Park Jun Hoo was twenty-two years old.
He was an ordinary university student living an ordinary life. He wasn't rich, he wasn't famous, and he didn't have anything particularly impressive to show the world.
Except for one thing.
Cooking.
Ever since he was young, Jun Hoo had believed that the kitchen was the most honest place in the world. If your food tasted good, people smiled. If it didn't, you simply tried again until you got it right.
That was why he had always dreamed of becoming a professional chef in a large restaurant.
Unfortunately, life rarely followed the plans people made.
Jun Hoo had applied to countless restaurants. Small diners, modest eateries, even places with kitchens so cramped they could barely fit two cooks.
But the answer was always the same.
"We'll contact you later."
And that "later" never came.
In the end, just to survive, Jun Hoo took a part-time job as a cashier at a convenience store near his university. Every day he sat behind the register, scanning items and greeting customers who came and went without ever really noticing him.
Still, there was one thing he never gave up.
Cooking.
Every night after finishing work, he returned to his small rented room and cooked something in the tiny kitchen.
Sometimes ramen with strange toppings.
Sometimes fried rice with spices he experimented with himself.
He didn't cook for anyone else.
He cooked for himself.
It was the one thing that made his exhausting days feel a little brighter.
Besides cooking, Jun Hoo had another hobby.
Reading novels.
His favorite novel was titled Valiant Blood.
It told the story of a knight named Nathan Ardent—a warrior who was strong, disciplined, and fiercely loyal to his kingdom.
Nathan wasn't the kind of protagonist who joked around. He was calm, serious, and always carried out his duties without hesitation.
Perhaps that was exactly why Jun Hoo liked the story so much.
To him, Nathan felt real.
That night, Jun Hoo finally reached the last chapter of the novel.
He read every line carefully, not wanting the story to end too soon.
But eventually, the final sentence appeared.
Nathan Ardent's journey had come to an end.
Jun Hoo lowered his phone and stared at the ceiling of his small room.
"Ah… it's finally finished."
There was always a strange emptiness after finishing a story you had followed for so long.
But Jun Hoo was too tired to think about it.
Before long, he fell asleep.
---
In the middle of the night, Jun Hoo suddenly woke up.
Something felt wrong.
A terrible smell filled the air.
"What is that smell…?"
He slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a dark night sky.
The second thing he heard was an unpleasant sound nearby.
"Grunt… grunt…"
Jun Hoo turned his head.
Right next to him was a pig pen.
Several large pigs shuffled around inside it, snorting loudly.
Jun Hoo froze.
For a few seconds, his brain refused to process what he was seeing.
Then he jumped to his feet.
"WHAT?!"
He quickly looked around.
This was definitely not his rented room.
In front of him stretched a dirt road that led to a small village. Wooden houses lined the road, and faint torchlight flickered in the cold night air.
The smell of livestock hung heavily around him.
"Is this… some kind of filming location…?"
Suddenly—
TING!
A bright sound rang out.
A glowing screen appeared in front of him, floating in midair like the system windows he had seen countless times in manhwa.
White letters slowly appeared on the screen.
"Congratulations!! You have entered the novel Valiant Blood just as you wished!!"
Jun Hoo stared at the message blankly.
A few seconds passed.
"…Huh?"
He pointed at himself.
"Wait. What do you mean I entered the novel?"
Panic quickly set in.
He leaned toward the screen and shouted.
"If I entered the novel, then who did I become?!"
The text changed.
"Figure it out yourself. Good luck!"
And just like that—
The screen disappeared.
Jun Hoo stared at the empty air in disbelief.
"What kind of useless system is that?!"
He grabbed his head and forced himself to calm down.
"Okay… think."
He tried to recall the plot of Valiant Blood from the beginning.
But before he could think further, a voice suddenly called from behind him.
"Prince Eden."
Jun Hoo immediately turned around.
A tall man stood there with a sword at his waist. His face was sharp and handsome, his expression calm and cold. His dark gray hair moved slightly in the night breeze.
Jun Hoo's eyes widened.
He recognized that face instantly.
It was Nathan Ardent.
The protagonist of Valiant Blood.
He looked exactly as described in the novel.
Jun Hoo raised a trembling finger and pointed at him.
"Y-you… Nathan Ardent?!"
Nathan looked at him with a flat expression.
"Are you drunk again, Prince Eden?"
Jun Hoo froze.
"…Prince Eden?"
Nathan continued staring at him.
At that moment, Jun Hoo noticed something strange.
A strand of hair fell into his vision.
Pink.
Jun Hoo slowly touched his head.
Pink hair.
A memory from the novel flashed through his mind.
A pink-haired prince.
A notorious troublemaker who oppressed the citizens, wasted money on alcohol, and caused endless problems for the kingdom.
A side character who eventually died.
His name was—
Eden Artheon.
Jun Hoo stared at Nathan with a horrified expression.
Nathan stared back calmly.
Suddenly Jun Hoo shouted.
"I BECAME EDEN ART—"
He quickly covered his own mouth.
Nathan looked at him as if he were watching someone completely insane.
---
Not long afterward, they returned to the royal palace.
Inside the prince's spacious and luxurious bedroom, Jun Hoo—now in the body of Eden Artheon—sat on the edge of the bed.
"So… I really entered the novel…"
He held his head.
This was bad.
Very bad.
Because Eden Artheon's fate in the story was already decided.
He died.
"This is a disaster…"
Jun Hoo tried to remember the timeline of the story.
The kingdom was currently suffering from severe economic problems. Taxes were high, the people were struggling, and unrest was spreading.
Then suddenly—
An idea appeared in his mind.
His eyes lit up.
"Wait a second."
He stood up.
"If I think about it… I can cook."
A strange smile slowly appeared on his face.
"I could open a restaurant."
In his imagination, the future unfolded clearly.
A busy restaurant.
Customers praising his food.
His name spreading throughout the kingdom.
"Prince Eden's cooking is incredible!"
"This is the best meal in the kingdom!"
Eden imagined himself becoming famous everywhere.
Not as a tyrant.
But as a chef.
"Hehe…"
"Hehehe…"
"Hahaha—"
While he was laughing to himself, the door to his room quietly opened.
Someone stood there.
Nathan Ardent.
The knight silently watched the prince laughing alone in the middle of the room.
After a few seconds, one simple thought crossed his mind.
"The prince has finally lost his mind."
Just then, Eden noticed him.
"Oh… you're there."
Nathan remained standing at the doorway.
Eden cleared his throat and suddenly asked with unusual seriousness.
"Nathan."
Nathan raised an eyebrow.
"What ingredients are available in the royal kitchen?"
Nathan blinked.
"…Excuse me?"
Eden repeated the question.
"What ingredients do we have in the kitchen?"
Nathan stared at him for a moment before crossing his arms.
"Why are you suddenly asking about the kitchen?"
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"Can you even cook?"
His voice carried clear sarcasm.
"As far as I remember, the only things you know how to do are cause trouble and drink."
Eden looked at him calmly.
Inside, he thought Nathan was incredibly rude.
But instead of getting angry, he simply smiled.
Because a new plan had already formed in his mind.
In his previous life, he had never been given the chance to become a chef.
But in this world—
That would change.
Eden Artheon would become a famous prince.
Not because of power.
But because of his cooking.
And maybe
Just maybe
That would be enough to change the fate of death waiting for him in the story of Valiant Blood.