh, no! The room, the room looks like a picture.”

Eun Cheon gazed intently at the flustered Seo Rin, then turned his attention back to the documents and revealed the purpose for summoning her.

“…I called you here today to commend yesterday’s achievement.”

“…Ah.”

“Is there anything you desire?”

A low voice that seemed to echo from deep within a cave. It was exactly the same voice that had penetrated her ears by the pond.

Seo Rin felt her ears somehow tingling and rubbed them with her hand.

Footnotes

1) Treasure Pot: A treasure jar from which wealth continuously emerges. It refers to a legendary jar in folklore that, when filled with various items, endlessly multiplies them so the contents never diminish.

2) Flower Terrace: In traditional architecture, a stepped structure built on sloped ground where flowers and plants are cultivated in a staircase formation.

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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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