Ji Hoon pulled out the spoon, and the knot of his hair unraveled. His silver hair cascaded down, catching the light as it framed his face. He ran a hand through it, sweeping it back.
'I might have been in big trouble if the timing was off. Or worse…' He smiled faintly, looking down at his hands. 'If I didn't have these skills.'
His eyes shifted toward the slave girl. 'At least, I won…'
The customers in the shop erupted in murmurs of disbelief.
"Did the noble really win?!"
"It must be true—the Minister used his official seal this time!"
"No way! How could he beat the Grace twins?"
"I wonder what it tastes like?"
"Hey, I want a bite!"
"Me too!"
"Leave some for me!"
The lucky few near the judges' table managed to snatch slices of Ji Hoon's lemon tart. Hands grabbed the tart, as they tasted it together, and then—
~Crunch-Crunch~
The crisp crust shattered under their teeth, followed by a burst of lemon so sharp and bright it sent shivers down their spines. Sweetness followed immediately after, mellowing the tartness, while the silky custard clung to their tongues. The sugared berries added a juicy freshness, and the meringue dissolved like soft clouds.
Gasps and wide eyes spread across the crowd.
"It's… amazing!"
"The lemon—it wakes you up, like a shock through the senses!"
"And the crust—it's crunchy but not hard, like it just melts after the first bite…"
"I can't stop eating this!"
The chatter grew into a wave of awe, filling the shop.
Minister Marcus turned toward Alister, his voice carrying the weight of final judgment.
"As per the deal, transfer the Slavnia of that slave to the boy."
Alister's face turned red, his brows twitching. His fists clenched.
"No way! This must be some kind of trick! How could a noble, who's never stepped foot in a kitchen, make something this good?"
"I refuse to believe it!"
Marcus's eyes narrowed, his tone sharp.
"You won't back down from the oath you swore before this seal, will you? The very seal granted by His Majesty himself? You know what awaits those who defy it."
At that, Alister's arrogance cracked. Fear flashed across his face. Everyone in the room knew what happened to those who ignored the Emperor's seal. Only one thing awaited them—death.
Grinding his teeth, Alister reluctantly pulled out a hexagon-shaped pendant from his pocket. His blood boiled as he glared at Ji Hoon, who smiled as though nothing had happened.
'This punk… humiliating me like this? He must have known he could win from the start. That's why he dared to ask for the duel.'
He tossed the pendant across the air. Ji Hoon caught it cleanly.
Alister's fury simmered. 'I will make you pay. I'll show you what it means to cross a de Clein.'
He whipped around, barking at his workers, many of whom were still dazed by the taste of Ji Hoon's tart.
"What are you all doing standing around?! Get back to work!"
The kitchen scrambled to life, staff scurrying to their stations. Even the customers sank back into their seats, unwilling to catch more of Alister's wrath. He turned last to the Grace twins, who stood with heads bowed.
"Pathetic. You two are fired."
"But sir—" Isaac started, but Malak grabbed his arm, silencing him. One look at Alister's eyes was enough. It was over. The brothers disappeared into the back without another word.
Bored and seething, Alister snapped for his attendant and stormed out of the restaurant.
Marcus sighed, disappointment heavy in his eyes—not for Ji Hoon, but for the wasted talent of the Grace twins. As he rose to leave, he gave Ji Hoon a long look.
"I expect more from you, Young Master Ahn."
Ji Hoon bowed respectfully. Beside him, Lior grinned, waving enthusiastically.
"See you around, noble cook!"
Ji Hoon smiled at the departing figures before glancing at the pendant in his hand.
Slavnia. The official seal of slave ownership. Created to separate "legal" slaves from illegal ones, it was nothing more than a cold mark of property.
Ji Hoon scoffed, anger flickering in his eyes.
"Legal, my ass…"
He pocketed the pendant and turned toward the girl from earlier. She quickly averted her gaze, ears flat, tails low.
Ji Hoon approached with a gentle smile.
"Hello. Nice to meet you. What's your name?"
She stuttered, voice barely above a whisper.
"I-Ione… Am-Amberfang."
"Oh, Ione. What a beautiful name."
Before he could continue, Beatrice called from behind.
"Young Master, I think it's time we leave."
"Oh, you're right. We stayed longer than I thought."
He turned back to Ione.
"Come on."
She bowed her head and followed. Together, Ji Hoon, Beatrice, Adrine and Ione left the establishment. They climbed into the carriage, bound for the Ahn estate.
* * *
The carriage rolled up to the Ahn estate, halting before the front gates. Ji Hoon was the first to step down, the others following close behind.
Waiting there was Haide, the boy who had earlier informed him of his mother's and fiancée's arrival.
"Young Master, welcome back." Haide bowed deeply.
"Oh, Haide, thank you." Ji Hoon smiled, then paused as he remembered. "By the way, did what I asked for arrive?"
Haide nodded. "Yes, my lord. Cook Wood is overseeing it now."
"Oh, that's nice." Ji Hoon smirked faintly.
Beatrice tilted her head, confused. "Did you arrange something, Young Master?"
"Yeah. There's something I wanted to do…" Ji Hoon's gaze shifted toward Ione, who had remained silent since their arrival.
He looked at her worn clothes, her posture, her nervous eyes. She stiffened under his gaze, unsure if she had done something wrong. He turned back to Beatrice.
"Beatrice," he said simply.
She quickly understood his meaning. Turning to Ione, she said, "This way, Ione."
"O-okay!" Ione bowed slightly and hurried after Beatrice.
"Adrine, follow them too. I have some work to do. Tell them they can meet me in the kitchen later."
Adrine bowed and went after them, leaving Ji Hoon to continue with Haide.
As they approached the kitchen, the sharp, rich aroma of roasted beans and caffeine wafted through the air. Ji Hoon stopped just outside the doorway, inhaling deeply.
Coffee.
Inside, Cook Wood was brimming with excitement.
"Oh, Young Master, welcome back!"
Ji Hoon smiled. "Wood, thank you. Did you do what I asked before?"
"Of course, Young Master." Wood puffed his chest proudly. "I roasted and powdered them all. Take a look."
Ji Hoon stepped forward to the center table. A large basin sat there, filled with freshly ground dark-brown powder.
He leaned closer. The bitter-sweet scent hit him immediately. Coffee—real coffee.
When Beatrice had given him coffee the other day, he had been struck with nostalgia. He remembered the days when he was saving up for culinary school.
People often didn't realize how expensive those schools were. To support himself, he had worked at a local café, training as a barista.
It wasn't his dream, but he had enjoyed it enough to learn techniques, to surprise even his seniors, who had told him he could pursue it professionally. Still, he had chosen pastry school to chase his true promise.
Drinks or pastries, though—it was all the same. Perfect technique, careful temperature, and the joy of watching people's faces light up with admiration.
Ji Hoon pinched a bit of powder between his fingers, rubbing and sniffing it. 'Perfect. Now, what I've been craving all this time… a latte.'
He asked Wood and Haide to leave.
Wood resisted, itching with curiosity. His instincts told him the Young Master was about to create something extraordinary again. But coffee beans? What more could be done besides brewing plain coffee? Still, reluctantly, he left the room.
Ji Hoon turned to the large box at the end of the kitchen—the refrigerator. Yes, this world had fridges, which was powered by frost balls.
Unlike the Ignis stones used for stoves, however, these required advanced blacksmithing and delicate engineering. Only nobles and the wealthy could afford them.
He opened it and took out a bottle of milk. Pouring it into a pot, he set it on the stove and turned the control to two triangles—medium heat. On another stove ring, he placed a pot of water to boil.
He watched the milk intently, activating
"56… 68… 82… 91… 94…" He lifted it quickly, just before it was about to boil. 'That should be enough.'
Holding out his hand, he whispered: "Alchemy. Tier One: Frothing."
======
[ Frothing the desired content… ]
[ Frothing complete! ]
Cooldown: 19 sec
======
A white light spread from his hand into the hot milk. Bubbles rose as the liquid expanded, becoming airy and creamy. Ji Hoon grinned at the result.
Next, he turned to the boiled water. Removing it from the stove, he prepared six cups, adding coffee powder into each one. He poured the hot water in. The aroma thickened.
'This skill has a long cooldown… better do them all in one go.'
This time, he would attempt something new. His transmutation ability. If alchemy allowed him to combine and refine, then maybe—just maybe—he could recreate something he thought lost to this world.
He placed his hand over the cups. "Alchemy. Tier Two: Concentrate."
======
[ Concentrating the desired content… ]
[ Concentration complete! ]
[ Espresso is made! ]
Cooldown: 9 min and 57sec
======
White light pulsed again, surrounding the cups. Ji Hoon almost felt the air compress, like unseen pressure squeezing flavor into every drop. The sharp, roasted scent intensified, filling the kitchen with an intoxicating fragrance.
He pulled his hand back. Six small cups of concentrated espresso sat before him, dark and gleaming.
"Nice…" He smiled.