A familiar face flashed by the window. Although she wore a mask and sunglasses, I saw through her disguise. It was Yun Seung-Ah, the vice-leader of Korea’s number one guild. She walked past with a companion. This never occurred in the original story, and I wondered why she was here.

“Wait for me.”

“What? Hey, where are you going!?”

I ran out of the restaurant. Thankfully, Yun Seung-Ah didn’t walk fast, so I caught and grabbed her shoulder.

“Hey.”

“Huak!”

Yun Seung-Ah jumped with an odd scream. She turned and flinched when she saw me. She definitely recognized me.

“… W-Who are you?”

However, she feigned ignorance. Was she here on a mission? I looked at the Caucasian man next to her, but didn’t recognize him. Naturally, I turned on my laptop. An alert came up as expected.

[Settings change – An ill relationship has formed between Jain and Yun Seung-Ah through an anonymous informant.]

They had a cat and dog relationship that I knew better than anyone else. Jain held the Chameleon Troupe’s yellow seat, and her gift specialized in disguise and stealing. She disguised herself as Yun Seung-Ah’s old classmate and entered Creator’s Sacred Grace out of boredom. After several events, the two grew incredibly close. Eventually, Jain became Yun Seung-Ah’s only friend, but betrayed her. While fighting djinns for an artifact, she critically wounded Yun Seung-Ah and took the artifact for herself.

I knew Jain would infiltrate the VIP masquerade party to steal a particular ring. The ring wasn’t worth much yet. However, its value would skyrocket once its potential was unlocked.

Eventually, the ring would belong to Chae Nayun. When she switched to the sword, her father gifted it to her after buying it from the black market.

“Um, I don’t know who you are, but we have to go.”

Yun Seung-Ah denied knowing me, and the man next to her separated us. He stood taller than me by a head. However, the man was actually a she. My eyes saw through her disguise too. Jain Valerin. She disguised herself as Yun Seung-Ah’s subordinate.

“… Ah.”

Yun Seung-Ah stood next to her fated enemy, but didn’t even recognize her. I couldn’t help but feel sorry.

“I must have mistaken you for someone else.”

I bowed apologetically and backed away for now since we would meet at the masquerade.

***

“That crazy bastard…”

Chae Nayun wondered what illness of his relapsed this time as Kim Hajin ran out, but she didn't overthink it since he always acted strangely. Honestly, she was more concerned about someone else with another girl. She agonized over what to do and held up her smartwatch.

“… Hey Yeonha, where are you?”

She called Yoo Yeonha, who paired with Kim Suho.

— Me? I’m shopping. Why?

Where was she exactly? Chae Nayun feigned indifference and asked.

“What shop?”

— I’m buying some clothes.

“A-Alone?”

— No, with Kim Suho.

Chae Nayun felt uneasy.

“… What are you doing with him?”

— Hm? I’m just making him try on some clothes. He’s got a model's face, but you know how he dresses. So I'm buying him some clothes.

“What? Why are you buying him clothes!?”

Chae Nayun inadvertently shouted. The other customers looked at her as she awkwardly lowered her head.

— Huh? What, I can’t? It’s for the masquerade party later.

“No, not that you can’t, but you know… it’s expensive. You have to save money when you can. If you buy him things, he’ll get used to it.”

— …Um, sure. So Nayun, where are you?

“I’m at a restaurant.”

— With Kim Hajin?

“Yeah, he brought me here, but not many restaurants suit my taste. I’ll just endure it like Military Agent Academy’s lunch.”

Chae Nayun recalled the painful memories when cadets had no choice but to eat the Military Agent Academy’s food. She would starve if she didn’t, but also felt queasy for an entire day if she did. Chae Nayun lightly sighed.

— Really? What’s the restaurant called?

Chae Nayun spotted the sign, but didn’t know how to read it.

“I don’t know. Hold on.”

The waiter brought their appetizer.

“Excuse me, how do you read that?”

“Yes?”

“The restaurant’s name.”

“Ah, it’s Goût Céleste.”

“Can you say that again here?”

Chae Nayun held up her smartwatch to the surprised waiter as he pronounced the name.

“Goût Céleste.”

“Thank you.”

“Um, have you perhaps not heard about our restaurant?”

“Hm? Ah, no.”

Chae Nayun dismissed the waiter and continued speaking with Yoo Yeonha.

“Hey, did you hear that?”

— Did I hear that right? Goût Céleste? The Flavor of Heaven?

Chae Nayun didn’t know whether Yoo Yeonha meant the same place, but she pronounced it like the waiter.

“Yeah, I think so. Why? Is this place famous?”

— Kim Hajin brought you there? How?

“Hah?”

Chae Nayun tilted her head at Yoo Yeonha’s odd reaction.

— I tried to make a reservation and failed. Even with VIP membership, you need to make a reservation at least a week in advance.

“Really? Is this place that famous?”

— Sigh…

Yoo Yeonha felt frustrated by the innocent question. Chae Nayun had no idea how famous the restaurant was because she didn’t care about such things.

— That’s De Jubon’s restaurant. You know, the cooking hero.

“Ah?”

Chae Nayun had heard that name before. All sorts of heroes and gifts existed in the world, but De Jubon stood out because he could move people with just his food. They said that djinns and heroes were all equal in front of De Jubon’s food.

— Goût Céleste in Paris is his flagship restaurant, so it should be him cooking and not his apprentices.

“…”

Was this place that amazing? Chae Nayun was speechless.

— Oh right, Nayun, do you remember being in the same class as Kim Hajin during the third year of Military Agent Academy?

“Eh? Was I?”

— You didn’t know?

“No, not at all. How am I supposed to know that?”

She couldn’t recall because she only focused on training.

— I see. Well, since you’re there, enjoy the food. Ah, don’t forget to take pictures of every dish before eating. I want to see them later.

Yoo Yeonha sounded jealous.

“Uh, um, yeah.”

— Okay, I’m hanging up.

Should I be happy or uncomfortable? The call ended before Chae Nayun could make up her mind. She stared at the appetizer in front of her. The simple soup and salad glistened like jewels. Chae Nayun picked up her spoon and sipped the soup. Her eyes widened and her body trembled the moment her tongue touched it.

“…”

She became speechless. So this was why they called De Jubon the world’s greatest cook. The flavor of mana shocked her refined palate. Finally, Kim Hajin returned.

“It’s already here?”

He sat back down and picked up his spoon. Chae Nayun wanted to ask him many questions. First, how did he manage to make a reservation? Yoo Yeonha said even VIP members needed to reserve a week in advance. Even if he was VIP, the trip was only announced four days ago. Oh Hanhyun couldn’t have told him beforehand. A thought flashed across her mind. She recalled her conversation with Kim Hajin twenty or so minutes ago.

— Hm… Okay, but I’m letting you know, I’m a really picky eater.

— I know.

Kim Hajin knew I was a picky eater. In other words, he must have planned on taking me here. Even though they randomly paired, he could have manipulated the results with the club leader.

“Hmm…”

Chae Nayun glared at Kim Hajin.

“Hey, where did you go?”

“Hm? Oh, I thought I saw someone I knew, but I was mistaken.”

“You know someone in Paris?”

“Something like that,” Kim Hajin briefly replied.

“How did you make a reservation for this place? I heard it’s famous. Did this acquaintance help you?”

Chae Nayun noticed his hands slightly shook.

“Um, yeah. Anyways, aren’t you going to eat?”

Kim Hajin quickly changed the subject.

“I will.”

The lunch continued as the two of them ate in silence. The waiter brought the main entrée once they finished the appetizers.

Chae Nayun’s suspicion quickly melted away at the transcendental flavors of De Jubon.

***

“Whew, I’m stuffed.”

Chae Nayun and I left the restaurant. As expected of an entire course, delicious food continuously streamed in for over an hour. Of course, I could have stopped, but the food was too tempting. I thanked this world for allowing me to taste this heavenly flavor.

“… Hey.”

Chae Nayun suddenly called me as I patted my full belly. She also looked satisfied.

“What.”

“Thanks for the food.”

“… Don’t be. You paid for it.”

Chae Nayun insisted on paying since I made the reservation. The bill came up to 700 euros.

“The membership fee must be expensive, so it’s the least I can do.”

Chae Nayun glanced at me from top to bottom. I didn’t know what she meant, but I nodded understandingly.

“Right.”

“… So, where are you going now?”

I glanced at my watch and saw it was almost 3:00. Since the masquerade started at 5:00, I needed to scout the venue.

“Do you want to split up now?”

I had to leave Chae Nayun to prepare for the masquerade party.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. I’ll go first.”

Chae Nayun nodded and headed off in the opposite direction.

“Hello. Yeah, Yeonha, where are you? I’ll meet up with you guys.”

I could hear Chae Nayun’s voice from a distance with my gift.

— What about Kim Hajin?

Yoo Yeonha spoke from the other line.

“We just split up.”

— Huh? Why? We still have some time left.

“It just felt awkward alone with him. I don’t know what to say either. By the way, can I also go to the masquerade party you were talking about?”

Chae Nayun’s words caught my attention. The masquerade party… wasn’t in that direction.

***

Yun Seung-Ah entered to a nearby café. She took a seat and sighed after ordering two cups of coffee.

“Whew, that surprised me. Why did he pop out of there…?”

Her heart pounded from the earlier encounter.

“Who was that?”

“A cadet. His name is Kim Hajin.”

“… Is he any good?”

Yun Seung-Ah firmly nodded at her subordinate’s question.

“He’s all the talk recently. I think it was last week? Cube released a video of his duel to the guild community. He shattered a qi reinforcement with a single bullet. I’m pretty annoyed since I was the first one to notice him,” Yun Seung-Ah complained.

“Haha.… That aside, do you think that woman will show up at the masquerade party?”

“Yeah, she will. I know it.”

Yun Seung-Ah confidently replied as her subordinate frowned.

“… How can you be so sure? Was it the informant?”

“No, that woman just likes parties, especially if there are things to steal.”

“I see….”

The subordinate answered somewhat bitterly. Yun Seung-Ah stared at him and asked, “Why, do you want to know the informant’s name?”

“… No.”

“Honestly, I don’t know either.”

Yun Seung-Ah smiled as she leaned in her chair.

“It’s not just one or two people who hate that woman.”

That’s good. The subordinate thinly smiled and asked another question.

“… What will you do if you capture her?”

Yun Seung-Ah’s answer was simple.

“What will I do? Nothing. I’ll just hand her over to the association. Ah, let’s get going. It’s 4, and I still have to buy a dress.”