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chapter 12
‘That insane beauty. It really wasn’t something a human should have……’
“……Seorin? Are you hungry?”
Dasim, who had been brushing her hair while looking into the mirror stand, asked with a puzzled face.
“Well, yeah, but why?”
“It’s just—you’re making the same face you make when there’s meat for side dishes.”
“……W–what?”
Did I really make such an ugly expression?
“When the meat comes out later, I’ll give you one of mine.”
“Huh? O–okay, thanks.”
* * *
Just as they had been told the day before, all the examinees gathered in one place when jin-si (the hour of the Dragon / around 7–9 a.m.) arrived.
The clerk guided the examinees to Hyangjeokdang, the dining hall used by the government staff, so they could eat breakfast, and then immediately led them to the central courtyard of the main building.
The proctor for the second practical exam was the Byeoljwa—a deputy officer assisting I Eun-cheon, the chief administrator of Hye-eumwon. He looked just as exhausted as before, and announced the test in a tired, unenergetic voice.
“I am Gwak Il-beon, Byeoljwa of Hyeeumsa. This test concerns guest reception. Now, everyone, follow me.”
The location of the second test was Hye-eumwon’s face and first gateway: the Guest Reception Hall (Jigaekcheong).
When they reached the exam site, Gwak Il-beon briefly explained the classification of Hye-eumwon’s guest rooms.
“Hye-eumwon’s guest rooms are divided into three major tiers: Anbin-gak as the standard rooms, Yeongwol-gak as the mid-tier, and Bohwa-gak for honored guests. Each building also contains rooms with special purposes. Keep that in mind.”
As he finished speaking, the clerks behind him brought out a wooden box with holes and stood by his side.
“Each person will come forward and draw a wooden tag. The order of the test will follow that number.”
The examinees lined up and picked a tag from the box. The one Seorin pulled had the number “2.”
“Numbers will be called in pairs. The front number follows me inside immediately, and the back number waits outside the Jigaekcheong. Now—Number 1 and Number 2, step forward!”
“Yes, sir!”
Number 1 was Shini.
Gwak Il-beon led Shini inside first.
He placed her in front of the large table used to receive visitors, then silently stepped back.
Shini stood there stiffly, completely clueless as to what she was supposed to do.
‘W–what? Aren’t you supposed to explain the test first?!’
After a short while, a man and woman—apparently the examinee’s “guest roles”—opened the door and entered.
“…….”
As Shini continued standing there, frozen and unsure, the male guest role had no choice but to speak first.
“Is lodging available for today? We are government officials on duty.”
“Huh? Y–yes! Are there t–two of you?”
Finally coming to her senses, Shini began her attempt at handling them.
The female guest nodded.
Shini glanced over the guests, whose attire looked shabby, then carelessly grabbed a random key tag from the hook for Anbin-gak and handed it over.
The guest frowned as he snatched the key.
“What is the lodging fee?”
“T–the lodging fee?”
Panicking, Shini quickly scanned the desk, but nothing was written anywhere.
“If you go to your room first, I’ll check and inform you shortly.”
“Sigh…… Then, where is the nearest latrine?”
“T–the nearest latrine?”
Shini looked around frantically. The only ones she had seen were those in Manhyangru and Anbin-gak—she had no idea beyond that.
“Uh…… If you go outside, you should find one somewhere.”
“I already searched before entering and did not find it.”
“T–that also… I’ll inform you all at once later……”
Inside, Shini was cursing the pair to death.
‘Who gives a test like this?! And why ask about latrines, of all things?!’
Watching her flounder, Gwak Il-beon’s face tightened.
‘……Pathetic.’
The guest-role pair also took the key with a dissatisfied expression and exited.
But that wasn’t the end.
As soon as they stepped out, a sharp-looking woman entered briskly, giving Shini no time to breathe.
Standing before her with a cold expression was none other than Examiner Lee Jeong-ah—the deputy administrator of Hye-eumwon, whom she had seen during the interview.
“I would like to order dinner.”
Only after hearing that dry tone did Shini fully realize who she was.
“H–how, how many will be eating?”
“…….”
When Lee Jeong-ah answered nothing, Shini felt her insides shrivel.
‘What am I supposed to say or do here?!’
Seeing she wasn’t getting the answer she wanted, Lee Jeong-ah sighed.
“……Three.”
“Yes, understood.”
The examiner shot her a disapproving glance and turned to leave.
‘Is it over?’
It wasn’t.
As soon as the examiner left, a clerk rushed in.
“The guests have left! We need to clean the room immediately—come with me!”
“Huh? Y–yes!”
Shini stepped away from the table and hurried after him.
“Stop.”
The moment she stepped out from behind the table, the Byeoljwa declared the test finished.
Realizing she had failed miserably, Shini slammed open the door with a face ready to burst into tears—only to meet Seorin’s eyes, who was waiting outside.
Gritting her teeth, Shini glared at her.
Seorin didn’t respond this time. As Shini walked past, Seorin whispered softly:
“Looks like you crashed and burned again, huh?”
“Ugh!”
Just as Shini spun around in anger, Gwak Il-beon called out:
“Next, Number 2.”
“Yes.”
Shini had no choice but to return to her place.
Following Gwak Il-beon inside, Seorin couldn’t help letting out a small gasp.
“Wow……”
Between the old timber pillars that supported the ceiling stood a large black-lacquered table occupying the center of the hall.
‘So that’s the front desk?’
Behind the table hung a large banner bearing Hye-eumwon’s crest, flanked by a towering wooden cabinet packed full of room key tags—a display so imposing it commanded attention.
Just like with Shini, Gwak Il-beon placed Seorin behind the desk and stepped back.
Seorin, momentarily puzzled, quickly realized the test had already begun. She immediately scanned her surroundings.
She first examined the key tags on the wall behind the desk. Then she spotted it—a missing tag.
‘A guest room key is missing even though the inn hasn’t officially opened yet! Room 40 of Anbin-gak.’
Seorin quickly recalled her stay the previous night.
‘Room 40 in Anbin-gak…… That’s the group guest room! ……Was that why they made us stay in Anbin-gak yesterday? To memorize the layout in advance?’
The rooms assigned to them last night hadn’t been clustered together but scattered throughout Anbin-gak, forcing the disciples to walk all over the huge building in search of their rooms.
Thinking the arrangement strangely intentional, Seorin had told Gabi and Dasim to memorize the room layout and characteristics of Anbin-gak.
‘Good thing we checked everything ahead of time!’
After confirming the key cabinet, Seorin opened the ledger.
‘……Found it! Room 40’s checkout date is…… tomorrow.’
At the very front of the ledger, written boldly so no one could possibly miss it, were the lodging fees for each pavilion and important notices the receptionist must remember.
‘As if they wanted us to see it—right on the first page.’
Seorin skimmed the text quickly.
The ledger read as follows:
Meals for guests are provided at Manhyangru, and one meal per day is included in the lodging fee. If the guest wishes, meals can be delivered to the room.
Government officials on duty must be provided free lodging and meals in Bongmyeong-jae (Yeongwol-gak area).
