After a long and heated argument between the king, the general, and the royal elders, a conclusion was finally reached. The tension that had filled the hall slowly settled when both the king and the general agreed that the first round of the competition would be declared a draw.
Though it was not the victory either side had hoped for, it prevented further chaos.
That day's competition came to an end and was officially dismissed.
Minsoo and the rest of the chefs returned to their quarters, their bodies heavy with exhaustion and their minds clouded with stress from the unexpected turmoil. None of them spoke much on the way back. The weight of what had happened lingered over them like a shadow.
They all went to rest.
⸻
Later that evening, the king sent for Minsoo.
When she arrived in his chamber, he did not hesitate. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her as though she might disappear if he loosened his grip.
"I miss you so much," he said softly.
"I know you have been stressed and busy. I barely get to see you or even know how you are doing. Tell me… how are you? How do you truly feel?"
Minsoo allowed herself to rest briefly in his embrace before answering.
"I am very tired, Your Majesty… but I can manage."
The king pulled back slightly, his brows tightening with concern.
"If you are this tired, I will end the competition immediately. I will call it off if it is causing you this much stress."
Minsoo's eyes widened.
"No, my king. Why would you do that? What would happen to our land if we stopped now?"
"So long as it is stressing you, nothing else matters to me," he replied firmly. "It is you I care about. I will find a way to settle amicably with the general. Just say the word, and it is done."
She gently shook her head.
"Please do not do that. In two days' time, the competition will be over. Just hold on until then, okay?"
The king studied her face for a long moment before finally nodding.
"Alright… if you say so. But promise me you will take care of yourself until it ends."
"I promise," she said softly.
He asked her to go and rest properly in preparation for the next day's contest.
⸻
The next morning arrived quickly.
It was time for the second round of the competition.
The Joseon group began their preparations early, unaware that something unfortunate was about to happen again. The kitchen was alive with movement as they measured, sliced, and arranged their ingredients carefully.
But midway through their preparation, disaster struck.
Their main ingredient—chili pepper—had gone missing.
Minsoo froze.
A wave of fear rushed through her. The same thing had happened the day before. Was this coincidence… or sabotage?
There was no time to dwell on it.
Quickly, Minsoo forced herself to think clearly. If the chili pepper was gone, they would have to adjust once again. She decided to prepare a dish that would not require it.
The Joseon team chose to make a French-inspired steak tartare—a delicate dish made with raw beef, vegetables, and egg. It was bold and unconventional, but they had no other choice.
Across the hall, the Ming chefs prepared Beijing duck using the traditional Guo Rou roasting method. The rich scent of roasting duck began to fill the palace kitchen, drawing attention from servants and nobles alike.
As the cooking time slowly slipped away, Minsoo suddenly caught a familiar scent in the air.
Chili pepper.
She paused.
She whispered quietly to her teammates, asking if they could smell it too.
They nodded.
They could.
Her eyes slowly shifted toward the Ming chefs' table.
Minsoo stopped cooking for a moment and stared at them intently. Something was not right.
From his seat, the king noticed her sudden stillness. He watched her closely and saw the worry—and anger—burning in her eyes. He knew immediately that something was wrong, though he did not yet understand what.
After a moment, Minsoo returned to her station and completed the dish with calm determination.
Soon, the cooking time elapsed.
It was time to present the meals.
⸻
The king requested that the Ming group present their dish first.
They stepped forward confidently and served their Beijing duck. As was customary, the palace court lady tasted it first before giving the king a respectful nod of approval.
The king took a bite.
"Hmmm… it is spicy and very delicious," he said thoughtfully.
The general tasted it next and showered his chefs with praise, speaking highly of their talent and dedication. The Ming chefs beamed with pride.
Yet Minsoo remained silent, her gaze fixed on their table, questions swirling in her mind.
⸻
Soon, it was the Joseon team's turn.
Their steak tartare was carefully served before the royals. The palace court lady tasted it first, as usual, and signaled the king.
The king looked at Minsoo with a warm smile.
"What have my amazing chefs prepared for me today?"
"Your Majesty," Minsoo replied respectfully, "we have prepared French steak tartare."
"It sounds delightful," the king said.
He took a spoonful.
For a brief moment, words failed him.
"So delicious…" he murmured to himself.
He turned to look at the general, only to find him equally absorbed in the flavors of the dish. The king smiled and continued eating.
When the elders and other royals tasted it, they too were deeply impressed.
⸻
When the tasting concluded, Minsoo stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, I have a request."
The king looked at her with curiosity.
"What is it?"
She turned toward the Ming chefs.
"Please grant me permission to taste their meal."
Confusion spread across the hall.
The general immediately rose from his seat.
"No! Why would you want to do that?"
The king stood slowly.
"This is not our decision alone. Let the chefs decide."
He turned to the Ming team.
"What do you say?"
Lee, the head chef, hesitated briefly before nodding. He took a plate, served a portion of their dish, and handed it to Minsoo.
"Thank you," she said politely.
She took a spoon and tasted it carefully.
Then she turned toward the king.
"My king… our missing ingredient has been added to this meal. The chili pepper we could not find earlier is here."
A ripple of shock moved through the hall.
The king's expression darkened.
"Is that true?"
Lee looked stunned. He immediately turned to Yumei.
"The ingredients you provided… did they belong to the Joseon group?"
Yumei's eyes filled with tears.
"I… I did not know they were theirs."
Lee's voice hardened.
"So you stole their ingredients?"
"I did not steal them!" Yumei cried. "I traded something very important for them. I never stole anything. They were given to me."
"Who gave them to you?" Lee demanded.
Still trembling, Yumei slowly raised her hand and pointed across the hall.
"It was that man… over there."
All eyes turned toward the king's uncle.
The king stood abruptly.
"Uncle… is this true?"
The man hesitated before sighing.
"Yes… it is true. I did not know the ingredients belonged to our team. I disposed of them because I thought they were harmful. Please forgive me. I meant no harm."
Minsoo stared at him with burning anger, knowing clearly that he was lying.
Lee stepped forward solemnly.
"We have lost this round to the Joseon group. One of us has done something unacceptable. We cannot allow our dignity to fall because of this."
The general's face darkened with frustration.
But before matters escalated, Minsoo spoke.
"No. You do not need to lose to us. The marks should still be announced properly before any winner is declared."
The hall filled with murmurs once again.
After a brief discussion, the king turned toward the general.
"You have seen everything that has happened. What do you think?"
The general lowered his gaze.
"I regret that events unfolded this way. I believe… it should be declared a draw."
"A draw?" the king repeated. "Even after the second round, we still have no winner?"
He paused thoughtfully.
"If the third round also ends in a draw, then I will declare you all winners."
With that, the king dismissed the court.
The competition was far from over.
But the tension had grown far deeper than anyone had expected.