YHTB 08

Chapter 08

Discovery of the Rule

The onions were sliced evenly and consistently, spreading neatly across the cutting board. Everyone except Merian watched in astonishment.

“Wow… look at that knife skill. It’s almost like the head chef!”

“When did she even learn that? I guess even nobles have to cook in the Duchy of Kihis.”

The maids whispered to each other, but Vivian ignored them and focused on cooking.

Good. Let them think that.

She had been worried about what to say if anyone asked when and where she learned all these skills, but now she had a perfect excuse.

Her excellent cooking skills could be blamed on the unique noble culture of her home duchy.

Meanwhile, Merian had already finished the mushroom soup. Steam rose from the clear broth. It looked appetizing at first glance, but the soup had an unusual aroma.

Merian transferred the soup into bowls and glanced over at Vivian’s prep table, which was still far from finished.

Vivian was just starting to slice the king oyster mushrooms.

As she chopped, she thought to herself:
‘It would be nice to have a few more types of mushrooms, but let’s just use what we have.’

She wanted to match Merian’s conditions as closely as possible.

After trimming the mushrooms, she scored the tops to resemble shiitake mushrooms. She arranged the rest neatly in a shallow copper pot for presentation.

Her silvery hair swayed with every movement.

In a real kitchen, leaving her long hair loose like this would have gotten her scolded until she cried, but here in this fantasy world, no one would care.

Even though some people complained about her cooking, no one said anything about her appearance.

Unaware of her, everyone else was staring in awe at her skill.

Her movements flowed like water, precise as if measured with a ruler. It was almost as if she were possessed, and everyone was captivated.

Even Merian couldn’t notice the soup boiling over as she secretly watched Vivian.

Merian’s face slackened for a moment, then she pursed her lips and looked away, assuming Vivian’s dish would be a disaster.

Meanwhile, Vivian had finished preparing all the vegetables.

It was finally time to tackle the most difficult part: the meat.

Raw, soft, unfrozen beef. Slicing it thinly would be challenging even for a meat expert.

Freezing it would have helped, but that was impossible.

The cold storage couldn’t freeze meat. Only a freezer could.

Even a slicer would have helped, but she didn’t have the time or resources to find one.

After a brief pause, Vivian made her decision.

‘I’ll give up on slicing thinly. I’ll cut it into bite-sized pieces.’

She would have to sacrifice the tender texture, but finely chopped meat could still deliver plenty of flavor.

Vivian cut the drained beef into bite-sized chunks and placed them into a wooden bowl. Then she grabbed the coveted sauce.

In her mind, a dramatic bam! sounded.

Fifty years of tradition and deep flavor. 100% naturally brewed soy sauce, domestic pears, apples, radishes, all carefully selected ingredients blended into a secret sauce.

She poured the magical liquid over the meat and mixed it thoroughly.

After a moment, the meat became glossy, coated in the sauce.

“What’s that smell?”

“It… smells sweet and nutty. It’s going to be delicious.”

The aroma of the beef bulgogi sauce quickly filled the kitchen. It was unusual enough that everyone sniffed eagerly, caught off guard.

Vivian watched them proudly, confident that the taste would astonish them even more.

Merian, who had finished cooking, approached Vivian.

“We’ll present the completed dishes in the servant dining hall downstairs.”

Just as Vivian’s beef and mushroom hot pot was finished and everyone prepared to move to the hall, she suddenly blocked the group.

“My dish isn’t leaving this kitchen.”

Everyone turned to her in shock at the absurd declaration.

“This is the first time I’ve seen food like this, Merian…”

“I know. You can see the ingredients clearly in the broth. It really is like a stew.”

“But Miss… do we have to eat it like this?”

Lady Mayfield, standing near the stove, asked with a serious expression.

The shallow pot was simmering over a weak flame.

Vivian scooped some foam from the bubbling pot and smiled at her.

“Hot pot is meant to be eaten while it’s cooking. Gathering around and eating it this way keeps you warm and prevents the food from cooling too quickly.”

The maids and servants listening murmured their agreement, nodding slowly.

Around the stove stood Lady Mayfield, Merian, and the servants.

Including those in the kitchen, there were twelve people in total.

The judging panel included two maids managing the second floor, a gardener, and the hunting grounds manager.

Everyone watched Vivian’s hot pot with astonishment. Merian’s mushroom soup and minced beef stew, however, failed to capture their attention.

Vivian felt relieved seeing Merian’s dishes being quietly ignored.

All eyes were fixed on Vivian’s dish.

Merian’s stew and soup were dishes she served regularly, but Vivian’s cooking was so unique that it naturally drew everyone’s focus.

Merian frowned at the hot pot and said in her own tone,
“It’s nice to eat warm food, but having to stand while eating is really inconvenient, Miss.”

“If only there were small stoves for the table… but we don’t have them. At least the judging is based on taste, so it doesn’t matter, right?”

“Well… sometimes taste depends on mood, you know.”

“After tasting my dish, your mood will improve too.”

“…You’re very confident.”

Their brief argument over etiquette over, it was time for the four judges to taste the food.

First up were Merian’s mushroom soup and minced beef stew.

The two maids and the hunting grounds manager ate calmly, but the gardener frowned slightly.

“How should I say this… the mushroom soup has a strong sharp taste. I’ve noticed it before, but it’s especially strong today.”

Merian stepped forward to taste her soup herself, then pouted at the gardener.

“It just tastes fine,” she said, shrugging.

The gardener avoided her eyes, acting uncharacteristically.

The minced beef tasting went quietly as well. After Merian’s remark, the gardener remained silent.

Finally, it was time to taste Vivian’s dish, and all eyes turned to her beef and mushroom hot pot.

Before the tasting, Vivian handed everyone a small bowl.

The maids jumped at the chance eagerly, while Merian scowled at them.

“Judging aside, everyone should try a bite.”

Vivian ladled some hot pot from the bubbling stove into everyone’s bowls.

Everyone looked delighted except Merian, who frowned.

“I’m fine… I dislike unfamiliar food…”

“Do you find the mushrooms and beef unfamiliar?”

“Not exactly…”

“You don’t seem curious as a professional cook. Isn’t it exciting to taste rare, foreign food?”

Vivian forced a bowl into Merian’s hands when she stubbornly refused.

She filled her own bowl as well.

It had been so long since she’d tasted proper food.

Just the smell made her mouth water.

The hot pot contained king oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, onions, cabbage, and various vegetables. The broth, infused with beef and vegetable flavor, was superb.

The deep, rich taste drew involuntary exclamations.

“Wow… this is amazing. It’s a new taste, but so good. Sweet, savory, and perfectly seasoned. Truly impressive, Miss.”

The gardener, who had complained about Merian’s food, kept eating continuously, clearly enjoying it.

Vivian smiled, watching him savor the dish.

The other judges also ate with satisfied expressions.

The maids nodded and exchanged glances while eating.

Everyone else murmured their admiration for the hot pot.

“Miss, when did you learn to cook?”

Lady Mayfield, who had been skeptical of Vivian, had already eaten her second bowl.

“I just watched my mother cook when I was young.”

It wasn’t a textbook answer, but it was true.

Lady Mayfield seemed genuinely amazed by Vivian’s skill.