Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Deduction Game

Finding the cause of Lady Edith becoming pouty wasn't that difficult.

[Emily Edith Stanley: Cooking for the shameless person who killed Holmes! / Emotion: Disappointment / Satisfaction: -]

Is Edith also a Sherlockian, or something? How many people is this? Just cross one leg and they're all Holmes fans. Of course it meant that Holmes holds that much meaning for the British of this era.

Now I understood the reason the inspector personally escorts Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle. Wherever you go in London you would easily encounter gazes mixed with love and hate toward Mr. Doyle. From the start didn't he come to London with a big heart?

It's already approaching 7 years since the Holmes series ended, but people are still waiting for Holmes's resurrection and urging the author. From the antipathy of so indifferently eliminating the character they loved, there were also those who call Mr. Doyle a 'murderer.' In that sense Edith's reaction like this was rather on the cute side.

What should I do? Just ignore it and pretend not to know and pass over?

If a person has worries in their heart no matter how delicious the food they eat they can't properly feel the taste. Similarly, if a chef makes food with an uncomfortable heart, no matter how outstanding the skill the food is hard to produce its proper taste.

There's also the saying that concentration, sincerity, and positive emotions like love when cooking seep into the food and determine the taste, right?

At a glance it looks like superstition, but I was the type who quite believed in this superstition. Because I've had too many similar experiences.

Seeing her appearance emotionally shaken this much was really the first time in a long while since we first met. I thought she was crazy only about cooking every day...

But if that state continues, it was obvious problems would arise even at dinner time a few hours later. I was thinking of throwing everything to her tonight and secretly fleeing to the peanut butter factory, but it won't do as is.

Can't be helped. Here I have no choice but to somehow relieve her mood.

I threw a bomb declaration.

"Lady Edith, how about something like this?"

"Yes?"

"We'll make amazing food that can turn Mr. Doyle's heart, and directly resurrect Holmes ourselves!!"

"Yeees?!"

As expected she was startled. Well, since I knew Holmes would resurrect within a year or two, there was no pang of conscience or anything at all.

"Ca-can that be done with only cooking?!"

Of course it's impossible. It's not hypnosis or brainwashing so there's no way cooking has such power. But all matters in the world depend on a person's mindset. For now just having a logical basis enough for her to believe as 'truth' was sufficient.

"I think like this. The reason Mr. Doyle no longer writes mystery novels is simply because his interest in deduction has cooled. He's already gained tremendous popularity as a worldwide bestseller, right? So he got writer's block. Because interest dropped he keeps only writing things like adventure action or war memoirs. Right?"

"That... Yes, it seems correct."

"But Mr. Doyle hasn't completely stopped writing, right? He still has passion for writing remaining, and although not mystery novels it's a fact he's continuing to write interesting writings. Right?"

"Yes... That's right. That's why I'm even angrier!"

Of course right now I don't know if Mr. Doyle is really writing interesting writings. Because I haven't read them. But seeing Lady Edith's reaction it seemed I properly hit the mark.

If a true fan, they can't tolerate a writer full of potential falling into another genre. Isn't the reason the British are still harassing Mr. Doyle exactly that?

If it gets worse here it's kidnapping and forcing him to write while feeding him dumplings.

"Then, let's combine our strength and rekindle Mr. Doyle's passion for mystery novels. Let's revive the spark of deduction he lost."

"...How?"

"It's easy and simple. Let's make a deduction game through cooking. If he directly experiences the fun of deduction won't the passion revive?"

"Yees?! Is that possible?!"

Would it be possible?! It's a sophistry but since I already brought it up, I couldn't stop. I was thinking of using the fact that Edith has strong competitive spirit.

"So... Let's make cooking that can be deduced. Prepare food with specific ingredients, then make them guess without revealing the identity of the recipe. Won't it be fun?"

"Yes! It seems like it will be fun!"

"Of course it's a possibility. I don't know if it will work or not, but wouldn't just trying have meaning? And that result now depends on Lady Edith's hands."

"Yes! I'll do my best! Then how do I start now?"

And the keyword that could stimulate her competitive spirit was just one enough. Exactly 'fun.'

[Emily Edith Stanley: Cooking deduction! Making me do cooking deduction to the master of mystery novels! / Emotion: Excitement / Satisfaction: -]

If I stimulate her competitive spirit like this changing the flow of emotions is a piece of cake. Anyway, with this it's resolved, right? I clapped my hands satisfactorily.

"Just in time, there's one ingredient that fits this situation perfectly."

"Ah... Peanuts!"

Clatter, clatter.

I shook the basket full of peanuts in front of Edith's eyes.

At first I was just going to end simply with peanut sauce samgyeopsal or peanut sauce sandwiches, but the matter is becoming annoying somehow.

Well, still thinking of preempting influencer marketing in advance it might rather be a good opportunity. Right now at the factory they're diligently expanding the peanut butter production line, and on some lines prototypes are already coming out to the stage.

If inventory piles up a bit more we can start selling from the general stores Mr. Pitton operates, but if Mr. Doyle mentions the taste of peanut butter in a new work matching the timing?

Then popularity will burst with a bang! If it becomes one or two times more popular than Marmite of my previous life, I sit on a money cushion, right?

Hmm, since it's come to this, shall I give a bit more strength?

"Can you lend your ear for a moment? This recipe is all secret."

###

Detective Inspector of Scotland Yard, John Reid looked around as if tense.

He was still uncomfortable with this seat. The restaurant he entered saying let's just eat lunch simply turned out to be one of the most expensive places in London, moreover if the person sitting together is the superior of the superior of the superior of the superior, this is what everything is said.

'I should have not brought up the Chicken and Chips story.'

I've already tasted the Chicken and Chips on Baker Street several times. So briefly boasting to the precious guest, Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle was the problem.

'Surely he would say let's go while brightening his face like that...'

It seems it hasn't been a few months since it became popular in London, did the rumor already spread to Surrey? Well, since it's a two-hour distance by train it might be possible.

But when we arrived at Baker Street by carriage, all the food was already sold out. Asking if there's no method they recommended that if you go here the son sells the same food so we ran again...

'What restaurant is this splendid? Yikes, that's expensive oak solid wood! I have to be careful not to touch it wrongly.'

The stall on Baker Street didn't look high-class either, and the exterior of this building was shabby so I thought it was just an ordinary restaurant. If I knew it was such an amazing place, I would have taken Mr. Doyle right into a nearby coffee house.

Growl.

Moreover this tactless stomach betrayed the owner's feelings and kept making strange sounds. I was dying of embarrassment.

"Ahem, Inspector Reid. Did you skip lunch? Then try eating even this."

Crunch crunch.

It was when I was curious about what the superior of the superior of the superior of the superior, the Earl of Derby had been putting in his mouth and chewing since earlier. A savory smell stimulated the nose.

"Your Lordship the Earl, what is that?"

"Hmm? It's peanuts. Are you seeing them for the first time? Well, you'll be able to see them easily soon."

"I'm also getting interested. If it's not rude, can I taste once?"

Inspector Reid together with Mr. Doyle put a handful of the peanuts the Earl recommended into his mouth and chewed.

Crunch. It was a nut that was somewhat moist yet had a slightly bitter taste. A savory taste is felt but there's almost no sweet taste. Comparatively walnuts seem better, but there was a strangely addictive taste.

Creeeak.

At that moment the chef of the restaurant appeared pulling a serving cart from afar.

"Ooh! Finally the food is coming out! It's faster than expected?"

The chef was a very handsome young man. Blue eyes and murky brown hair. If the still youthful face is a flaw then it's a flaw, but if he ages a bit more it's an appearance that the daughters of high society would easily fall for.

"Hmm? Young Jean, why are there two appetizers? Isn't the general course composition supposed to come out sequentially?"

The puzzled voice of the Earl of Derby flowed out.

"Ah, just treating the cooking I thought it might be boring somehow. Just in time Mr. Doyle the master of mystery novels is here, so I'm thinking of holding a fun tasting session related to deduction."

"Fun? Deduction?"

"Yes. Just in time it seems you've tasted the peanuts. I've prepared a very simple deduction game. From now I'll serve 2 appetizers, 2 main dishes, 2 desserts. And among them guess the cooking that doesn't contain peanuts. If you match the correct answer I'll tell you the special secret of the food you ate today. Probably by the time the meal ends you'll become very curious."

"Ho... Isn't the problem too easy? We already know the taste of peanuts?"

"Well, is that really so?"

Then Mr. Doyle who had been quiet until then briefly sank into thought, and soon answered with a smile.

"This kind of proposal is the first. Introducing the concept of deduction to a meal, it's a very fresh idea. There's no reason not to challenge. Earl, will you enjoy it together?"

"Ahem, if Mr. Doyle says so. Well, I don't mind."

"Good. Then please enjoy the meal freely."

What the young man put out was some complicated subtle salad and conversely two sandwiches that looked simple. He greeted and disappeared again to the other side of the corridor.

"Earl, will you deduce first? Or will you taste first?"

"I'll respect the opinion of the great writer."

"Then for now let's briefly talk and taste. I'm curious what intention might be hidden. The first impression and last impression might differ."

"Good. Then, I want to hear the opinion of the person most ignorant of food here first. Inspector Reid."

"Yes!"

Suddenly the Earl of Derby turned to the side. The inspector's heart sank.

"Tell your impression. Describe as is. As it comes to mind. Centered on appearance and smell. Dig into this luxurious and splendid salad one by one like you're investigating."

"Yes, understood."

Explanation. Inspector Reid was a person who in his life had never sprinkled anything other than mayonnaise on salad.

It seemed all the words in his head got tangled. But he tried hard to squeeze them out somehow.

Sniff sniff.

"For now... Garlic, there's a garlic smell! And a slight cheese scent... Something is sprinkled on top, it looks like peanuts crushed and put in but the color is different. This is clearly a trap! A trick that induces fixed ideas! Making you mistake it as peanuts but actually it's not peanuts but other nuts! A method criminals often use... Ah, sorry. The salad ingredients seem to have used romaine lettuce and croutons (*crouton, fried bread crusts)..."

"Excellent! Excellent! As expected the Inspector! You've found all the elements necessary for deduction! How does the Earl see it?"

"Hmm? Me? Well... Well done, Reid!"

Sudden praise from the Earl! It was a reaction he often does when at a loss for words.

"If I add one more word presumptuously, it seems a slight lemon juice and the familiar Worcestershire Sauce scent are mixed very slightly. The cheese is clearly Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano. Then, let's taste together now."

Everyone picked up the salad with a fork and put it in their mouth. And the reaction that came out was―

"Hmm...! Amazing! Just sprinkling one sauce on vegetables the taste can come alive like this!"

"...There was an element I missed just now. It was well mixed in the sauce so I didn't notice."

Egg yolk! This element exquisitely mixed in embraced the saltiness of the cheese and the freshness of the lemon, and the umami of the Worcestershire sauce softly and lightly achieving perfect harmony.

There was one more clear taste there.

"Savory! A very strong savory taste! Is this unidentified nut the cause?"

"Interesting. Mr. Doyle, are these nut pieces really made by crushing peanuts? It's a dressing combination I'm seeing for the first time, but the taste is very solid! If I can eat only this kind of salad, even I could do vegetarianism every day!"

"Well. The taste and aroma are completely different from my expectation. In my thinking there are two possibilities. It's another kind of nut that looks similar, or they specially cooked the peanuts and transformed the taste. To know which side I need to taste the other cooking too."

Everyone's gaze turned to the sandwich at the same time. This side could roughly be guessed even by eye.

'Wheat bread neatly cut removing the crust, spread with strawberry jam and unidentified yellow jam. No vegetables, just jam in it, is this yellow sauce Golden Syrup mixed with honey? But nothing that looks like peanuts is visible at all.'

"My appetite has completely turned so I can't endure anymore. The salad just now perfectly played its role as an appetizer. This sandwich looks simple in composition, so without deducing let's just eat it."

Hunger has reached the limit. As soon as Mr. Doyle's words fell everyone quickly reached out and picked up the sandwich and pushed it into their mouth.

And at that moment Inspector Reid realized a new world of taste.