Chapter 8
Upon hearing the story of Ihwa’s past, Yuliana instinctively held her breath.
“I want to feel the happiness I tasted at that meal again. But the one who gave it to me isn’t here now.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’d like to entrust that to you. I’ll reward you generously. It’ll make a good reputation. But if you fail… you’d better brace yourself.”
A sharp, piercing gaze, like that of a griffin, focused on Yuliana. Despite there being nothing about her that seemed weak, for some reason, Yuliana couldn’t shake the feeling that the old lady looked very worn out.
Yuliana smiled slowly and nodded. Making food that brought strength to someone tired was, after all, a form of joy.
“Yes, I’ll see you in a week!”
The old lady left and mentioned that she would send the Count’s chef. Shortly after, the chef arrived and told Yuliana about the foods the Countess couldn’t eat and those she disliked. However, the Countess was picky in a different sense.
“Did you say there are no foods she dislikes or likes?”
“Yes. She doesn’t have any particular preferences.”
The chef, whose body was as large as a mountain and looked kind, laughed heartily. He looked like a hippopotamus with his round cheeks, and he sympathized greatly when he saw the awkward expression on Yuliana’s face.
“She’s indifferent to everything she eats.”
“Has it always been like that?”
“Yes, it’s always been this way in the mansion. It made it difficult for us in the kitchen.”
If someone dislikes something, you simply avoid it. If they like something, you make more of that. But it was far harder to match the tastes of someone who was indifferent to everything. It was discouraging to keep cooking with effort for someone who never reacted to anything.
“Has there been any dish she ever liked?”
“Unfortunately, there’s nothing memorable. The previous head chef was the same…”
“The previous head chef?”
“Ah, I’ve been the head chef since three years ago. It was after the master passed away.”
Three years ago was when Ihwa closed her restaurant and disappeared, and also when the old lady ate that ‘delicious food.’ Yuliana leaned forward, her excitement evident.
Even the most delicious food in the world, with the most intoxicating smells, wouldn’t taste good if the timing was wrong. Perhaps the old lady wasn’t someone who simply didn’t enjoy food, but someone with her own untold reasons.
“The master passed away?”
“Yes. I believe it’s been about 4 or 5 years.”
“Is it possible to meet the previous head chef?”
Perhaps the old lady’s loss of her husband had made all food taste bland. If that were the case, Yuliana wanted to ask the previous head chef about the dishes she used to enjoy with her husband. If she could serve her a dish that reminded her of those happy times, perhaps she could rekindle some memories and taste the food once again.
“The previous head chef has passed away. I’m his son.”
“Oh, I see. That’s unfortunate.”
Yuliana slumped her shoulders. It was too easy to expect things to work out smoothly.
“I thought it might be due to grief from losing her husband,” she said.
“Er… I don’t think that’s the case.”
The chef gave a sheepish smile, his plump cheeks shaking.
“My father always told me that the master wasn’t hard to please, but the mistress was extremely difficult to satisfy.”
“So, it’s been that way for a long time?”
“Yes. No matter what delicacies were served, she always ate with an indifferent face. No matter what we served, half of it was left on the plate.”
“Is that so…”
Curious, Yuliana asked about desserts, but the answer was the same. Even the cake the chef mentioned was an exquisite cream cake made from the Count’s traditional recipe. The Count’s cream cake was renowned in the capital, and many ladies enjoyed it at tea parties.
“The Yation peaches, preserved in honey, were served with ice.”
“Yation peaches?”
“But the Countess was the only one who didn’t enjoy them.”
The Yation peaches were famous for their sweet and overflowing juice, known by everyone in the empire. They were only available for a short time in early summer, so nobles often went to great lengths to acquire them.
Yuliana had also gone to Yation with Ihwa to taste them. After making peach wine with peaches that couldn’t be sold, the owner had laughed heartily and allowed her to taste the finest peaches.
“Still, she drinks alcohol. She enjoys Citrine Robellai in the winter.”
“That strong liquor?”
“Yes, she often drinks it with cheese.”
Citrine Robellai was a very strong liquor that Yuliana remembered well. Even at a large inn she had stayed at while traveling to the capital, Citrine Robellai was sold. Though she hadn’t tried it herself, the strong scent of the liquor in the air made it clear that it was a very high-proof drink.
“Goodbye, and thank you.”
“It’s nothing. Please, hang in there. We gave up trying to satisfy the mistress’s tastes a long time ago.”
Though she received some consolation from the Count’s chef, Yuliana felt a huge wall in front of her. Despite asking the same question several times, she hadn’t received any satisfying answers. Countess Edith had a terribly short appetite, and though she would drink some strong alcohol, it was hard to even get her to drink tea or water on time.
Dillon approached Yuliana’s leftover Hongyeop tea and flicked his tongue.
“I can see why she’s so thin.”
“Why is that?”
“What do you mean, Yus?”
“I’m curious about why she doesn’t eat.”
“Some people just don’t enjoy food.”
But it was said that Countess Edith had liked Ihwa’s food. Yuliana wanted to make Countess Edith taste the food she enjoyed, hoping that she would unknowingly finish her plate. She didn’t want her to feel the unpleasant fullness of a stuffed stomach but the happy satisfaction of a well-fed one.
After a moment’s hesitation, Yuliana decided to head for the Crystal Orb Hall.
“Where are you going?”
“To the Crystal Orb Hall.”
“Did Henry tell you the Moonlight Magic Code?”
“Of course. Henry has a lot to ask me as well.”
If someone had the Crystal Orb that was properly exposed to moonlight, and they knew the magic code tied to the Crystal Orb of the other person, they could converse through the orbs. Since Yuliana couldn’t afford to buy an expensive Crystal Orb, she planned to borrow one from the nearby Crystal Orb Hall.
She took off her apron, wrapped herself in a yellow cloak, locked the door tightly, and headed for the street.
“Excuse me!”
Yuliana turned around to see a man running towards her. He had silver hair, shining like polished silver coins, and it seemed familiar to her, like she had seen him somewhere before.
“Excuse me, is Ihwa back?”
Someone was asking about Ihwa. She felt like she had seen this person before.
“Please, please tell me, what’s the relationship between Ihwa and my mentor?”
“Oh. It’s you.”
A fierce smile, reminiscent of a young chick, appeared on Yuliana’s face. Though his hair color and length had changed, she recognized him. He was the rogue she had met shortly after arriving in the capital. The man who had promised to turn her into a star, dried by the sea winds for three months.
She pointed at him with her index finger and spoke firmly.
“No, I don’t know anyone named Ihwa. Even if I did, I wouldn’t know them. So, don’t come near me again.”
“You wouldn’t be walking around in an apron if you didn’t know Ihwa. Please.”
“Hey.”
Yuliana was about to snap at him but hesitated for a moment. Unlike when she first met him, the man now appeared very well-groomed. Even though she wasn’t knowledgeable about nobility, she could tell that this man was a noble. She could easily tell just by the white sword at his waist.
“Are you, by chance, a noble?”
“Does it… not look like it, lady?”
“If you are a noble, I have something I’d like to ask.”
The man nodded absently, his eyes lighting up. It seemed like his mind had been awakened. In any trade, one had to hold the thing the other person wanted.
“I might know something about Countess Edith. Do you know her well?”
“Countess Edith? Yes, I do.”
“Hmm… Do you know her well?”
“Well, I know as much as anyone else.”
Yuliana pondered for a moment. The man was being elusive and didn’t make it clear how well he knew Countess Edith, almost like a clam unwilling to reveal its shell. After a while, Yuliana nodded.
“Alright. If you tell me about Countess Edith, I’ll let you ask me one question about Ihwa.”
“One question?”
“Well, if you don’t want to, you can go find someone else.”
“Do you have any noble friends who would answer your question?”
It seemed that the man thought he had won, but Yuliana wasn’t so easily swayed. She crossed her arms, and as she glanced at the direction of the Crystal Orb Hall, she knew it was time to leave.
Once again, Yuliana chose to leave without any regrets. She turned sharply, and the silver-haired man was left bewildered as he watched her walk away.
