♡ TL: Khadija SK
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“Aylesford?”
“You didn’t know? That’s why our agency doesn’t even notify members below a certain level about the job postings here. They’re worried you’d feel pressured if anything happened.”
His words barely registered.
Jin-ah pressed her temples.
Aylesford?
She felt like the world was playing a hidden camera prank on her.
‘I never wanted to get involved with them again.’
And yet, here she was, on the verge of stepping into the Aylesford estate of her own accord.
‘Should I just turn back?’
But she shook her head. Honestly, it would be hard to find another place offering conditions as absurdly favorable as this one. Besides, this was Aylesford. If she got the job, they’d definitely uphold the conditions listed in the file.
‘It’s not like I’ve been accepted yet.’
She wasn’t even close to getting accepted; she hadn’t even had the interview. Yet here she was, debating whether to quit or not. If others could read her thoughts, they would have laughed at her.
In the end, Jin-ah, still hesitant, blended into the line of applicants. Since she’d come this far, she decided she might as well go through with the interview. She asked the person she’d first greeted a question.
“Does only the chairman live here?”
“From what I’ve heard, yes. He has a grandson, but apparently, he lives in Chelsea.”
Those words reassured her. Of course, she hadn’t forgotten how the chairman had mobilized the company’s lawyers to pin all the blame on her when the incident at Kno-Dearg first occurred.
However, as soon as he confirmed Ian was fine, Aylesford withdrew all lawsuits as if nothing had happened. It was his way of saying, I won’t bother you anymore, so you stay quiet too.
‘Well, even if I do get hired here, it’s not like I’d ever run into the chairman.’
She had worked at a similar place briefly before. Although it was much smaller in scale, even then, she never met the employer while working in the kitchen unless she was the head chef.
“By the way, I heard the previous staff were suddenly let go… Is the old man getting pickier about his food now that his time is near?”
“Who knows? Either way, it’s not easy to find a job that pays this much. Plus, the benefits from Aylesford are amazing. Honestly, I’m most tempted by the grocery store vouchers. And we can even get access to member-only markets.”
Jin-ah listened in on the conversations of the people around her, gathering information.
At the appointed time, a woman emerged from inside. From her perfectly styled hair to her impeccably tailored office suit, she looked like the epitome of a professional secretary. The woman counted the number of applicants and confirmed their identities.
“Good. Everyone’s here. Let’s move inside.”
Beyond the barricade was a door leading to a security post equipped with an airport-style metal detector. After completing the baggage inspection, they exited the post, where they were met with a limousine cart, the kind usually seen on golf courses.
“Please get in. We need to go further in.”
“Can’t we just walk?”
Someone asked, and the woman smiled gently.
“It’s not exactly a short distance.”
Though she was smiling, there was a subtle pressure in her tone that clearly conveyed, Don’t make things difficult. Just do as you’re told.
The applicants silently boarded the cart. A few moments later, they understood why the cart was necessary.
“Are there deer roaming around the property?”
The main gate had been massive, and they’d assumed the inner estate would be equally grand. But this exceeded their expectations—it felt like entering a historical mansion. Deer grazed on grass scattered across the hills, and a fountain, the kind you’d expect to see in a grand plaza, adorned a large pond.
“They’ve got something like this in London?”
A few incredulous chuckles broke out among the group.
The cart traveled a considerable distance before stopping in front of an imposing building. As they disembarked and entered, they found themselves in an office area where the estate staff appeared to work.
“Since you’re here, let me first show you the kitchen facilities. I think you’ll all be impressed.”
The secretary led the group downstairs, and the moment they arrived, they were greeted by a state-of-the-art kitchen.
Being kitchen staff, the applicants instantly recognized the machinery’s value and let out gasps of admiration. The secretary, pleased with their reactions, began explaining.
“This is where meals for the staff are prepared. The main kitchen in the house is even more impressive. As many of you likely already know, this is the estate of the Aylesford family. Known for overseeing the dining culture of Britain, they spare no expense when it comes to ingredients or cooking facilities.”
Even though none of it belonged to her, the secretary spoke with unmistakable pride. Before entering, the applicants might have scoffed at her attitude, but after seeing the facilities and the premium ingredients, they understood why she carried herself with such confidence.
The applicants swallowed nervously. Not only was the salary good, but the working environment was exceptional. Determination to secure the job was clear on everyone’s faces.
Jin-ah felt the same. Once inside, her personal grievances against Aylesford seemed irrelevant. Whatever it takes, I have to get this job. That was the only thought in her mind now.
***
The interview process moved quickly. The secretary handed out consent forms, detailing the applicants’ agreement to cooperate fully with all tests conducted that day.
“There will be blood tests and other kit-based tests. These are to verify eligibility criteria, such as smoking and drug use.”
The thoroughness of the process surprised the applicants, who began murmuring among themselves.
“Please review the list carefully. If you’re found to have engaged in any of these, you’ll be disqualified. If you decide to withdraw now, we’ll escort you out immediately. However, if any issues are discovered during the tests, you’ll be billed for the examination costs. So, if anyone wants to back out, now’s the time to speak up.”
The chatter among the applicants ceased, and a heavy silence fell over the room.
“No one? Very well then…”
Just then, someone raised a hand from the back.
“Alright. Anyone else?”
Two more people raised their hands, and the secretary escorted them out. The remaining applicants exchanged tense glances, their anxiety evident.
“I can’t believe they’re this strict.”
“This feels like entering a research lab.”
“Did you see the greenhouse we passed earlier? It looked like they’re growing ingredients there too.”
Shortly after, the secretary returned with other staff members, and the tests began. Following the results, two more applicants were disqualified and escorted out, leaving about fifteen people.
Once all disqualifications were dealt with, the secretary spoke cheerfully.
“The basic screenings are done. As explained earlier, we’ll now proceed with a series of tests.”
At that moment, someone raised a hand to ask a question.
“How many people are you hiring?”
“There’s no fixed number. Anyone who passes the tests will be hired. However, as always, if your employer later decides you’re not suitable, the contract will be terminated immediately. Shall we begin the tests?”
The remaining applicants were then led to another room. It resembled a conference room, with plates set up at each seat. On the plates were items such as tomatoes, raw eggs, and still-warm bread.
“Please take your seats and examine the items in front of you. You can smell them or even taste them if you like.”
The secretary’s instructions made it clear what was expected, and everyone seemed to catch on.
“Looks like they’re testing us on ingredients.”
“Exactly.”
As anticipated, after some time, the items were cleared away, and new plates were brought in. These held similar-looking tomatoes, eggs, and instead of bread, a few cookies.
“Identify the tomatoes that are the same variety as the ones you just saw. Do the same for the eggs, selecting those from the same farm. Finally, pick the cookies made with the same butter as the bread you had earlier.”
The applicants sighed in unison. They’d seen this kind of challenge on TV but never imagined they’d have to do it themselves. Still, no one complained.
The salary was high, the facilities were incredible, and the workload seemed manageable. All they had to do was prepare meals for their employer.
“Can we eat them?”
“Of course, go ahead.”
The applicants immediately began eating, sniffing, and analyzing the items in an effort to identify the correct matches, writing down their selections on a sheet of paper.
Jin-ah, like the others, took a large bite of the tomato.
For her, identifying the same variety was simple. The eggs were equally easy; she could distinguish them just by their scent.
As for the cookies, she instantly recognized which ones were made with the same butter as the bread, but she pretended to deliberate, tasting all the options.
‘They used high-quality ingredients for everything.’
From the flour and butter to the sugar and chocolate chips, the cookies had a distinctly premium flavor.
‘Just how picky is the chairman that they go to such lengths to prepare this?’
Whatever the reason, the sheer luxury of it all brought Jin-ah joy. She had recently been cutting back on food expenses, eliminating indulgences like desserts entirely, sticking strictly to necessary meals.
But now, tasting such high-quality food made her head spin. She even felt tempted to ask for more under the pretense of needing another taste to be sure.
Without hesitation, Jin-ah wrote down her answers. After a little more time, the hesitant applicants also handed in their sheets.
“Thank you for your efforts. Please wait for a moment.”
As the staff left the room, the participants drank the water provided and shook their heads in disbelief.
“I never imagined we’d be doing a test like this.”
“What did you pick for the eggs? I chose B.”
“Wasn’t it C?”
Listening to their conversation, Jin-ah took a sip of her water. She had written down E.
A short while later, the secretary returned and began calling out names.
“Miss Jin-ah Troll.”
“Yes,” Jin-ah answered.
The secretary gave her a polite but professional smile.
“Miss Jin-ah, everyone except for you is free to leave.”
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