Putting Aside Nationalistic Bias, It’s Really Delicious

6 – The Pork Cutlet: The True Food for Knights

Heimer.

A knight of the British Count’s House.

Born and raised under the British Count’s jurisdiction, he was promoted from a vassal to a knight, now in his third year since receiving the knighthood from the count – a fledgling newbie.

A knight with some experience, having accompanied the British Count on several bandit subjugation missions.

And his favorite thing was having a delicious meal after finishing his training.

Of course, there couldn’t be any famous restaurants in the southern countryside noble house.

Riana eagerly introduced Heimer to several gourmet places, claiming he didn’t know good taste, but personally, they weren’t that special.

– Sir Heimer doesn’t know anything. This is a real gourmet restaurant.

In fact, Heimer preferred the food prepared by the chef affiliated with the noble family.

The chef didn’t claim to be exceptionally skilled, but for Heimer, who was born and raised in the count’s jurisdiction, his cooking was more delicious than anything else in the world.

It’s no wonder, as many of his dishes were somewhat different from those in the southern part of the empire, so for Heimer, every meal was special.

“The chef’s food is truly delicious. It’s worth being a knight just for this. Hahaha!”

The food made by the chef of the noble’s mansion was something that one could scarcely touch if they were not a chef’s assistant or a knight working on the estate.

Just the fact that they could eat the chef’s food made it worth becoming a knight.

Being able to eat such delicious food was a greater reward for a knight than a high salary.

Riana said the same thing.

“Having tasted various dishes from different places, I must say that we should never underestimate the talent of our noble house’s chef. Absolutely not.”

Her culinary taste, at least higher than Heimer’s, was developed from several visits to the capital following the nobleman.

And she asserted with certainty.

The chef’s cooking skills were not bad at all.

It was quite definite.

“Ah…”

“Miss Riana, what seems to be the issue? Letting out a sigh with food in front of you.”

“No, it’s nothing.”

After tasting a bite of the dish, Riana let out a sigh.

That was strange.

She wasn’t usually the type to make such a facial expression in front of food.

“….”

With a clatter and munching sounds, she sighed with every spoonful she took.

“Miss Riana, eating like that is against etiquette…”

“Ah, I’m done eating.”

It might have been rude if the chef was still there. If not for the chef, it would have been an insult to his honor.

Heimer, always praising his chef’s cooking, asked following Riana’s attitude.

“Are you feeling unwell today?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“Then why on earth……”

Liana, who had been hesitating to answer for a moment, finally opened her mouth with difficulty.

“I’ve experienced it, a taste of heaven.”

“A taste of heaven, you say?”

“Do you know what Bulgogi is?”

“Bul…what?”

“Bulgogi! Bulgogi.”

“I have no idea. What is that, Bulbaeku?”

“Ah, I’m envious. Envious of the knight who has never tasted it.”

Liana brought her hands together and gazed into the air.

With a blissful expression on her face, she began to lick her lips and regain her taste.

Heimer was surprised by the sudden action.

He even thought that perhaps he shouldn’t have spoken up unnecessarily on this day of magic.

“Do you remember the foreigner who moved to the Earl’s territory a few months ago? A knight named Lucas who came from the capital.”

“I know him. He’s a former member of the Royal Knights.”

“Do you also know that I helped him open a restaurant at the command of the Earl?”

“Yes, I know. They also mentioned recruiting him as a knight…”

“When I ate the Bulgogi and fried rice he made, it was the most delicious food I’ve ever tasted. I highly recommend you try it, too. It’ll open in three days. Just so you know, I’m taking first place.”

“…..”

“Finally, a proper restaurant is opening in our territory.”

Curiosity drove him to visit.

He had heard it would open in three days, but he wanted to ask permission to see the senior knight’s culinary skills as his junior had mentioned.

He was curious about how delicious this Bulgogi and fried rice were, and why they were reacting like this.

—-

★★★★★

The bulgogi set meal and fried rice are really delicious.

It’s so good that I even want to steal the owner’s portion while eating mine!

The owner is friendly, and the food is delicious.

Recommended menu: Bulgogi set meal – add fried rice!

– Housekeeper Liana of the Self-Writing House –

—-

In front of the actual store, there was a message written by Liana herself.

I had high hopes, but what came out was a dish that seemed like a variation of a cutlet.

“It’s a pork cutlet. It’s similar in concept to a cutlet, but a different menu item.”

“Do I cut it like this and eat it?”

“Yes. Please cut it yourself into appropriate sizes. Try it, try it.”

“…All right.”

He looked at the large cutlet placed in front of him.

It was an amount that would be difficult to eat alone, even for a knight like himself.

‘Was it a place that competed with quantity rather than taste?’

It was a bit disappointing.

Cutlets are a dish that can be made delicious even without a great chef.

It’s a basic dish if you have good meat and oil.

So he didn’t have high expectations.

Rustle.

The moment he cut the pork cutlet with a knife, the feeling of the fried batter was somewhat different.

‘The sound…’

Despite having been coated in a thick sauce quite a while ago, the fried batter maintained its crispiness.

Chew. Chew.

It’s different.

It’s clearly different.

Even without tasting it, I can tell.

Using a blade is the foundation of a knight.

Even if it’s a kitchen knife, it’s the same.

The ability to sensitively perceive the sensations from a blade determines the qualities of a knight.

‘The texture is still alive.’

It doesn’t make sense.

Claiming the texture is still alive after cutting the meat like that?

As I picked up the meat with a fork, cut with a knife, the white flesh of the meat clad in thin batter was revealed.

The meat, still holding its juices, flaunted its presence without damaging the crispiness of the fried coating.

‘It’s unbelievable.’

This color for a cutlet?

Suddenly, I recalled Liana’s words.

“I’ve tasted divine flavor.”

Perhaps I, too, could experience a similar taste.

And then a bite.

Crispy! Moist!

The crispy batter, the rich sauce, and the tender meat texture that wrapped around my tongue.

The ingredients boasted their presence as they danced in my mouth.

“Wow……”

The harmony of the three elements was beyond words.

But separating each element and considering them individually wouldn’t be enough?

That’s not it either.

“Is this real cutlet?”

As Heimer asked in surprise, Lucas corrected him.

“It’s a donkatsu. A Western-style donkatsu.”

“Donkatsu… It’s really a different dish from the one I used to know.”

I couldn’t help but marvel.

“Ha ha ha.”

Every time I picked up a piece with my fork, laughter came out naturally.

“Wow, this is donkatsu.”

The chef was indeed skilled.

I had heard rumors that he was an incredibly talented knight…

“Sir Lucas, this donkatsu is really delicious.”

“Please eat a lot. A knight should eat plenty, shouldn’t they?”

“Yes, sir!”

The fork and knife did not pause.

‘The edge is a delicacy, but the meat in the center is truly fantastic.’

The crispy taste of the edge was good, but the meaty center was also delicious.

The texture of the meat was very peculiar.

At first bite, the crispy batter combined with the chewy texture stimulated my teeth, and on the second bite, the batter and meat’s texture blended together to create harmony.

And as I chewed for the third time, the meat, which had already melted and disappeared in my mouth, naturally spread a rich taste throughout.

It’s unbelievable.

Even the ignorant Haimer knew.

It would be difficult to eat such food even in the capital.

It was definitely pork, the common pork that could be seen everywhere.

‘What kind of meat have I been eating until now?’

I regained my senses and found that I had eaten half of the donkatsu.

Normally, this would have been enough to fill me up, but now, it was far from enough.

My stomach cried out.

-Give us more food! It’s not enough!

There had never been a situation like this before.

In order to maintain efficient training, they would put down their spoons once they felt somewhat full.

But now, they didn’t even feel like training.

‘Let’s eat first.’

It’s a waste.

It’s too wasteful to leave without eating this.

He also ate the salad made of thinly sliced cabbage.

The crispy texture of the cabbage and the sour taste excited their taste buds even more.

It neutralizes the greasiness of the meat and the fried dough, cleansing the mouth.

“Uhm~.”

Now the thickly-seasoned, softened dough of the fried food provided a new taste.

Although the crispiness had disappeared, it possessed a deeper flavor.

What should I call it?

Maybe it was the cunningness of a veteran who has accumulated experience in the flow of time?

How could one dish have such diverse tastes?

It’s an amazing taste.

‘The life of a knight is in this pork cutlet.’

The meat represents the will of the knight, the frying signifies passion and the body of the knight, and the sauce is the experience that a knight must go through.

In the first bite of the crispy pork cutlet, there was a new, inexperienced but passionate and vibrant young knight.

However, as they ate more and more of the transforming pork cutlet, they could see the journey of the knight who became wiser with the passage of time.

Although the knight’s body could not overcome the flow of time and was not what it used to be, a veteran knight filled with experience and cunningness had taken the place of the lost passion, now pierced by their fork.

The frying had lost its crispiness as time passed, but the quality of the meat had not lost its originality.

‘Wait, no way….’

As he looked at the meat pierced by his fork, Heimer felt something flash through his mind.

The flow of time.

Rookies and veterans.

A rookie knight who came as a guest.

The retired veteran knight who treats his junior with food.

And the knight’s restaurant.

This isn’t a simple meal.

It’s a lesson.

‘A lesson that tells you not to collapse, even if you lose your passion in the face of hardships and adversity, as long as you maintain the pride that a knight must have.’

Heimer saw the back of Lucas, who was washing the dishes.

Sir Lucas.

He heard that he was a famous knight belonging to the Royal Knights before he became a chef.

He realized why Lucas had given him this meal.

‘The knight’s path that a retired senior presents to his junior.’

Liana had said that the name of this restaurant was Knight’s Restaurant.

She said it was written in Sir Lucas’s language on the sign.

Knight’s Restaurant.

He had a feeling why this place was called the Knight’s Restaurant.

It was a restaurant that fulfilled the dream of a retired knight while still maintaining the essence of a knight.

This restaurant itself was the knight’s path.

The fork with meat on it trembled.

Perhaps he had retired at a young age due to certain circumstances, but he still used the name “Knight’s Restaurant” because he still held the heart of a knight.

It felt as if he had glimpsed into the life of a knight for a brief moment, and his chest swelled with emotion.

Just how straight was the path he had walked, that even the food he ate reflected that path?

Tears welled up in Heimer’s eyes as he ate the pork cutlet.

Crying while receiving his senior’s teachings, it was quite a sight to behold.

Unable to reveal such a sight, Hymer lowered his head and put the remaining pork cutlet in his mouth.

Whether a rookie reporter or a retired veteran, it was all the same pork cutlet.

A pork cutlet was soon a reporter.

A reporter was soon a pork cutlet.

Eating a pork cutlet was no different from eating a reporter.

“Mm, mm.”

The pride of a reporter tasted more delicious to Hymer than anything he had ever experienced.

Of course, the person in question, Lucas, interpreted Hymer’s sobbing quite differently.

‘Korean food might reject patriotism, but it’s delicious.’

Still, feeling so moved while eating my cooking makes me happy.

My lips can’t help but curl up.

Even though washing the dishes is done, I couldn’t turn my head because it’s embarrassing to show such a face.

‘But why cry like that.’

Embarrassing.

And a new review note was posted on the bulletin board in front of the restaurant.

—-

★★★★★

After eating the pork cutlet, I realized what a true reporter is.

I will engrave the teachings of the boss on my heart and strive without ever forgetting.

I will frequent this reporter’s restaurant until I become a true reporter.

I won’t forget the favor. Boss.

Recommended Menu: Western-style King Pork Cutlet – If you’re a reporter, you must try it.

– Freelance Reporter Hymer –

—-

Are all reporters like this?

They asked for a food review, and they even wrote a review for the article.

“This guy must be pretty strange too.”

Realizing the truth about the dish from a pork cutlet.

Reporters are full of eccentrics.