Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Britain's Future

There are elements absolutely necessary for humans to live.

House? A dwelling that blocks rough external environments is important. Favorable for survival by protecting safety from changeable weather.

Clothes? Humans unlike other animals evolved to adapt to various environments. Instead of no fur made and wore clothes matching whenever hot or cold.

But these two ultimately just convenience elements that make life more comfortable. Live as is if having, live as insufficient if lacking is enough.

Then food?

Food is exactly the absolute element of human survival, and history, and motivation for action.

Whether having food or not is beyond simple convenience a matter of life and death.

I think human history is literally a continuous circulation process for securing and stockpiling food.

In primitive times lived moving to places needed for hunting and gathering. Starting farming settled in one place and grew power. Then if famine comes and food bottoms out, plundering neighboring tribes and wars occurred.

Because living enough to be satisfied to some degree crossed the sea and risked life saying will eat more delicious than others, right?

Thinking about the big events that shook Western history all were matters that occurred surrounding food.

Rome's expansion, a choice to secure insufficient granary areas.

Crusades, collision to snatch the spice trade route Islam monopolized.

Age of Exploration, attempt to obtain India's spices through sea route instead of land route.

Industrial Revolution, tried to obtain insufficient food by activating trade with mass produced cheap wool fabrics.

Of course superficially political, economic, religious, social factors acted complexly but ultimately the core was simple.

Countless resource struggles for securing food.

And the history of this fight rapidly changes with only one invention.

Exactly the supply of home refrigerators and preservation innovation.

Refrigerator dramatically extended food storage period and reduced discard rate, and leapingly raised the efficiency of food preservation.

As food production started surpassing consumption, a world opened where one no longer has to be driven to fights for resources.

As perishable agricultural products also became stably long-distance exportable the economy naturally grew.

To stably export meat and dairy products transportation infrastructure like railways and shipping has to be more solidly equipped, so the entire industry accelerating was natural procedure.

To maintain and repair the vast economic infrastructure across the world communication development also becomes desperate.

The appearance of vacuum tube technology to amplify wireless communication was also inevitable.

After that well, if slightly exaggerating someday vacuum tubes will evolve into computers, right. Obvious, right?

Might just be one small refrigerator, but the fact that it is the starting point that divided modern and contemporary was clear.

A world where unnecessary food wars decrease, and remaining capacity can be used for the community's happiness and well-being. Modern society where fields that raise quality of life and enrich culture like entertainment, art, science research grow.

Of course all changes didn't continuously occur with only one refrigerator. All causal relationships are multilayered.

But an invention with that much potential to change the world.

How much recognizing and being able to use that potential, yes, would be the share of the politicians standing in front of me now.

"Your Excellency Marquess of Salisbury, and Chairman Balfour."

"Sir Durand, this way of summons is a bit unpleasant. Surely not a bit elated saying invested as knight tomorrow immediately. If not a major matter enough to call all of us together, one should keep today's matter in memory."

I faced them waiting in front of the restaurant.

Chairman Balfour with a frowning face, Sir Samuel uneasy, and His Excellency Marquess of Salisbury standing supporting a cane looking at a far place.

Honestly rude was correct. Because deliberately pulled some aggro to call up to here.

I slightly utilized the nobles I got to know at social parties over the past week, among them people favorable to me and created such an atmosphere.

‘Jean-Paul Durand is trying to hand over a tremendous future technology enough to control Europe's hegemony to America at a cheap price’.

No reality shown. Just assuming such a situation and subtly probing people's reactions.

I asked not to tell anyone but people are frogs. Naturally would have been conveyed one after another even to Chairman Balfour's ears.

Blatantly dragging Mr. Edison and Mr. Tesla around, personal information degree comes out if investigating. America's famous inventors.

Even when the American embassy started inquiring their whereabouts, might have thought a kind of bluffing.

So I finally sent an invitation through Sir Samuel.

Actually not that I was trying to sell the technology, but reverse that side brought super special technology, and will show the reality so come play. So everyone was startled and ran.

To protect my refrigerator business their power was desperately needed immediately but on documents can't persuade and takes time too.

People's gains and losses are mostly swayed by external environments.

Before J.P. Morgan upward the importance of the refrigerator and starts unnecessary lobby war, intending to probe whether these people can become my shield themselves.

The British Empire and the United States are not enemies now. So people degree one can easily move as much as one wants.

Since the whereabouts of those two Morgan was tracking confirmed, the possibility of devising coercive means and trying to take them even immediately couldn't be excluded.

J.P. Morgan is a tremendous big shot to leave as a simple ordinary enemy.

A cold-blooded person with no blood or tears if for one's goal that talk.

I know well how vicious cold-blooded people can become for their purpose.

Frankly secretly bringing firearms and while I'm walking bang! from behind then I just end!

So I absolutely had no thought of directly stepping into this fight. So somehow persuading these people, I'll hide behind them and fight a proxy war that.

"Enter from the main point. Did you steal advanced technology enough to change the future of the British Empire from America?"

"Exactly speaking not stolen. Technology the two people behind me directly developed, and they currently want personal protection."

"Personal protection?"

"Well you know, right. Would have received the report from Sir Crookes. Not a patent war but ultimately seems will become a justification war."

"Hmm."

Whether Chairman Balfour became interested, the gaze slightly sharpened and headed toward the two people.

Then felt Mr. Edison and Mr. Tesla flinching.

But I was upright.

Chairman Balfour's gaze headed toward me again. Only then he released the strength in the eyes and sighed.

“Knew all. You, grew more in the meantime? Until now seemed only acting matching the situation I created... On earth what more are you hiding?”

"Nothing hiding. Just the situation became like this. Come come, quickly enter inside. In fact curious even now, right?"

"Haa. Uncle, enter. Let's appreciate Sir Jean-Paul Durand's performance."

"Hmm."

I made one assumption.

Sir Crookes the academy president packing money tightly and crossing to America and doing technology research together and investing, that can't exist without Chairman Balfour level permission.

From the first time I went to the Royal Academy holding the refrigerator concept explanation it might have been a scheduled future.

The tremendous genius Sir Crookes, although not expressing at that time probed my thinking level together with various questions. And would have grasped the potential of the refrigerator at once.

So received Chairman Balfour's permission and set out on the travel. To confirm whether this is really a realizable technology or not.

The conclusion would have been 'possible'. And would have guessed to some degree the influence this technology will have on the future, and reported everything to Chairman Balfour.

Probably from then Chairman Balfour noting me and looking one by one all the realities including the peanut butter business I was doing, like matching a puzzle that thought.

When I suddenly appeared holding Nutella what was Chairman Balfour's emotion? Did the back of the head chill?

I also simultaneously realized. Things like Department of Food Innovation, international cooking exposition are good-looking excuses, in fact that might have been Chairman Balfour's design to make me appear and active throughout British society.

What use only having refrigerator? If British people continue eating monster dishes, and indifferent about cooking no particular influence.

At least if not that degree, this infinite push toward me of current British society isn't explained!

No what spreading samgyeopsal, making peanut butter, deliciously frying chicken, eliminating jellied eels, making MSG substitute, newly proposing sandwich combination method degree gaining popularity to this point?

Ah sandwich excluded. This hasn't been revealed yet that I'm the producer.

Anyway too strange, right?!

At least a public opinion manipulation criminal is involved. I guarantee that's Chairman Balfour. And with his reaction my expectation seems to have become certain.

I took them to the warehouse and directly showed the refrigerator.

"This small thing... is that?"

"Yes. As guessed, refrigerator."

"Smaller than thought. Box shape so can move anywhere. That would be the advantage."

"Right. Even in Buckingham Palace's cooking room, even in the Department of Food Innovation office, if needed even at Chairman Balfour's residence can place, right."

"Amazing. The price thought of?"

"Well, 15 pounds per unit okay, right? Then even middle class can force and buy I think."

Ordinary laborers in London earn 4 pounds a month, but no electricity infrastructure so can't use anyway.

Then no need to force and lower the price, raising the price and targeting middle class and above who can use electricity was correct.

Merchants and self-employed in London, professionals like lawyers or doctors, financial office workers like bank clerks, civil servants, high-grade technical positions in factories etc. earn over 10 pounds a month sufficiently.

Enough large sum to buy a refrigerator that talk.

"How about 12 pounds for supply. Suitable even for monthly installments?"

"If only reducing taxes. Also block technology theft, and block even latecomers. And adopt as Department of Food Innovation strategic business. The people who came with me also if possible one knighthood and medal each. How."

"Guarantee."

Chairman Balfour and I already knowing about the refrigerator so conversation smoothly communicated even without particular explanation.

But the Marquess of Salisbury and Sir Samuel had expressions of not understanding what words at all.

"Gerald. That small machine box really a tremendous item that will control Britain's future that talk? To the point of pouring all taxes coming from Canada and having to directly produce in London?"

"Yes, so, Uncle. Please consider even the situation of stopping all wars currently waging and turning those funds this way. I'll leave the judgment to Uncle. So brought."

Don't know what small about a box with total height 3 meters, but by 1901 standards clearly belonged to small machines.

If saying refrigerator of the current era large refrigeration warehouses filling one room were all.

Shall I give a bit of shock.

"Sir Samuel, there's a door here. Try standing close in front."

"Stand in front of this?"

"Yes."

Early November but today's London weather was strangely warm. Like Korea's three cold four warm weather fluctuating before winter comes.

And this inside no ventilation so more stuffy.

I forcefully opened the refrigerator door.

Whoosh.

"No?!"

The sudden cold air bursting from the refrigerator surprised even the Marquess of Salisbury, and he momentarily flinched and stepped back one step.

The marquess made an astonished expression.

And Sir Samuel also shouted.

"Wait, Sir Durand! What, on earth this?! Did you even cast magic?!"

"Yes, well as you see a portable electric refrigerator. If only having electricity, can keep the internal space continuously in such cold state. For life."

"Not refrigeration warehouse... refrigerator?! Not icebox either, really made this cold with only electricity?!"

"As you see."

There was a reason he was surprised.

1901, existing refrigeration technology all mechanical.

Ammonia, carbon dioxide, sulfuric acid as refrigerant compressing vapor and cooling and naturally all driven by steam engines. Sound of one person attaching like a steam locomotive and continuously throwing wood or coal.

So inevitably large, and sound tremendous, and a machine one can't put inside like this and use. Naturally home supply also impossible.

Sir Samuel who said hobby of collecting unmined ore screamed as if realizing something. He made an expression as if strongly hit the back of the head with a hammer.

Although not speaking the Marquess of Salisbury also seemed to have fallen into very deep worries. Don't know what hint received and came up to here, but whatever seemed heavily weighed on the scale in his heart.

I glanced at the thermometer.

6 degrees above zero. Certainly cold.

And took out the secret weapon hidden inside the refrigerator. Other things all not. Must be this. So called these people up to here.

I shook the bottle.

"Chairman, will you have one glass of the first commemorative liquor?"

"That?"

"Draft beer not heat treated. Bought at the brewery in front."

"Draft beer? You, kept that in the refrigerator and maintained cold?"

"Yes. Delicious, right?"

"That good. Ingenious. Thinking about it it's been very long since drinking draft beer. Give one glass right away. Much more delicious than beer put in the icebox."

That also fresh beer with yeast perfectly alive stored in the refrigerator.

No matter a person overflowing with power can't drink such cool beer usually.

To continuously keep beer cool one has to continuously scoop ice into the icebox but that's too bothersome.

Mostly drink in warm state, or slightly lukewarm compromise and drink is usual. Draft beer coming out in such perfectly cold state would be an unfamiliar experience even to power holders.

I put beer glasses in people's hands, and poured one glass each.

The foam of the beer holding cold steam fully captivated the men's gazes.

I secretly clicked the tongue inside.

Tried drinking in advance for test so know, that really dangerous.

Not taste but addictiveness terrible that talk.

The refreshing feeling of cold beer wetting the throat and flowing down, the harmony of moderately bitter taste and carbonation, the texture of soft foam, the fresh aroma of hops and the subtle sweetness of malt.

If a Briton one can't help but think even lying in bed.

Would toss and turn and shout from morning.

Immediately one more glass of cool draft beer! that.

And would find any means to equip a refrigerator.

Sorry but this was a future even Mr. Edison and Mr. Tesla couldn't imagine.

Needing an electric refrigerator for one glass of cold beer, except me a future person no one would have expected.

Similarly Chairman Balfour who couldn't foresee his future sparkling eyes and raised the glass high above the head.

"Uncle, this seems exactly the future of Britain I expected and Sir Durand drew. Appreciate."

Cold draft beer had value worth that.

Mr. Edison, Mr. Tesla, Sir Samuel, Chairman Balfour, and even the Marquess of Salisbury still wrapped in worries and silent, all slowly brought the glass to the mouth.

And a nuclear bomb exploded in the middle of London.