Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Difficult Problem

"Form a consensus of British Empire citizens worldwide with delicious food. Excellent words. You accurately pointed the core. You said you want investment? Good, I'll invest. I'll push as the strategic business of the next quarter British Empire Board of Trade. Do what you want as you please."

Bow.

The young man deeply lowered his head.

However Chairman Balfour slowly stroked his beard.

"But speaking, there's one big problem that can't be overcome. If not solving that premise all this talk can't be established from the start. Do you know what that is?"

"..."

A moment of silence.

Balfour felt the young man's blue-green eyes staring as if piercing him.

As if trying to read his mind. But how does a person read a person's mind?

So here for now inform the correct answer and make him ponder himself first—

"...Even if making delicious jam like Nutella, if British traditional cooking has no taste it won't help image renewal at all is what you're saying? Anyway even pouring clean water into muddy water the muddy water only becomes a bit clearer."

"...!"

How on earth did he find out my thoughts...?

Balfour was surprised and breath was blocked.

###

After coming out of the Carlton Club,

Thud.

As soon as I got on the carriage I let out a deep sigh.

Then Joe who was sitting on the driver's seat was startled and stuck his head out with a flick.

"Boss! By any chance did the matter not go well?!"

"No, there was achievement but a problem arose. So I don't know whether to call this success, or failure."

Speaking it was like one more lump attached. And that a very big lump.

"I didn't think it would end easily but... This I ate a big candy."

How can a person succeed in every matter they do?

Even in my previous life with the cheat of the status window there were numerous difficulties until rising to the ranks of success.

Being able to succeed quickly here in London Britain was also because such pain and experience accumulated.

But I never dreamed I'd encounter another obstacle in this way.

"What on earth is the matter? Won't I be of help?"

Joe asked with a worried face.

So I stopped rubbing my eyes and looked at the guy.

"Let me ask only one. You, among the dishes of our country you've eaten in life what was the most tasteless?"

"Me? Uh... Rye bread?"

"No, I'm saying English food!"

"Isn't rye bread English food?"

How is bread eaten all over Europe British traditional cooking?!

There was a reason I filled my restaurant with only newspaper sellers. Because among the uneducated laborer class the smartest were the newspaper sellers.

Most know how to read, and while selling newspapers continuously contacting articles the understanding of the world also naturally rose children.

From the start kids who can't properly read can't sell newspapers. One has to know what is extra and what is news people would be curious about to sell newspapers, right.

So naturally only smart guys were filtered in the sieve. That was exactly the newspaper sellers (Newsboy).

But no matter how newspaper seller expecting to be excellent even up to such common sense parts was excessive because there's no basic learning.

Still quick-witted Joe immediately figured out the correct answer.

"Ah, if you're talking about food grandmothers mainly made and ate, for me pudding made with pig kidney was a bit disgusting."

"...Your house made pudding even with kidney?"

"Because grandmother is Irish origin."

"Ah."

The increase of such strange home-style dishes in Britain was also a kind of karma.

Because in places like Ireland they were so exploited there was nothing to eat so in the end they somehow used even inedible offal, and as even the people who survived like that flocked to big cities during the industrial revolution low-quality recipes spread and spread...

Just see most dishes utilizing offal as such results.

If in the East there was nothing to eat and they tore and ate tree bark, in Britain if nothing to eat they ate offal that talk.

Haggis made with sheep lungs, Black Pudding made with pig blood, Tripes the intestines of sheep or cow, Kidney Pie with cow kidney in it etc.

Of course among them there were also ones with rich nutrients and somewhat delicious. Intestines were ones one couldn't eat even in Korea because there weren't any.

The problem was there were many dishes whose texture and taste were also terrible! Things eaten to sustain life that at some point became traditional home-style dishes!

"Do you need? Shall I gather other guys' opinions too?"

"Will you do that? Then I'm thankful."

"What investigating tasteless dishes what would be difficult! Since tastes differ per person at least dozens will come out!"

That's exactly the problem!

Dozens of tasteless British dishes!

No, the point that tasteless domestic dishes popping out dozens each just roughly estimating is common sense was the problem!

So people of this era go crazy over delicious jam or syrup, spreads that just spreading Golden Syrup or peanut butter is delicious!

"Let's return to the restaurant again. Today's trip is the end. I'm dying of fatigue."

Too many things happened in one day. Time to organize thoughts was needed.

And somehow the Nutella business, it seemed I had to indefinitely postpone until finishing the homework Chairman Balfour gave.

No, from the start I might not even be able to start.

Chairman Balfour didn't directly bring out words, but he was conscious of the destructive power Nutella has and was even thinking of interfering with the business in the worst case.

If I can use as a weapon others can also use.

To think he even foresaw the case of my Nutella recipe flowing into France or Belgium and strategic materializing chocolate there, real politicians' level of thought was different.

I shouldn't have brought out the tariff talk!

Anyway the carriage ran and ran the complex London city, and at some point arrived in front of my restaurant.

Twilight was gradually trying to settle beyond the Thames River.

###

I first decided to call reliable people around to the office.

Mr. Henry, and Miss Edith. The Earl of Derby came attached as a bonus.

But one, there was an unexpected person more.

"Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle! How on earth here...?"

"I briefly came to collaborate with the publisher because of the launch contract of the new Holmes novel and stopped by. Was it a disturbance?"

"No! Please stay! I need help!"

Holmes series, soon publishing! What I know is only the first edition manuscript His Majesty Edward VII read. Of course if there's a first edition it would be time to gradually disclose.

"Wait, but is it okay to disclose the important talk of Holmes series publication here like this...?"

I looked around. Especially toward Miss Edith.

As expected she had eyes widened and mouth wide open.

"It's fine. I already know Lady Edith is a fan of my novel. I'm planning to stay in London until the publication date so I'd like to visit again then and hear the impressions."

"You're serializing in a magazine, right? Is it Strand Magazine (*The Strand Magazine, popular literary magazine) this time too?"

"Right. Because that becomes good publicity. It's planned to be serialized monthly over 9 times until next year. Please enjoy interestingly. Really interesting stories will come out."

Interesting stories will come out. Jean-Pierre Dumont.

If I knew that talk in advance it would have been the timing to grab the collar even now, but unfortunately I had to do cosplay of not knowing the novel content at all.

I can't say His Majesty Edward VII told the novel content one by one in this place.

Moreover now was the time to borrow anyone's hands and feet without discrimination. Especially if a person with tremendous deduction power like Mr. Doyle helps it was even better.

I spilled the talks I exchanged with Nutella, and Chairman Balfour without missing even one.

The reactions were each various as expected.

"You! Suddenly starting a new business without even telling me...! Moreover Chairman Balfour! Where on earth are you putting your liver and going around? Meeting a political big shot even counted on fingers in London without consultation!"

Mr. Henry repeated getting angry then holding then surging.

"Oh my! New jam? And that made with chocolate? Making jam with chocolate! By any chance do you have it now? I want to taste!"

In Miss Edith's head there was only baking as expected. That side is first even than the new Holmes series?!

"Ahem, the time has finally come for you to use my checkbook. Take as much as you want! Especially if it's money in the Barclays Bank account use to your heart's content! If anything sell the Canadian gold mine share and that way..."

"Ea-Earl!"

The Earl of Derby made Mr. Henry startled with just one word.

On the other hand Mr. Doyle—

"Chocolate jam! New work following peanut butter?! As expected I had a feeling of wanting to suddenly visit here today, following my intuition was right! Wow this another new inspiration... Rather than this I have to memo somewhere. Lady Edith, by any chance do you have spare memo paper?"

"Here! Please use to your heart's content!"

"Thank you."

Mr. Doyle, surely you're not thinking of inserting Nutella into that novel where Holmes revives...?!

Anyway the talk returned to the homework Chairman Balfour gave. No matter how I think it was a problem with no answer.

"What? Find a method to eliminate the three worst dishes in Britain? And that within a month? What is that saying?"

Mr. Henry retorted with an absurd voice.

"It's as those words. That's the mission."

"Hmm... The worst dishes. Is eliminating that possible talk from the start?"

"It's impossible."

At that time Mr. Doyle who was thinking carefully intervened and answered instead to Mr. Henry.

"It's a nonsense quiz."

"Nonsense? What is that?"

"It's an illogical problem that doesn't require a logical answer. Usually solved with word play or language play. That is, this is a problem with no answer so one shouldn't try to find a specific solution."

"No, then what are you saying to do?"

"It's literally. Looking it seems Mr. Durand has already grasped the response method."

Of course up to there was also the conclusion I reached. So I easily gave the answer.

"In a situation that doesn't make sense no matter what, forcibly create a situation that makes sense somehow. While blocking the room for counterarguments to come out. That is, bringing out the solution and refuting that counterargument is the core."

"Right. As expected you know well."

But this time the Earl of Derby floated a question mark above his head.

"Don't understand only among yourselves, explain a bit more in detail! What on earth is a nonsense quiz?"

"Earl, haven't you seen Strand Magazine? It was often carried there too. By any chance do you know how to cross the river if there's no bridge on the Thames River?"

"No bridge? How do you cross the river when there's no bridge?"

"If swimming across it's fine. Or if riding a boat."

"What? No... Hmm."

"Do you get the feeling? It's simple word play. This time it will be a bit different though."

"Ahem."

I looked at Mr. Doyle, and he also looked at me.

In the end, it seemed we reached the same conclusion this time too.

"The goal is securing maximum persuasiveness in selecting the three worst dishes, and satisfying Chairman Balfour. High-level political rhetoric is needed. To solve that one will have to touch the most shameful part of England. Are you prepared?"

"Well..."

No, I just wanted to sell Nutella and earn big money?! Why did the matter become like this?

At that time Mr. Doyle clapped with a smack and drew everyone's gaze.

"Good! At this point let's also give one quiz to the people here. What on earth are the three worst British dishes?"