Chapter 99

Chapter 99

Dinner

The uninvited guests whose curiosity was solved left the office with satisfied expressions.

I poured the letters I hadn't yet confirmed into one corner of the desk and hurried outdoor preparations.

While talking somehow time passed a lot and the time the reserved carriage would arrive was approaching.

Anyway since invited to dinner bringing a gift would be etiquette, right.

Since nothing prepared in advance, this time also decided to favor the method used originally.

[ Held points: 1,932,900 ]

Glenburn black tea taken out from the point shop after really a long time.

Even in the past hands trembled taking out one of this... A slight sense of the times arose.

For a while distributing bread taken out from the point shop reduced a bit, but lately no big use so now even one box of Glenburn didn't show.

In fact I also didn't pour out everything to the two people.

The talk of arranging Princess Alice as my knighthood investiture partner was also only the Countess of Albemarle's proposal, nothing was confirmed yet.

Actually what arrived to me was only one dinner invitation from Colonel Ludwig.

So officially simply going to play at an acquaintance's house, the justification is Colonel Ludwig's gratitude expression who put down one worry thanks to me successfully dumping the fish ball business on Sir Samuel?

Unofficially an intention of looking at each other once between me and the princess?

Honestly speaking I had no feelings for Princess Alice. At Windsor Castle it was just briefly passing by, and after that I haven't met either.

Anyway the goal is one, just safely passing the knighthood investiture!

But that was only my alone wish, whether the other party would think so was unknown. So I was thinking of grasping the situation as much as possible and conducting a reconnaissance battle.

If things go wrong?

Just close eyes and ask Miss Edith for help. Thinking so the heart became a bit comfortable.

"Looking at such things, human relations are more tired than politics that talk?"

I carefully put Glenburn black tea in a gift box and packaged.

With this level okay as a light visit gift.

Clothes tied a neat coat received as gift and bow tie and wore one fedora.

These were things the Countess of Albemarle who stopped by again yesterday left as if dumping. Well it fits okay.

Like that briefly waiting at the restaurant entrance one carriage arrived.

The carriage the Countess of Albemarle said she'd send. An open front noble exclusive carriage, landau.

The coachman discovering me took off his hat and politely sent a greeting.

He was a 50s male with quite graying hair, very neat beard.

Looking at appearance and attire more suitable as a butler of a noble family, why driving a carriage?

"Hello, Teacher Durand. I'm James Morris. I'll become the coachman to serve you ahead. Please take good care."

"Yes? Continuously serving me?"

Serving me? Who? This uncle? A talk I'm hearing for the first time?!

"It's the instruction of Minister Marcus Samuel of the Department of Food. He said if receiving this you'd know."

I carefully tore the luxurious envelope he handed.

Inside there was one concise introduction letter. Content that all costs will be borne by the Department of Food Innovation, so freely use this carriage whenever needed.

Usually scheduled to be parked at the public stable around my restaurant. So don't hesitate and use.

A carriage sent by Sir Samuel not the Countess of Albemarle!

So this is an official car?

Not bad? No, honestly too good?

High officials in London enjoy the privilege of riding carriages with taxes, after wearing the official position hat I also seemed to have become the target of that benefit.

Even in the previous life I had no official car! Living diligently such a day also comes!

So without thinking more I quickly rode!

"Please take good care, Mr. Morris."

"I also please take good care."

Colonel Ludwig's address was in the West End, and to go there was a distance that would take quite time.

Feeling a bit bored just sitting quietly I lightly spoke to Mr. Morris.

A person sent by Sir Samuel, a premonition that he wouldn't be an ordinary figure arose. Moreover from the first impression he strongly gave such a feeling.

"How do you know Sir Samuel? Personally quite close it seems. Excuse me but, from the start it didn't seem you were a coachman."

"I've worked at Sir Samuel's mansion for over ten years already. This time I came to serve you as coachman. I think it'll be a good experience."

Hearing those words I opened my eyes round and shouted inside.

Now that person sent his own butler to me as coachman? If butler isn't it high-grade manpower one trusts and entrusts all household matters?!

Seeing me astonished Mr. Morris smiled.

"Before Sir Samuel requested first I volunteered. Because I wanted to serve Teacher Durand famous in London. Rather fortunate able to do even the coachman role. I already know London geography thoroughly so please entrust reassured."

In fact in Britain cases of butlers serving only one master and dedicating their lives were rare.

Butlers also not much different from ordinary laborers, if work doesn't suit one could resign, and nobles also often dismissed butlers according to need and newly employed.

Moreover even if accumulating career as butler, transferring to other jobs wasn't a very rare matter either.

In this case should one call job change, or business unit transfer?

Anyway working over ten years under a tycoon as butler was a tremendous career.

If I had a house I would have immediately re-employed Mr. Morris as butler, but unfortunately there was no mansion a butler could manage.

The manor at Windsor Castle well, in fact if examining it wasn't my ownership.

And thanks to the conversation exchanged with Mr. Morris inside the carriage, I could also hear a little behind story entangled with the Department of Food Innovation.

"Department of Food Innovation you say...? There isn't much content I know."

"Anything is fine. Just even stories that didn't come out in the newspaper is okay. I'm nominally a special advisor but if knowing nothing it's a bit like that, right?"

"Then I can tell a few anecdotes. Of course you might already know..."

Of course stories I've never heard poured out!

I knew the word Department of Food Innovation itself yesterday! The newspaper came out this morning!

Usually if a new government organization arises isn't it customary for the media to even advertise in advance?

So I thought something hastily made a secretary of state level government organization urgently, and hearing the talk actually that was correct words.

Even Britain aiming for a giant government securing manpower enough to suddenly make a new department is impossible.

So about half the necessary manpower seemed to have patched by dispatching from Sir Samuel's personal company or processing job change.

Is that really okay...? Anyway I understood the reason a businessman and alderman not a civil servant or politician Sir Samuel took the minister position of the Department of Food Innovation.

It was a private partnership!

If Sir Samuel wasn't there at all one couldn't make the organization, that!

But if Sir Samuel puts one government department whole in his hand, and using that directly decides food business support policies and budgets in a direction advantageous to himself...?

If modern one would have been reported to the prosecution two, three, four times for private transaction and corruption charges!

But here was modern society Britain, and that was also customary.

One can know just looking at the East India Company. No matter how looking it was an ordinary trading company, but it held trade, administration, even military authority and rolled like a government institution.

And London's telegraph business also first started from a private company and later nationalized, railway or gas related departments also often private company employees actually operated.

The reason Sir Samuel boasted might have been ultimately thanks to such background.

Gochujang, that really becoming a national business?!

Like that while immersed in this and that thoughts somehow arrived at the destination.

The house Colonel Ludwig stays was smaller and cozier than expected, an ordinary 2-story house.

Just looking at the exterior not even a mansion a high noble would live but a house a office worker middle class would live.

###

"Teacher Durand, no from now I'll call Sir Durand! I also have to get used to it!"

Colonel Ludwig as if in Joseon era almost in socks came out running and greeted me.

This person also hearing is Hesse Grand Duchy royalty similar origin and His Majesty's nephew-in-law but welcoming to this point seemed correct but this also now just let it be.

While going around with Mr. Doyle and indirectly experiencing the life of the highest influencer such thought arose.

Nobles also if crazy about Holmes series no exception.

Of course Mr. Doyle also still had no knighthood.

"Long time no see, Colonel. Is the navy business okay now?"

"Thanks to Sir Durand it seems it'll be well resolved! I also only received conveyance, but the Department of Food Innovation said they'll directly push with authority. Royal Spicy Crown Company? I heard they'll make a government affiliated company of such name and produce fish ball! Haha!"

That's my gochujang company name?!

Now rumors distort in one day like that? The name is the name so anyone hears it's worth mistaking.

Red pepper hot sauce produced by Royal Spicy Crown Company!

No matter how hearing a feeling like a national project operated by a public enterprise?!

Somehow Sir Samuel seemed thinking of just pushing everything with power using government power.

A private company disguised as a government institution. As befitting a tycoon business skill is crazy? Is money really earned like this...?

Fortunate riding the same boat this?!

Anyway I was guided to the reception room. Quite simple furniture and interior for royalty to live.

Although neat, looking at the living sense a considerable part seemed directly handmade.

While I was looking around as if amazing, Colonel Ludwig smiled and said.

"Haha, in fact here is a house we briefly use only while our family stays in London. Usually there's only one maid managing the house. Originally we mainly stay at villas in Germany or the south."

"Ah, just the household goods were cool so I watched."

"Oh, did you like it? In fact most of the decorations my wife made by hand! How is the pattern of this white curtain? A handmade product engraved rose shapes one by one with hand sewing! Isn't it beautiful?"

This person now looking is a devoted husband?

Although speaking naturally as if nothing special if the colonel's wife isn't it Princess Victoria?

Strange for royalty to stay in such a simple house, but if this is Princess Victoria's taste it was understandable.

Occasionally some nobles tired of splendid life conversely pursued commoner-like frugal life quite a lot.

For example in summer going down to the countryside and cultivating vegetable gardens or raising pigs and enjoying self-sufficiency.

His Majesty Edward VII also had a villa in the suburbs of London, and I heard the story that the Prince of York once personally decorated a small hut by the lake and stayed.

Thinking about it, Queen Victoria also insisted on simple mourning clothes all her life in private places.

So even if the entire royal shares a frugal life hobby it wouldn't be strange.

"So the words I'm saying, I don't know if it'll suit the taste of Sir Durand London's top chef, but today's dinner I'm thinking of preparing with home cooking our family likes to eat. Is it okay?"

Home cooking? As for me nothing to like or not!

Noble family, and that home cooking enjoyed in the royal.

Where else can one have such a precious experience?!

As long as not the tasteless pea soup eaten at Grandmother Nightingale's house anything was fine.

It'll be a good opportunity to compare?

"Thank you. Then I'll introduce my wife. Wife, come out! Sir Jean-Paul Durand came! Alice, show your face a bit!"

When Colonel Ludwig called loudly clattering sounds were heard from the kitchen side.

"Sir Durand! That Sir Durand came you say?"

Soon what appeared was a woman looking about mid to late 30s holding a ladle and wearing an apron.

Nose very high and face slim, one could immediately know who Princess Alice resembled.

Face mother, height father.

"Sir Durand! Ah, my, it's Sir Durand! Sir Durand really appeared at our house!"

"Ahaha..."

But something the reaction a bit?! The exclamation doesn't end at verse 1?

Princess Alice's mother, Princess Victoria started jumping up and down on the spot holding the ladle!

Like a passionate fan meeting an idol one worships!

"This isn't it! Honey, bring paper a bit! Pen too! Alice, quickly find the camera! There's that Brownie camera obtained from that American last time, right?"

"H-honey...! Still in front of Sir Durand now a bit modesty..."

"Is that important now? Quickly bring the paper first!"

"Ugh..."

Is this really some sitcom?! Did I come to the right house?

Considering royal dignity and etiquette no matter how looking excessive reaction!

Of course this situation wasn't completely unfamiliar.

A while ago when showing Miss Edith the real Holmes series new book, the same reaction came out.

I looked around, and met gazes with Princess Alice who was leaning on the kitchen side door frame and looking at her mother with a pathetic gaze.

"...Hoo."

Princess Alice, just sighed, right?

In the end the commotion could end only after giving over ten signs to Princess Victoria, and probably intending to brag at social parties, taking several family photos including me.

"Sir Durand, thank you! I'll make really delicious dishes so please wait a bit! I'll send only the well-taken photos separately!"

Saying so Princess Victoria disappeared to the kitchen taking Princess Alice like the wind.

It seemed she was trying to use her daughter as cooking assistant.

"...Sorry. My wife is a bit extreme. In fact last time saying I met Sir Durand, she was tremendously scolded for not receiving a sign."

"It's okay. Rather it was fun. A very harmonious family."

In fact it really was so. A very informal family.

And the surprise dish Princess Victoria guaranteed was finally set on the dining table.