Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Variable

"There's no sender..."

"A letter without sender? Give it here a moment."

The Earl of Derby quickly picked up the envelope, and examined for a long time shining under the electric light.

"...What are you doing, Earl?"

"Hmm... Mr. Doyle, didn't you say if doing like this one can know the origin of the paper?"

"Haha, Earl. Surely you're trying to analyze based on the content that came out in my short story collection 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'?"

"Didn't you say so? Just with the thickness and texture of the paper one can know which region it was made!"

"Of course it's exaggeration. There would be over hundreds of paper factories in Europe how would one compare all that and guess?"

"Oh! You wrote the novel too realistically so I thought that was the truth!"

"Please understand as novelistic exaggeration for fun."

But Mr. Doyle smiled and received the envelope, briefly shone and immediately figured out the origin. Amazing eye for detail befitting a mystery novelist.

"It's high-end stationery made at Whatman Paper. One can buy at Smythson (*Smythson, high-end stationery store) on Bond Street Oxford way."

"...Just now didn't you say one couldn't find out?"

"There was a watermark stamped at the bottom."

"What is that?"

"It's a mark stamped before the water dries when producing paper. Even if not knowing the origin one can know the production factory."

"Oho!"

What on earth is this comedy show?! Just tearing and immediately confirming who sent would be fine.

I made an absurd expression and received the envelope again from Mr. Doyle and tore the end with a letter opener (*Letter opener, letter tearing knife).

I don't know why one has to use even a letter opener cumbersome but because this is Britain's basic manners one couldn't not care in front of people's eyes.

The short content letter that appeared in succession. It didn't even take much time to read.

"What's the content? Who did it come from?"

"Hmm..."

"Did an important person send?"

"It's important. A person who bothered me very much sent."

"...Is it Chairman Balfour?"

"Yes. He says he wants to invite to dinner tonight? Suddenly what?"

The letter was what His Excellency Chairman Balfour who gave the homework of selecting three of Britain's worst dishes and finding a method to eliminate sent.

"Is there other content there?"

"Yes. There's only the place."

"By any chance is there a hidden message? Like writing with lemon juice..."

"Shall we even burn with candle fire?"

"Ahem, it's a joke!"

The place was a place whose name I heard even in my previous life. Carlton Hotel.

And the really highest treated high-end restaurants in this era usually existed inside hotels.

It was the power of capital.

Mr. Henry asked with a questionable expression.

"Carlton. Why not The Savoy Hotel?"

"Savoy is no longer the best at least in food."

"Mr. Doyle, Savoy isn't the best?"

"I'm staying at Savoy now, but after the head chef changed it doesn't maintain the quality of the past. So I was pondering whether to move the residence to Carlton."

"Head chef?"

I absolutely couldn't follow the conversation of Mr. Henry and Mr. Doyle. Because it was an era where information circulated very slowly some without background knowledge one almost couldn't understand, especially conversations related to the upper class were more so.

Savoy is London's best luxury hotel. I know this. Because previous life Chef Gordon Ramsay also worked there.

Carlton I also heard the name. But what I know is all modern version, as 1901 Britain version it was no different from illiterate.

Well I only started touching quite a bit of money half a year ago how would I share the same common sense as gentry or upper class.

Even now if closing eyes the hardship on Baker Street 1 year ago is vivid.

"Anyway is it because of jellied eels he called? Since it was in the newspaper too."

If the person who gave the homework paid a little attention, he would have immediately caught the fact that I brilliantly brought out the answer.

"Well... It's hard to conclude. Anyway Mr. Durand, it would be good to be careful. I went around social parties for a few days and looked into Chairman Balfour a bit, and they say he's a very extraordinary person. To the point that without this person the current British economy wouldn't properly turn."

"Is he really that great a person?"

"Yes, and as you know he's also a dangerous person that much. If unnecessarily standing out there won't be anything good."

"Ugh..."

The Earl of Derby also added one word.

"The two nephews that the current Prime Minister Marquis of Salisbury especially cherishes are exactly Gerald Balfour and his older brother Arthur Balfour. The older brother Arthur Balfour is currently First Lord of the Treasury (*First Lord of the Treasury, modern Chancellor of the Exchequer) and Conservative Party House of Commons leader, and the younger brother is President of the Board of Trade so the brothers are tightly gripping the finances and economy of the British Empire."

It was the sound that one family bound by blood relation is completely controlling Britain's political and business world.

The godfather of the older brother Arthur Balfour is the famous general Duke of Wellington who led the Napoleonic Wars to victory. The name itself was taken from the godfather's name.

The godfather of Gerald Balfour is the current British Prime Minister Marquis of Salisbury.

The brothers' godfathers are different, but such things were common in high noble families. Because there were many cases of making close people godfathers to obtain political and economic sponsorship.

I learned one more. It was really fortunate the Earl of Derby was in this place.

Although he often shows eccentric appearances usually befitting a veteran politician origin this part was a big help.

Wait, but this is completely... Joseon's sedo politics?!

Moreover since the king lost all real power he even succeeded?

"Then... There would be many political enemies too?"

"...Do you even consider such things?"

"It's important. What if later even without intention one gets wrongly involved? One has to do tightrope walking well."

"Involved? Where?"

I don't know British history well, but whether sedo politics or whatever, I've never seen cases of one side monopolizing power and lasting long.

Looking at Winston Churchill becoming prime minister later, in the end at some moment this family was also pushed out of power was obvious. The timing I don't know well though.

The highest possibility timing is before and after the world war? But that was also a matter with more than ten years left.

Instead of explaining in detail I turned the words. If a power person of that level it was right to be careful even with daytime words.

"Anyway it's an invitation one can't refuse. For now I'll respond that I'll go."

I put aside the newspaper contribution recipe I was writing until just now, and chose suitable paper and wrote a reply that I'll respond to the invitation.

And delivered that through Joe. In this era there's no phone so appointments had to be exchanged by letters like this.

Mr. Henry sighed and warned.

"I said last time too but be careful with your mouth. If becoming disliked there it's impossible to protect you with my or the Earl of Derby's power. Understand?"

"Yes, don't worry. I'll do well on my own."

"I know your eloquence the best but... Sometimes one has to acknowledge there are opponents one can't overcome with eloquence alone."

"Yes, yes, correct words."

If really anything just flee to America. If entering Mr. Edison's house as a freeloader won't he treat well?

###

As the appointment time approached, one carriage stopped in front of the restaurant.

It was the carriage Chairman Balfour sent.

The carriage ran for about 30 minutes and passed beside St. James's Park.

Soon a busy street dense with high-end clubs and hotels, shops appeared.

Carlton Hotel was a huge stone building of height that looked about 7-8 floors erected in the middle of that.

I expected the hotel's restaurant would be full of splendid chandeliers, but unexpectedly it was a neat atmosphere.

Of course the velvet laid on the floor or curtains hung on the windows etc. looked sufficiently luxurious, but it clearly looked adjusted to restrained elegance and psychological comfort rather than splendor.

Well, it's not a place to stay briefly and go but a hotel if excessively splendid the eyes would rather get tired.

The hotel manager who came out to greet guided me to a separate space away from the guest rooms.

There Chairman Balfour I met a week ago was reading a magazine wearing pince-nez glasses.

Strand Magazine.

The Holmes new series already came out?! But then Miss Edith would have already gone wild? Did he seize pre-publication with power like His Majesty?!

"Hello, Chairman. Have you been well?"

"Oh, Sir Durand. You arrived earlier than the appointment time. Sit comfortably."

"Here's a gift."

"Nutella! Just in time I was thinking of it!"

I quickly handed the gift envelope containing the Nutella bottle I prepared.

Thud.

Then Chairman Balfour folded the magazine and neatly placed it on the table.

Still a man whose every action was extremely sharp.

But wait, Sir?

"Sorry but after that I did some background check on you. I think I've heard the name but couldn't think of it at all. But you were a very interesting friend? What matters did you cause so much in a few months?"

"...Yes?"

"Successfully establishing a high-end restaurant that can be counted on fingers in London and captivating gentry's tastes, not enough even making peanut butter and gaining popularity among lower class, I don't know how but you also frequented Clarence House? Recently you stayed at a manor near Windsor Castle. Looking into it there was almost no one who doesn't know your name in London?"

"...Ah, thank you."

"I thought an extraordinary friend but it was beyond imagination. The last is even wondrous. Although not yet announced obtaining quasi-noble title at that age? Of course looking at the achievements you accomplished it's not so surprising. One might have to rewrite British history."

Is he being sarcastic now?

Anyway, hearing up to here I understand. It wasn't jellied eels talk.

It was while I was diligently rolling my head trying to guess the intention contained in Chairman Balfour's words.

Suddenly he threw unexpected words.

"By any chance, aren't you interested in politics?"

"...Yes?"

This time too dumbfounded retorting words popped out. But he didn't care.

"With your current fame one can give one seat in the Conservative Party. If wanting I'll arrange a House of Commons member constituency. In my constituency Leeds Central it would be sure win, are you thinking?"

"...It's too flustering so it's difficult to say what."

"Of course it's not telling to decide right away. You're still young. Outwardly early 20s but with that it's insufficient. To become a member at least 10 more years will be needed. But if accumulating political achievements within that it can be possible even within 5 years. First enter the cabinet and learn under me. If just filling the lacking political sense you'll also be able to grow soon. Even faster than that Winston Churchill."

Telling me to enter the cabinet?! And become a politician? I'm just an ordinary chef?!

I did make dozens of scenarios of how to answer if asking about jellied eels success, but this was a variable not assumed!

Really why on earth?

No matter how my name is gradually spreading in London society now, I absolutely couldn't follow Chairman Balfour's thoughts.

The problem was the fact that he's a big shot of the Conservative Party.

If going like this the British economy will collapse, and Marquis of Salisbury won't dominate Britain for a thousand years, of course the ruling Conservative Party will take that responsibility was obvious.

If not that take the responsibility of the world war.

If putting hands on the Conservative Party right now one will be caught in a dead end was visible, this was a poisoned chalice.

But whether the Chairman knows this my worry or not, he clapped with a smack and blew away my thoughts.

"This time too I'll give one month's time. Answer within that. That's that, how on earth did you do jellied eels and what is grilled eel? Seeing this morning's newspaper I was really surprised!"

No why are you asking that now?! Isn't the order of asking reversed?!

But considering the point that he's a politician, even the order of such speech method was clearly all calculated.

Absentmindedly coaxing and soothing.

Here is also a restaurant why isn't the status window visible?! Because it's not my restaurant? Or is the mental barrier that solid? So I couldn't guess his thoughts at all.

I first regained composure, and quickly blurted the prepared answer.

"Ho... You thought if informing the stalls the method of making better cooking with the same ingredients it would naturally be replaced? And reduced the amount while maintaining price competitiveness but convinced with taste?"

"Yes, right."

"Amazing, amazing! An ingenious idea that no one in the British Empire has thought of until now! Would you believe the change one of you caused in one week is much bigger than the dozens of chefs or administrators I instructed to bring out countermeasures? Thanks to that I was barely able to clear away the unsightly jellied eels before Ambassador Metternich came to Buckingham! A contribution I really want to praise! You can be proud!"

Ambassador Metternich? Who is that again? Looking at the name it's German?

But roughly seeing the nuance... I roughly guessed who ordered the writing of this morning's newspaper article.

Chairman Balfour, although pretending not it was certain he instructed the media play.

In my previous life when underdeveloped countries hosted the Olympics the appearance of covering or pushing lower class residences in a blind and aung style came to mind. Isn't it a similar sense?

"So speaking, today's invitation is a small repayment for that. Sir Durand, it seemed you've never been treated by others while living as a chef. Today I'll treat you. Enjoy to your heart's content comfortably and go. This place is a space where one can experience high society dining of the current Britain's highest level that I guarantee."

Chairman, my heart is not comfortable at all!