LIGHTNOVELONLINE Three hours before opening, the restaurant Roschild was incredibly busy.
However, Count Baron was diligently educating his staff, so there was not a hint of chaos or noise.
The workers were quietly focused on their tasks, and there was hardly any sound of footsteps.
“How on earth did he train them?”
As I pondered this, Count Baron approached me.
“I decided to be thorough about it. I taught the employees that this place pays several times more than other establishments as a reward for loyalty and diligence, and I’ve made that very clear.”
In Confucianism, loyalty means the servant must unconditionally devote themselves to their lord.
The term “treason” doesn’t usually involve executing plans for a rebellion; it often refers to someone deemed lacking in loyalty, thus branded as a traitor.
However, on the Albania Continent, loyalty is more about repayment for the money, honor, and territory granted to me by my lord.
“As a master of etiquette, the training was indeed very noble.”
“I taught them like the servants of a noble family. That way, those who come here can be treated like ‘nobles,’ right?”
Count Baron puffed out his chest and continued.
“I also paid a lot of attention to the interior. The floor is wooden and oiled, and the walls are painted white to give a luxurious feel. There are landscape paintings hung here and there.”
The floor doesn’t attract much attention as long as it’s not a cheap dirt floor.
On the other hand, the white walls draw the gaze, so adding landscape paintings and keeping them white creates an adequately noble atmosphere.
“The tables are black wooden ones, with wooden chairs painted brown and adorned with red cushions. The dishes are made of steel plated with silver.”
There are no porcelain dishes here, so all the expensive tableware is metallic.
At the royal palace, that’s why there’s plenty of solid gold tableware.
Even if a few silver dishes go missing, the servants and managers wouldn’t even think of looking for them…
Anyway, I’ll stop those useless thoughts right here.
“To truly recreate a noble banquet hall, there should originally be a space in the center for dancing. However, considering the status and refinement of the guests coming, there probably won’t be anyone to dance. So I boldly omitted that. Instead, I arranged musicians in the center so that music can be played from any seat.”
In the center were musicians holding instruments like a small piano, cello, violin, viola, and flute.
“I will also teach the incoming guests some very simple etiquette. I plan on maintaining maximum silence inside.”
Just like that, nobles don’t chatter while eating.
Talking during a meal is considered blasphemy against the God who provided us with these delicious ingredients.
If they maintain even simple etiquette, they should feel a taste of nobility.
“Following etiquette that isn’t usually observed while eating noble food will indeed make one feel noble.”
“That is likely.”
Then Count Baron cleared his throat at me.
“Hem hem, hem hem.”
It seemed there were many expenses related to his grandson’s wedding or something.
“Don’t worry about the expenses for the wedding; just spend generously. The Roschild firm will sponsor you.”
A smile typical of someone who has received financial treatment spread across Count Baron’s face.
In that state, he thumped his chest with a fist and straightened his shoulders.
“I will squash anyone who nitpicks about etiquette or dignity. These are not even royal regulations, and what’s wrong with commoners eating the same food served to nobles at the banquet?”
Indeed, having a lot of money can change people’s mindsets.
“Baron, shall we head out together? The rest will be taken care of by Antonio anyway.”
“Haha, shall we?”
“I will uncork a bottle of wine I brought from the Lion Kingdom. It is something Count Farnese Your Excellency has also struggled to obtain.”
Lucas, a senior craftsman from the woodworking guild in Florence, took his family to the restaurant Roschild.
Coincidentally, it was his wife’s birthday, and he wanted to let his children taste the food that nobles ate at least once.
Moreover, for him, a senior craftsman and owner of a workshop, treating his family wasn’t too burdensome.
“The burden is hiring a chef continuously, but a single meal is manageable.”
“The food prices are absolutely not cheap, yet there are so many people…”
However, waiting wasn’t particularly difficult.
Because rather than standing in line, they could enjoy ‘free’ drinks at a nearby cafe while waiting comfortably.
However, his children begun to fidget, tiring of waiting.
“Dad, when can we go in? I’m hungry.”
“Just wait a little longer. It will be our turn soon.”
Though he said that, he thought the wait would indeed be quite long.
The cafe was bustling with people in the same situation as him.
He fully understood their feelings.
While they could occasionally have dishes that nobles ate, when would they ever get to eat the high-end cuisine served at a banquet?
Unless they were lucky enough to be invited to a noble’s banquet, it might never happen in a lifetime.
As they kept waiting, someone called out to Lucas.
“Mr. Lucas, a seat has opened inside. Please come in.”
Upon hearing that, Lucas’s family followed as if their souls had left their bodies.
They were amazed to receive such treatment.
“I did pay, but is it really okay to be treated like this?”
Then a staff member gave a reminder.
“When dining, nobles do not speak at all. Please ensure that no sounds are made apart from the bare minimum necessary.”
“Understood.”
“Once inside, a staff member will briefly explain the etiquette to you.”
Lucas quietly reminded his children to stay quiet.
Being young, they might not listen, but still…
And as soon as they entered, Lucas and his family felt a dizzying sense of wonder.
In the center, an orchestra was performing a beautiful piece of music, and the air was filled with a heavy, rich aroma.
The space, harmonized by white walls and black furniture, was beautiful enough to believe it was a noble banquet hall.
“Please take a seat.”
As soon as they sat down, the staff briefly explained the etiquette.
“When eating bread, please use your left hand, and for everything else, use your knife and fork. Use the knife in your right hand and the fork in your left. At other times, please use the fork and spoon in your right hand.”
It was very simple but was etiquette that any noble would observe.
Meanwhile, people from the middle class, including craftsmen, often held their bowls while eating broth or used spoons, etc…
Even just correcting these behaviors would make them somewhat more nobly presentable.
“Now, for the appetizer, we have Latina San wine. It’s not too strong, and we’ll serve just a minimum amount, so gentlemen, please give it a try. Savor its aroma and taste and enjoy it slowly.”
Upon hearing this, Lucas immediately took a sip of the wine very slowly.
A rich grape aroma with a slight bitterness and a rather robust sourness.
The children only frowned slightly but could drink it without complaint.
“The gentlemen will be served grape juice from the next course. Enjoy your meal.”
Then an array of extravagant dishes was served to Lucas’s family.
Richly simmered stew, a flambéed dragon served for visual delight, fish dishes, and more.
However, due to the focus on ‘color’ and ‘luxury’ rather than taste, it was not all that palatable.
“This is a beef tenderloin seasoned generously with pepper, thyme, and saffron. Enjoy it alongside the provided bread and soup.”
To elevate the status of noble cuisine, each serving was over 500 grams per person.
Everyone expected the taste but…
“Not so impressive as the spices seem overwhelming.”
“The beef doesn’t taste like beef at all.”
The spices were so strong that it masked any flavor of the beef.
Even though they had deliberately kept the seasoning mild for the guests, the flavor was horrendously absent.
Yet the nobles seemed to enjoy such dishes, so they felt compelled to eat it all.
After finishing, dessert was served.
“This is a strawberry whipped cream shortcake.”
The children, along with Lucas, wolfed down the cake to wash away the lingering heavy taste.
They then stood up and left, saying:
“It feels nice to have become a noble…”
Honestly, if invited again, they would come back.
However, it certainly wasn’t for the taste.
Not quite a noble, but from craftsmen, merchants, to ordinary folks, the Toscan Empire is a ‘face-saving’ society, so I needed to show that I could enjoy such indulgences.
“Nobles really eat flashy dishes at banquets that aren’t that tasty. I can’t understand why they spend money like that.”
Even if the beef had been seasoned lightly, it would have been incredibly delicious.
The other dishes were quite similar.
And among those who visited the restaurant today, everyone shared the same sentiment, and these voices reached the ears of the nobles.