Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Golden Grand Cross

"Teacher Durand, first I'll speak in order of importance. Priority today's evening there's a performance at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. They say they're reenacting Puccini's La Bohème. Three first floor box seat invitation tickets arrived for you. The lead is the famous vocalist Enrico Caruso. If going now you can immediately participate in the pre-event."

"Hmm."

As soon as deciding to experience the influencer's life, I almost sank at once from Mr. Morris's first words.

Opera? Puccini? La Bohème?

Who is Enrico Caruso again?!

Seeing no expression change on Mr. Morris, it seemed familiar content to him who has long acted as butler of a tycoon.

And Mr. Edison who lived a life not envied as a rich person in America also knew that content.

"La Bohème? That even at last year's Metropolitan Opera premiere B seats were hard to obtain, giving box seat tickets to you for free?!"

"Mr. Edison, what is La Bohème?"

"Tesla, this friend! Well only doing research so built walls with various cultural life so wouldn't know! Haven't heard that pitiful melody that rings the audience! A realistic and overflowing with humanity touching story! Even you ignorant of culture would have heard of the opera master Giacomo Puccini degree!"

"I don't know at all."

"Oh dear! Jean, how about watching the opera even to save this pitiful youth here? Itched for several weeks just looking at the sea traveling in the middle of the Atlantic!"

"Haha..."

I made a hollow laugh.

Mr. Tesla also seems not understanding at all, fortunate there's a colleague to make excuses.

La Bohème. Just hearing the name Italian smell overflows, then opera performed in Italian, right. The lead is also Italian person, right?

I really don't know Italian at all.

Not like modern with subtitle system in the opera house, nor giving the script but no heart to sit like a barley sack placed.

Mr. Morris also seemed to have noticed such my inner thoughts.

He didn't wait for my answer and immediately recited the next list.

"Next is the Royal Society's academic lecture. The topic is the prognosis change when using peanut butter and Durand Fish Ball as patient recovery food. The lecturer is Sir Joseph Lister the dean of King's College Medical School. There was a message asking to definitely visit. A request of giving a reference speech after the lecture ends and being thankful."

"Sir Joseph Lister?"

If Sir Lister it was the person met at the inauguration of the wounded soldiers welfare foundation Mr. Doyle founded.

Founder of modern aseptic method. And initiator of the British Empire Wounded Soldiers Support Association.

That organization ultimately received government permission and was founded, and I remembered reading a newspaper article a while ago that sponsorship is pouring at a tremendous speed.

The reason it became so was only one.

Because vivid testimonies of St. Thomas' Hospital cooks and nurses followed that Jean-Paul Durand attended that organization's inauguration and left the fish ball recipe.

To citizens who knew my fish ball as just about Admiralty combat ration recipe, the content that I willingly donated for patients' recovery being excessively packaged literally ignited people's interest!

Jean-Paul Durand sponsoring? Where? Welfare organization? What does that place do? No, what on earth is this? Soldiers who fought excellently for the country on that far continent were living so miserably?!

The tragedy of the Boer War the government tried to hide to the end, suddenly revealed amid people's fish ball interest!

The country abandoned the soldiers! We can't just stay still! Although living is poor, let's gather even 10 pennies! Gather and help!

Really an ending no one expected.

...Really unfolded in that crap way?!

Naturally Mr. Edison and Mr. Tesla seemed hearing all this content for the first time.

"Peanut butter? Durand Fish Ball?"

"Durand? Isn't that your name? Was there a namesake in London? No, more than that inviting you to the Royal Society's academic lecture of the British Empire? Did you even get employed as a researcher at some university? Of course a joke."

To the two people's questions Mr. Morris answered instead. He responded with a very proud voice.

"Teacher Durand is registered as an honorary fellow of the Royal Society. Since there are achievements you accomplished this degree of treatment is natural."

"What? Honorary fellow of the Royal Society? Isn't that a title received by people who established achievements that will remain long in science history! But I don't remember reading in the newspaper what Jean-Paul Durand discovered? Haha, surely you didn't discover the 9th solar system planet!"

Solar system planet discovery stopped at Neptune in 1846.

The dwarf planet Pluto now no one knew the existence even.

Of course I was thinking of taking that fact to the grave.

Moreover academic lecture? Like opera hands and feet would definitely twist! Moreover isn't that topic completely for gilding my face?!

"No way. Received thank you for selling plug shares. What's next?"

"Yes, Teacher. Then how about the opening ceremony of the exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum? They say exhibiting ancient ceramics and jade ornaments brought from Qing."

No particular interest in oriental ceramics. And such I saw plenty at the national museum even in the previous life.

I shook my head.

"Then there's also the grand ball at Grosvenor House. Although you politely declined, the Duchess of Devonshire invited again to lunch. The high tea event invitation of Savoy Hotel also arrived."

Besides that Mr. Morris recited one by one all kinds of social events like balls, charity events, concerts, horse racing, banquets.

And every time one event was added Mr. Edison and Mr. Tesla's expressions gradually started filling with more disbelief.

"Unbelievable. If this isn't a joke, does that mean you were invited to all these numerous events held in London!"

"Right. Somehow the joke seems a bit excessive."

I also wished it was a joke!!

Honestly speaking, even in the past invitations never poured to this degree.

The problem is the fact that now is November. A time everyone excited to enjoy last before winter, and the festival heat was right before exploding ending with the Lord Mayor's Show.

This was also because my address is publicly disclosed to the world. Even Mr. Doyle lives at the hotel, and the house isn't London so even if sending invitations no guarantee they'll come, but in my case everyone blatantly knows where I live, and writes letters first thinking by any chance might come that talk!

And among them half are chain letters!

"Sorry words to the two gentlemen but it's not a joke. Hearing the accent acquaintances from America so seem not knowing well, currently in London there's no citizen who doesn't know Teacher Durand!"

"Uh... Is that possible? This friend is so?"

Is that possible for you?

This one word of Mr. Tesla ultimately ignited Mr. Morris's loyalty.

"Sir Durand, is the special advisor and policy consultant of the British Empire Department of Food Innovation now, and honorary member of the Royal Academy and Royal Society, and also invited as special advisor of the newly established cooking research institute at King's College. Also honorary secretary of the British Empire Wounded Soldiers Support Association, formal member of the Royal Academy of Arts, and director of Imperial Spreadworks and founder of Royal Spicy Crown Company. So one should duly receive such treatment, right!"

As the excessive titles attached to me were listed one by one from Mr. Morris's mouth, I felt like digging into a mouse hole.

And if adding a few minor titles Mr. Morris forgot or didn't know yet and didn't mention, I literally might pierce even the mantle!

For example associate member of the Carlton Club that only high nobles of London can enter — this was Chairman Balfour forcibly dumping the pass — or manager of the Windsor Castle manor.

Honestly about half there were titles I just wanted to throw all on the ground!

To Mr. Morris's strong protest Mr. Edison and Mr. Tesla's eyes widened. Especially Mr. Edison started wiping the sweat on his half peeled forehead with a handkerchief.

"...On earth what matter did you cause, in the meantime?"

"Wait a moment, sir? Wasn't this friend a commoner?"

"Teacher Durand, no, Sir Durand is scheduled to receive the investiture next week. Together with the medal. So in front of other people please at least use quasi formal expressions."

I finally covered my face with both hands.

Thanks to that I didn't have to see how much their expressions changed to astonishment.

Medal? If explaining it's a bit long.

In the meantime while resolving incidents and accidents Mr. Doyle caused I had no spirit at all, but the newly written Holmes series hitting too big a hit and unnecessary interest concentrating on me was the problem.

If buying Strand Magazine Durand sauce recipe is inside!

Durand tablespoon? What's that? Where obtain?

Curious can't endure anymore! Can't obtain that somewhere?!

Waaa! Let's charge into the publishing company!

As much as here is the modern era perfect information security of modern level was close to impossible.

Most work done by people not machines, and no surveillance cameras so leakage is easy.

My peanut butter also leaked once like that. Honestly I didn't track so it was so but ultimately samgyeopsal recipe is also human leakage, right.

Tablespoon also excited people thoroughly searched and ultimately even the free gift plan thoroughly spread out.

For improving British citizens' cooking level, the measuring spoon Jean-Paul Durand directly designed! And that stepping forward directly for people and planning to produce and scatter tens of thousands for free!

There even the recipe book Jean-Paul Durand directly made — in fact more than half Escoffier's recipes — planning to serialize in Strand Magazine every month!

Such content thoroughly searched and all kinds of flesh attached and flew up riding London citizens' word of mouth. There even the wounded soldiers foundation rumor together!

In the end public opinion changed so rapidly.

[ Jean-Paul Durand went crazy! Devoting to this point for people! Waaa! The government repay with honor! ]

His Majesty Edward VII and Chairman Balfour who accurately captured such people's reactions, seemed the two holding hands and deciding to give medals to me.

And the Marquess of Salisbury also didn't oppose this. In fact the ulterior motive was obvious. In the situation of negative public opinion rising as the reality of the Boer War is known one after another, intending to turn people's gazes and dilute public opinion using my positive image.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath.

A name derived from the bathing ritual in medieval knighthood investiture, and among medals civilians can receive with social contribution in Britain it was counted as the highest grade.

This Order of the Bath had three stages.

First, Companion.

This one can receive only by making very large social contributions. But the lowest medal that doesn't give knighthood.

Second, Knight Commander.

To receive this medal basically one had to already be a high-ranking general, high-ranking civil servant. And also establish merit. From here knighthood unconditionally follows.

Third, Knight Grand Cross.

The most honorable grade. But to receive this one has to block a war once or twice with one's own hands. A medal not given in peacetime. But why give this to me?!

Although learned late originally I was scheduled to be awarded the Companion grade Order of the Bath that said.

Knighthood separate, here medal attached honorary knight that talk.

But suddenly why attaching government position to me, that was Chairman Balfour's preliminary work to raise the medal grade!

As my fame drew a rocket curve with the Holmes series, together with the announcement of my investiture schedule hastily burst even the Knight Grand Cross award with one line of article!

And that was just the morning the day before yesterday.

Naturally the rumor swelled greatly again.

The famous chef Jean-Paul Durand, recognized for merit becomes knight and even receives the highest medal! And that on the day the Lord Mayor's Show London's highest festival unfolds! Waa! Everyone gather and congratulate!

No what am I a war hero? Receiving the Knight Grand Cross?!

Why does no one suspect? How many people more active in war than me?!

Funnily Britain is currently in the Boer War, so legally giving me the Knight Grand Cross had no problem at all! Moreover people making the same counterargument as me if bringing up wounded soldiers whatever couldn't say a word!

Inevitably the sound that Golden Grand Cross will soon hang on my neck!

In fact even if the dishes I made spread all over London the people who remembered my name and chattered were a very small minority.

That is well, even in the previous life if seeing a celebrity passing by on the street one is glad only then, usually doesn't go around chattering only celebrity talk.

But this time was different.

Just making tasteless British cooking delicious one becomes quasi noble?

Then shall I also try making my house's tasteless cooking delicious once?

But don't know the method, what to do? But if subscribing to Strand Magazine Jean-Paul Durand informs the method?

Then let's follow! And somehow surpass that person's skill!

Run to the general store! Owner! Immediately take out Durand tablespoon!

Suddenly occurring British cooking innovation craze! Don't know how people's stream of consciousness unfolded and such result came out, but thanks to that I became tired in various ways.

All that was matters that occurred in a few days. And also the reason Mr. Morris who came to serve me sparkling eyes and full strength on the waist.

Terrible.

"Now you know, right? Why I guaranteed the patent right passage."

"Ah... Hmm..."

"Uh... On earth..."

And the two people who heard this talk from me, also had no choice but to go almost to the point of fainting.