I Became a Hotelier at the Goryeo National Hotel - Chapter 9

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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 9

At that moment, Hye Gwang’s eyes widened. As the broth touched the tip of his tongue, a surprisingly deep and rich flavor spread throughout his mouth.

“Oh my…”

An exclamation naturally flowed out.

“You didn’t add meat, nor did you use stimulating ingredients or spices, yet how could you create such a deep flavor? The broth is smooth and clean, yet full of richness.”

When Hye Gwang asked in admiration, Seo Rin fidgeted with her hands as if embarrassed and answered the question.

“I selected seasonal vegetables and mushrooms, carefully prepared them and put them in the tang-gi, then made vegetable broth with radish, onions, shiitake mushrooms, kelp, and apples, poured it in and boiled it. I tried to bring out the natural flavors that good ingredients possess.”

Hye Gwang tasted the broth once more. As the warm broth entered his body on this chilly day, his body seemed to relax.

Beyond simply the taste of the ingredients, it seemed as if the sincerity and heart of the maker were being conveyed intact.

“Truly excellent. I would like to substitute this for today’s meal.”

Hye Gwang emptied the broth without leaving a drop. Satisfaction and a gentle smile spread across Hye Gwang’s face as he set down the empty bowl.

“Thank you for letting me taste such good food.”

Seo Rin clasped her hands together and bowed her head in gratitude at the continuous stream of praise.

“Your praise is too generous.”

Hye Gwang was rumored to be rather stingy with praise.

When he lavished praise so generously, the judges competed to each take a bowl and drink it.

The Assistant Head Cook took a bowl intending to find fault, but even he couldn’t say a word. The taste of the food was truly excellent, just as Hye Gwang had said.

Some judges even mixed rice into the broth and ate it.

The judges, as if there was nothing more to think about, gave the highest score to ‘Number 11, Oh Seo Rin.’

* * *

“Oh my, what are we to do…”

The judges held their heads in their hands. While they had no hesitation in giving the highest score to the perfect Oh Seo Rin, the other applicants were the problem.

Foods loaded with meat and full of vigor. These were things that monks couldn’t even put to their lips, so they had no idea how to score them.

The judges turned their arrows toward the head cook and raised their voices.

“Isn’t this result because of the head cook!!”

“We’ll let it slide that you didn’t share the test questions with us. But why did you make the evaluation standards so high!”

“Ahem! B-but it was the most basic of basics for those who cook. To just let it pass…”

When the judges glared with fire in their eyes at head cook Go Jang Nam’s rebuttal, he quickly shut his mouth.

While he was satisfied with giving an example and sharp lesson to those who lacked the basics, he hadn’t expected the results to be this disastrous.

“…Ahem, well, how could I have known it would turn out like this?”

Go Jang Nam became very troubled. At this rate, more than half the people would be packing their bags and leaving.

Eun Cheon, who had been looking around at the judges holding their heads and fluttering the evaluation sheets, spoke up.

“Fortunately, the evaluation criteria are divided in detail on the evaluation sheet, so let’s lower the standards and score again.”

Everyone nodded in agreement with Eun Cheon’s words. After all, if they had to gather new people to replace the failed applicants and hold a reselection test, it would disrupt the schedule.

Moreover, since they had selected only those who were decent from the written exam, there was no guarantee that better candidates would gather.

Go Jang Nam was relieved by Lee Eun Cheon’s words, but there was one problem that bothered him.

“Then it will delay things considerably.”

“That can’t be helped. However, I’m only concerned that this might disrupt the examiners’ schedules.”

But contrary to Eun Cheon’s concerns, the examiners seemed delighted.

“Oh, not at all! When His Majesty has such interest in this matter, what importance could individual personal schedules have?”

“That’s right. Unless someone has urgent business tomorrow, I’m perfectly fine with it.”

“I feel the same way. Just one day, after all.”

What kind of place was Hyeeumwon! It was a large-scale inn established under the leadership of the meticulous Lee Eun Cheon by the Emperor’s command.

If they could stay there before the inn’s official opening, the special experience of being Hyeeumwon’s first guests would provide enough bragging material for months at Gaekyeong gatherings.

With the examiners’ issue resolved, Eun Cheon went to where the Da Bis who had been attending to the examiners were located. The faces of the Da Bis who had served Lee Eun Cheon, one of the Four Great Ministers, up close turned bright red.

Eun Cheon addressed Head Da Bi.

“I believe I must ask for your help regarding this matter.”

“Wh-what kind of help?”

Eun Cheon found Head Da Bi’s somewhat dazed expression as she looked at him puzzling, but requested her cooperation nonetheless.

* * *

The examinees returned to Hyangmicheong after finishing their cooking test.

“Phew~ I’m exhausted.”

Seo Rin plopped down on a chair in front of the brazier and saw Da Sim’s face had turned pale yellow.

Da Sim had managed to obtain the ingredients she wanted by breaking through Shin Yi’s group’s interference, but what she had chosen was none other than pork!

Meanwhile, Gap-i, who was physically weak, didn’t dare join the physical struggle, and having to use only vegetables accidentally led to choosing the correct ingredients.

“What’s the point of getting premium pork? The customers are monks! I’m definitely going to fail!”

Seo Rin patted the hair-pulling Da Sim consolingly.

“If that’s the case, then everyone except me and Gap-i should fail, right? The examiners probably didn’t expect this situation either. They’ll definitely have to apply different criteria.”

“…Different what?”

Da Sim stopped pulling her hair and looked up at Seo Rin.

“Taste? Food quality?”

“Is… is that so?”

“Yes, so cheer up. What’s the point of getting discouraged already? There are still two more tests left.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

Just then, she could hear examinees glancing over and whispering about Seo Rin. Looking back, she saw Shin Yi sitting among them.

‘That girl again?’

“Doesn’t Seo Rin already know the Assistant Head Cook?”

“Right. Otherwise, why would he have asked only her such things?”

“If that’s true, isn’t this test unfair?”

Da Sim frowned upon hearing those words.

“They didn’t even bother to ask, and now they’re blaming someone else!”

“Th-that’s right! And Sh-Shin Yi is related to the Assistant Head Cook herself!”

“Girls, let’s not waste our emotions on such talk and discuss the next test instead.”

Seo Rin calmed the two down.

“Hey, are you really okay hearing such talk?”

At Da Sim’s question, Seo Rin shrugged her shoulders.

In truth, Seo Rin was secretly enjoying this situation.

‘A situation where I did so well on the test that I’m receiving everyone’s envy. Ah, I’ve always wanted to experience something like this!’

She had always been the one envying and being jealous, but now the situation was reversed.

However, Gap-i and Da Sim developed a major misunderstanding upon seeing Seo Rin like this.

‘Seo Rin has such a strong heart. She’s so cool.’

‘The kid is unnecessarily kind, making her perfect prey. Tsk.’

Receiving both Gap-i’s admiring gaze and the envious stares of the examinees simultaneously, there was only one thing Seo Rin regretted right now.

‘…They say dreams reflect desires. How wonderful it would be if this were reality.’

Since Seo Rin had come this far even in a dream, she wanted to see the passing ending as well.

Who knows? Maybe this would become an auspicious dream and lead to good results when taking the real test?

‘I hope I don’t wake up from this dream… until then.’

Seo Rin spent the remaining time talking with the two about the next test to be held.

A moment later, someone entered Hyangmicheong.

‘Hm? Who is that person?’

It was a woman with short-cropped hair, a stern expression, and exceptionally tall stature. Her clothing was the type men would wear, making her appearance easily mistakable for a man at first glance.

“I am Deputy Officer Jeong Yeon Hwa, in charge of Guest Rooms management.”

After finishing her self-introduction, Jeong Yeon Hwa looked around at the examinees and delivered unexpected news.

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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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