Minister Rogan was holding papers with details about the contestants before him. He checked them half-heartedly, his other hand caressing his goatee. The contestants had gone in to bring their ingredients. He sighed, his face showing disappointment.
"I can't believe we couldn't even find five," he muttered, throwing the papers on the desk. "The other contestants were so boring and lacked any basics. I hope this set will show us something good."
Lady Selene, who was sitting beside him, picked up the papers, scanning the information about the contestants. She finally smiled as she saw the note about the girl.
"We might have our first passing grade, though," she said, pointing at the paper.
"What do you mean?" Rogan leaned over, looking at it. There was a phrase in the experience section: Royal Kitchen.
"Woahoho, I expect something good then," Rogan said, a smile tugging at his lips and watching the paper with interest.
Master Alaric, who had been silent until now, spoke. "I have my eyes on someone else."
The other two turned to him. "Oh really? Who?"
Alaric rested his head on his hand, leaning slightly. "Did you see the boy with the silver hair?" he asked.
Rogan frowned in confusion. "Yes, I did. I was puzzled at first when I read his information—it says he was a young master of the Ahn family."
Lady Selene's eyes widened, and she quickly checked the information herself. "Why would he come here, then?"
"I think he's probably loitering around," Rogan said with a scoff. "Ah, kids these days… they don't respect cooking at all. Not everyone can just make a dish because they feel like it."
Alaric shook his head. "I don't think so. He might be… special."
"Special?" Selene raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Alaric replied. "I heard it from Minister Dorian, who spoke with Minister Marcus earlier. He said that Marcus was going on and on about a noble cook with silver hair—skills he hadn't seen in this world."
"For Minister Marcus to say that…?" Selene whispered, incredulous.
"Well, we'll see anyway, won't we?" Alaric said, just as the contestants emerged from the storehouse with their ingredients. It was time for them to cook.
* * *
Ji Hoon laid his ingredients on his station. Around him, the other contestants were already moving quickly, gathering tools and ingredients.
He noticed a white apron on the table. Picking it up, he saw the Ministry of Food emblem stitched on it.
His eyes flicked back to the boy with purple hair, who had passed the test in earlier—he was wearing it. The others—the ones who had failed—had nothing on.
"So, we get to earn our aprons with our skills…"
Ji Hoon murmured with a small smile. He watched the others put theirs on, moving with natural familiarity, and did the same.
He was about to make a dessert that would show both his fundamentals and his creativity with the egg-themed challenge. He picked a saucepan, poured in whole milk and a split vanilla bean, and brought it to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring carefully.
Today, he would make éclairs—light, delicate pastries that melted in the mouth. They had three components: the choux dough, the crème pâtissière, which was a chilled vanilla custard and the chocolate ganache.
He decided to make the custard first, knowing it would be easy to assemble later. He removed the milk-vanilla from the stove, then broke eggs one by one into a bowl, whisking them with granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
After a few minutes of whisking, the mixture had a soft, warm yellow glow, which made him smile. He added cornstarch to thicken it, then slowly tempered it with a scoop of the warm milk-vanilla mixture.
The fragrance of vanilla wafted up, comforting and sweet. Carefully, he poured in the rest of the milk, stirring steadily.
He strained the mixture through a fine sieve back into the saucepan, removing any lumps of cornstarch or vanilla beans. Returning it to medium heat, he stirred continuously with a smaller whisk.
This was the crucial step: if the custard overheated, it would become rubbery. Ji Hoon's eyes followed every fold and swirl of the mixture, alert and precise.
Meanwhile, the other contestants fumbled. The three boys were panicking, darting between stations and the storeroom to find forgotten ingredients. Plates clattered, spoons rattled, and murmurs of frustration floated across the room.
The girl competing alongside them moved with calm precision, her hands swift and sure. Ji Hoon watched her closely.
"Is she making…?" he smirked, impressed. Then he glanced at the big boy from earlier. He wasn't as precise as the girl, but he, too, worked with skill and confidence.
Ji Hoon returned to his custard, thinking, 'Looks like I have to up my game.'
The judges observed the contestants with professional scrutiny. Minister Rogan muttered under his breath, "Those two… utterly lost." He shook his head at the frantic boys. "Middle one… not terrible, but nothing extraordinary. Big guy—competent, solid work."
Lady Selene leaned toward Alaric. "The girl… impressive. Precision, confidence… no wonder she was in the palace kitchen, she might surprise us."
Alaric tilted his head, watching Ji Hoon. "Do you… know what he's making?" he whispered. Rogan glanced over, eyebrows raised.
"I… I'm not sure," Rogan admitted. "Something delicate… but that custard—he's tempering it perfectly."
Selene leaned closer, intrigued. "This could be… extraordinary."
As the contestants worked, the hourglass on the table let sand trickle steadily to the bottom. The judges' eyes flicked toward it.
"Thirty minutes have passed," Rogan remarked, tapping the glass. "You've taken thirty minutes!" he called, his voice carrying across the hall. Selene nodded, noting the pace. Alaric's fingers drummed lightly against the table.
The subtle slip of sand particles falling only heightened the tension, making every precise motion by the contestants more visible.
Ji Hoon had finished setting the custard to chill and now turned his full attention to the choux dough. Focused entirely on his work, he didn't notice the murmurs rippling through the hall or the curious glances being cast his way.
Around him, the competition continued in chaos—clattering utensils, shouted requests for missing ingredients, and frantic footsteps echoing off the stone floor. But for Ji Hoon, the kitchen was calm.
It was his sanctuary, a world where flavor and technique blended seamlessly, waiting to be shaped into perfection.
He stirred the dough carefully, noticing it was still a bit pale and loose. With practiced precision, he cracked eggs one by one, whisking them into the mixture.
As they blended in, the dough transformed, taking on a silky, glossy sheen. It no longer looked like a rough, stubborn dough but rather a smooth, luxurious cream that clung to his whisk like golden ribbons.
Satisfied, Ji Hoon began preparing his oven, adjusting with his
The warm hum of enchantments filled the air as the runes beneath the oven glowed faintly. Next, he set a piece of parchment paper neatly over a baking tray.
He then scooped the choux dough into a piping bag—or rather, the closest thing to one in this world. While true plastic didn't exist here, alchemists had long perfected certain materials with similar properties, creating tools like this for kitchens and apothecaries alike.
Magic and medieval craft intertwined, making what was once impossible, commonplace.
Once the bag was filled, Ji Hoon snipped a tiny opening at the tip, just wide enough for the dough to flow out smoothly. With steady hands, he began piping neat, even lines across the tray. His motions were sharp yet fluid, each piece perfectly spaced apart.
He knew that spacing was crucial. If the dough strands were too close, they would expand and collide as they rose, ruining their delicate shape and preventing them from baking properly.
Carefully, he shaped them into slender, straight forms—little streaks of lightning, crisp and uniform.
When he was satisfied, Ji Hoon lifted the tray with both hands and slid it into the glowing oven.
* * *
Minister Rogan squinted, his brows knitting together. "What… exactly is he making?"
Selene tilted her head, puzzled. "At first, I assumed he was preparing a pie with custard filling. His custard technique was flawless, after all."
"But those shapes…" Rogan leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "They're too small and thin for pie crusts. Are they some kind of biscuit?"
Alaric's sharp eyes didn't leave Ji Hoon's station. "I don't think so," he murmured, intrigued. "Look at the precision. Each one is perfectly even, perfectly spaced. That's not random piping—it's intentional."
Rogan huffed, tapping his fingers against the table. "Hmph. He's wasting time on something delicate. If he fails the bake, it's over."
Selene's lips curved into a faint smile. "Or… he's planning something none of us have seen before."
As the tray disappeared into the oven and the faint golden glow intensified, all three judges exchanged a glance—confusion mingled with intrigue.
Alaric finally spoke, his voice low and measured. "Whatever it is… I have a feeling we're about to witness something remarkable."
* * *
Minutes turned into an hour, and the air grew tense as the contestants made their final movements, the clatter of utensils and hurried breaths filling the hall.
Ji Hoon carefully opened the oven and was greeted by a warm rush of buttery, sweet air. His eyes gleamed as he looked at the perfectly baked éclairs, their golden-brown shells rising tall and even, with a delicate crispness that promised perfection.
Steam curled gently from their tops as he brought the tray out, the rich aroma of baked dough lingering in the air.
With precision, he made a small incision at the back of each pastry, letting the hot steam escape so the shells would stay light and hollow inside. A soft hiss rose from the openings, disappearing into the cool air of the hall.
Next, he retrieved the chilled custard from earlier. Its smooth, creamy texture glistened under the light as he scooped it into another piping bag. The faint scent of vanilla mixed with the warm sweetness of the choux, creating a mouthwatering harmony.
It was time to assemble.
Ji Hoon piped the custard carefully into the small holes he had made, feeling the slight resistance of the pastry give way as the rich filling spread through its hollow center. A subtle plop sound came with each squeeze, signaling a perfectly filled éclair.
He then reached for the chocolate ganache he had prepared earlier while the choux was baking—a glossy, silky mixture of cacao and heavy cream. The deep aroma of chocolate, slightly bitter yet indulgent, rose as he stirred it one last time.
One by one, Ji Hoon picked up each éclair and gently dipped its top into the smooth ganache. The chocolate clung to the pastry in a shimmering coat, dripping just slightly at the edges before settling into a flawless finish.
He lifted the final piece and examined it under the light.It was perfect.
Allowing the chocolate to set naturally for a brief moment, he checked the remaining time. There wasn't much left. With a quick motion, Ji Hoon activated his alchemical chilling technique, a faint mist curling around the éclairs as the temperature dropped rapidly.
The room filled with the mingling scents of warm pastry, sweet vanilla custard, and rich chocolate, drawing curious glances from both contestants and judges alike. As the mist faded, Ji Hoon exhaled slowly, calm and composed.
A light, airy Éclair, its choux pastry filled with creamy vanilla crème pâtissière and topped with a glossy layer of rich chocolate ganache.
His creation was complete.