The Healing Restaurant of an F-Rank Hunter Who Almost Retired

Chapter 104 of 110

Chapter 104

Some time later.

In one of the most valuable areas of Gangnam, Seoul.

The area in front of White Lotus Tower, the headquarters of the White Lotus Guild, one of South Korea's three major guilds, had been bustling since early evening.

Normally, the main entrance was so strictly guarded that not even an ant would have been allowed to approach.

But today, a long red carpet had unexpectedly been rolled out.

It stretched from the lobby entrance all the way to the parking lot, and elite Hunters of the White Lotus Guild, dressed in formal uniforms, stood in orderly lines on both sides.

Their solemn expressions carried the same seriousness and tension one might expect during a visit from a head of state.

[Vroooom.]

A black limousine glided into the area and stopped at the end of the red carpet.

The Hunters standing in formation immediately came to attention.

An attendant stepped out of the driver's seat and opened the rear door.

Three men with somewhat awkward expressions emerged from the car.

They were Hong Man-gi, Lee Yu-han, and Kang Jae-min.

"Wow... Is this really happening?"

"I never thought I'd experience something like this in my life..."

"Actually, I feel a little awkward too..."

The three of them looked around with their mouths hanging open.

Kang Jae-min, in particular, was wearing a tuxedo specially tailored for the occasion, but he kept fiddling with his tie as though it were choking him.

"This is way too much pressure. It's not like we've come to an awards ceremony."

Lee Yu-han was also extremely nervous and seemed to want to hide behind Hong Man-gi.

During his F-rank days, he would never have dared to even look toward the White Lotus Guild's headquarters.

Yet here he was, entering on a red carpet and even receiving an escort.

It was only natural that his legs were trembling.

Hong Man-gi straightened his clothes and tried to act calm.

Dressed in a neat black suit, he looked quite impressive, like a proper Hunter, or rather, a successful restaurant owner.

But deep down, he was just as bewildered and nervous as the other two.

'Song Hwa-rin... Master... Haa... I told her several times that she didn't have to go this far, but she just wouldn't listen... Haa... This is driving me crazy...'

It was at that moment.

The revolving doors at the entrance of the tower opened, and a woman walked out beneath the dazzling lights.

It was Song Hwa-rin.

Her usual combat uniform and comfortable casual clothes were nowhere to be seen.

She was wearing a pure white evening gown.

Embroidered with white lotus flowers to match the name of her guild, the dress made her elegant appearance stand out even more.

Around her neck, a blue necklace made from a jewel collected in the Hellish Snowfield shone beautifully.

The moment she saw Hong Man-gi, she broke into a bright smile and ran toward him, the hem of her dress fluttering.

"Hong Man-gi! Why are you so late? I thought my neck was going to fall off waiting for you!"

She did not care in the slightest about maintaining the dignity of an S-rank Hunter.

She immediately linked her arm with Hong Man-gi's and led him onto the red carpet.

"Welcome. Welcome to my castle."

"Haa... You really didn't have to go this far..."

"Oh, what's wrong with you today?"

As Song Hwa-rin guided Hong Man-gi and his companions forward, the Hunters standing in formation saluted in unison.

"LOYALTY!"

Their thunderous voices echoed across Gangnam's main road.

Even ordinary citizens passing by turned to stare in surprise.

Hong Man-gi's face burned with embarrassment. He wanted to find a hole and crawl into it.

But Song Hwa-rin held her head high with a proud expression.

"Come on, let's go inside. Everyone's waiting for you."

The banquet hall had been prepared in the sky lounge on the top floor of White Lotus Tower.

The moment the elevator doors opened, Hong Man-gi and his companions were left speechless by the sight before them.

"Holy shit..."

"Wow..."

It was an entirely different world.

An enormous crystal chandelier sparkled like a jewel on the ceiling, while the panoramic windows offered a sweeping view of Seoul's night scenery.

The floor was covered in the finest marble, and the ice sculptures and floral decorations placed throughout the hall were the very definition of luxury.

The banquet hall was filled with the White Lotus Guild's core executives and high-ranking Hunters.

They all turned their attention toward Hong Man-gi's group.

Curiosity, suspicion, jealousy, and admiration.

Countless emotions were mixed into their gazes.

Song Hwa-rin paid them no attention and led Hong Man-gi to the head table on the platform at the far end of the banquet hall.

It was the highest position of authority, where normally only the Guild Master and Vice Guild Master were permitted to sit.

"Sit here."

Song Hwa-rin pointed to the seat directly beside her, the most honored seat of all.

It was the seat where Choi Mu-yeong, whom Hong Man-gi had previously met at the restaurant, would ordinarily have sat.

"Master, this seat is a little..."

Hong Man-gi tried to refuse, feeling uncomfortable, but Song Hwa-rin was having none of it.

"I said sit down. You've earned the right to sit here."

She practically forced Hong Man-gi into the seat before picking up a microphone.

"Ahem. Attention, everyone."

Her voice echoed throughout the banquet hall through the speakers.

The surrounding chatter immediately stopped, and a brief silence followed.

Song Hwa-rin placed a hand on Hong Man-gi's shoulder and announced in a loud, clear voice,

"Allow me to introduce him. This man is the one who saved my life and freed our White Lotus Guild from the curse we had carried for three years. And..."

She paused for a moment before raising her voice even further.

"A true hero of our time, Chef Hong Man-gi of Full Moon Restaurant!"

There was a brief silence.

Clap.

Clap, clap.

Clap, clap, clap.

A wave of rather forced applause broke out.

"Waaaah..."

"Ohhh... How amazing..."

The applause was loud, and there were even a few cheers, but most guild members could not hide their bewilderment.

A former F-rank Hunter who had not even reached A-rank, and who was, on top of that, merely a chef, was sitting beside an S-rank Hunter and receiving the title and treatment of a hero.

It was such an extraordinary situation that they simply could not accept it according to their usual standards.

In particular, Vice Guild Master Choi Mu-yeong and the core executives sitting at the tables below the platform looked thoroughly displeased.

"A hero? The Master must have completely lost her mind over him."

"Even if he's her benefactor, this is going too far. What will happen to our guild's prestige?"

Their whispers were loud enough to reach Hong Man-gi's ears.

Hong Man-gi gave a bitter smile and looked at Song Hwa-rin.

'This is like sitting on a bed of thorns.'

But Song Hwa-rin seemed completely unconcerned by the atmosphere.

She shouted proudly,

"What are you all doing? Aren't you going to salute? This man saved my life! Twice, at that! Saving my life is practically the same as saving all your lives, isn't it? Am I wrong?!"

At her scolding, the guild members reluctantly saluted once again.

"Loyalty...!"

"Loyalty!"

Hong Man-gi raised a hand and awkwardly smiled in response.

Kang Jae-min and Lee Yu-han, who were seated beside him, chuckled as though they found the whole situation both fascinating and something to be proud of.

"All right, that's enough introductions. Now, let's enjoy ourselves! I've brought in the finest chefs for today!"

Song Hwa-rin clapped her hands.

The banquet hall doors opened, and waiters began pushing food carts inside.

The banquet had officially begun.

The food laid out on the tables was the very definition of luxury.

It was premium catering prepared by a team of chefs brought in from one of South Korea's finest five-star hotels.

Every plate looked like a work of art.

The appetizers included lobster tartare with caviar and grilled scallops drizzled with truffle oil.

For the main course, they had prepared the finest Korean beef tenderloin steak, grilled lamb chops, and turkey.

Even the desserts were a feast for the eyes, with chocolate mousse sprinkled with gold dust and a colorful tower of macarons.

"Wow... Are we really allowed to eat all this?"

Lee Yu-han's eyes sparkled as he picked up his fork.

"Of course. Eat as much as you like. It's all on me today. I prepared everything for you guys and to celebrate my future."

Song Hwa-rin laughed heartily and raised her wineglass.

"Come on, Hong Man-gi. You should eat plenty too. You're always working hard cooking for other people. Today, you should enjoy a meal someone else has made for you."

She personally placed some steak on Hong Man-gi's plate.

"Thank you."

Hong Man-gi cut into the steak and put a piece in his mouth.

The meat was tender and juicy, with a faint herbal aroma.

It was quite good.

The taste reflected the precise skills of a hotel chef, and its technical execution was practically flawless.

"It's delicious."

When Hong Man-gi gave his sincere assessment, Song Hwa-rin smiled happily.

"Really? That's a relief."

With an expectant expression, Song Hwa-rin picked up her own knife.

'It won't be as good as Hong Man-gi's cooking, but they're hotel chefs, so they should at least know the basics, right?'

She elegantly cut a piece of steak and brought it to her mouth.

[Chew, chew.]

But then,

'Hmm...?!'

The more she chewed, the stranger her expression became.

A frown appeared between her eyes, which had been sparkling with anticipation only moments earlier.

'...?'

She tilted her head and chewed the meat again.

Then she swallowed.

Her gaze shifted toward the lobster tartare.

She picked up a piece with her fork and ate it.

[Chew, chew.]

This time, her frown deepened even further.

She took a sip of wine to cleanse her palate and cut into the lamb chops.

The nearby executives watched their Master's meal with nervous expressions.

They seemed terrified that she might suddenly declare the food disgusting and overturn the table, bringing back the nightmare from before she was freed from her curse.

Song Hwa-rin placed her fork and knife on the table.

[Clink.]

It was only a light sound, but the area around the head table became as silent as though cold water had been poured over it.

"...Master? Is something wrong? Is the food not to your liking?"

Choi Mu-yeong asked cautiously.

Song Hwa-rin rested her chin on her hand and looked at Hong Man-gi.

She appeared to be thinking deeply about something, with a hint of suspicion in her expression.

Then she asked quietly,

"Hey, Hong Man-gi."

"Yes?"

"Did you say this was delicious earlier?"

"Yes. It's excellent. The meat is cooked properly, and the sauce has a good balance..."