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chapter 21
“Once cooking starts, you’ll have to stay by the fire the whole time. You should at least moisten your throat first.”
Dok-su offered a teacup that had cooled to a drinkable temperature.
“Oh—thank you.”
Covered in sweat from wrestling with the lamb meat, Go Jang-nam drank the tea in one gulp. As soon as he finished, Dok-su hurriedly left with the kettle and cups.
We could’ve used a sip too…
Sorim, whose throat was parched, watched Dok-su’s retreating back with longing.
Once the meat was prepped, Go Jang-nam went to the pantry and returned with metal skewers.
I knew it! He really is planning to make shashlik!
Calling over a few more novices, he demonstrated how to skewer the lamb pieces.
“Like this—five chunks of meat per skewer… then brush the seasoning over the top and—urgh…”
Thud—
Go Jang-nam’s face suddenly drained of color. He clutched his stomach and collapsed to the floor.
“S-Sooksoo sir?!”
The pain was obviously severe; he couldn’t even groan properly as he lay there gasping for breath.
“Ggh…!”
Just then—
“Sooksoo-nim!”
Dok-su rushed back in with the kettle and immediately supported the fallen chef. And in that moment, Sorim saw it.
What…? Did he just… smile?
She had seen it clearly—when Dok-su bent over him, his mouth stretched wide, showing all his molars.
But by the time he lifted his head, his expression had transformed back into one of deep worry.
“A-are you alright?! T-This won’t do!”
Dok-su hoisted Go Jang-nam onto his back and sprinted toward the infirmary.
Hye-gwang, who had been sorting herbs there, jumped up upon seeing the chef’s pallid complexion.
“Sooksoo?! What in the world happened?!”
“I—I don’t know. He suddenly collapsed.”
Dok-su laid him on a bed.
As Hye-gwang examined his pulse, Dok-su hesitated before asking,
“Um… Will he be able to get up soon?”
But Hye-gwang shook his head grimly.
“…Not anytime soon. Looks like he ate something bad.”
“…Then I must return to the kitchen. Time is very tight.”
Hearing that, Hye-gwang’s expression tightened.
The very first guests of Hyeumwon—the delegation from Dae-sik—were due to arrive soon. If they were not properly hosted after such a long journey, rumors about the temple’s competence would spread instantly.
“Go, then. I’ll handle things here.”
Dok-su bowed politely and left.
And as he exited the infirmary, the same unsettling smile crept back onto his lips.
After Dok-su carried Go Jang-nam out, chaos erupted in the kitchen.
“Why did Sooksoo suddenly collapse?”
“Who’s going to handle the food now?”
With the person who should’ve been directing everything suddenly gone, the novices panicked.
Then Vice-Overseer Lee Jeong-ah arrived at the kitchen upon hearing the news.
“Stop fussing. I’m sure it’s nothing serious. Until he returns, simply continue the tasks he assigned—”
“Sooksoo will not be returning.”
Cutting her off, Dok-su strode back into the kitchen.
“What do you mean? Not returning?!”
Lee Jeong-ah questioned sharply.
“Hye-gwang Sunim said it appears he ate something bad. He is in no state to come back. It seems I will need to take charge of the kitchen.”
At those words, Sorim remembered the tea Dok-su had given the chef.
No way… Was there something in that tea?
Sooksoo collapsed not long after drinking it. And when he fell… that smile on Dok-su’s face.
A chill crawled down her spine.
But she shook her head hard.
No, no. I’ve just watched too many melodramas…
In dramas—historical or modern—there always had to be some dramatic twist to drive the plot.
Lee Jeong-ah, with no other choice, accepted his proposal.
“Very well. There’s little time, so proceed quickly.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
At least we have the assistant chef. The kitchen should be fine. I should finish skewering the meat.
Sorim turned back to continue the task.
But—
“You all.”
Dok-su looked at Sorim and the novices skewering the lamb and issued a baffling order.
“Throw all that meat away.”
“…Excuse me?”
Ignoring the lamb entirely, he walked into the pantry and returned with a massive block of pork.
P-Pork?! Is he seriously planning to serve pork to Muslims?!
Muslims were prohibited by their laws from eating pork.
And they were pressed for time. With the lamb already prepped, why introduce a new main ingredient?
And pork of all things?
For someone who held the position of assistant chef, this was unthinkable.
…This has to be intentional!
Whether intentional or out of ignorance, she had to stop him. Serving pork to Muslims wasn’t just a mistake—it was a disaster waiting to happen.
But no one—no one in the kitchen—objected.
Sorim quickly turned to Lee Jeong-ah. The clerks and novices all stood silently. Even Jeong-ah remained still as Dok-su placed the pork on the cutting board.
…Is no one here besides Sooksoo aware of halal rules?!
Goryeo was an international state—surely they knew this! Arab traders traveled frequently! And yet she seemed to be the only one recognizing the looming issue.
She felt like tearing her hair out.
No, this was unacceptable.
“B-But Assistant Chef! The pork must not be used!”
She finally yelled it.
Everyone’s attention snapped toward her.
“…Sorim?”
“…W-What are you doing?!”
Dasim and Gabi stared at her in shock.
Dok-su turned sharply toward Sorim.
“…Was that directed at me?”
His old, gnarled face twisted with an aura of malice so strong it made Sorim swallow hard.
Ah. So that’s why his name is “Dok”—poison…
Of course, she didn’t know his name meant “to supervise,” not “toxic.”
“Yes, sir!”
“What exactly is unacceptable?”
“That meat you brought, sir. You mustn’t use it!”
His gaze turned icy.
“You insolent novice. What do you know? Get out of my kitchen.”
“A-At least listen to the reason!”
Despite trembling, Sorim didn’t back down.
Dok-su slammed his knife into the cutting board and strode toward her.
Thud—
“Ow!”
He shoved her so hard she fell onto the floor.
“Sorim!”
Gabi and Dasim hurriedly lifted her up.
“Assistant Chef! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Lee Jeong-ah raised her voice for the first time.
“This is not for the Vice-Overseer to interfere in.”
“What?! You just assaulted a novice!”
She inspected Sorim for injuries while scolding him.
“She spouted ridiculous nonsense so—”
“Violence is unacceptable under any circumstance!”
Cutting him off with her usual business-like tone, Lee Jeong-ah looked at Sorim.
“What exactly happened? Speak for yourself.”
