"You probably don’t know this, but the imperial chef and I were experimenting with different cuisines for our upcoming business. I asked Esteban to distribute hiring flyers in the plaza to search for artists who will paint our advertisement billboard."
"What is a billboard?" Gavino asked.
"It's a huge painting that showcases what we're selling. We'll display it in the town square where everyone can see," I explained.
"So, were there any applicants, Esteban?" the emperor asked curiously.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Nearly a thousand, men and women alike," Esteban replied proudly.
"Our crown prince and the second prince gained a lot of followers after the trial," he mentioned, referring to fans.
"We're receiving countless letters at the palace—proposals, messages of comfort, and some with inappropriate content that we need to burn," Esteban added.
"Inappropriate content? Something... R18, like fan fiction enthusiasts?" I joked.
"Yes, Your Highness, exactly what you’re thinking," Esteban confirmed, keeping it light.
As I sipped my tea, I decided to shift the conversation to our business plans.
"So, about the business, may we call in the imperial head chef, Esteban?"
"Certainly, Second Prince."
"Greetings, Your Majesties and Princes. I’m Antonio Fernandez, the new imperial head chef."
"The new head chef? What happened to Manuel?" the emperor wondered.
"Oh, he’s now serving in the imperial army," I explained. He was actually sent by the Honestos to spy on the empress, unbeknownst to us. I can't imagine how he's regretting that decision right now. Haha!
"So, Chef Antonio, could you please bring out the food we’re taste-testing?" I continued.
"Yes, Your Highness," Chef Antonio replied enthusiastically, unveiling the dishes.
"These are called Benny's fast food!"
The room was filled with curious faces, eager to see what was under the cloche.
As Chef Antonio lifted the cloche, the familiar scent made my stomach growl.
Hamburgers, fried chicken, Filipino spaghetti, french fries, burger steak—these were foods that changed culinary culture in the Philippines. Before planning this business, I felt a twinge of guilt knowing fast food contributes to global obesity. To compensate, I tweaked the ingredients and cooking methods to make them healthier. For instance, I introduced an otherworldly fruit in this parallel universe called Alovado. It resembled avocado, but when peeled, it looked like an olive fruit. Despite its unappealing taste, it was rich in oil, which my brother and I extracted to monopolize the Alovado oil business.
Starting with the emperor, everyone eagerly tried their first bite.
Gavino’s eyes widened as he devoured his chicken drumstick, disregarding royal etiquette. The emperor and empress were equally enthusiastic, closing their eyes in delight. The same reaction followed with the other dishes.
“Gonzi, what the heck is this?” the emperor exclaimed happily, holding his drumstick.
"Father, please remember your manners and put the drumstick down," I reminded him gently.
Clears throat “Our son is right, Your Majesty. It’s better not to eat with your hands,” the empress added, juggling a hamburger and fries.
"Mother, you too!" I chuckled.
At least they loved it. That’s the most important thing.
"So? Should we market it? Who’s in favor?" I asked.
They responded with approving nods and thumbs-up gestures. Yes, I taught them how to signify approval.
I instructed Esteban to handle the paperwork and put up advertisements for hiring workers—engineers and architects. Although I lacked knowledge of architecture or industrial engineering, I shared memories from Earth to convey my desired building style.
Fast forward a month.
We rushed to turn our business ideas into reality.
The first fast food restaurant was opening in the capital city, with impressive billboards painted by artists. They depicted the Imperial family enjoying the fast food—Emperor with fried chicken and fries, Queen sipping a new carbonated drink through a straw, Crown Prince biting into a cheeseburger, and Second Prince enjoying sweet red spaghetti. This caused quite a stir, with citizens and loyalists intrigued by the Imperial family's independent stance.
Four branches were opened: one in the Palace, one in the frequented Plaza, one in Baron Maya’s Territory, and one in the holy city, showcasing our collaboration with citizens and allies.
A week after the store openings, we were already earning significantly. Foreigners and nobles loyal to the Imperial family showered us with praise. The restaurant was bustling, necessitating 24/7 operation. Luckily, I had anticipated this and hired enough workers, ensuring manageable shifts of 6 hours per day.
With this success in hand, I envisioned our next venture: a delivery business.
"I'll make sure this venture brings in tons of cash. Haha!" I exclaimed suddenly.
"Dive into the delivery business," I announced.
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