Chapter 1: The Worker and Ginger Pork
Right now, the great nation of Briticia was enjoying the height of its prosperity.
Trade ships bound for every continent constantly came and went across this island nation, filling it with energy.
What supported this growth was the remarkable advancement of machinery, especially in spinning and weaving.
However, the Industrial Revolution had created a massive amount of work, drastically increasing the working hours of laborers.
“Today was especially busy⌔
Rows of red brick factories stood side by side.
Their chimneys puffed out thick smoke, while horse-drawn carriages loaded with cargo hurried along the cobblestone roads.
At the eastern edge of the capital, Londor.
Thomas, a young man of about twenty who worked at a textile factory, let out a sigh.
His neatly arranged brown hair, properly buttoned white shirt, and beige trousers held up by suspenders gave him a tidy appearance.
With a serious personality, he approached his work with diligence.
His friends often told him, “You could stand to slack off a little, you know?”
But he simply couldnât do that.
As a result, he tended to carry more fatigue than others.
“I should eat something⌔
Laborers, who had no concept of holidays, were always exhausted.
Even though he was surely hungry, he had no energy to eat tonight.
But if he didnât eat, he wouldnât make it through tomorrow.
And if his working hours decreased, his already low wages would drop even further.
So he ate in order to work.
That was simply common sense for workers in Londor.
“But⌔
When he looked up, he saw food stalls lined along the cobblestone street.
“Hey mister, how about some fish and chips?”
The vendor proudly showed him a piece of fried white fish made from cod.
The thick, greasy batter soaked with old oil gave off an unpleasant smell.
Just looking at it made him feel sick.
There was no way he could put that in his mouth.
“âŚNo thanks.”
“Then how about some vegetable soup?”
This time, he was offered a bland liquid that was nothing more than boiled vegetable scraps.
Of course, he had no desire to eat that either.
“âŚNo thanks.”
“Mister, this is what you want, right?”
Then the stall owner behind him called out confidently.
“Here you go, jellied eel.”
“I said no thanks!”
Chunks of eel, simply boiled.
The gelatin from the meat would cool and solidify, naturally turning it into a jelly-like dish.
Even at this stage, it smelled fishy.
Recalling the unpleasant taste of unprocessed seafood, Thomas hurried past the stalls as if escaping.
“This is bad⌔
Leaving behind customers who rolled their eyes as they gulped down eel, Thomas kept walking.
If he didnât eat like this, tomorrow would be miserable.
But he didnât want to eat bad food.
Just as he was about to feel completely lost in that dilemmaâ
“Hm?”
He spotted an unfamiliar restaurant tucked away at the edge of town.
The building was made of brick, common in Londor, but what made it unusual was its bright grayish-white color.
The windows on the ground floor were fitted with clean panel-style glass.
A copper round sign hung on the dark wooden door, featuring a fox walking proudly with its chest puffed out.
And beneath it, the words “Kitchen Mikeneko” were written.
“âŚThis will do.”
Finally giving in, Thomas relied on a bit of curiosity and stepped inside.
Inside were wooden counter seats and a few tables.
Despite being in a workersâ district, the place was strangely clean, yet still had a warm, homely feel.
In the kitchen stood a black-haired man who seemed to be the owner.
“Welcome.”
“Welcome!”
A girl who appeared to be a waitress rushed over with a bright smile.
She looked about two or three years younger than Thomas.
Like a dog greeting its ownerâs return, she approached energetically, wearing a maid outfit with short blonde hair.
“This way, please!”
What caught his eye was her knee-length skirt.
He had never seen a maid with such a short skirt before.
Thinking it unusual, Thomas sat at the counter seat she guided him to.
Another unusual thingâhe was served water in a glass cup.
However, it was common knowledge that Londorâs water was unsafe due to poor sanitation.
For now, he left it untouched.
“What would you like to order?”
“Hmm⌔
This was a workersâ district.
There probably wasnât much of a menu to speak of.
Without looking up, Thomas spoke honestly.
“Iâm sick of washing down hard bread with ale.”
“Yes.”
“I donât want boiled potatoes with just salt either.”
“Yes.”
“And⌠please, no jellied eel.”
“Yes!”
“Is there anything that can actually make me feel hungry?”
“In that case, how about some meat?”
“âŚIf itâs good meat.”
“Yes! Please wait a moment!”
“Huh?”
Thomas was confused as the girl quickly went to relay the order.
Because good meat didnât exist.
In this town, “meat” meant heavily salted pork.
The meat, dried out for long-term storage, was tough and overly salty.
Whether grilled or boiled, it remained unpleasant.
In short, meat here was just “slightly better” than other ingredients.
Thomas sighed at his joke not getting through.
“âŚHuh?”
Then he noticed something strange.
“Thereâs no malt vinegar.”
In this eastern part of Londor, there were only two seasonings.
Salt, and brown malt vinegar.
Workers would pour these directly over their food.
Not to enhance flavor, but to make tasteless, bad food somewhat edible.
And yet, the vinegarâwhich should be in every shopâwas nowhere to be seen.
“This place is a dud⌔
Convinced of that, Thomas slumped onto the counter.
But thenâ
“âŚHm?”
A fragrant smell of garlic tickled his nose.
He instinctively tried to lift his head, but stopped himself.
“No, thereâs no point getting my hopes up.”
There was no such thing as good food in this town.
This was East Edge, where workers gathered.
“âŚHuh?”
Next came the delicious aroma of sautĂŠed onions.
“D-donât get your hopes up. Donât do it!”
Thomas shook his head vigorously.
But then the simmering soy sauce released a savory scent, followed by the rich aroma of butter and ginger hitting his noseâ
“!?”
Unable to resist, he raised his head.
“Thank you for waiting! Hereâs your ginger pork!”
The smiling maid placed an unfamiliar dish in front of him.
“What is thisâŚ!?”
Four slightly thick slices of pork loin steamed before him.
Their golden-brown sear and glossy glaze from soy sauce and mirin looked absolutely beautiful.
Beside them were fresh shredded cabbage and small tomatoes.
With rice and miso soup alongside, it formed a luxurious set meal.
Gulp.
His throat moved.
Before he knew it, his stomachâdespite refusing food earlierâgrowled loudly.
Grabbing a fork, Thomas bit into the meat.
“O-oooooooâ!?”
And then, shock.
The meat was tender, yet had a satisfying chew.
It wasnât tough at all.
It provided exactly that feeling of teeth sinking into meat that the body craved.
As he chewed, the rich flavor of the meat spilled out, mixing with the fresh fat and spreading across his mouth.
Then came the savory saltiness of soy sauce stimulating his tongue.
And the rich aroma of garlic and butter flowed through his nose.
“What is this!? Itâs amazing⌠too amazing!!”
The subtle flavor of ginger further stimulated his appetite.
Before he realized it, his lost appetite had fully returned.
Shoveling the white rice into his mouth, he couldnât stop.
“Pork⌠can taste this good!?”
The soy-soaked pork and slightly sweet, fluffy rice were a perfect combination.
Having encountered such delicious food, the hands of a working man would not stop.
“This is the best meal Iâve ever had!!”
Overwhelmed by how delicious it was, Thomas became emotional.
In his momentum, he drank the waterâ
“Oh no!”
He remembered Londorâs unsafe water.
Butâ
“âŚItâs good.”
The water was clean, cold, and delicious.
It refreshed his mouth perfectly.
And before he knew it, he was craving the ginger pork again.
“Another serving!”
“Yes! Tatsuya, one more ginger pork!”
Even though he had no appetite before, he ordered more.
While waiting, he marveled at the delicious miso soup he was tasting for the first timeâ
“Here you go, another serving of ginger pork.”
The black-haired owner, called Tatsuya, placed the plate in front of him.
He wore a thick white shirt and a black apron.
Though calm and natural in demeanor, there was a slight sharpness to his expression.
He looked more than ten years older than Thomas.
“âŚWhatâs this?”
“If itâs your second plate, you can use it whenever you feel like it.”
The small portion of mayonnaise on the edge of the plate was something Thomas had never seen before.
As instructed, he put it on the pork and took a biteâ
“O-oooooooâ!?”
The creamy tang of the mayonnaise created a completely new flavor.
“This is great! This is really great!”
“Right?”
The owner smiled happily at his reaction.
That small addition made his appetite grow even more.
His fork never stopped moving.
“That looks so good⌔
The maid watched enviously.
She quickly wiped the drool that almost escaped with a startled “Ah!”
In the end, Thomas finished the second plate just as quickly.
Not even a single strand of cabbage remained, showing both the dishâs deliciousness and his meticulous nature.
“Ahh⌔
A deep sigh escaped him.
He was intoxicated by the happiness of being full from delicious food.
He didnât know what kind of dish ginger pork was or where it came fromâŚ
But it had undeniably restored his lost energy.
“AlrightâŚ! I can do my best again tomorrow!”
He stood up with renewed determination.
Surprisingly, the price was something even Thomas could easily afford.
That pleasant surprise brought a smile to his face.
“Owner, miss maid⌠that was absolutely delicious! Thanks for the meal!”
“Thank you very much!”
Their smiling farewell made him happy.
In his endlessly busy days, he had found a small piece of happiness.
Satisfied, Thomas walked lightly through the gas-lit streets of Londor.
It seemed he would sleep very well tonight.