It was understandable that Lee Woo Do was nervously sweating.
Oxtail soup isn’t a grand or flashy dish.
“On a chilly Korean night, you slurp down a steaming bowl, top it off with a piece of tangy, sweet seokbakji. Dip a fresh green chili in doenjang and munch away. Then you wash it down with a glass of cold water—what could be better?”
Clack.
President Lee Udo’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
Of course, all the Council Members were Korean.
And they were all elders who had lived through the era before the Great Cataclysm.
Naturally, they knew just how good a bowl of soup could be.
However.
“Still, isn’t it a bit too ordinary…? No, is there something special about it, like that potato pancake last time?”
Lee Woo Do held onto that hope.
Wasn’t he nervous when Yuseong said he’d make a Yuseong potato pancake, too?
But that result turned out to be rösti, a Swiss-style potato pancake, quite different from an ordinary one.
It was understandable if people hoped this would also be a special kind of oxtail soup.
“It’s just oxtail soup.”
But Yuseong drew a clear line.
This time, what he would make was a classic oxtail soup.
Although it would use Jauros tail instead of beef, so it was a bit removed from the classic.
“Honestly, what’s better than a bowl of soup made with sincerity and care?”
Still, since Jauros was a magical beast, it was undeniably different from any beast of the surface.
Its tail was much longer and thinner than those of ordinary monsters, moving freely.
It was so long that it could even lash at enemies in front, so the meat was full of movement and dense.
It had a denser, red meat texture than chicken.
He had confirmed this once again while grilling it on skewers.
He was convinced that if it were simmered well, it would yield the finest broth.
“The grand meeting is the day after tomorrow, so I’ll start the broth tomorrow. Just get everything ready.”
“O-oh, alright…”
Lee Woo Do could only nod anxiously.
No matter what, there was no turning back now.
***
Yuseong was given only two days to prepare.
That short time flashed by, and the day of the Council’s grand meeting arrived.
In the parking lot of the nation’s premier Phoebus Hotel, a line of luxury sedans, rarely seen together, arrived one after another.
Nearly all were the cars of tycoons and corporate leaders who could buy such vehicles with a day’s income.
Lee Woo Do was among them.
He was in charge of the banquet for this grand meeting.
In these times, being responsible for the Council’s banquet was a prestigious position.
The Council was a gathering of leading business figures—much like the Federation of Korean Industries, but at the same time, the only members-only gourmet club in Korea.
The mere fact that they could eat traditional cuisine instead of an Energy Bar proved their wealth.
Being in charge of a meal for dozens of people was, in some ways, an honor.
“So, what kind of dish will there be, Chairman Lee?”
“Mmhm, my… Why are you young people so impatient! I told you, just wait a little.”
The 55-year-old CEO of a rising IT company grumbled after getting scolded by Lee Woo Do.
Because he was relatively young, other members egged him on, but again, Lee Woo Do kept his lips sealed.
True to a businessman, Lee Woo Do maintained his poker face.
But inside, he was burning up.
“Maybe I should’ve just told them.”
At first, he thought that if he revealed it was ‘oxtail soup,’ the response wouldn’t be good.
So, when asked what dish it was, he didn’t answer, but that only had the opposite effect.
“Hmm, just what kind of dish could it be…? Since he’s a gourmet, it must be something special.”
“Last time, it was Bavarian soufflé, so maybe French cuisine again?”
“Pfft, come on, don’t you all know yet? Chairman Lee is a die-hard Korean food lover. I’m sure it’ll be a proper traditional set meal.”
The Council members’ expectations rose like a mountain.
If, in this situation, he suddenly served oxtail soup—especially one made with magical beast tail, not beef…
What would their reaction be…?
He knew Yuseong’s food would be delicious, but it still worried him.
“Now, let’s get started.”
It was the chairman of the Council, Han Jungmoon, who restored order.
When his charismatic voice rang out, the bustling room calmed instantly.
“First, let’s move on to the Export Sanctions Withdrawal Request to Taiwan.”
True to corporate leaders, their agenda was broad.
“The Taiwanese government continues to ignore our Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ request to lift the sanctions.”
“They’re just watching what China does. With China trying to keep us in check, what can they do?”
“Exactly. The important thing is how our government responds now. If it ends with just requesting a dispute at the WTO, that’d be best…”
In the Council’s discussion, the fate of Korea was tossed back and forth several times.
These were facts not yet leaked to the public—information for which stock traders would pay fortunes to get in.
The meeting went on for a while.
Before they knew it, night fell, and dinner time approached.
Everyone had only had Energy Bars for lunch, so they were hungrier than usual.
At some point, a savory aroma began to fill the conference room.
“So, about Youngil Trading… Hm…?”
The elder member who had been speaking stopped mid-sentence.
He flared his nostrils, looking around.
Grrrrr…
Just then, his stomach growled loudly.
“Haha, it’s about dinner time now, isn’t it?”
Worried he’d feel embarrassed, the member next to him tried to lighten the mood, but his stomach grumbled as well.
Was hunger contagious, like yawning?
Growls echoed here and there like a symphony.
Chairman Han Jungmoon smiled warmly and wrapped up the meeting.
“Haha, it looks like everyone is hungry, and it’s about that time, so shall we call it here?”
Han looked at the member who had been speaking, as if seeking agreement.
That member nodded, resigned.
“Let’s discuss it later, then.”
“Haha, then now, Chairman Lee?”
All eyes turned to Lee Woo Do.
The aroma in the room was so rich that everyone swallowed their saliva in unison.
But Lee Woo Do checked his phone and muttered awkwardly.
“Uh, hmm… It seems the preparation is a bit delayed.”
“Haha, still? The chef must be putting in a lot of effort.”
Everyone looked disappointed, but nodded.
Everyone here was willing to wait for delicious food.
“Well, while we’re waiting, it’s fun to try to guess the dish, especially since it’s taking this long and smells this good.”
Chairman Han Jungmoon, dressed in a crisp white suit.
He was one of the most famous gourmets in the Council.
“I’m sure it’s meat. So, not seafood. That East Coast-style clam bake from last time was good, though.”
“Right, it’s definitely meat.”
“At first, I thought it might be barbecue, cooked low and slow. But with grilled meat, you’d smell the fire and some charring. That’s not it either.”
“True enough.”
“Hmm, then maybe a stew or something braised…”
“Hmm… That’s close…”
Just from the smell, Chairman Han could deduce things instantly.
The younger members, especially, looked at him with respect.
Chairman Han secretly enjoyed it as he wrapped up his guess.
“But I don’t smell any Western spices… And Chairman Lee is known for loving Korean food. Above all, it’s got the hearty aroma of beef.”
Even Lee Woo Do was quietly impressed.
Yuseong’s Jauros oxtail soup included Hanwoo marrow and beef knuckles.
“A boiled meat platter with plenty of beef, or maybe braised oxtail?”
Lee Woo Do’s face stiffened.
Clap clap clap clap.
Chairman Han’s enthusiastic followers even applauded.
When Lee Woo Do’s face stiffened, Chairman Han thought he’d guessed correctly.
He waved his hand to quiet the applause and waited for Lee Woo Do’s answer.
But before answering, Lee Woo Do slyly checked his smartphone.
A message from Yuseong said the dish was ready.
“The food seems to be ready. Please come and see for yourselves.”
With that, he rose from his seat.
Chairman Han tried to hide his disappointment as he added a question.
“Very well. But could you tell us who the invited sooksoo is this time? There are plenty of great Korean chefs, after all.”
“A friend named Baek Yuseong.”
Han Jungmoon rolled the name around in his mouth a few times.
Baek Yuseong, Baek…
“…Baek Yuseong?”
Before others realized what was unusual—
Yuseong made his entrance.
“I’m Baek Yuseong, the one who prepared today’s meal.”
As he appeared, a few people finally recognized him.
When the explorer who’d appeared on TV so many times suddenly entered, the room grew noisy.
The servers followed behind Yuseong, carrying food.
In front of each of the twenty-two members was placed a boiling-hot earthenware bowl, some tangy seokbakji, and a dish of soy-based sauce.
“The menu is oxtail soup. The seasoning is already perfect, so mix in the rice on the side and eat it with the seokbakji. As for the meat, you can dip it in the mustard sauce at the front.”
Yuseong’s face was less relaxed than usual.
Not because those in front of him were the tycoons of the world.
Rather, he was thinking of his late grandfather.
He had cooked for others many times.
He’d even sold food for money.
But those had been for people who didn’t know real food.
“These people have all lived through the era before the Great Cataclysm.”
But these corporate leaders were different.
They had lived from the time when food was part of everyday life, even before the Great Cataclysm.
Some had even experienced his grandfather’s restaurant, Rakshik, and many continued to eat real food after the Cataclysm.
Serving them made him more nervous than ever.
“Hmm.”
Above all, from the moment Yuseong entered—
Chairman Han Jungmoon was glaring at him with a cold gaze.
“…I thought Baek Yuseong wasn’t a chef, but an explorer.”
Other members nodded in agreement.
Lee Woo Do stepped forward.
“He’s none other than Baek Mun-cheon’s grandson from Rakshik. He’s already an excellent sooksoo. I vouch for him with my name.”
Rakshik was a restaurant that more than half the Council members had visited.
Moreover, it was rare to see President Lee Udo, with his iron will, speak so firmly.
A glint of recognition flashed in the members’ eyes.
Someone asked Yuseong a question.
“But isn’t oxtail soup a bit ordinary?”
“It won’t be ordinary. It’s not beef tail. I used the tail of an ancient monster species I hunted myself in the Abyss to make this soup.”
The reaction was explosive.
“W-what! You made it with monster meat?”
“And you expect us to eat that?!”
Some members protested with clear displeasure.
It was only natural.
After the Great Cataclysm, there were people who died from eating monster meat.
Now, that’s no longer an issue, but the fear was still ingrained in them.
But Yuseong responded calmly.
“Not all monster meat is poisonous. Even monsters that are, can be eaten once the venom glands are removed. As for the Jauros I hunted, it has no poison to begin with. Please check the paper provided with your tray. The analysis results show it’s perfectly safe. I’ve already tasted it myself.”
The members hurriedly checked the attached documents.
Indeed, the analysis results showed its composition was no different from that of terrestrial livestock.
Those who’d protested still seemed dissatisfied, but others didn’t.
In fact, those who’d gotten angry were in the minority.
“A dish made with monster meat… I was curious, but I didn’t expect to get a chance like this.”
Someone muttered to themselves.
Everyone here knew more than the average person.
If the poison issue could be handled, Abyss ingredients had the potential to be food.
Of course, with Energy Bars being efficient, safe, and cheap, nobody actually ate it.
But for these Council members, curiosity about monster cuisine had always existed.
“The ‘Jauros’ used is an extremely rare monster, newly discovered in the World Abyss. At the current level of explorers, it’s impossible to hunt. Naturally, the taste can’t even be compared to frozen meat.”
Yuseong spoke with confidence.
He was about to say something he had planned to save until after the meal, but decided to say it now.
“I would like to join the Council.”
The room buzzed at his sudden declaration.
There were also glances asking for Chairman Han Jungmoon’s explanation.
“Haha, so that’s…”
Chairman Han knew that Yuseong wanted to join, as Lee Woo Do had already recommended him.
He just hadn’t expected Yuseong to show up as a chef.
“I’ve already prepared all the other requirements for membership. All that’s left is your approval.”
The tycoons’ expressions were ambiguous.
Yuseong was wildly popular among explorers, but for them to accept him was a different matter.
Would Yuseong’s oxtail soup be able to move their hearts?
Time ticked by.
The boiling earthenware bowls gradually cooled.
Yet no one had picked up their spoon.
Yuseong slowly closed his eyes.
“Is this a failure…? If they don’t even try it, after all…”
No matter how delicious the dish, it was useless if the guests wouldn’t taste it.
Unlike explorers fighting on the front lines, these were the heads of companies—perhaps more cautious.
Seeing Yuseong like that, Lee Woo Do finally took the lead.
“Start eating. Even if you don’t like this guy, the food hasn’t done anything wrong. If this oxtail soup isn’t good, you can kick me out instead.”
With that, he picked up his spoon.
And then, someone else joined in.
“Honestly, I’m not particularly close with Chairman Lee. But I know that young man’s cooking is something special. So, I’ll eat.”
It was Chairman Park Gyeongjae.
Even he, known for his picky palate, picked up his spoon, causing a stir among the members.
But still, the mood was chilly.
Until one more person picked up their spoon.
“For personal reasons, I don’t particularly like Baek Yuseong.”
Because he had dared to give chocolates to his beloved granddaughter, Han Jungmoon hadn’t been fond of Yuseong.
But now, Chairman Han Jungmoon himself picked up his spoon.
The savory aroma rising from the boiling bowl—
As a gourmet, he couldn’t resist any longer.
“This aroma is simply incredible.”
Though cold blood ran in his veins,
His mouth was filled with warm, salivating anticipation.