Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Connection

The important matter that had to be solved was exactly preventing Mr. Salvatore's broken engagement!

Whether money or honor, I don't know the reason the alliance marriage broke but if none can't I just make one more?

So I opened my mouth. More specifically, so the other party gets interested.

"What? You need a puppet? Mr., what on earth is that..."

"It's literally. Surely you're not thinking this business will proceed smoothly in London? Don't we have to properly equip the justification and appearance?"

This wasn't a simple business.

It's a business of guaranteeing immigrants' status and converting to labor force.

It was obvious tackles would come from various places right away. However I also had something to say.

The logic of injecting vitality into the economy of this crime-prone area that looks like 30-40% unemployment rate at a glance.

"Discrimination against immigrants, language barrier, frequent restructuring and the economic recession that gradually started raising its head overlapping the dissatisfaction of the East End will soon burst out mercilessly. Then the Luca Family won't be safe either. Don't you get the feeling?"

Mr. Luca's eyes shook severely.

This was exactly the reason he immediately reacted to my words of guaranteeing legal jobs.

It's not for nothing that labor movements exploded explosively in Britain right before the world war. If there was no war, Britain might also have fallen into the quagmire of communism like other countries.

Britain leading the world was only the Victoria era of the mid-19th century. Now it was a trend of gradually losing competitiveness pushed by the emerging technology powers Germany and America.

Well, such grand strategy isn't a part a mere chef like me can do anything about. But I knew the fact that if left like this the gutter water of the East End would burst out to all of London.

I saw numerous people intertwined with the Luca Family, and honestly thought they were like time bombs that who knows when they'll explode.

This is the first justification I'll put forward.

But that alone was insufficient. Something that stimulates people's emotions, a bigger one punch was needed.

Fortunately just now one idea timely came to mind.

"By any chance, is there a royalty of Sicilian origin you know? If possible, a person with some popularity would be good. A person okay to put forward as the face madam of the new business. Of course I'll take care of a little share."

"Ro-royalty?!"

"Don't you know? In fact that part is the core of the business? 'Bloodline' that can immediately bounce off external miscellaneous pressures is needed. A royalty who lost the country and wandered seeing the old people's suffering and rising indignantly and relieving! How moving a background is this? It seems even if I'm the media I'll write a good article?"

Of course they won't write a good article first. Unless I poked money in advance like I used to do.

"Ah... Hmm..."

Pondering? Someone flashed in the head, right?

Shall I push the back once here?

"If this problem isn't solved I'll inevitably also probe the intention once to the Espanese alliance side of the East End..."

"Ah, I understand! I understand! I'll talk as you said!"

"You're saying there's a suitable person, right?"

"Knowing everything and what are you pretending not to know! Salvatore, that loose-mouthed guy blabbered which family he made a vow with! The day after tomorrow I'll talk well with Prince Alfonso coming over from Cannes. From the start that side was the direction they wanted so it'll be solved well!"

"...Yes?"

The marriage break wasn't because of money problem?

In fact it seemed the Luca Family earning money with crime business was very displeasing from the perspective of the old Two Sicilies royal court.

Did they say abandon the business and Mr. Luca refused?

Thinking about it that also could have been seen as a matter that drops honor a bit. With only honor left they would have wanted to protect even that.

Anyway with Mr. Luca I decided to continue the negotiation in a bit more official place tomorrow.

If the negotiation goes well it also seems okay to talk once with that person called Prince Alfonso.

Mr. Luca seemed to have received considerable shock from my talk and looked quite drained of strength.

On the other hand Mr. Salvatore who heard this news was sincerely happy.

"Jean! Really thank you! I don't know how to repay this grace!"

"It's nothing. Well, somehow it became like catching a frog with a cow's backward kick. It's win-win for each other, right?"

"Frog, what? Occasionally saying incomprehensible words is still the same!"

Oh, isn't this proverb used in Britain? Blurting out previous life idioms or slang as if directly translating into English was my speech habit that absolutely couldn't be fixed.

"But, what about that pizza or whatever? I obtained the spring wheat."

"Ah. I've run out of remaining time now what do I do? By any chance can you come to my restaurant tomorrow afternoon bringing all the ingredients I wrote? It seems good to continue there."

"That's possible! What time shall I go?"

"Break time is 2 o'clock lunch so please match then. Coming in advance is also good. Even during business I have leisure."

"Understood!"

Does Mr. Salvatore even know the fact that I'm spinning around like this for him?

Now wasn't the time to leisurely make pizza.

Because I had to refine a bit more the business proposal I hurriedly threw in for Mr. Salvatore's marriage.

Because it was still the idea stage, for concrete execution more risk check was needed.

The process isn't important. Because it's not yet the stage to worry about that.

Later I was thinking of inserting a few poison clauses that guarantee laborers' rights so the grown Luca Family doesn't try to climb above me. But even that was far to concretize.

Social ripple due to introduction of modern-style subcontracting system?

That also thinking about it the concept of subcontracting was one commonly used in Europe.

Representatively even just the construction guild the roles of stone-handling craftsmen, wood craftsmen, metal craftsmen etc. are different, and all were intertwined in subcontract relations to the guild.

In the capitalist system mass production is impossible without subcontracting and outsourcing.

It's the same even in modern times. Even to make one computer, there's no factory that produces and assembles everything itself from the case to internal wires, bolts and nuts. All brought from somewhere.

Manpower subcontracting? It was a historic system that existed from building pyramids in Egypt. It didn't suddenly spring up from bare ground.

The problem was the point that I was intending to convert immigrants to legal manpower with this.

No matter how much putting forward an overseas royalty as face madam, there was no way not to worry about the risks derived from that.

Before meeting Mr. Luca again tomorrow, investigation on that was needed.

Labor union doesn't matter.

What I worry about is politicians' reactions.

Especially the reaction in the House of Commons.

As one can know looking at newspapers these days, the current British political history was flowing quite interestingly.

The 2nd Boer War that broke out in South Africa.

Riding the full support of citizens for this war, the current Conservative Party was completely suppressing the Liberal Party, but due to hardline policies public opinion was gradually trying to reverse.

If Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, the 3rd Marquis of Salisbury hadn't displayed overwhelming political power while serving as prime minister it would have flipped long ago.

If the Liberal Party seizes power, my plan might be a bit dangerous. So I was thinking of directly checking the trend once.

Just in time there was one connection that can contact the House of Commons side.

I took out one business card from my pocket.

Lady Churchill I met at the Windsor Castle tea party. Clearly she said the husband and son are Conservative Party House of Commons members?

If I go find now will they meet? Won't I be door slam rejected saying I didn't make an appointment in advance?

Before that...

"Lombard Street? Deer's hind kick? That's the pub name? Why is the naming sense like that on earth? Ah, you said that's the name you gave? Sorry I didn't know! What?! There were guys who tried to attack you nearby? Those brats just! Ah, I confined one guy in the basement there so please interrogate a bit? Leave it to me! I'll find out everything from that guy's cousin to the sock color of the eighth cousin!"

Passing success!

Originally this was the purpose, how did the matter become this complicated?

"Ah, also lend a carriage a bit? Use the one in the backyard! From now you can do anything using my name! Because you're now an honorary family of our Luca Family!"

While thinking of it I also borrowed a carriage. Losing the way again in the complex alleys of the East End was declined.

###

The modern internet world is called the sea of information so numerous information overflows but there was one widely known problem.

Exactly that distorted or wrong information also circulates like real.

But even if a little diligent such traps can be easily avoided.

Because if searching the same information several times it's fine. If among ABC only A is different and BC are the same the correct information is BC.

Rather modern has excellent information accessibility, so there was also the advantage of being able to raise reliability that much.

But 1901 Britain?

For now the routes to obtain information are limited, and because most information flows through people's mouths and ears the basic was distortion.

But is there a method to verify this? At the general person level double check itself was almost impossible if seen as good.

The reason I absolutely don't do stock investment in this era.

Information is slow, uncertain, and unreliable how do I invest?

If possessed at least 20 years early I would have bought big tech stocks in advance. Because jumping in 100-year units all listed companies are unfamiliar things.

If America there would be companies like Ford that one has heard the name sometime, but Britain I really don't know even one!

Moreover if trying to invest and looking, the company is suddenly closed one day, or criminals like the Luca Family openly doing investment fraud were swarming. Banks not protecting investors but only thinking of ripping off so just giving up was the best.

Anyway the only means to obtain information is people's mouths, but the irony of not being able to trust that mouth.

I looking at the business card Lady Churchill handed, realized this fact once again.

"Who did you say? Jean-Paul Durand?"

"Yes... Haha."

"It's a name I've heard somewhere, but I can't quite remember. For now please come in. Just in time while bored it worked out well. Will you have a cup of tea?"

Today on earth how many times am I drinking tea?!

First I sent a wink to Joe to wait in the carriage, and followed this short man into the office.

He was a man one head smaller than me.

For now I carefully handed him the business card.

"Hmm, this is my deceased father's business card. I told mother several times to stop using this, has she already forgotten."

I heard both Lady Churchill's husband and son are House of Commons members, so I expected if that level of connections and power it would help information collection.

Because the husband was also a famous Conservative Party politician whose name often appeared in newspapers.

Thinking about it I think I saw an article that that person died a few years ago. How do I remember all such things?! How many newspapers do I read a day?

Among the information the servants conveyed at Windsor Castle a considerable number were old, or distorted.

Of course both husband and son being members was correct. But they should have also said she was widowed from the husband! I almost made a mistake!

"Anyway having this business card means mother was rude. For now I'll apologize first. I'm Winston Churchill. The name written on that business card is my father's name."

There's no way not to know the name. Isn't it Mr. Gallipoli, the person who becomes British prime minister in the 1st or 2nd?

I met a historical figure, but there was no particular emotion.

Because living in this era I thought I'd encounter a person I know sometime once. I already saw Edison too, and Tesla too but it wasn't much different.

But this young Mr. Churchill for now the appearance was completely different from the appearance I saw in photos.

Biting a thick cigar and a bulldog-like impression with graying opposite hair, thick body type, suit and black homburg hat.

This was the signature of the Churchill prime minister I know, but from this sturdy young man in his late 20s there was no trace of any of that!

Is only the thick double eyelids similar? In fact even that I don't know well!

What to do? Shall I retreat here and rather go find the countess?

No, that side I already sowed seeds, folding and entering before harvest wasn't a good move.

Mr. Churchill? Just looking by age it would be first term or about re-election.

Probably a seat obtained thanks to the political legacy inherited from father and Lady Churchill's high society connections, so politically also a person with nothing to expect.

But I took out two glass bottles from my bosom. Because I have to reveal the purpose of the visit.

It was one I made as a sample before coming here.

"What is that?"

"Ah, it's jam to spread on bread. I promised Lady Churchill that if a good item is made I'll inform right away, but since I came wrong I'll just give the item and go. Just in time there are two so I'll give one. If you deliver the remaining one to Lady Churchill I'll be thankful."

"Jam? The color is quite dark? Is it jam? It looks like it's burned."

"Yes... Well, even if the color is like this the taste is somewhat not bad."

I handed 'Nutella' to Mr. Gallipoli, no, Mr. Churchill.

He received the bottle with a displeased expression.

Since there was no more talk to do with this person, I immediately stood up from the seat.

"I'll take my leave now. By any chance do you know where Lady Churchill is now?"

"I don't know well. Mother is a person who goes here and there a lot... She must be drinking black tea at an acquaintance's mansion in Belgravia."

"I see. It can't be helped. Excuse me."

"Goodbye."

He also didn't hold more. It seemed my name hasn't spread to the British political world yet.

Should I say it's fortunate?

But it wasn't the end here.

The moment I came down to the 1st floor and got on the carriage and was about to close the door, the window of the 2nd floor office opened wide and Mr. Churchill's urgent shout was heard!

"Du-Durand! Please wait a moment! This jam! Where on earth can I buy this jam?!"

It seemed he couldn't endure the curiosity and tried one bite.