Tahiti really was a wonderful place. The scenery was beautiful, and the mangoes were genuinely sweet.
Who knows whose mouth Dutch heard all that Tahiti talk from, Davey thought to himself.
Land Manor.
Davey was leisurely enjoying a delicious meal when his thoughts drifted back to his days with the Van der Linde Gang—especially to Mr. Pearson of the Van der Linde Gang.
Back then, the Callander brothers were responsible for hunting.
And no matter what kind of game they brought back over the years, Mr. Pearson could somehow always turn it into the same familiar dish.
That, in itself, was a remarkable talent.
Davey had long been used to it, but after visiting the Jade Dragon Restaurant in Saint Denis with Stella and tasting those flavors that had once seeped straight into his soul, he found himself developing a strong preference for that style of cooking.
So Davey hired a chef from the Jade Dragon Restaurant as his personal cook at a high salary.
He set aside his knife and fork, picked up a pair of chopsticks, and faced several simple home-style stir-fried dishes, along with a bowl of plain white rice.
This, to him, was living comfortably.
"Mr. Land, you're the fastest person I've ever seen adapt to using chopsticks so smoothly," the chef said carefully.
"It's my first time seeing something like this—truly impressive."
The chef spoke with deliberate courtesy.
Because of longstanding circumstances, opportunities and pay were often uneven.
But here, with Davey, he felt genuinely respected.
Fifty dollars a month—such a salary was something he had never dared to imagine.
"Oh? Is that so," Davey replied.
"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Chen. Maybe my fingers are just more flexible than most."
"I really enjoy your cooking. If possible, maybe next time you could adjust the flavors slightly—I'd be interested in trying something a bit bolder."
Davey and Chen communicated in English.
It wasn't a deliberate choice—simply the most convenient way for both of them to communicate smoothly.
"Of course, Mr. Land. Please rest assured," Chen said.
"I'm familiar with a variety of cooking styles."
"If you enjoy richer flavors, I believe you'll be satisfied."
Chen was a little surprised. In Saint Denis, few people were particularly adventurous when it came to food preferences.
By this year, Chen was already in his fifties. He had trained extensively over the years and accumulated broad experience in the kitchen.
If not for Davey's influence, there was no way he would have left his position as head chef at the Jade Dragon Restaurant to become a private chef.
Given the circumstances of the era, life for many people in Saint Denis was far from easy.
Opportunities were limited, treatment was often unfair, and social standing could be hard to improve.
Under such conditions, people could rely only on themselves to seek better prospects.
"Of course, I'm looking forward to it, Mr. Chen," Davey said.
"Unfortunately, I've been invited to a banquet by the mayor tonight, so I won't be able to enjoy it."
"I hope I can taste your cooking again tomorrow."
Chen bent deeply at the waist.
"I won't disappoint you, Mr. Land."
To Chen, Davey was a major figure—someone the local community rarely had a chance to approach.
In his eyes, the mayor was already an extremely important person, and Davey was a guest of honor at that table.
Given their limited opportunities, it was difficult for people like Chen to come into contact with influential figures.
Becoming Davey's private chef represented not just personal opportunity, but hope for better prospects overall.
The owner of the Jade Dragon Restaurant was considered well-off within the community, yet still faced many constraints.
When word spread that Davey was seeking a private chef from the restaurant, Chen was immediately recommended.
If he could win the favor of someone as prominent as Davey, then even a small gesture could meaningfully improve everyday life for many people in the city.
...
The mayor's mansion.
Servants hurried about everywhere, busy preparing for the evening banquet.
The Saint Denis Police Department had also been deployed to provide security.
Mayor Henri Lemieux was well aware of the relationship between Police Chief Benjamin and Bronte, so he appointed his trusted subordinate, Trappett, to oversee security for the event.
Of course, Lemieux had no idea that Trappett had already become entangled with Davey.
Clearly, this "busy" mayor rarely concerned himself with the private affairs of those beneath him.
At that moment, Trappett was inspecting security arrangements throughout the mansion when he spotted a figure emerging from inside.
His eyes immediately lit up as he stepped forward to greet him.
"Greetings, Mr. Jean."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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