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Chapter 5
However, Euncheon did not stop there and continued to pour out high-level questions. He had grown curious about what other talents Oh Seorin might possess.
“If a large number of distinguished guests were to suddenly visit Hyeeumwon, what judgments and actions do you think should be prioritized?”
Almost the moment the question ended, an immediate answer followed.
“First, I would review the reallocation of lodging spaces, quickly assess the availability of food supplies and manpower, and, if necessary, seek cooperation from nearby temples—”
The next question came right away.
“A fire breaks out at Hyeeumwon, and a guest’s belongings are destroyed. He threatens to submit a formal petition against Hyeeumwon. How would you respond?”
Seorin’s answer followed without hesitation.
“I would accept responsibility, acknowledge our fault, and tell the guest that we will immediately resolve the situation, compensate for the lost items, and provide practical support so that they may safely continue their journey—”
The examiners could not hide their astonishment at the level of the back-and-forth.
‘Isn’t that far beyond the kind of question you’d ask a mere Wŏnri applicant?!’
‘Exactly! And what kind of applicant answers questions like that without stumbling?!’
Lee Euncheon stared at Oh Seorin for a moment before quietly speaking.
“Well done.”
At the chief administrator Lee Euncheon’s praise, Seorin felt a thrilling surge of satisfaction. A result she had never once drawn out in over a hundred interviews!
“Th-thank you!”
‘This is definitely a pass!’
Feeling her heart pounding, Seorin returned to her seat in high spirits.
The next applicant after her was Gabi. He stumbled over his words a little, but responded calmly enough.
However, there were also applicants who tried to clumsily imitate Seorin and ended up sinking miserably.
‘Great! At this rate, Gabi and I can move on together to the next exam!’
After finishing interviews up through applicant number fifteen, the same clerk from earlier came out and led the applicants.
Their destination was Manhyangru (萬香樓), the most beautiful space within Hyeeumwon.
Following the clerk, the Wŏnri applicants crossed a red-arched bridge over the pond, passed an outdoor dining area where tables and chairs were neatly arranged, and arrived in front of a building with a sign that read Hyangmicheong (香味廳).
Inside Hyangmicheong, beneath the high ceiling, paintings covering the walls and the multicolored light pouring from luxurious lanterns blended together to create an exquisitely elegant atmosphere.
Those who had finished their interviews earlier were seated around braziers placed throughout the hall, chatting and resting.
“Once all applicants have finished their interviews, the practical exam will begin. Wait here.”
After the clerk left, female attendants carrying teacups and teapots approached and poured tea.
The applicants gathered in small groups, talking about the next test.
At that moment, one of the applicants wandered among the waiting girls, spotted Seorin, and approached her and Gabi.
She looked familiar—the girl who had been holding prayer beads and chanting earlier.
“Um, can I sit here?”
“It’s not assigned seating or anything.”
“Yeah, you can sit.”
The girl grinned and plopped down in the empty seat beside Gabi.
“Since we’re sitting together like this, shall we introduce ourselves? I’m Dasim. Hong Dasim. I’m nineteen. What about you two?”
“I’m Oh Seorin, and this is Park Gabi. We’re also… ni-nineteen.”
‘My conscience stings a little, but it’s just a dream anyway…’
“Wow, we’re all the same age? That’s great! Oh, right—Seorin, I hear you did really well in the interview?”
Dasim rummaged through her pouch and placed something into Seorin’s and Gabi’s hands.
“…Jerky?”
“I feel restless without snacks, so I always carry some. It’s a gift to celebrate our introductions.”
“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”
While tearing into the jerky, the three chatted about topics likely to appear on the exam and looked around at the other applicants.
That was when they noticed one applicant glaring at them with an unfriendly expression.
‘Isn’t that the one who tried to copy me earlier and failed spectacularly?’
“Hey, do either of you know who that is?”
“Who?”
Dasim glanced in the direction Seorin indicated.
It was a sharp-featured girl with her hair twisted up on both sides and eyes slanted upward. When their eyes met, she abruptly turned her head away.
“…Why is she glaring at us?”
“Oh, her? That’s Shin-i. She’s ridiculous. She’s been gathering all the daughters from prominent families under her wing. She even had the nerve to approach me—of course, I turned her down.”
Dasim chewed on her jerky, glaring back in Shin-i’s direction.
“On top of that, there were rumors that Shin-i would take first place this time. But then you came out swinging from the start, so she must be pretty upset.”
‘Hmm… so that’s why the laser beams from her eyes…’
“I heard Shin-i’s r-relative works here. And that her family runs a big merchant guild in Gaegyeong.”
‘Hmmm… I’ve got a bad feeling this is going to get annoying…’
Just then, the next group of applicants entered, led by the clerk. For some reason, every single one of them looked miserable.
“…Why do they all look like that?”
“W-who knows?”
They looked like they’d just been thoroughly chewed out.
* * *
As soon as the fourth group of applicants left, one examiner angrily confronted Lee Euncheon.
“Why did you suddenly change the interview questions?!”
“…Is there a problem?”
“N-no, not exactly, but…”
At Euncheon’s icy expression, the examiner who had spoken shut his mouth.
Euncheon had begun to sense something was off not long after the interviews started.
Whenever certain applicants came up, the examiners deliberately asked easy, carefully selected questions—and the answers that came back were identical, like parroting.
“……”
Euncheon silently tapped the desk for a moment before speaking.
“From now on, I will be asking the questions myself.”
He cut off the examiners, who had been warmly exchanging words with the applicants—whether as greetings or interview dialogue was hard to tell.
“E-excuse me?!”
Ignoring their flustered reactions, Euncheon sharply questioned the applicant in front of him.
“A guest who has just arrived is suspected of carrying an infectious disease. How would you act?”
Faced with a question not on the interview sheet, the applicant fidgeted, lips trembling.
“W-well, th-that is… an infectious disease… um…”
The examiners hurriedly scanned the question sheets and looked at Euncheon in alarm.
“Chief Administrator? That question wasn’t on the list, was it?”
“That’s right. But from now on, there won’t be anyone spouting identical answers like parrots—answers that sound as if they’d been given both the questions and the answer key in advance.”
Several examiners wore stricken expressions.
As word spread about the Hyeeumwon Wŏnri selection exam, middle-status families had become desperate to send their daughters in.
Though a low-ranking post, it was still an official position at a state-run lodging facility—one that handled the flow of goods. Recovering the money spent on such bribes would be easy.
With the numbers adding up, secret deals were made between these families and the examiners. Examiners who accepted bribes sold the interview questions, making the successful candidates practically predetermined.
But Euncheon’s intervention, having noticed the scheme, caused the “pre-selected” candidates to be eliminated one after another.
However, for the examiners who had directly received orders from “that person,” the situation was different from those who could simply return the bribes and be done with it. For them, their very heads were on the line.
Grinding their teeth, they funneled scores toward the already “claimed” applicants, barely managing to save a few.
Looking at the examiner who had challenged him, Euncheon continued.
“That is why I changed the questions—to eliminate any possible suspicion.”
“A-are you saying there might be an examiner here who leaked the exam content?!”
