Minsoo could hardly contain the quiet joy filling her heart as she looked again at the beautiful gifts the king had given her. The jewelry shimmered softly in the morning light, and the silk dresses felt far too precious for someone like her.
She held them gently, almost afraid they might disappear if she blinked.
"It was very thoughtful of him…" she whispered to herself, her lips slowly forming a smile she could not hide.
That night, she fell asleep with that same smile resting peacefully on her face, her heart lighter than it had been in many days.
⸻
The next morning, she woke earlier than usual.
Excitement stirred within her chest, and before even finishing her routine duties, she hurried toward the king's chambers.
She wanted to thank him properly.
When she arrived, she noticed the doors were slightly open. Inside, the king was in a serious discussion with Insu. Their expressions were calm but tense, as though the matter they discussed carried weight.
Realizing she might be interrupting, Minsoo quietly stepped back, intending to excuse herself.
But the king noticed her immediately.
"Minsoo, stay," he said gently.
Then he turned to Insu.
"You may leave us."
Insu froze in surprise.
For a brief moment, he simply stared at the king, shock clear in his eyes. By now, he understood something others had begun to suspect—the king was slowly being blinded by love.
Still, Insu bowed respectfully and left without another word.
⸻
Silence settled in the chamber.
Minsoo stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"My king… thank you so much. I truly appreciate everything you did for me yesterday."
Her voice was soft but sincere.
The king looked at her calmly, though warmth flickered in his eyes.
"It is nothing," he replied.
"If you need anything… or more ingredients for the competition… please let me know."
Minsoo nodded gently.
"Yes, my king."
With that, she excused herself and left the chamber, her heart still glowing with gratitude.
⸻
Her next destination was the kitchen.
She wanted to check on the chili peppers she had taken for grinding the previous day.
Inside, Miso and the other chefs were present—but something felt terribly wrong.
The air was heavy.
No one was cooking.
No one was speaking.
Before Minsoo had arrived, an incident had already shaken the entire kitchen.
A female chef from the Chinese delegation had walked in arrogantly, touching utensils and ingredients without permission, looking around as though she owned the place.
Dal, the former head of the kitchen before Minsoo's appointment, confronted her immediately.
"How dare you enter the palace kitchen so rudely and touch everything without permission?" he demanded.
The woman ignored him at first, continuing to glance around with clear disrespect.
Finally, she lifted her head and spoke coldly.
"My name is Yumei. I will be competing against all of you soon… as you already know."
Without warning, she picked up a knife from the table and struck it sharply against the board.
The sudden sound frightened everyone.
Jihoo, known as the master of knife handling, stepped forward with controlled anger.
"If you truly have decency as a chef," he said,
"you would not use knives for unnecessary displays."
Yumei smirked.
"What if we begin a short competition now?" she challenged.
"Let us see who truly has decency."
Jihoo's patience broke.
"Fine," he replied. "Begin."
Vegetables were placed on the table.
Both of them lifted their knives at the same time.
Then—
they started cutting.
The speed was astonishing.
But Yumei was faster.
Sharper.
More precise.
Within moments, she defeated Jihoo—the very chef known as the greatest chopper in their land.
When she finished, she shouted loudly:
"Next!"
Dal stepped forward.
He lost.
Miso tried.
She lost.
One after another, every chef who challenged Yumei was defeated.
⸻
At that time, Minsoo was not present.
She had no idea what was happening.
After defeating them all, Yumei laughed mockingly.
"You are all losers," she said.
"So this is how you plan to compete with us?"
She sniffed their chili peppers with disdain and walked out, leaving humiliation behind her.
⸻
When she left, silence filled the kitchen.
The chefs felt broken.
Ashamed.
Hopeless.
One by one, they gave up on the competition entirely.
No one cooked that day.
They simply sat in quiet devastation.
⸻
This was the scene Minsoo walked into.
The scattered kitchen.
The frightened faces.
The unbearable silence.
She stopped immediately.
"What is happening here?" she asked.
Miso looked up, saw Minsoo, and rushed forward to hug her tightly.
"The Chinese chef came…" she said through distress.
"She did all this today."
"Did what?" Minsoo asked gently.
Miso explained everything.
⸻
For a moment, Minsoo stood still.
Then calm strength returned to her eyes.
"How rude of her," she said quietly,
"to come into the palace kitchen and behave this way when a competition is ahead—
a time when we should all be preparing."
She stepped closer to the chefs, her voice soft but powerful.
"You are the most amazing chefs I have ever met.
Each of you is talented in your own way."
She turned to Dal.
"You cook meals filled with heart and depth.
You and I deserve a true cooking competition because you are that good."
To Jihoo:
"Your knife skills are extraordinary.
Not everyone in this world can do what you do."
To Sungho:
"You are unmatched when it comes to finding the finest ingredients."
To Miso:
"Your sense of smell for fresh meat and quality ingredients is a rare gift."
Then she looked at all of them.
"Without you… we cannot win.
I need you.
The villagers need you.
We need each other to save this land."
⸻
Her words melted the despair inside them.
Tears formed.
Hope returned.
Slowly, they moved closer—
and embraced her together.
In that moment, the broken kitchen felt alive again.
⸻
Meanwhile, Yumei returned to her fellow chefs and boasted proudly.
"I competed with our opponents," she said.
"They were completely useless."
One chef asked calmly,
"Did you compete with all of them… including the palace head chef?"
Yumei paused.
"No. She was not there.
But I would have defeated her too."
Another chef shook his head slightly.
"If you did not face the palace head chef,
then you did not truly compete.
You only went there to play with her subordinates."
⸻
The words lingered in the air.
And somewhere within the palace walls,
fate was already preparing the moment
when Minsoo and Yumei would finally stand face to face.
The real competition—
the one that would decide pride, honor, and the future of the kingdom—
had not even begun.
⸻