Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Turning Point of Life

Well, I understand the engagement broke.

But looking at Mr. Salvatore's reaction, and the talk of even exchanging letters a while ago, it seems the parties don't know at all that it broke.

How is such a thing possible?

Because it was literally a marriage promise between families. The first start would have been a promise made between parents while in the womb or really young something like that.

Or it might have been marriage talks between grandfathers above.

The parties would have known that fact only after becoming adults, and after knowing and meeting they really liked each other and did true dating... In this era it was a development possible as much as one wants.

Then what was the reason to suddenly break such an old promise between families without the parties knowing?

[ Vito de Luca: Alfonso prince guy...! / Emotion: Anger / Satisfaction: - ]

With only this fragmentary message it was hard to guess everything. This inner thought also I wouldn't have known if it wasn't a situation related to cooking the cooking proposal.

But there was no reason for Mr. Luca to suddenly recall a third party here.

That name, clearly has relation with the engagement break. And though it was only a word that briefly passed in an instant, it was a sufficient hint to infer the background of this incident.

Alfonso.

A name mainly used by Latin-origin laborers like Spanish or Italian even in London.

Britons or French, German or Russian-origin immigrants don't use such names at all. So the owner of that name is 99 percent Spanish person or Italian person. Circumstantially Italian origin, then it's a Two Sicilies person.

Since he said prince it must have some connection with the already disappeared Two Sicilies royal court. Since there's no country it wouldn't be a real prince, is it a person who should have been a prince by nickname or family tree?

Looking at Mr. Luca getting angry like that the possibility that the cause of the marriage break is not this side but that side, related to that Alfonso prince or whatever gentleman was high.

'Then what is the reason to break such an old promise? Even ignoring the parties' emotions?'

There was only one possible situation. The first purpose of making the marriage alliance.

I don't know which side's fault but that disappeared.

Money. Or honor.

It could be one of the two or both, but the noble guy who was chased from hometown and doing crime business or the royal court that lost the country and was expelled both aren't particularly honorable situations, right?

Then by any chance did the gentleman with a daughter call the dowry excessively?

It was a sufficiently possible thing.

If the Two Sicilies royal court, the family tree of the Spanish Bourbon dynasty that still wields power all over Europe. Even without power there would have been pride coming from bloodline.

Since living in Cannes France it would be in exile state, and to maintain a living level close to that even if not as much as the royal family a lot of money would have been needed.

Thinking up to here I exactly got the sense. Exactly this.

The marriage business of the exiled royal court, in the end failed.

But looking at not ending in notification style and trying to slightly come over, is it the last negotiation?

Uncle Luca is thinking of not responding to that negotiation and just ending? There would also be the intention of interfering in case the two join hands and elope?

Situation analysis is over. Now it's the turn to display improvisation.

For reference I was on Mr. Salvatore's side.

"Mr. Luca. Just now I said I'd raise one word. I haven't received an answer yet. Is it okay?"

"Ah, Mr. Durand! Sorry! Because of the immature son my head hurts so. Yes, what business is it?"

"It's business talk. By any chance are you thinking of doing one business together with me?"

"...Business? With you? With me?"

"Yes, right. In fact the real business I came for today was exactly that."

Dragging the proposal talk more in this place was a bad move. I assumed high probability and guessed the situation, but it might also be my brain fiction?

So I first decided to turn this Italian mafia boss's interest elsewhere.

Just in time a talk worth trying with him came to mind. Being isolated for ten days at the manor gave quite a big inspiration.

The third of the future plans I set. The order will change a bit, but it won't matter.

"I think you roughly know the story of me selling food on the street and becoming self-made. Chicken and Chips, Durand Barbecue... I heard it's quite popular even in London's underworld lately, is that right?"

"Right! We also often buy and eat chicken from Baker Street having people! Then by any chance with me the Chicken and Chips business...?"

"Ah! That's not it. That side has a separate ownership contract so. But if Mr. Luca also listens to the talk you won't be disappointed. There's quite decent money-making. Are you interested?"

"Then of course I have to listen! Wait, don't just stand there and come this way and sit! By any chance do you like coffee? Black? Or shall I mix milk for you?"

I already drank coffee to my heart's content just now?!

Anyway I winked at Mr. Salvatore. That I'll somehow solve it. He was about to express resentment but seeing my wink nodded.

###

Mr. Luca guided me to another reception room. It was a much more splendid and cozy space than the 1st floor reception room with Mr. Salvatore.

Thud.

One cup of black coffee with steam rising appeared in front of me. But not caring about the coffee, I looked straight at Mr. Luca's eyes.

"So, what is the business talk? I'm very curious!"

"By any chance do you need legal jobs?"

"Legal...? Legal? Mr. Durand, are you making fun of me now? Are you trying to say the business our family does isn't legal?"

Mr. Luca's expression instantly distorted with displeasure. As expected, this part was his reverse scale as predicted.

The main activity area is the East End.

Numerous family who followed from Sicily.

What they do is crime businesses like usury, financial fraud, stock manipulation, smuggling, operating gambling dens.

Is it work they like? Well, it could be.

But in this London the work they could do might have been only that much.

Compared to other vicious crime organizations the Luca Family's actions were much more systematic. Moreover polite and kind people.

In my eyes even this huge 3-story wooden mansion looked like the last shelter where Two Sicilies refugees stay rather than showing off wealth or power that talk.

And that I felt even more certainly when with Mr. Salvatore in the 1st floor reception room. No, why is no one caring and coming and going regardless of time when the boss's son is having an important talk?!

People had no formality at all! They were living together completely regarding this mansion as their own house that talk!

That appearance was the decisive blow that drove a wedge into my pondering if said to be good.

"Ah, that's not it. Looking around there seem to be many good manpower around here. But now is labor time. If there were jobs they wouldn't be loitering without work. Just in time I have a business that needs quite a lot of jobs. So I want to employ them a bit cheaply, how is it?"

I didn't particularly specify Sicilian people. But if I said this much they roughly understood, right. Mr. Luca's eyes widened.

"Employ? Mr. Durand, are you saying now you want to employ the immigrants of the East End as factory laborers?"

"Yes, exactly that."

"It would be impossible."

"Why?"

"The London government doesn't permit, right. Because the labor union is firmly standing."

The labor ecosystem of 1901 London capitalism was the top priority.

Factory owners or gentry were in a state of bloodshot eyes to somehow earn big money.

The money ordinary general laborers of London receive is at best 5 shillings a day.

Sunday is Sabbath so rest, even working 6 days a week without rest the earnings are only 30 shillings.

5 shillings for a week's food ingredients, various daily necessities costs and residence fees like monthly rent, fuel purchase costs used for heating or cooking, lamps also belonged to considerable expenditure.

Durability is also bad so work clothes have to be bought periodically, if the distance between residence and factory is far carriage or tram has to be ridden so transportation costs also go out, working in dirty environment and always drinking smog so medical costs also go out.

Is that all? Taxes and public charges, if educating children even a little education costs, even without leisure one has to drink alcohol so entertainment costs, if faith is deep donation to church, moreover if parents or relatives' lives are hard they even added a little from the poor household.

I also lived in a poor house so I know well. That with weekly 30 shillings earnings it's a level that barely fills that expenditure. Capitalists were running by giving money only enough that laborers don't have dissatisfaction with life.

But immigrants? Cases of not even earning 70% of that were numerous.

Then if employing immigrants isn't it earning bigger money?

That was impossible. Because the labor union was firmly standing.

They strongly opposed immigrants' existing factory employment to prevent wages from falling due to immigrants.

That's absolutely not saying it's bad. Because it was an era when even minimum wage guarantee wasn't done. And it played a very important role in enhancing laborers' human rights. But the problem was if trying to employ immigrants in existing factories, they completely go on strike.

So immigrants couldn't even work at factories where certain income is guaranteed, and had no choice but to engage in very small-scale businesses where the labor union's power doesn't reach or the lowest lowest wage occupations.

And that, was the same for our Durand family estimated as a French immigrant family.

For example chimney cleaning that our father did.

Even that not knowing when one would be fired not even turning on the gas lamp in the middle of the night, if hearing the sound of anxiously living in a single room in sleep, there was no more stressful thing than that.

The reason our house was poor even though I was the only child. Rather if I employ immigrants that no one employs and give 90% salary and use isn't it win-win for each other?

"It's fine. There will be no influence on me."

"How?"

"Because I'll make a new factory. If only immigrants are placed they won't strike saying immigrants were employed."

"Ah..."

"But I'm also anxious about employing immigrants as is. Because they're people with no connections at all I don't know what they'll do."

In fact there was another reason capitalists don't employ immigrants.

Literally, the point that they're people with no connections. In this era there was no identity guarantee system like Korea's resident registration so immigrants were just regarded as incomplete labor force.

Illegal residents or criminals were also mixed a lot, and especially the most problematic were political thought criminals. Anarchists or republicans were also mixed a lot among immigrants.

If employing them and a social problem arises, under British law the employer had to take legal responsibility.

So I pondered carefully at the manor.

"So I'm saying. How about the Luca Family helping so I can safely employ? And if you take part of the profit as commission, I think it'll be quite decent money-making."

"Wa-wait! Your story is too fast! Please organize once more!"

"Good. Listen well. Whether there's business feasibility or not."

First, I make an employment contract with the Luca Family. The Luca Family has to send factory laborers to me.

Second, the Luca Family employs suitable manpower verified in London's immigrant community and trains and educates so labor is possible. If judged usable dispatches to my factory.

Third, I pay a certain amount of education fee to the Luca Family as compensation for that, and the Luca Family receives part of the laborers' wages as commission on top of that education fee and takes profit.

"I-is this a possible story?! And to the point such a company is needed... Mr. Durand, how many manpower do you need on earth?"

"For now can you send only 100? Not right now, when the factory is completed. There are many things to prepare this and that so it'll be hard right now, but if there are needed costs I'll pay in advance."

"100?! Moreover that being part...?"

100 Two Sicilies laborers.

With that level it's considerable manpower even by 1901 standards.

"You shouldn't be surprised at 100. Because it can become 5 times bigger."

"Five times...? You, on earth..."

"Why are you surprised? This is only part of the business. And I'll say one more thing. You have a smuggling route on the West Africa side right now, right? Can I borrow that a bit? Wait, from here no one should hear so please lend an ear a bit too."

Capital is sufficient. The Earl of Derby's checkbook, in the end entered my pocket.

What am I thinking of doing with 100 labor manpower?

Of course there's only one.

The world's first Nutella production factory.

Because I was intending to build it right here in London. And that on the cheap land price street of the East End here, if borrowing even the Luca Family's power it seems okay?

The conversation order seems a bit changed but whatever it doesn't matter. How do I persuade Mr. Henry?

When I muttered in Mr. Luca's ear, he was completely startled to the point of losing breath.

Now in his head the talk of Mr. Salvatore's broken engagement seems completely forgotten.

The operation was successful.

But with this everything wasn't over. This is only up to turning the topic.

There remained a real important matter that had to be solved!