Chapter 1

"Landlady, I've finished the job you asked me to do."

"Thank you, Bar. Here's your pay."

The man called Bar received his pay from the landlady of the restaurant.

"You're not getting any younger, Bar. You shouldn't just do day labor all the time. You should find a better job."

The considerate landlady, as usual, started to nag him out of concern.

"Ah, I'm sorry to worry you."

Bar knew she was genuinely concerned, so he responded with a polite smile.

"You should be thinking about getting married by now."

"There's no woman who would marry a washed-up middle-aged man like me."

When Bar spoke self-deprecatingly, the landlady placed her hands on her hips and sighed.

"The reason you can't get married isn't because of your looks, but because of your income. To be honest, my husband isn't much to look at either."

Bar couldn't help but chuckle at her straightforwardness. The reason he didn't get upset at her comments was entirely due to her character. In reality, Bar didn't have a particularly attractive appearance, but he wasn't so unattractive that people would immediately dislike him. His physique wasn't sloppy, probably because he worked hard as a day laborer.

"But I don't have any particular strengths..."

When Bar said this, the landlady glared at him.

"It's not too late to settle down and learn something or acquire a skill. But you don't seem to have the motivation."

"Ah, but I don't know where to start."

Bar scratched his head, looking troubled.

"There are plenty of options. If you want, you could even become an apprentice to my husband."

The landlady was more persistent than usual today.

"I'm already thirty-five, so starting a career as a chef now..."

"Your constant excuses are why you're still doing day labor. Is your life stable?"

The landlady interrupted Bar's explanation and asked a probing question.

"Well, I manage somehow."

Her gaze became even more severe at his vague answer.

"You're such an indecisive man."

The sound of her husband's irritated voice came from inside the restaurant.

"Hey, will you cut it out?"

Seizing the opportunity, Bar thanked her and fled.

"Hey, wait a minute."

The landlady tried to stop him, but Bar pretended not to hear.

(Sigh, today she was three times as persistent as usual...)

He knew the reason. Day labor was unstable, and there was a high risk of suddenly losing one's livelihood. The capital was prosperous and had many jobs, but there were no guarantees. It was natural for kind-hearted people to worry. Still, Bar had no intention of stopping his day labor lifestyle. His home was a shabby wooden house in the second-class area. It needed renovation, but he tolerated various inconveniences in exchange for lower rent. His house had a kitchen, but he was a poor cook and usually ate out or brought home prepared meals.

"Bar? I appreciate your business, but if you keep eating out, you won't save anything for a rainy day."

The stall owner, while selling skewers, expressed concern for Bar.

"I do save a little, you know."

The stall owner's skeptical gaze was understandable. Knowing Bar's lifestyle, it would be more surprising if he had savings. The stall owner knew most of what was going on.

"Well, if the worst comes to the worst, you can always appeal to the capital. The current emperor is a fine man."

"I'm counting on that."

Bar joked in response. The current emperor, who had been on the throne for over twenty years, was known as a benevolent ruler for reducing taxes and providing generous support. As long as he was alive, commoners wouldn't worry about their future.