I’m Quitting Everything and Selling Cola

Chapter 155

Chapter 155. I Thought You Might Need Some Help (2)

Jurgen, Co-Representative of Y&P Trading Company. Marianne had heard that name a handful of times herself.

They said he was of commoner origins, yet through able dealings had set Penelope and Y&P on a path to success — but perhaps because of where he came from, she had never paid him much mind.

And yet, at least in this moment. He was the last person Marianne wanted to be facing.

The way Jurgen's gaze swept lazily over the empty hall, hands clasped behind his back, was humiliating — like being seen without a stitch of clothing.

"To what do I owe the pleasure? Brazenly spying on a competitor."

Marianne held fast to her last shred of pride.

"Did I not say so? I dropped by because I thought you might be needing some help soon."

"……Ha."

At his smug, needling manner, Marianne let out a hollow laugh. Penelope really was a ruthless woman. Not coming herself, but sending her lackey to twist the knife instead.

"I'm sorry, but customers will be arriving shortly. I haven't the time for idle chatter."

Of course, Jurgen had not come here because he had time to spare, nor to get under Marianne's skin. And needless to say, he had not come on Penelope's orders either.

He had simply come because he sensed The Golden Mermaid was nearing its limit, and wanted to offer some help.

They had been at odds with Penelope, certainly, but was she not a fellow comrade in the Culinary Revolution — however rare that might be? Even if her methods had been misguided, her passion for expanding the world of fine dining would end up contributing to it all the same.

And borrowing Penelope's words — the food itself had been of no low quality either.

He had wanted to come a little sooner if he could.

"Get out of my restaurant."

And yet she was reacting like this even now — back when things had been going well, he wondered if she'd have even let him through the door.

So then. First things first: soothing Countess Blanchard, who was bristling with venom.

"I would ask you not to misunderstand. I have not come here to mock Countess Blanchard, nor to indulge in some petty show of pride."

"Ha. Words you don't mean."

"I came because it pained me to see someone who walks the same path toward fine dining come undone like this."

"Are you pitying me right now? A mere commoner peddler? Bernard, throw him out."

Well — words alone might not get through to her.

"I will lend you money."

At those few words, Marianne's outburst and Bernard's movement came to a simultaneous halt.

"What did you just……?"

"I said that in the name of Y&P Trading Company, I would extend an emergency loan to The Golden Mermaid."

Jurgen produced a promissory note.

'One zero, two, three, four……!'

Marianne's eyes went wide at the figure written on it.

What on earth was he scheming? He turns up at a failing business — one set to fail even harder — and offers to lend money? It had to be a trap, surely.

"I don't need—"

At that moment, Bernard broke in desperately.

"Y-young lady…… even so, that sum would be enough to put out the most urgent fires……"

"……"

"If we pay off the outstanding balance to the Black Sail Guild…… we should be able to get the ingredients flowing again……!"

Bernard's desperate cry rattled the last remnants of Marianne's pride. Rather than go bankrupt and end up in prison, or be sold off like goods in a marriage to some Nouveau Riche— Humiliating as it was, taking the loan and living to fight another day was a hundred times better.

"There'll be terms, I take it?"

Marianne, who had somewhere shifted to formal speech, asked guardedly without lowering her defences.

"Tell me what you want in exchange for this offer."

"First — repayment of interest by the agreed date, and diligent servicing of the loan."

"And second?"

"I would be grateful if you could tell me in detail what has transpired over the course of your operations."

Before Marianne's guard could go back up, Jurgen moved first.

"There's little point lending money if it's merely pouring water into a cracked jar, wouldn't you say?"

The words hit their mark. Marianne's brow furrowed — but the sum he was offering was too large for her to let her displeasure show openly.

Large enough to keep The Golden Mermaid on life support for some time.

"We at Y&P Trading Company are in the same industry, after all. Think of it as a consultation if you like."

Marianne still hesitated. She couldn't fathom what he was after.

'For now, go along with it, take the money, and give him the runaround later……'

"Very well."

Just as Marianne was about to nod, Jurgen tapped a particular section of the promissory note with his finger.

"There is a clause here regarding acceptance of management consultation and an obligation to implement improvements. Please answer with care. A clumsy lie won't get very far."

"Urgh."

Marianne was completely cornered. At last, as though resigning herself to everything, she gave a nod.

"……I imagine you've already heard it all through Social Circles gossip anyway……"

With a humiliated heart, Marianne began to lay bare the nightmare of what had passed.

The business launched from the outset on enormous leverage. The cost of raw ingredients that had shot up five, ten times over. The Black Sail Guild's betrayal — the B-grade frozen goods. The matter of placing the lower-quality Lobster at the tables of relatively less important guests. The discrimination scandal that followed. The sixty percent cancellation of reservations. And…… the notice from the third-round investors that they were putting their investment on hold.

"……That is what happened."

Jurgen listened to the whole account in silence. The faint smile he had been carrying had vanished somewhere along the way.

"My, my — that was rather bolder than I had anticipated……"

Jurgen was, in all sincerity, utterly stunned.

He had expected a bum note to be hit somewhere along the line, but Countess Blanchard had far surpassed anything he had imagined.

First — pricing set without any regard for the cost rate. Second — reckless overbooking. Third — quality fluctuating constantly as a result of the above.

Three mistakes one must never make in running a Food and Beverage business, committed all at once, and in perfect fashion.

Jurgen felt a mild headache coming on.

"Let's start by looking at the kitchen. I'll call over our chef. Miss Brigitte! You may come in!"

"Yes!"

Marvelling at the grandeur of the empty hall, a young girl came trotting brightly inside.

"Wow……!!! It's like a palace!!!"

Marianne's brow furrowed.

"Who on earth is that girl……"

"Brigitte, head of culinary development at Y&P Trading Company! A pleasure to meet you!"

Brigitte greeted her with a sunny smile, but Marianne made no effort to conceal her scepticism.

"Th-this little one is the chef from that Royal Kitchen?"

"None other — the finest chef in Britannia."

Whether that was said in earnest or in jest was impossible to tell, and Marianne set off for the kitchen for the time being.

"Wow! The kitchen is magnificent too!"

While Brigitte looked around the kitchen in wonder—

"Countess Blanchard, where are the ingredients?"

"Over here."

Marianne was pointing to the refrigerator when Chef Gabriel entered the kitchen, his expression set hard.

"Countess? What is the meaning of this?"

"Well, that is……"

As Marianne humiliatingly explained the situation, Gabriel's face flushed red.

The kitchen was Gabriel's domain. Having outsiders suddenly barge in and start handling the ingredients sat none too well with him.

"Brigitte, do you think you can work with these?"

"Of course! These are so much better than what I used to work with! It's like a treasure chest!"

It was true. The ingredients that The Golden Mermaid treated as B-grade were, to Brigitte — who had come up as a commoner cook — astonishingly fresh, high-quality premium goods.

"I heard what the Countess said, but frankly, I cannot find it in me to accept this."

Gabriel, who had been watching the seemingly carefree Brigitte, raised his voice.

"I too have made a name for myself in the capital, in my own right. And you expect me to have a kitchen consultation handed over to a little girl like that!"

In truth, Marianne thought much the same. She was only going along with it because there was money on offer — she had no other choice.

Her plan was to taste whatever came out and, if it wasn't good, send the lot of them packing without mercy. Jurgen spoke to soothe Gabriel.

"I have heard much of Chef Gabriel's skill. But what do you say to taking a look at Y&P's approach, just the once?"

Jurgen turned to Brigitte.

"Brigitte, can you cook something right now? Three dishes or so."

"Of course! Can I use the ingredients freely?"

"W-well, freely might be a bit……"

Marianne instinctively cut in at Brigitte's bright exclamation, then flushed and fell silent.

"Hmph. The very idea……"

Gabriel radiated displeasure, but folded his arms and stepped back. Countess Blanchard was, after all, still his employer, and it was not his place as a commoner to stop a guest she had brought in of her own accord.

Besides — it was Y&P Trading Company that had claimed the Royal Warrant at the Royal Culinary Competition. He had his own reasons to want to see what they were capable of.

And the moment Brigitte picked up her knife and stepped up to the counter—

As the knife began to dance across the chopping board, Gabriel's eyes, arms still folded as he watched, slowly began to widen.

"……!"

Brigitte had already decided to abandon the texture of the frozen Abalone outright, given its freshness had deteriorated somewhat. Instead, she extracted all the Abalone flesh and innards and began mincing them finely.

She poured a light drizzle of cream over the risotto rice, then slowly added stock alongside the Abalone, moving the pan all the while. As the grains of rice dissolved into the cream, the rich, nutty fragrance of Abalone liver filled the kitchen.

Next, the King Crab. Brigitte stripped all the meat — where the sweetness and elasticity had gone flat — and minced it finely.

Beside it, her prepared items: breadcrumbs and an egg. The key here was to use the breadcrumbs to an absolute minimum, mix in minced herbs, and shape it like a hamburger patty.

Tschhhh―!

She then moved swiftly to drop generous knobs of butter into a hot pan and began frying them up. As the Maillard Reaction took hold, the rich, nutty aroma distinctive to crustaceans burst forth.

The last ingredient Brigitte had chosen was a Sea Bass she had scaled and gutted in an instant. She laid the Sea Bass on cooking parchment, added lemon, butter, and herbs, sealed it, and placed it in the oven.

Gabriel was astounded. Being a chef himself, he knew before even tasting it.

Brigitte's hands were working at the level of artistry. What's more, the focus with which she caught every precise moment of timing, and the bright, delighted smile that accompanied every step of the process—

It sent a shiver through Gabriel.

At last.

"There! All done!"

Nothing especially remarkable in appearance. Yet three perfectly prepared dishes presented themselves.

Abalone Liver Risotto, King Crab Cake, and Sea Bass en Papillote with Herbs.

Marianne, Bernard, and even Gabriel picked up their spoons as though drawn in by some spell.

"This…… this is the same ingredients?"

"The King Crab…… it's melting in my mouth! How is this possible!"

"The Sea Bass…… the texture of the flesh……"

The distinctive fragrance of Abalone had seeped gently into each and every grain of rice. The dry texture and the lacking freshness had vanished entirely, leaving in their place the rich flavour of butter and the savoury depth of the crab meat. The Sea Bass burst with the scent of herbs and lemon, and was filled through and through with nothing but succulence.

Gabriel had looked down on the very ingredients he now held before him as B-grade — and seeing them reborn as S-grade dishes in Brigitte's hands, he froze with spoon in hand.

"Hehe, it makes me so happy when people eat and enjoy it."

Brigitte laughed simply because people were eating happily, and that made her feel good.