kscans

Chapter 254 - Episode 3: Part One. Pride

The large shop facing the main street of Central Garden was bustling with activity again today.

Upon entering, one could see various smoked meats hanging on both sides, with barrels of salted meat lining the back of the store. A clerk shaved the surface of a hung, yellowish brown block of meat, cutting off a rosy pink slice.

A customer from the Kingdom, visiting on business, popped the offered slice into his mouth and his eyes went wide.

In the back of the shop, a wave of heat billowed out, intense enough to drive away the cheerful weather outside. Inside an iron box set next to a stove by the window, coals glowed red hot. Above them, a thick cut of red meat on a skewer was turned over. Clear fat dripped down, making a juu juu sound.

The meat, pulled from the charcoal fire, was cut into strips by the cook. The thick cut, still slightly red in the center, was placed on a wooden plate and presented, still steaming, to the shop manager.

Dalgan took the two pronged fork in his hand, stabbed the meat, and stuffed it into his mouth. He chewed robustly and swallowed.

The middle aged man who had cooked the meat and the young man who had brought the plate also took their seats and began to taste it.

"Haha, this doesn’t need any sauce."

"You’re right. The flavor of the meat itself is incredible. And it’s so tender, just overflowing with juice."

His two subordinates heaped praise on the steak.

"It’s certainly not bad," Dalgan said.

It was a steak made from raw meat aged for many days, grilled to a proper thickness. The more he chewed, the more flavor it released.

Meat is most delicious when it’s on the verge of spoiling. Anyone directly involved in the meat business knew that. They also knew how difficult it was to serve it that way.

To be honest, even he couldn’t find any fault with the taste.

"Not bad, he says. Young Master... I mean, Manager. This is a masterpiece."

The middle aged man said as he put away the skewer.

"I know. But that’s all thanks to that thing, isn’t it."

Dalgan looked at the tall, narrow box installed in the back of the kitchen. It was a new magic tool, still in development, that his junior had brought over.

It had an upper and lower shelf, each with a different internal temperature. The bottom shelf maintained a temperature like a winter’s day on the Kingdom’s plains, even in summer. The upper shelf was cold enough to freeze anything placed inside.

"It really is an incredible device. We can keep meat in its best condition by aging it in here. Not only that, if we freeze it, we can preserve it for as long as we could in the dead of winter. It’s just like you, Manager, to be the first to get your hands on something like this."

The young subordinate looked at Dalgan with eyes full of respect.

"And what’s more, His Excellency the Lord of Calamity came all this way himself and bowed his head to ask you."

The older subordinate also said proudly. His junior, who held important posts in both the Kingdom and the Empire, had humbly bowed his head and said, "I’m counting on you, senpai." From their long association, Dalgan knew it was not an act.

This was a new magic tool worth a fortune to any company that dealt in meat. The information that it even existed was of immeasurable value. And now, it was on loan to them to be tested in their own shop. You couldn’t call yourself a merchant if you didn’t understand its value.

He understood why his subordinates thought so highly of him for this. But…

"That’s exactly why we can’t serve him something half baked. He can be soft, but his standards for products are anything but."

Yes, he had his pride. The pride of a senior.

Dalgan imagined serving this meat to Ricardo. He wondered if he would get the same assessment he himself had just given it in his mind.

He pictured his junior’s face, a look that said, "This is pretty good." Not a shred of the humble figure who had bowed his head when he came here remained.

Moreover, there was another important matter he had to consider as the head of the company. The preservation capabilities of this refrigerator. Having seen this, he felt the establishment of a market to determine the future price of meat might no longer be a distant prospect.

He’s definitely lending this to us with that in mind, too.

This alone was a matter that would affect the future of the entire meat industry. That said, he couldn’t even think about cutting corners on the challenge right in front of him. This was supposed to be the job of a lifetime.

"You two. You haven’t forgotten where and to whom we’re serving this, have you."

Dalgan’s words made his subordinates visibly tense.

"O-of course we know. But surely even the king would be satisfied with this flavor."

That was not a figure of speech, so no one, including Dalgan, laughed.

"No other butcher could serve meat better than this."

"I know that, but…"

Dalgan folded his arms and fell into deep thought.

"Should we try a different cut, not the thigh? Or maybe use pork instead of beef? You know, even His Excellency the Lord of Calamity praised the prosciutto."

"If we’re just talking about the flavor itself, that’s an option. But we can’t beat the Empire when it comes to pork. This is for the coronation. Even if it’s just for lunch, it would be bad for the main dish to be from the Empire."

The shop used pork imported from the Empire to make its prosciutto. The pigs, having eaten nuts in the Empire’s abundant forests, had much more fat and softer meat than those from the Kingdom’s grasslands.

Thanks to that, it was met with rave reviews when brought to the Royal Capital.

Ricardo had also praised it as a new product born in the city that connected the Empire and the Kingdom. As a member of a company that represented this city, that was the kind of scale he needed to think on.

Furthermore, it wasn’t just with his junior that he had to be obstinate. If his opponent were any other butcher, he could blow them away with the refrigerator alone. But…

"The guys at Plural’s place have the same thing, you know."

Dalgan thought of his rival of the same age. In a way, the refrigerator was made for someone like Plural. He wasn’t fond of the cloying sweetness of ice cream, but the new flavor that made use of the bitterness of chestnuts wasn’t bad.

If Plural served that alone, the current steak might be completely overshadowed. And…

That guy would never be satisfied with just that.

"No, this just won’t do."

Dalgan’s thick finger tapped the desk with irritation. An awkward silence fell over the kitchen.

So as not to disturb Dalgan, his subordinates left the table and began to clean up. One washed the skewer, and the other maintained the knives.

Watching them, Dalgan suddenly looked at his own hand, which was only tapping uselessly on the desk. Seeing the two men carefully tending to their tools, he had a realization. Then, he spread his empty hands out before him.

Tch. Have I gotten too used to just judging what my subordinates present to me. No wonder I can’t come up with any ideas.

He stood up with a wry smile. His subordinates turned around in a fluster.

"I’m heading out to the ranch. It’s been a while. You two, sorry, but I’m leaving you in charge."

As Dalgan said this, he slapped his own arm with a ban.