Chapter 47 : The Chairman’s Chocolate

“Alright, what’s the matter?”

The seasoned Han Jungmun immediately realized something had happened to his granddaughter.

Though she was a delicate child, Han Seoryeon naturally had emotions.

As her beloved grandfather, there was no way he wouldn’t notice.

“…….”

“Hm? Hmm…?”

But Han Seoryeon just parted her lips briefly and then closed them again.

After that, she simply flopped down onto the sofa.

Han Jungmun gestured, sending the secretary out.

“Nothing’s wrong, is it?”

“No… oh, and the Phoebus Hotel had a cold air supply issue.”

“Oh, thanks for letting me know.”

Han Jungmun knew perfectly well that Han Seoryeon was deliberately avoiding giving a direct answer, but he didn’t press further.

Han Jungmun was no amateur who botched things with clumsy approaches.

“Hoho, since Seoryeon has been working so hard, I suppose I should give her a gift.”

Saying this, he returned to his desk and opened a drawer.

Taking out a box from inside, Han Jungmun handed it to Han Seoryeon with a proud expression.

“What’s this?”

“Open it and see.”

Han Jungmun often surprised his granddaughter with gifts.

But this time, what he prepared was a bit more special.

Peeling away the wrapping paper revealed a sleek leather box.

Embossed on top were letters gilded in gold foil.

Han Seoryeon read the words aloud.

“Le chocolat Alain ducasse.”

It was in French.

Seeing her mumble the words, Han Jungmun smiled softly.

“This time, I imported Alain Ducasse’s chocolate from Paris. Their preservation skills are better than ours, so it should taste exquisite.”

“Thank you.”

Han Jungmun’s stern face softened into a gentle smile.

His cold granddaughter loved food, but especially chocolate.

This Alain Ducasse, a legendary chef, was renowned for chocolates considered precious among legacies of the past.

The chairman himself sent someone to the auction house in Paris to purchase them.

It was expensive, but imagining the joy on his granddaughter’s face made it not a bit regrettable.

“Have a bite.”

“Okay.”

Han Seoryeon carefully opened the box.

Had she already thawed it beforehand? The box was completely dry and fresh.

Someone in the past had compared a chocolate box to a jewelry case.

As expected from one of the most famous chocolatiers in Paris, the chocolates were stunning.

Even Han Seoryeon was surprised.

“How is it? Pretty, isn’t it?”

“Yes, very pretty.”

Truffle champagne made by blending high-end champagne and chocolate with vanilla powder sprinkled on top.

Rose praline that retained the fragrance of roses intact.

Café Ganache filled with smooth coffee cream.

They were chocolates that transcended mere prettiness—truly beautiful pieces.

“Try eating one, heh heh.”

At the encouragement, she cautiously picked up a champagne truffle and put it into her mouth.

And if one didn’t look closely, they wouldn’t notice.

Han Seoryeon’s lips curved just a little.

A rare smile for her.

Han Jungmun’s heart seemed to melt away.

“Tastes good?”

“Yes, it does.”

Suddenly, Han Seoryeon rummaged through her chest as if recalling something.

What she pulled out was a small box.

“What’s that?”

“Chocolate.”

Inside the box were two pieces of chocolate wrapped in paper.

It was the Whisky Bonbon Yuseong had given her just a few days ago.

Han Seoryeon handed one of the only two chocolates to Chairman Han Jungmun.

“Heh heh, chocolate for your old grandpa? Thank you.”

Han Jungmun’s eyes squinted in a way that anyone could see was a touch mischievous.

He was delighted but unsure how to react, then suddenly asked.

“By the way, chocolate? Our Seoryeon has a heart as pure as a seed, doesn’t she?”

The form of the chocolate was unlike anything he had seen before.

If it was brought from the Phoebus Hotel’s Food Storage, it was definitely a high-grade chocolate, but it was smooth without any elaborate decorations or carving.

“Some strange man gave it to me.”

“Really, strange…”

Han Jungmun almost dropped the chocolate Seoryeon had just given him.

“What did you say! Who dares… no, who?”

He shouted, turning to his granddaughter just as she put the chocolate received from Yuseong into her mouth.

Han Jungmun tried to stop her from eating it, but it was already too late.

“You’re not supposed to eat that… huh!”

Startled, Han Jungmun opened his mouth.

Han Seoryeon pressed her small lips together and bit the bonbon.

And on her face appeared an even clearer smile than when she ate the chocolate he had given her earlier.

How rare it was to see such a smile on her.

Even the slightest curve of her lips was extremely difficult to witness.

But now, seeing the already beautiful Han Seoryeon smile made the entire room seem brighter.

Han Jungmun closed his mouth for a moment.

Because there was someone rising up on her face.

“That kid really looks just like my grandmother when she was young.”

Her grandmother, now deceased, was the wife Han Jungmun had dearly missed, and she used to show just such a smile.

“Is it good?”

“…Yes, it’s good.”

Han Seoryeon, embarrassed from smiling too much, lightly covered her mouth with her hand.

“Heh heh, alright then. Who exactly gave you that chocolate?”

“Oh, it was the chef I met at the Phoebus Hotel’s kitchen during the cold air supply maintenance.”

“Chef? Hmm, I don’t recall any meetings at the Guild Assembly yesterday.”

“He came recommended by Chairman Lee Udo. His name is Baek Yuseong…”

“Hmm, I don’t know him. But why did you say it was strange?”

Han Seoryeon thought carefully for a moment.

Overall, it was odd, but the most distinctive part was this.

“He made the Whisky Bonbon with 102-year-old whiskey.”

“Hm, that’s definitely… wait a minute.”

Han Jungmun’s face flushed with confusion.

“Was Chairman Park Gyeongjae there too? The one from BioKizen…”

“Yes, he was sleeping in front of the fireplace. Seems like he had a little drink.”

Chairman Park’s whiskey, which he never shared or allowed anyone else to touch, being mentioned was shocking enough.

And now, it turned out someone had made a bonbon with that incredibly rare whiskey.

“Such a reckless thing to do… wait, then this chocolate is—”

Han Jungmun looked at the chocolate Han Seoryeon had just handed to him.

Indeed, the chocolate that once seemed rough now looked like a black jewel.

Considering the value of the whiskey inside, it was a precious item without question.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Han Jungmun swallowed hard.

Though he had condemned it as reckless, knowing what this chocolate was, he couldn’t resist trying it.

He carefully put a piece into his mouth.

What hit him first was the taste of the chocolate itself.

“Hmm, the chocolate is ordinary…”

They probably didn’t make the chocolate themselves, likely using quality Belgian ingredients from the food storage.

But it melted peculiarly smoothly.

Almost as if it held the perfect temperature.

“Oh, that person said the temperature should be kept around 15 degrees.”

Han Seoryeon’s explanation made the chairman nod.

That was the ideal temperature to preserve chocolate.

It seemed the chef wasn’t just pretending.

Then, he bit into the chocolate.

Crack.

Of course, no real cracking sound was heard.

But the presence of whiskey syrup pouring out created that illusion.

“This is the real deal.”

The 102-year-old whiskey was the reason Chairman Park boasted so much.

The nutty scent with a faint earthiness, the sharp and intense alcohol content rising up.

Wrapped in the sweetness of the syrup and above all, the smooth bitterness of the chocolate.

From the moment he put the bonbon in his mouth, savored it, to when he swallowed.

The entire process was so delicious it was happiness itself.

The chairman sighed and laughed softly.

“Heh heh…”

It was a perfect harmony.

He had underestimated the bonbon just because it was made with high-end whiskey.

This sweetness actually elevated the flavor of the liquor.

“Baek Yuseong must be an excellent chef.”

“…Looks like it.”

Han Seoryeon smiled faintly.

The Ma Power around the chef she had just mentioned was extraordinary for a mere cook.

“Jooya!”

Han Jungmun suddenly stood up from his seat.

“Baek Yuseong, that’s his name, right? We have to hire him no matter what. It’s been so long since I’ve seen a chef with such ideas.”

Determined, Han Jungmun resolved to employ Baek Yuseong as a chef.

Han Seoryeon’s heart raced inwardly as well.

She wanted to try more food Yuseong made.

“I’ll ask Secretary Kim to find him immediately. He must be treated with the utmost respect.”

“Yes!”

That very day, Han Jungmun ordered Secretary Kim to recruit the chef named Baek Yuseong.

A capable Secretary Kim immediately recognized who Baek Yuseong was upon hearing the name.

Han Jungmun’s face brightened, but he was soon flustered by Secretary Kim’s next explanation.

“What…? An explorer?”

“Yes, he’s a pretty famous explorer these days, participating in the Serpent Subjugation Party.”

It turned out Baek Yuseong was not a chef but an explorer.

One of the rising stars gaining popularity recently.

The young explorer introduced by Chairman Lee Udo earlier.

“What… that’s absurd…”

“Sorry, sir.”

In the end, the chairman had to give up on hiring Yuseong as a chef.

***

At the moment Han Seoryeon and Han Jungmun were eating the Whisky Bonbon.

On the third floor of the Abyss, Special Exploration Autonomous City.

Yuseong was at the Korean Peninsula Abyss Entry/Exit Management Bureau.

His phone buzzed with a message.

[Taste that makes even those unmatched smile.]

[Presented the flavor that the grand prize has long desired.]

[The effect of Tammijuui decreases over time.]

[Ma Power has slightly increased.]

[Ma Power has slightly increased.]

Lost in thought, Yuseong perked up at the message.

“Whisky Bonbon, huh.”

Nothing else came to mind.

The odd thing was that the message had been received twice.

Since he had already given two Whisky Bonbons to Han Seoryeon, it was clear they had shared it.

As Yuseong was lost in thought, someone nearby spoke.

“Excuse me… aren’t you Baek Yuseong?”

The group that approached him was a band of explorers.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“See? I told you.”

They smiled innocently, happy to have met Yuseong.

“We’re the ‘Arthur Expedition Party’. Not a guild, but a group of explorers with similar goals.”

Judging by their equipment, Yuseong roughly assessed their level.

Definitely not a guild due to the lack of uniformity.

But their gear was decent, and all seemed to be above Grade 8 in skill.

“I didn’t expect you to join the subjugation party here. Are you alone?”

“No, I have a companion. He’s just running an errand right now.”

“Ah, I see. Still, it’s nice we can fight the Serpent together.”

Yuseong shook the hand of the man who approached him.

They had gathered in the Abyss’ third floor, the exploration bureau’s auditorium in the Special Exploration Autonomous City.

The Explorer Association and Park Mi Sun had begun recruitment for the Serpent Subjugation Party long ago.

The subjugation party was very popular.

Because of that, competition was fierce, and the fifty gathered here were all guaranteed to have solid strength.

“So who is Yuseong’s companion?”

“His name is Jang Dojin.”

“I’ve never heard that name before. What rank is he?”

“D-Rank.”

At Yuseong’s answer, the man who spoke to him changed expression slightly.

Hearing Yuseong had a companion, naturally he expected a strong ally, but apparently it was a lower rank.

“Well… I heard that Serpents aren’t ordinary foes. Having two D-Rank members join might be pushing it, no?”

There was no negative tone in his words.

He was honestly worried for Yuseong, who was C-Rank, and spoke sincerely.

“Enough.”

For Yuseong, it was a completely unnecessary concern.

At that moment, the man’s companion urgently waved his hand.

“Brother, look at that person.”

“Oh…”

The Arthur Expedition Party’s attention suddenly shifted away from Yuseong.

Other explorers in the auditorium glanced at the newcomer as well.

“Iron Fist Kang Tae-gun…!”

“He’s joining the subjugation party too?”

Their whispers were understandable.

The newcomer was an A-Rank explorer known as Iron Fist, famous for the title “Iron Fist Kang Tae-gun.”

And that wasn’t all.

“Isn’t that Amanda Park?”

“The American naturalized explorer?”

“That’s right.”

On the other side, a smiling white female explorer also drew attention.

An A-Rank explorer nicknamed ‘Spider’ in the U.S., she became well-known after naturalizing in Korea.

Besides them, many other renowned A-Rank explorers were present.

“Maybe because the S-Rank was blocked. All the famous explorers gathered.”

They were hopeful but also a bit disappointed.

The Explorer Association had barred S-Rank explorers from joining this subjugation party.

When such a large party defeats a monster, their achievement is reflected in contribution points.

If S-Ranks participated, their contribution would be overwhelmingly high, making it difficult for the majority to earn points.

It was natural that they wouldn’t receive good rewards.

Thus, the association blocked S-Rank participation.

The goal was to help mid-level explorers grow and possibly join top pioneer teams.

“I was expecting some contribution from S-Ranks. Now there probably won’t be much left.”

“Tsk.”

But with so many formidable A-Rank explorers gathered, competition was inevitable.

“Over there, that’s someone from the Abyss Entry/Exit Management Bureau.”

At that moment, Park Mi Sun, who managed the recruitment, stepped onto the stage.

The chattering and murmuring explorers gradually quieted.

“But then, who exactly is the subjugation party leader?”

“Yeah, who is it?”

That was their question.

No one had heard who would lead and command this subjugation party.

“With so many big names, I wonder who it will be. Maybe Kang Tae-gun?”

“Nah, Amanda Park is more famous.”

“She’s American though.”

“Well, she’s Korean now. They say she speaks Korean well.”

“Look, there’s Sung Jihoo too. They say his sword is really fast.”

“He’s still young, so probably not the leader yet.”

Park Mi Sun gave a polite greeting from the stage.

As the atmosphere grew a bit dull, those near Yuseong quietly chatted.

The man who had approached Yuseong earlier suddenly asked again.

“Hey, have you heard?”

“About what?”

“Who the subjugation party leader is.”

“Oh, that’s me.”

“Ah… oh.”

The man didn’t understand Yuseong’s answer immediately.

Only after a few seconds did he realize it was a joke.

“Ha ha, that’s funny.”

“Well, that’s how it is.”

“Hey, that’s a joke, right?”

Chuckling, the man turned his head, suddenly realizing all eyes were on him.

Even Park Mi Sun on the stage was waving him over.

The room became so quiet it was almost suffocating.

His face flushed bright red.

“Ah, I-I’ll be quiet.”

He naturally thought he had been too loud and tried to explain.

But Park Mi Sun made a strange face at his excuse, then waved her hand.

“Oh, please turn up the mic volume. Not the person in front, but Yuseong in the back.”

The man’s face turned pale as he hastily stepped back.

As Yuseong came forward, Park Mi Sun spoke clearly again.

“Baek Yuseong, please come up on stage quickly. Where have you been? As subjugation party leader, we need you for the briefing.”

At those words, the audience froze.

“No way…”

Someone from the Arthur Expedition Party muttered in disbelief.