Prologue
Bang—!
The shabby door of the old tavern burst open as if it were about to break off its hinges. Along with the gust of rough wind, a group of men stormed inside.
“Would anyone even stomach the food of Daehoguk? It would only spoil the appetite!”
The man draped in black silk dropped into a seat with a thud, scoffing as he rolled his shoulders back.
He was none other than the Crown Prince of Serin, the neighboring great empire.
Even though he had entered the country with an official delegation, he had not gone straight to the royal palace.
Instead, he deliberately stopped by a rundown tavern in town to throw his weight around and belittle Daehoguk, a small and weak nation.
“The food is served, Your Highness.”
A splendid feast was laid out across the table.
The crown prince lazily picked up his spoon. He scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it into his mouth.
Tuk—.
The spoon slipped from his fingers and fell.
He tried hard to keep his indifferent expression, but the unrest and astonishment in his eyes were impossible to hide.
“Who cooked this?”
His voice had dropped low.
“That is…”
“What are you doing! Bring the chef at once!”
Slam—!
Before the answer could even be finished, the prince struck the table and raised his voice.
At that moment—
A small shadow stepped out from the smoky kitchen.
A girl, barely ten years old.
She was so tiny that she had tied the apron strings around her waist several times to keep it from dragging.
But when she lifted her head and opened her mouth, her voice held a weight and force that did not match her small frame or young age.
“Greetings, Your Highness. I am the cook who prepared this meal.”
The crown prince’s brows twisted sharply.
“Do not lie! How could such a young girl possibly cook like this!”
“I beg your pardon, but—”
As he thundered in anger, the tavern keeper and a few men hurried forward with their hands clasped.
“Miss Choa is indeed our chef. She graduated from the Royal Culinary Academy last year. Your Highness may verify it yourself.”
“What?”
The Royal Culinary Academy was a place where only the most exceptional chefs of Daehoguk could enter—and graduate.
The crown prince’s gaze shifted to the wall.
There hung a plaque with the red seal of the Royal Culinary Academy, proudly displayed.
This child… truly?
His eyes wavered.
He looked the young girl up and down, from head to toe, as though he were staring at something beyond comprehension.
After a long stretch of silence, the prince asked quietly,
“…What is your name?”
The girl slowly raised her head.
The lamplight fell upon her round eyes, making them glimmer.
From her face burst forth a brilliance—sharp, bright, and fearless, like starlight.
“My name is Kang Choa.”
A small smile curled on her lips—confident and bold, far too mature for her age—filling the entire tavern.
