Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Bomb Declaration

I tried to continue speaking but momentarily paused seeing His Majesty's expression. An appearance of being shocked no matter who sees. For being moved by wonderful cooking, it was an expression with distance.

Rather than simple shock or astonishment, a fluster as if suddenly recalling something forgotten for a long time.

Wondering what was going on I quickly opened the status window.

[Albert Edward Wettin: Surely...! Surely! / Emotion: Great Confusion / Satisfaction: - ]

The result was unexpected even to me. The 'Great Confusion' message that floated on the status window. Why on earth?!

But other thoughts couldn't be read. The second limit of the status window. Even if the status window floats it's impossible to read all the thoughts of the target. By guess it seems only the surface psychology strongly revealed can be captured...

Was this cooking smell that shocking? I turned my head toward the source of the sweet smell wafting from inside the cloche.

Sniff sniff.

Sweet sweet. There were no other strange points. It's not an aroma that would divide likes and dislikes.

By any chance was the sesame oil aroma the problem? But sesame oil only goes in a really small amount in this recipe. I put exactly one spoon. Only enough to bring out the flavor with a savory aroma, and most flies away while heating to the point one doesn't even know if sesame oil went in.

By any chance is the decoration insufficient so it's like that? But what guy does heavy decoration on 'stew'?

No matter how much a French chef crazy about deco doesn't touch stew. Because the state itself with various ingredients mixed is the most natural cooking.

Or the color of the food is the problem�

"Th-that cooking bring it to me right now!"

"Yes!"

His Majesty suddenly shouted loudly so my thoughts were cut off. Ah, it was because he liked it? Then say so.

I carefully set everything on the table. Then His Majesty urgently picked up the spoon and fork.

Chomp chomp.

Dignity as a king, meal etiquette that high nobles keep, refinement or such were not visible at all.

In front of my eyes only a hungry person purely concentrating on the taste of food was seen.

Amazing. Is it because he's eating comfortably without others' gazes? Well, if human anyone wants to eat in a comfortable posture. If tense every time eating what taste on earth would one feel?

"Hmm, it's delicious! Really delicious! This meat dish is also delicious, and the stew is amazing! But what did you say the name of this stew was?"

"Yes? Ah, it's called 'bulgogi hot pot.' Your Majesty."

The second Korean food following tteokgalbi, bulgogi hot pot.

If a little more vegetables are added to the ingredients used when making tteokgalbi one can also make hot pot like this. Because only the cooking method is different.

But the taste is clearly different. Basically there's the difference of grilling and soup dish, but if tteokgalbi catches the balance with salty and savory taste, bulgogi hot pot was because soft and clean sweet taste is the main.

Both are not lacking as main dishes of Korean food, but when put out together like this they can satisfy various tastes without likes and dislikes so it was also my favorite combination.

In Korea too when going down to the provinces one often sees tteokgalbi restaurants also selling bulgogi hot pot together, right? There are also many cases of putting out both whole under the name 'bulgogi set meal.'

Thanks to that a smile bloomed on His Majesty's face too.

"Hahahat! Satisfying! Really satisfying!"

He's eating really well even with bread without rice. If it was me without rice with bare mouth it would be hard.

Clatter, clatter.

"Sir Durand, didn't you say just now which country's food this cooking is?"

"That... Your Majesty, by any chance do you know a country called 'Joseon'?"

"Joseon? It's a country I'm hearing for the first time. Lord Chamberlain, have you heard of it?"

I was startled and turned back. When he came out of the kitchen, Lord Frederick was quietly standing behind me.

Clearly I saw him finishing the remaining tteokgalbi and bulgogi hot pot together with the other chefs in the kitchen.

Lord Frederick ahem and wiped the area around his mouth with a handkerchief.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It's a very small and tiny country attached next to the eastern 'Qing Empire (the Qing Empire).' It's really amazing that Sir Durand even knows the cooking methods of such a country. It seems he studied a lot."

"Hmm, enviable. The king of that country eats such delicious food every day?"

Strictly speaking the Joseon king would have only eaten tteokgalbi.

The origin of hot pot goes back to the early Joseon, but the form itself of 'bulgogi hot pot' was created by the fusion of 'bulgogi' and 'hot pot' as the dining out culture of Seoul developed in the mid-20th century.

Originally bulgogi is a grilling form. Hot pot is a home cooking of putting meat or seafood, vegetables etc. and boiling and eating with the same utilization as Western stew.

In fact to properly bring out the true taste of hot pot one has to boil the semi-cooked hot pot directly on the spot for the proper taste... But in this era there's no portable gas burner so it's impossible.

"By any chance is our British Empire trading with that country?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I know a legation was recently installed. There is also a Joseon legation in London."

"Is that so."

What? There was a Joseon legation in London? I searched around and couldn't see it so I thought there wasn't?!

No matter what anyone says my identity is Korean. I have no intention of denying that fact. Of course in this era I am nothing but a lowly working class chef of Britain, so I didn't particularly have thoughts of giving special help. I'm busy enough just living myself, right?

Still if the Joseon people in London are starving, I was willing to give one delicious meal without compensation. Who knows? If I accumulate such good deeds will the fate of the pitiful younger siblings in our orphanage of my previous life change a little?

Ah, of course if I go and find a corrupt official sitting there of course I'll give a beating. The era is so bad that it's hard to know outwardly who is a traitor and who is an independence fighter, but I have the excellent discriminator of the status window.

Just doing twenty questions a few times with me even an insolent heart is easily exposed.

"By the way this pasta noodle? Is it pasta? It's a texture I'm feeling for the first time but it's very chewy and delicious. What is the name of this noodle?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. It's called 'glass noodles (Glass Noodles).' It's an ingredient that was popular in ancient China."

There is an essential element that can't be missing in bulgogi hot pot. That is glass noodles.

Glass noodles themselves have no taste at all. Transparent drawing paper itself.

However while absorbing the sweet and salty broth and seasoning of the hot pot it has the function of making the taste and texture even richer. Soft beef thoroughly cooked, soft and mushy vegetables, there the chewy and bouncy glass noodle strands harmonize and make the perfect gourmet harmony!

If even one of these is missing it's no longer hot pot!

Even in Andong if glass noodles are missing they don't treat it as jjimdak!

How did I find glass noodles? In fact at first I thought there weren't any, and was going to test pasta noodles like linguine or vermicelli on the chefs, but at that time one guy suddenly held out glass noodles.

Asking where he brought them from he talked about Limehouse. He knew the existence of Limehouse Chinatown! I had been doing useless things alone saying I'd procure soy sauce and sesame oil.

"Hmm, by the way..."

His Majesty's fork and knife suddenly stopped. And his blue eyes stared blankly at my face.

"Sir Durand, you almost don't reveal emotions on your face? Is it originally such a tendency?"

"Yes?"

What are you saying? I'm reacting so hard inside like this? Well, of course it won't be heard. Because it's the sound of my heart.

"Interesting. You are a really interesting friend. Right? Lord Chamberlain."

"Yes. It's an excellent poker face. It doesn't suit the age and environment."

"Who sees would think he secretly received imperial studies education somewhere! Ughahahat!"

Doesn't it seem like there's a bone hidden in the words somehow? Sweat trickled from my back. But it was still early to relax the tension.

Because the emotion displayed on His Majesty Edward VII's status window was still in the 'Great Confusion' state.

Pretending to be ordinary, and continuing a hearty meal as if nothing, but still stars and points weren't coming in.

Emergency! It's an abnormal phenomenon!

Really very occasionally, when guests deeply fall into past memories to the point they can't properly feel the taste of food, such a thing happens.

What on earth of this food put His Majesty into a confused state, I couldn't grasp at all. At times like this one has to diligently refresh the status window until a hint comes out.

[Albert Edward Wettin: Isabella. / Emotion: Great Confusion / Satisfaction: - ]

Wait a minute, this is a familiar development?

Surely His Majesty also has a failed first love like his son?

Moreover the name Isabella, a name almost not used in Britain.

The British version of this name is Elizabeth.

Isabella is a name used a lot in Romance language regions such as France, Austria, Belgium. It meant the owner of the name His Majesty recalled is not British.

From that one word carelessly uttered in his heart, somehow a deep longing seemed to be soaked.

At that moment, the status window suddenly flashed.

【 Acquired 10 Cooking Points. 】

【 General Quest: Impress celebrities with special food (7/99th cycle) - Success 】

【 Quest achievement additional reward: Spin Spin Random Box x3 】

【 Main Quest: Change history with special food (8.12%) 】

【 Random Box Confirmation Ticket Fragment B, C x1 (3/10) 】

What? Quest achievement was really after a long time. And that solving 3 cycles at once?!

Even when I treated cooking to Mr. Doyle only the change degree rose, the quest wasn't solved.

Is there some cooldown here too...? Or was even the Mr. Doyle matter solved all at once? A system still veiled that is hard to guess the conditions.

And His Majesty's emotional state that changed together. Great Confusion was resolved. To joy.

[ Satisfaction: ★★★★★ ]

Phew, fortunately I didn't kick empty.

I let out a sigh of relief. Damn, I thought my cooking failed.

No matter how outstanding my cooking skill is, perfectly matching the taste of a person met for the first time is close to impossible. So I only use universally verified recipes.

Moreover in cooking there exists the worst trash variable of allergy.

Clap clap clap clap.

His Majesty Edward VII put down the utensils and slowly started clapping.

"Excellent. Excellent! With cooking like this there would be no flaw at all even putting it on my coronation. Especially older brother Franz of Habsburg will also like it. Right? Lord Chamberlain."

"I'll acknowledge. Your Majesty. It's excellent skill."

Lord Frederick's exclamation was still short. But in that voice warmth seemed to be soaked somehow.

He hides emotions really well, this grandfather. I saw you rushing earlier all.

"Then I have to do the promised reward. Sir Durand."

"Yes."

Reward! Finally lending the manor?!

I straightened my waist upright, and tried to suppress the joy welling up from my heart as much as possible.

My heart was already running toward a flower field!

"From today you are really a 'knight (Knight).' Sir Durand."

"...Yes?"

At that moment His Majesty threw a real bomb declaration.

I was startled and speechless. My manor?!

###

Bang!

Lord Frederick hurriedly chased the dazed chef out of the room, and shouted surprised at the sudden situation development.

"Yo-Your Majesty! Doing it so suddenly! It's different from the morning's words!"

"It's not a joke. It's a matter I've thought of from long ago. Hahat."

"Your Majesty!"

However His Majesty Edward VII only made a smile full of playfulness.

"Lord Chamberlain, did you see that guy's expression just now! The guard collapsed in an instant! Hahahat! I smashed that guy's poker face in one blow! It was just one blow!"

"Your Majesty! A quasi-noble title is not a subject of jokes!"

It was an absurd situation. I knew the fact that His Majesty enjoys jokes, but this went too far. Because I've seen such an appearance of His Majesty from childhood it was more sorrowful.

No doubt. It was clearly influenced by that eccentric person the Earl of Derby!

"It has to receive the government's review! You have to thoroughly follow the form and procedure! You have to carefully investigate whether it's a person befitting national honor!"

"I know, Lord Chamberlain. I sufficiently know."

His Majesty suddenly let out a deep sigh.

"But if I let the government start the investigation first it seems it will be troublesome. Do you know the reason, Lord Chamberlain?"

"Yes?"

"It's a very important matter. It seems I've discovered one big secret somehow. I might have to send a telegram to the Austria side. If my thought is correct, giving a knighthood to that friend is a rightful thing. I'll explain the reason later. For now call that friend I just sent out again. Because the situation has to be cleaned up."

"Hmm, understood."

The chef called again was making a perfectly fine expression no different from when he first appeared. No change in emotion could be found, and he was even smiling slyly. Frederick was dumbfounded.

I heard he's a young man only 16 years old, where on earth did he learn that worldly wisdom? How can he be so calm in front of His Majesty? I absolutely couldn't understand.

"Jean-Paul Durand."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Prostrate. There's no sword so I'll proceed with an informal investiture by placing my hand on your shoulder."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

'Your Majesty! Investiture is not done like that!'

Thud.

"Jean-Paul Durand, according to the will of the glorious God, by my will I appoint you as a knight of this country. Loyally serve me, and make this country shine with excellent cooking. Do you understand?"

"I will deeply engrave Your Majesty's grace in my heart."

"Rise. From now you are Sir Durand. If someone ignores your status or tries to slander, use my name and kick their butt as much as you want. Hahahat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Lord Frederick was speechless. Saying he'll clean up, His Majesty rather made the matter even bigger!