Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Unexpected Visit

A true superstar drives both fans and anti-fans crazy.

This saying was popular in 2020s Korea, but in fact if you trace its origin (?) it might have to go back to 1893 London Britain.

Because exactly that year, the great detective Sherlock Holmes fell into a waterfall with his nemesis Professor Moriarty and died.

'The Final Problem' announced in December 1893.

A famous anecdote that anyone who has heard even a little of the Holmes series would know. The story that Mr. Doyle caught a kind of �art disease (?)� that a writer can't avoid and eliminated the super popular protagonist Sherlock Holmes in the work.

Arthur Conan Doyle himself wanted to write things like adventure action or SF, alternate history novels, but because people kept only talking about Holmes stories he gradually got angry. So he cut the pulse completely.

How big a commotion there was after that, honestly I was young so the inherited memory is faint, but anyway they said there was a commotion.

In fact at the end of the 19th century, when the Sherlock Holmes series first came out into the world critics treated such mystery novels and thriller genres as quite low-grade literature. Some sent praise saying it was very original, but others ignored it saying there was no social message in the novel and it was just simple entertainment.

But when Conan Doyle actually took the strong measure of eliminating the protagonist, both avid fans and critics went crazy at the same time.

7 years. Really for 7 years there was a shitshow. In Britain, Germany, France, America and others protest and threat letters poured endlessly for several years, and some vicious fans threw stones at the windows of Doyle's mansion every day so there wasn't a single intact window frame?

The reason Arthur Conan Doyle became the best influencer (?) of the time, half of it could be said to be thanks to such aggro.

And this commotion is still ongoing, and until the summer of 1901 Holmes has not been resurrected.

Of course, as remaining in history he will resurrect someday, and that fact was a secret that only I know excluding the author himself right now. But even such me never dreamed that Mr. Conan Doyle would directly appear at my restaurant!

Led by Emily's hand who urgently found me and going out the side door, there were two people knocking on the firmly closed restaurant front door. And one of them was Mr. Doyle so I was startled.

Recognizing the identity wasn't difficult. The face of the most popular Arthur Conan Doyle was scattered in newspapers and all kinds of magazines.

But welcoming them as customers of my restaurant right now was quite troublesome and awkward. Right, literally I was hit by a 'bolt from the blue' in an instant.

"Can't it be done somehow? Surely you're not harboring malice because Holmes died..."

"Ah, that's not it! I have no feelings about the novel content!"

I'm not even a fan of the Holmes series! I don't like mystery novels!

The reason I'm so flustered is because the big star Arthur Conan Doyle appeared during the 'break time' of my restaurant of all times. And that at 3 in the afternoon long after lunch business ended!

Moreover the person who escorted him here is a detective inspector from Scotland Yard! He should be in the middle of being cursed a lot by citizens heated up over the Golden Syrup and Treacle sales suspension, why is he here?!

Anyway Mr. Doyle who has been holed up in his rural hometown house only doing writing activities, and the inspector who usually had no chance to encounter such upper-class culture had no way of knowing the break time concept of a high-end restaurant.

"It's break time. Didn't you know? It's written big here like this. So it can't be done."

"B-break time...?"

Break time is literally the time of stopping business from 2 in the afternoon lunch until before 7 in the evening, and briefly closing the door for evening preparation and employees' meals, rest, and Afternoon Tea.

In modern Korea it's unimaginable for a restaurant to have such a long break time, but in high-end restaurants of this era Britain this was a general and common sense thing.

Especially the closer the customers are to the upper class, strictly keeping such rules was an agreed method that makes the restaurant more high-class. So even people with high social status often fall into awkward situations not knowing break time. Right now is exactly such a case.

So to simply summarize the situation, these people are visiting during the break time of my restaurant right now and begging to sell Chicken and Chips, and I was refusing saying I can't do that.

Honestly in my heart I want to just let them in, but I can't make an exception only here. If rumors spread wrongly the gentry I've chased out without any problem until now will later raise strong complaints. Then it would be troublesome.

But just sending them out here was also uneasy. Of course, it's that 'Arthur Conan Doyle'? A super influencer? If he later harbors a grudge and makes me appear as a villain in the Holmes series what do I do? The direction of the stones might turn to my restaurant?

"Our restaurant resumes business at 7 in the evening. Today reservations are full, but I'll somehow prepare about one table. How about visiting again then?"

This was the best I could propose.

"But... I've already booked the afternoon train ticket, and to match the time..."

"Inspector Reid, the chef is this troubled so continuing to beg doesn't seem polite either. It's the fault of visiting without knowing the exact business hours. There will be plenty of opportunities next time too, right?"

Listening to the story, Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle says an urgent matter arose that he has to return to his hometown right today. He promised to send the novel manuscript to the publisher, but belatedly realized that part of the middle manuscript disappeared during work?

It doesn't seem like a situation where someone can send a telegram from home, and in the end he was in a really awkward situation as a writer of having to return home directly and find the manuscript and re-proofread.

Still having heard somewhere that Chicken and Chips is popular in London, it seemed he was led by the inspector's hand and came here before returning. What on earth was he doing until this late time without even eating lunch?

Growl.

Whose stomach did this sound come from?!

Sigh, having heard even this sound and continuing to turn them away at the door, no matter how cold-blooded I am it's something I can't do as a person.

And I also had a very tiny debt consciousness toward Mr. Doyle. When I first made up my cooking skills to my family, I really slightly mixed fiction and sold Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle's name.

Of course after that there was no one who doubted my skills, and Mr. Henry was mistaking virtual person A as a great noble so there's no worry of being caught...

Anyway there was one good method.

"Understood. Please come in. Right now I can't sell Chicken and Chips, but I was just about to prepare an amazing food comparable to it. How about it? Would you try tasting and evaluate?"

"Is that okay? I've caused a great rudeness."

"It's fine. Because I'm treating you not as customers, but as my guests."

Exactly including these two in my peanut butter tasting session. Hmm, well surely these people don't have peanut allergies or something? Shall I ask once?

"By any chance there's something I want to ask, among walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts, almonds, peas, lentils, broad beans is there any you dislike?"

"There's none I dislike. Rather I like them. There's no ingredient I avoid so you don't have to worry."

"That's fortunate."

I asked just in case. Peanuts are so weird, they look like legumes but taste like nuts. Of course even if there's no allergy to other nuts or legumes I can't be sure peanuts are okay, but honestly I've never seen a person around me who got an allergy from eating food yet.

Thinking about the poor hygiene of the 20th century and low infant survival rate, people with allergies might have all been eliminated when young... Well, I'm not a scientist how would I know?

Creak.

"Anyway welcome. This is my restaurant, Culina Divina! Please enjoy freely."

"Oh, ooooh...! This interior!! Really amazing! Can I look around a bit?"

"...Heh, heeeek!!"

I knew he would marvel. It was a widely known fact that Mr. Doyle has deep interest in various cultural spheres, especially Asian-related items.

Such descriptions often come out in the Holmes series too, right?

[ Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle: A very mysterious and exotic place! To think such a place was hidden in London! / Emotion: Admiration / Satisfaction: - ]

[ John Reid: It's a more luxurious place than expected! Can I afford it with my salary? / Emotion: Great Confusion / Satisfaction: - ]

The problem is this side the inspector. As soon as he sees the interior his facial expression is rotting right away? Hmm, in fact this level was a reaction that could sufficiently come out from the middle class and below of this era.

The inspector is a genuine commoner who doesn't even properly know the break time concept of a high-end restaurant. Mr. Doyle has so much money so there's no burden, but with a civil servant salary it would be difficult to afford meal costs tailored to the standards of the rich.

On the outside it looks like a shabby building so he thought it wouldn't be expensive... But inside it's completely different.

Can't be helped. Shall I help a bit.

"Among my acquaintances there is an avid fan of Holmes. How much that person usually admired Mr. Doyle! So instead of that person I'm thinking of treating today's meal, how about it?"

"Is that okay? I don't know where to put myself. Please convey thanks to that person instead. If necessary I'll even give my signature."

Of course there's a high possibility Mr. Doyle would have said he would pay for the meal, but if the price range suddenly jumps a lot it's also very burdensome from the position of being treated? If you eat with a burden in your heart no matter how delicious the food you can't feel the taste. Then there's no meaning in including them in the tasting team.

So I decided not to receive money from them. Anyway when peanut butter is commercially sold I'll earn enough money from there so what.

Whether he felt the burdensomeness from the inspector's expression Mr. Doyle also readily accepted my proposal. Only then did the inspector let out a sigh of relief and loosen his expression.

"Phew, really thank you. How should I repay this favor... By any chance if pickpockets or thieves frequently appear around please tell me right away. I'll have the patrol policemen go around this area a bit more often. Of course it's a street so well maintained in terms of public order that such a thing won't happen..."

No! I wish you'd catch the beggars like the American reporter who barged in last time first!

Come to think of it the patrol policemen were also diligently working near our house on Baker Street. In return treating the inspector to one meal, hmm, it's fine. My heart becomes comfortable too.

Anyway I led these two people looking around in all directions like people who just came up to Seoul from the countryside to the central hall. To seat them in that 'seat of honor.' If the Duke who is a Holmes fan finds out about this situation will he be startled? Telling him later would also be fun.

Like that the seat of honor table we arrived at, there was the Earl of Derby sitting in a proper posture and snoring with Debussy's Arabesque playing on the Edison phonograph.

This grandfather was in the office until just now?

Snore snore. Zzz.

"Earl! Earl!"

"Hmm, galbijjim... Edith, will you give me one more plate of galbijjim..."

"Earl of Derby!!"

"Galbijjim..."

"A guest has come!"

"Hmm... I want to eat galbijjim..."

"Earl, a guest has come so today's peanut butter party is urgently canceled!!!"

"Hmm... What!! No!!"

Pretending to sleep and continuously appealing for galbijjim, he's still five moves ahead of me. Last time Lady Edith made galbijjim to his heart's content, why is he still begging me?

Anyway the Earl of Derby rubbed his eyes and got up, alternately looked at me and the two people standing behind me, and with his characteristic hearty laugh requested a handshake.

"Hahat, Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle! Frederick Arthur Stanley! To meet the author of the Holmes series whose fame I've only heard here! Ahem, please forget the content I was muttering until just now!"

"...Haha, nice to meet you. I'm the author Arthur Conan Doyle. Are you the Earl?"

"Ahem. That's right. Please call me the Earl of Derby. But Inspector Reid, why are you here? Isn't it work time?"

The inspector who was happy at the word that the meal is free, as soon as he faced the Earl became restless again.

Oh, it seems the two are not meeting for the first time?

"The superintendent specially instructed to escort Mr. Doyle well. Because it's the top priority work. Don't you know the incidents that recently occurred around Mr. Doyle?"

"Ah, is that so. Has that project already started? Then we have to escort well!"

What? What happened between you guys? Why is the inspector suddenly sweating on his forehead...?

"It's an important matter. Our Bertie also... Ahem, anyway be careful. The peace of London depends on your shoulders. In that sense bringing Mr. Doyle here today is the best choice unlike you! You can tell the superintendent that I said so!"

"Thank you, Your Lordship the Earl of Derby!"

What are these people talking about right now? Another secret friend? And why is the inspector happy again? Of course it was obvious it would be content I don't particularly want to know! If I know it seems like something will become troublesome!

Anyway having safely finished the tasting session personnel composition like this, I headed to the kitchen with light steps.

There's food I thought of, and the prepared ingredients are also sufficient. Now what's left is only finishing the tasting session within break time, and moving to evening business as usual as if nothing happened.

Unlike the previous Duke of York and Mr. Tesla incidents, today of all days there was no particular burden.

Until I saw Lady Edith with a pouty expression in the kitchen, I thought everything would end smoothly like that.

Something's ominous?!