NOVEL NEXT chapter 7
7 – Green Bottle Delivered from the Capital
Haimer went to work in Hardy’s with a full stomach.
It was a more hearty morning than ever.
A smile naturally came to his lips.
Thanks to the newfound insight, he felt on fire, wanting to train right away.
But before that, he went to find Liana, who had given him the opportunity to gain this serendipity.
He had to thank her.
It wasn’t to brag.
Of course!
It was just a matter of expressing appreciation to her.
It had nothing to do with going to tell her that pork cutlet, the food of a real knight, was better than the mysterious dish called Bulgogi.
“Liana, I visited the restaurant you recommended. Thank you. I enjoyed my meal.”
“Oh? It opened today? They told me it would open in three days.”
“When I went there, they asked me to rate the taste of the food before the store opened.”
At that, Liana nodded as if convinced.
The subtle smile on her lips was filled with pride.
“How was it? The Bulgogi from that place was really delicious, right? The owner said they call a delicious restaurant a gem.”
At her words, Haimer shook his head.
“I didn’t eat the Bulgogi. When I went there, they recommended a different menu.”
“What? Yesterday, they said they only had Bulgogi…”
As she blinked in bafflement, Haimer pounded his chest.
She must not know.
As she’s not a knight, she must not know the true taste of a knight’s restaurant.
It’s a shame and pitiful.
“I had the meal of a true knight, tonkatsu! I believe it’s the representative dish of a genuine knight’s restaurant that only real knights can enjoy.”
“Tonkatsu? What’s that?”
“It’s similar to a cutlet, but its level is on another dimension. I had the best meal today.”
At Heimer’s words, Liana tilted her head.
“That’s a strange thing to say. Bulgogi can’t be compared to something like a cutlet, can it?”
“The same goes for tonkatsu. The thin crispy batter on the thick meat! If you, Miss Liana, had tasted the flavor where the crispy and moist coexist, you would have undoubtedly realized the true charm of a knight’s restaurant.”
“Are you saying that because you haven’t had bulgogi? When you eat that grilled pork front leg marinated in a slightly spicy sauce with white rice, it’s mind-blowing. And that with the ssamjang sauce and fried rice…”
Heimer swallowed a sigh internally.
An involuntary sigh emerged at Liana’s off-target logic, thinking herself a bigger gourmet than he.
To argue that the unknown bulgogi was tastier than the tonkatsu.
Of course, with the cooking skills of Sir Lucas, his bulgogi set meal would be well made, but Heimer’s mind was already filled with the knightly tonkatsu.
“Miss Liana might not know since she’s not a knight, but the real knight’s food is tonkatsu.”
“You’re the one who doesn’t know, Sir Heimer! I have visited far more restaurants than you! Even if I don’t know about knights, I’m way ahead in terms of gourmet.”
“Whatever you say, the best dish is tonkatsu.”
“It’s the bulgogi set meal, including fried rice!”
“Tonkatsu is a complete dish without having to include any fried whatever.”
“It’s just a cutlet after all!”
The debate between the two ran in parallel lines with no sign of narrowing and, in the end, both failed to find a point of agreement.
“Let’s go and try it when it opens later!”
“Of course!”
Both of them declared that the food they had eaten was the best, but different thoughts crossed their minds.
‘Just how delicious is this tonkatsu that Sir Heimer is making such a fuss about?’
Riana kept biting her lower lip, feeling saliva constantly pooling in her mouth.
‘Bulgogi set meal… Hearing about it makes me think it’s also a dish worthy of a knight. I’m curious.’
It was the same for Heimer.
Both of them insisted that the last menu item they had eaten was the best, hiding their inner thoughts.
It was a day when saliva kept flowing down their throats.
***
After sending Heimer away, I eagerly waited for the guest who had promised to come today.
Now the interior design was almost complete.
A seemingly unremarkable and modest design.
Not flashy, but a clean restaurant interior.
The restaurant, which gave confidence in its hygiene just by looking at it, was filled with the aroma of freshly fried pork cutlets.
Many design elements were inspired by the interior design of hangover soup restaurants, knight’s cafeterias, and set meal restaurants that I often visited in my previous life.
The size of the restaurant was big enough to accommodate up to 60 people at once.
There were 15 tables.
Six of them were traditional tables where customers had to take off their shoes and sit on the floor.
The floor seating areas had rooms with doors that could be opened and closed, each containing two tables.
I added these facilities because they were perfect for sharing discreet(?) conversations.
There were four chairs at each table.
Utensil boxes were placed on each table, and there were tissue boxes commonly seen in restaurants as well.
“Everything that should be here is here.”
The empire was a country that conquered continents with magic in its own way.
Sometimes, they created amazing objects using magic circuits in place of science and technology, which surprised even me.
Items like a flare range with engraved fire magic or a refrigerator with cooling and preservation magic circuits.
And today was the day that essential items for my restaurant were supposed to arrive.
“It’s about time for them to arrive.”
As I was watching the clock, I heard a sound from outside.
“Lucas! I’m here!”
Finally, he’s arrived.
I hurriedly opened the door and went out at the sound of the familiar voice.
A small boy with brown hair and freckles on his face was smiling brightly and waving his hand.
Behind him, there were five carts loaded with boxes.
“Are these all the things I ordered?”
“Yes! We made them just as you ordered, Lucas!”
This small boy, who had come with the carts loaded with things, was Kovi.
He was the chief manager of Golden Wagon, the largest trading company in the empire’s capital.
Back when I was a cook for the Princess Knights, the relationship of ordering supplies for our group had continued until now.
He looked like a 15-year-old boy, but one should never underestimate him, for he was not a normal human but a gnome.
A gnome, a race that had the appearance of a young boy or girl until they were close to death, reaching only that size by the age of twenty.
Carrying the rumors of being descendants of spirits, the mysterious race of gnomes never grew taller than that.
In the distant past, they were targeted for slaughter due to rumors that drinking their blood would prevent aging, but now it was revealed to be nonsense, and they lived together with humans within the empire as a different race.
By the way, he was the same size seven years ago.
Although he seemed to be older than me, it was always a bit uncomfortable that he kept speaking politely to me.
“You arrived just in time.”
“Of course. Let’s keep the time perfectly! This is the motto of the Golden Wagon.”
“Let me check them first.”
“Feel free to check whenever you want! We made them perfectly as you ordered!”
I approached the cart and opened the closest box.
Inside the box, there was a green bottle shimmering brilliantly.
As I took out a bottle and opened the lid, the sharp scent of alcohol stung my nose.
It was a nostalgic smell.
A transparent liquor in a green bottle.
It was soju.
An indispensable drink at a knight’s restaurant.
Some might call it cheap alcohol, but it allowed people to drink at a low price, and for others, it helped them forget the hardships of labor.
I brought a small glass from the store and poured the soju into it.
The transparent color pleased me greatly.
It was a nostalgic color.
“Making alcohol with magic… it was a fascinating manufacturing method. Using the magical circuit method that Lucas told me about, distilling alcohol made from grains resulted in a distinctly different taste.”
Impressive.
They’d only shared the basic principles of making it, yet they created such a finished product.
“How was the internal evaluation?”
“It was very well received! With such a low price, it’ll undoubtedly sell well to the common people. You know, the quality of local cheap alcohols has fallen a lot since people started making their own at home.”
Coby chuckled, waving his fingers.
It was a gesture the imperial people used when belittling something.
I took a sip of the soju.
The sharp taste of soju was felt right from the mouth.
“Guh!”
The clear sensation of alcohol entering through the throat could be felt.
The taste was undeniable.
It was the nostalgic taste.
It wasn’t luxurious, but it was a light taste one could easily enjoy.
There were two types of soju.
Diluted soju and distilled soju.
I wanted to make distilled soju and place it at the restaurant.
However, the problem was the price.
This place is a knight’s diner.
Most of the customers who come here are probably workers returning after finishing their work.
It was thoughtless to serve distilled soju without considering the consumers.
‘There’s nothing better than soju with greasy food.’
I considered beer as well, but soon gave up the idea.
‘There’s no need to ask a merchant from the capital for beer.’
The cost of delivering beer while maintaining its freshness would be too high.
Instead, I might as well use a brewery in a nearby city, even if the taste cannot be guaranteed.
Soju is the most suitable drink to sell here.
It goes better with a knight’s diner than any other drink.
After finishing work, having a meal and a drink together during mealtime is perfect!
When your stomach is full and the alcohol makes your body feel drowsy, you can sleep.
Damn, that’s sexy.
That’s the best way to recover from fatigue.
“I’ll pay the full amount right away.”
“Thank you as always. Hahaha!”
I handed Kobi a pouch containing the pre-arranged payment.
Kobi chuckled softly and brought out a new box, handing it to me.
“And this is a gift sent by our lord.”
“The owner of Golden Wagon?”
“Yes! He says it’s the cost of the delicious food he had back in the day.”
-I want to try that kimchi stew you served to the princess.
-Doenjang stew? This is food that smells so pungent?
-Lucas! Please give me one more bowl of doenjang stew!
I recall the sight of the lord, secretly visiting the knight’s group and ordering food from me.
I opened the gift box.
True to her attention to detail, it was a clear liquor in a luxurious bottle.
There was a label on the bottle that read, “G.W.”
“This is a distilled liquor extracted using the method you taught me. It’s 55 proof, and just one sip will be enough to appreciate the elegance.”
“Please pass on my thanks.”
“But still, I have to ask – you really have no intention of returning to the capital? The duchess misses Lucas’ food.”
“I’m not going.”
Why would I?
I fled all the way out to the countryside to avoid dying.
Until the rebellion is subdued and things settle down, I’ll stick around here.
I’ve managed to create a nice little shop.
At my words, Coby lost his appetite.
“Sigh, that’s a shame. You know, things are a bit chaotic in the capital these days.”
“Chaotic?”
“Yes. They’re searching high and low for the best chef in the capital.”
The best chef in the capital.
A few names come to mind.
I thought of the people who made me realize there are not-so-bad chefs in this world.
I hope they won’t get involved in this mess.
“I hope they find them soon.”
But why is this gnome still lingering around here?
We’ve already moved everything into the store – he should be good to go.
“Don’t tell me you’re planning to send away an empty guest with an empty stomach?”
“Were you an empty guest?”
“I brought valuable items, didn’t I?”
“……”
Shameless, really.
But it was a valuable item.
Soju was one of the essential items in a knight’s restaurant, after all.
“Understood. Please come in. I’ll serve a dish that goes well with soju.”
The dish famous for being a nutritious snack for my husband and a side dish for our child’s alcohol.
There were ingredients prepared to eat once the sojour arrives.
“What’s the name of the menu?”
“It’s stir-fried cocoa chicken gizzard.”
“……Are you insane? A human?”
The expression was truly a look of contempt.