I Became a Hotelier at the Goryeo National Hotel - Chapter 7

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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 7

The examiners who had been watching the examinees’ competition with great interest from the second floor of the building began murmuring among themselves after a while.

“Wait? Why is that examinee just standing there without moving?”

There was an examinee standing blankly at the cooking station without even thinking about securing ingredients. It was none other than examinee number 11, whom the official had praised as flawless.

With an expectant expression, the head cook approached Seo Rin and asked.

“The exam has begun, so why are you just standing there in a daze?”

At Go Jang Nam’s question, Seo Rin politely replied.

“I have something to ask before starting cooking, so I haven’t gone to get ingredients yet.”

At those words, Go Jang Nam asked with an inwardly pleased expression.

“Yes, what are you curious about?”

“What time is the meal?”

It was a natural question for someone cooking food, but Go Jang Nam told her with a satisfied smile on his face.

“The meal is scheduled for the hour of the rooster.”

Then the remaining time was an hour and a half.

“I would like to ask if all twenty people will be dining, and whether I should prepare a regular meal. I would also appreciate it if you could tell me if there are any foods that anyone in the group cannot eat or would find uncomfortable to eat. Additionally, please confirm whether there are any children among the twenty people, and whether any of the diners are from foreign countries.”

Go Jang Nam answered all of Seo Rin’s rapid-fire questions.

“They are all adults and people of Goryeo. And there is no one with any special constitution.”

“Oh, and…”

“What else is left?”

“Yes.”

Seo Rin pondered for a moment and asked Go Jang Nam a few more things.

Go Jang Nam answered Seo Rin’s questions in a lowered voice, whispering, then returned to his seat while glancing back slightly.

After hearing his words, Seo Rin seemed to be planning what kind of meal to make, looking at the ingredients while deeply absorbed in thought.

Go Jang Nam began to feel very excited about what kind of cooking the only examinee who had asked him questions would present.

* * *

Go Jang Nam returned to the waiting room where the examiners were staying, humming a tune.

“So, what did that child ask the head cook?”

“Eek!”

When Jun Gyeong, a large-framed former military officer, approached without warning and asked, Go Jang Nam jumped.

“Oh my, I almost had a heart attack.”

Seeing Go Jang Nam trembling under Jun Gyeong’s intimidating presence, Wang An Hyeok quietly pulled him to his side and scolded Jeong Jun Gyeong.

“Would it be fun if we knew in advance?”

“I can’t stand being curious about things. No, why did the head cook hide the exam questions even from us fellow examiners!”

Jeong Jun Gyeong shouted angrily.

“If I had done that, the information would have surely leaked out.”

Hearing the commotion, Lee Eun Cheon sighed and approached where the three were.

“If you cause any more disturbance here, I won’t overlook it even if you came as an examiner. You wouldn’t want to be kicked out before the examinees, would you.”

“…Tch, who said I was causing a commotion.”

At Lee Eun Cheon’s warning, Jeong Jun Gyeong grumbled as he took his seat.

When Wang An Hyeok sat beside him and gently fanned him with a fan, Jeong Jun Gyeong irritably grabbed the fan with a sharp smack.

“Why are you fanning me in this autumn weather, making such a fuss.”

“Because steam was rising from your head.”

“Ha!”

When Wang An Hyeok spoke slyly, Jeong Jun Gyeong got annoyed and fled back toward the railing.

Meanwhile.

There were those watching the three men bickering and quarreling with enchanted expressions, completely mesmerized – they were the female officials serving tea to the judges.

These were female officials specially sent from the palace for this manager selection exam, Da Bi who were in charge of tea service.

A new Da Bi who had been enjoying the eye candy from behind asked her senior.

“Who are those gentlemen whose faces shine with radiance?”

The senior Da Bi looked at her junior as if staring at some strange creature she’d never seen before.

“Don’t tell me you applied here without even knowing that? No, more than that, you don’t know the Four Great Flowers?!”

“How would I know, having just come up from the countryside? I was only drafted today under the pretext of new employee training.”

Only after hearing her junior’s words did the senior female official nod in understanding.

“Ah~ that’s right? Ha. You lucky girl.”

Female officials must remain in the palace for life after entering. Even a day trip like today was a very precious opportunity for them, so when chances to get some fresh air arose, it was customary for juniors to yield to senior Da Bi.

But today was different. There was no yielding to be found anywhere – a fierce, blood-splattering competition had taken place.

The reason was those very men listed on the judges’ roster!

“Now~ look carefully, that noble and picturesquely handsome man like plum blossoms blooming in early spring snow is Lord Plum Blossom Lee Eun Cheon, who serves as Imperial Censor and General Manager of Hyeeumwon, the one with a sword on his back is Middle General Wild Rose Jeong Jun Gyeong who pierces women’s hearts instead of Yeojin hearts, and that beautiful man more lovely than any woman is Lord Camellia Wang An Hyeok, who serves as Eight Gates Commissioner. He even has the nickname ‘White Fox’ because of his radiant appearance and eye smile!”

Having even one of them on the list would cause an uproar, but with all three included, it was enough to make eyes roll back.

This led to fierce secret battles among the Da Bi to secure outing privileges, and only those who achieved victory could attend this event today.

But this new junior had been ‘drafted’ without any such competition, so she could only be called lucky.

“Huh? You only mentioned three people? If it’s the ‘Four’ Great Flowers, shouldn’t there be four people?”

“Oh my, you’ve already met all the Four Great Flowers! The last one is His Highness Prince Wang Chan of this country! He has such boyish innocence that he has the nickname Narcissus! Anyway, you should know you’ve used up all your luck for a lifetime today.”

“Oh my!”

“…Huh? She’s moving now. But why is she going over there?”

At Jeong Jun Gyeong’s muttering as he looked down below the railing, the judges crowded toward the railing. As he said, number 11 Oh Seo Rin was heading in the opposite direction from where the examinees were gathered.

It was a contrasting sight to the other examinees who were crowded together fighting over precious and expensive ingredients, struggling for fish and meat stored in that area.

Completely unaware that the judges were watching her, Seo Rin was carefully examining ingredients and putting them in a large basket.

Lee Eun Cheon’s gaze also turned toward Seo Rin.

‘…Nothing but vegetables.’

Shiitake mushrooms, radish, green onions, onions, flour, kelp. Indeed, among the ingredients she chose, there was no meat.

‘…What kind of food is she planning to prepare.’

Seo Rin returned to the cooking station with her basket full of ingredients. The other examinees had already started cooking, frying and boiling meat.

When Seo Rin laid out her ingredients on the cooking station, the examinees around her whispered about what she could possibly make with only greens.

Among them, Shin Yi’s voice was particularly loud.

“Nothing but vegetables? She must have grown up poor and never even seen meat dishes.”

Even though Shin Yi was being sarcastic, Seo Rin was too busy preparing her food to pay much attention.

When there was no response, Shin Yi glared at her for a moment as if deflated, then soon began focusing on her own cooking.

As time passed and the hour of Yu arrived, head cook Go Jang Nam suddenly stopped the cooking.

“Now, time is up, so everyone stop cooking!”

“What?!”

“No, if you tell us so suddenly like this?”

“The meat still has a long way to go before it’s cooked!”

At Go Jang Nam’s words to stop cooking, most of the examinees’ faces turned pale.

Notes

1) Yu time : The time when chickens that have been chasing feed all day enter their nests, referring to 17-19 o’clock.

2) Royal Inspector Vice-Director : A 4th rank official position in the Office of Inspector General during the Goryeo period.

3) Eight Precepts Envoy : The head of the Eight Precepts Treasure who presides over the Eight Precepts Festival ceremony.

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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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