Chapter 04
Beyond the Small Wooden Door
“Shall we eat something first?”
“No, Miss! I was just about to go upstairs. Ah, are you hungry? Should I bring something for you to eat?”
“I’ll prepare it myself. Just sit here.”
Vivian pulled a stool from under the counter and gestured for the maid to sit. A hungry person just needs to be fed.
Once she had a plan to give the maid some food and send her away, Vivian felt her head grow warm with thought.
What should she make?
Something light that wouldn’t feel heavy at this hour, something that didn’t need grilling or making loud noises.
As she stared at the ingredients on the table, one idea came to her mind.
It seemed like fate had placed the two items side by side.
Looking at the bananas and milk, Vivian smiled confidently.
She took a bowl and mortar from the counter and began mashing the peeled bananas.
The bananas crushed in the mortar, releasing a honey-like liquid.
Vivian’s face lit up with excitement as she worked.
Meanwhile, the maid’s chest tightened, feeling like she was part of some experiment.
She had only planned to glance around and leave but now found herself in the presence of the future mistress. She immediately regretted coming into the kitchen.
“…I’m really fine. You don’t have to do this…”
Despite the maid’s protests, Vivian didn’t stop. She worked even faster, pressing on with her cooking.
When the bananas and milk were mixed enough, Vivian moved to the still-burning stove and picked up a small pan.
Her movements were so natural it was as if she had always worked here.
She flowed with the kitchen, as if one with it. Watching silently, the maid jumped back in surprise.
“You’re even going to use the fire? Miss, what exactly are you planning? What if you get hurt?”
“Stop worrying and help me get it ready to eat.”
She placed the prepared piece of butter and a spoonful of flour on the pan. The melted butter mixed with the flour and started bubbling.
The kitchen instantly filled with a rich, delicious aroma.
Looking back, the suspicious maid was sniffing the air, clearly tempted.
All that was left was to pour the mashed bananas and milk into the pan and let it cook.
Just as the food that would fill the young girl’s hungry stomach was about to be ready, Vivian transferred the mixture into a bowl and added a spoonful of sugar and cinnamon.
“Here, try it.”
“What… is this?”
The maid’s eyes were full of suspicion.
At first glance, it looked like just soft oatmeal.
Vivian smiled at the maid, as if she were about to see something inedible.
“It’s banana soup.”
“…Banana soup?”
Vivian’s dish was banana soup.
The maid stared at the unfamiliar food and slowly picked up her spoon.
“Well… I’ll try it then.”
Her eyes widened like saucers as she sniffed and tasted it.
“…Wow!”
The sweet banana, creamy milk, and soft butter blended perfectly into an unbelievably delicious bite.
The maid was amazed by the simple yet tasty dish, but even more so that Miss Kihees had made it herself.
She, who had been raised like a greenhouse flower, could cook.
“When did you learn to make something like this?”
“How does it taste? Is it okay?”
“…It’s more than okay. It’s really delicious.”
The maid nodded vigorously.
Once the maid left, Vivian moved back toward the stacked oak barrels and grabbed the cold storage door again.
Vivian grasped the brass doorknob and turned it hard.
With a gloomy sound, the small wooden door opened, releasing cold mist.
The mist lightly settled on the kitchen floor as it brushed past her.
“There it is!”
This time, it was there.
The cold storage, which had disappeared when the maid was around, now stood clearly before Vivian.
Seeing modern equipment again, she raised her fists in a silent cheer.
She thought of the 2 billion won she had left behind, her family, and friends.
Suppressing her excitement, Vivian grabbed the padded jacket and stepped into the spacious cold storage.
Creak—Thud.
The warehouse door closed, and the shabby wooden door instantly became a sturdy overlap door.
The wooden door behind her wavered faintly, then turned bright white in an instant.
How was this possible?
Watching the wavering door like heat haze, Vivian thought of CG effects from videos.
Something that existed only in human imagination was right in front of her.
Being in the world of the novel now felt even more real.
Putting those thoughts aside, she stood at the entrance again.
“I’m going back. I really am going back.”
Once the door opened, she would see all the controllers and outdoor equipment.
The hot, humid air that had troubled everyone at the hotel would be right beyond this door.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them slowly.
“It’s a total mess…”
Before her were old metal box ovens, copper pots of all sizes hanging, and a soot-covered old-fashioned stove.
It looked like a set from a Western period drama, and Vivian felt frustrated.
Turning quickly, she saw that the cold storage still existed inside the wide-open wooden door.
Outside, nothing had changed—the Ester mansion’s antique kitchen remained.
Vivian, lost in thought, lightly touched her chin with a small hand.
“So, the cold storage is behind this wooden door, and the mansion is beyond that. They’re connected.”
It was the same space bridging the novel world and the modern world.
But why?
Worried that the storage might disappear again, Vivian quickly stepped inside.
She sat on stacked flour sacks and thought.
Why was this magical event happening?
Already being in a novel world was impossible enough, but now this strange phenomenon too.
The novel never even mentioned a place connecting to reality.
‘Just like I possessed the body of an extra, maybe something is happening inside this novel too.’
Who could create or know about such a mysterious space?
She thought hard.
The main male lead, Leon Rohberger Ester, the main female lead, Lara Claudia… and then…
Suddenly, one man came to mind.
“Kaion Hiabluff.”
The sub male lead, a magician.
If anyone knew, it would be him. Suddenly, she thought of it.
In the novel, he turned dark from loving the heroine too much, but before that, Kaion had been kind and sociable.
Also, he was a summoning magician.
If it was really Kaion, he might be able to help Vivian in trouble.
Yes, she would meet Kaion first. Vivian clenched her fists.
But… how could she meet him?
The extra, Vivian, never even met Kaion before the main story began.
‘I have to find a way. I must meet him. That’s the only way.’
Vivian steeled her resolve again.
As she organized her thoughts, she realized she hadn’t eaten all day.
She should eat something.
With high-quality hotel ingredients around her, there was no reason not to.
Nothing lifts spirits like a good meal.
Vivian looked around the storage while sitting on the flour sacks.
She now noticed plenty of vegetables.
Napa cabbage, water parsley, mugwort, deodeok root, fiddlehead ferns, bean sprouts, chives, perilla leaves, and more.
All were spring seasonal ingredients.
And the quantities were enormous, clearly for weekend use.
Seeing these familiar ingredients, hotel seasonal menus came to mind.
Her specialty was Korean cuisine, and in spring, she would serve fresh spring vegetables as part of full-course meals.
‘I want grilled deodeok.’
Deodeok coated with spicy-sweet chili paste, grilled until golden brown.
Not only tasty but with a unique aroma that made it delicious.
She had served it with main dishes in her world, but being away from home, even common dishes felt precious.
The crunch paired with meat perfectly.
Just thinking about it made her mouth water.
She didn’t know how long she’d be in this strange world, but fear and uncertainty of the future filled her mind.
She would have to either find poisoned food in the mansion or cook for herself while staying there.
‘For now, I’ll just fill my stomach.’
Would the hotel notice the missing ingredients? If so…
‘They’ll be furious… the youngest assistant will take all the blame.’
“Sorry, Chef. Sorry, youngest assistant. When I return, I’ll replace everything I used.”
Vivian picked up a packet of ramen from the shelf among the fresh green vegetables.
‘Ramen is the best at night.’
A triumphant smile spread across her face.
