Chapter 111

In a lavish room within the Tuileries Palace.

“Hrmmm.”

“Chief? Are you alright? What is it you’re considering?”

“It’s nothing. Just turning a few thoughts over in my head.”

Oitotan paced the room, his brow furrowed. He just couldn’t seem to land on a viable strategy.

He had crossed the Atlantic bearing a mission of great import. A mission to strengthen the alliance between Virginia and France, and to expand the Virginia Commonwealth’s influence over France and King Henry IV.

—“I am trusting only you. Use any means necessary, so long as they are not immoral. I am trusting you.”

Lord Nemo himself had spoken those words, which made his mission all the more critical. This was the path to finding a new ally, one who would stand with them against the Spanish threat and connect their Commonwealth to Europe.

“Hrmmm.”

And yet, beyond building the poultry farm and gifting the chickens, he had failed to produce any distinct achievements.

This would not do. Lord Nemo was counting on him. The tens of thousands of people in the Commonwealth were resting their hopes on his shoulders.

“Is there not some other clever way forward?”

The ‘chicken’ incident had been a resounding success, but it had been an accident. It was only because his unintentional blunder had spread via word of mouth, building up massive anticipation for the New World’s giant chickens.

He needed a different method now. The goods he had brought to expand their influence in France weren’t limited to chickens. There was wine, wine bottles, and various other essentials.

“Chief?”

“As I thought… is ‘that’ the only way?”

“Have you thought of something?”

“Yes. I have made a ‘decision.’”

The tribesmen who had come to assist their chief paused, briefly recalling what had happened the last time their chief had made a ‘decision.’ He had tried to take the refugees from Roanoke Island and shake down the Powhatan tribe. The entire tribe had nearly been wiped off the face of the earth as a result.

A cold sweat trickled down their backs. They tried to gently dissuade him, but Oitotan just laughed heartily.

“Worry not! This method has ‘already been proven’! There is no way it can fail or go wrong!”

“…”

“…”

“…”

That only made them feel worse. Soon, the time for the banquet at the Tuileries Palace arrived.

***

Henry IV had recently taken up a peculiar habit as he went about his days.

“His Majesty, Henry IV, by the Grace of God King of France and Navarre, enters!”

Whether he was in his court or making an inspection outside the Tuileries, he was always followed by a leashed animal. This animal was—

Flap-flap! Kkyolk.

“Th-There! It really is a chicken bigger than a dog!”

—a chicken. A chicken from Virginia.

“I-I cannot believe such a chicken truly exists. Good Lord.”

“A bird that size… a single one could feed an entire family with leftovers!”

The French had been infatuated with it for some time. The poultry farm, established by the mysterious envoy from the New World, had already become a mandatory stop on any aristocratic tour.

‘Si Dieu me donne encore de la vie, je ferai qu’il n’y aura point de laboureur en mon Royaume qui n’ait moyen d’avoir le dimanche une poule dans son pot. (If God grants me life, I will see to it that no peasant in my Kingdom shall lack the means to have a chicken in his pot every Sunday.)’

The giant chicken was a living symbol of the catchphrase Henry IV had championed upon taking the throne. It was also a symbol of the success of his new ‘New World policy.’ In short, this giant chicken had become a symbol of the French monarchy.

Everyone marveled at this massive bird and the abundance of the New World it represented, gazing upon it with the same awe they reserved for Henry IV himself.

In a short time, the poultry farm had multiplied in size, and the new breed of chicken was sold at high prices, gracing the banquet tables of nobles and bringing them great delight. But this situation would only be temporary. Chickens were notoriously fertile; it wouldn’t be long before these giant birds adorned tables all across France. With a little exaggeration, it was possible that soon, there truly would be no subject unable to eat chicken every Sunday.

Kkolk, kko-ok.

“Yes, yes. Eat up, Koko.”

Kko-ok. Kkikkik.

“Heh, heheheh. Just looking at this fellow makes me feel full.”

Henry, seizing the opportunity, had taken to bringing a robust chicken with him everywhere. He had eventually grown fond of this one and kept it as a pet. He watched it with a satisfied smile as it pecked at grain from a lavish glass bowl.

The Marquis de Rosny, Maximilien de Béthune, stared blankly for a moment before clearing his throat to get his sovereign’s attention.

“Ahem. Ahem.”

“Ah, Maximilien! You’re here? What is it?”

“The chamberlains said you were not responding to their calls… It is nearly time for the banquet, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, Has it become that time already?”

Henry’s expression suddenly soured as he rose from Koko’s side. The chicken looked up, bewildered, and Henry stroked its head, clicking his tongue.

“The banquet…That means the envoy will be there.”

“He will Ahem. You do not look pleased. Did something happen?”

“No, it’s just a strange feeling. It’s likely because of ‘that incident’ at the last banquet.”

That incident. The moment he had been told, in front of everyone, ‘Your kingdom is poor.’ Although it was later revealed to be a misunderstanding, he couldn’t count the days and nights he’d spent stewing over it. For some reason, ever since then, he felt a bizarre, unsettling sensation every time he met Oitotan.

—”Ah, you do not know? This is an ‘incubator.'”

—”It seems you did not know. It is alright. France, like us, can soon become wealthy.”

—”This country, France. It is poor, but the people are kind.”

“He’s perfectly polite, and yet, I cannot help but feel a condescending gaze. It makes my skin crawl. It feels like something is, scraping at my insides.”

“I believe I know what you mean, Your Majesty. But surely you cannot shun the envoy of an important ally over such a feeling?”

“…”

“…”

“Yes… you are right.”

Henry lightly tapped Maximilien’s shoulder and strode out the door. “You are right. In any case, has he not brought us immense wealth?”

Henry squared his shoulders and walked with a confident stride toward the banquet hall. Yes. When I think about it, didn’t that insult… from Oitotan also end up helping me? And most importantly, there was no ill intent behind it.

The things he’d said since had also been unsettling, but they could easily be passed off as minor blunders from an envoy ignorant of European diplomacy, or misunderstandings due to cultural differences. Yes. I must not let it bother me.

With that thought, Henry entered the banquet hall alongside the Marquis de Rosny. The tables were lavishly decorated and laden with chicken dishes, which had come to symbolize both the alliance with Virginia and the prosperity of the two nations.

And there, at the seat of honor to the King’s right, Oitotan was waiting for him.

Henry smiled at Oitotan, took his seat, and after a few ceremonial pleasantries and speeches, they all raised their glasses and drank a toast.

“Long live France! Long live the Emperor of the New World!”

“Glory to the friendship between our two nations!”

Henry confidently drained his wine.

“Pfft.”

A sudden sound made him lower his glass and turn his head. Beside him, Oitotan was hastily setting down his own wine glass and rinsing his mouth with water.

“Is something wrong?”

“I am sad. And, I respect you, Your Majesty.”

A deep sense of foreboding crept over Henry as he asked, “Thank you. But why are you sad?”

And Oitotan replied, “For a King, to willingly drink such terrible wine. The kingdom’s affairs, must be very, very difficult.”

The banquet hall once again erupted in murmurs. A cold sweat broke out on Henry IV’s brow.

“Was that a mistake? I am ignorant of your culture. I apologize.”

He thought he saw for just a fraction of a second, the corner of Oitotan’s mouth twitch upward. When he blinked, Oitotan’s expression was back to its usual, placid sincerity.

“Here. As a sign of ‘apology,’ this is Virginian wine.”

Oitotan suddenly rummaged in a box beside him and pulled something out. A bottle, filled with a clear liquid, fragrant with fruit.

“It is not strong and sweet like the last one. It is, ordinary wine. It has been four years since it was made, but, I wish to share it with the people here.”

“Wh-What are you saying, Chief Oitotan? If it’s ordinary wine, how could it possibly be drinkable after four years?”

“Drink. Then you will know.”

Glug… 

“Oh… Oh… Oh, my!” 

Glug-glug… 

“Wh-What is this flavor? It’s magnificent! Chief, might I have another glass?”

One by one, as the ordinary Virginian wine was passed to the guests, cheers and gasps of amazement erupted.

Soon, the meal ended, and the banquet transitioned into a ball, with people gathering to dance and talk. The lords, many of whom owned their own vineyards, all clustered around Oitotan, buzzing with excitement.

“H-How? How did you keep the wine from spoiling on the journey across the Atlantic?”

“Is this, too, some superior Virginian technology?”

Facing the eager crowd, Oitotan clapped his hands for attention. “It is because you do not have ‘this.’”

Clap.

Oitotan clapped again. Servants brought forward a box he had entrusted to them and opened it. Inside was a fine white powder.

“What is this?”

“You do not know? This is, ‘sulfite.’”

“…”

For some reason, Oitotan’s tone was starting to get on their nerves, but they held their tongues and listened.

“If you add this, the wine can be preserved for a long time.”

“…”

“…”

“Th-Then, if we just have that!”

“Will you buy it?”

“Y-Yes! We will buy it at once!”

“Give us that powder! We, too, can make fresh wine!”

“If-If we just have that, we can also make such.”

“No.”

“…”

“…”

“What did you say?”

“That alone is not enough.”

Clap.

Oitotan clapped his hands again. A servant brought another box. This one was filled with glass bottles. “Our standardized wine bottle. It preserves the wine cleanly.”

“I-I’ll buy it!”

“Now, if we just have that.”

“No.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“You need one more thing. Use cork as a stopper.”

“Cork?”

“Yes. And while we are at it, I would like you to supply us with cork from France. And.”

Clap. 

Oitotan clapped again. “Buy this cork cutter. In Virginia, we cut our corks with this.”

“But if the bottle is sealed so tightly with cork, how do you open it?”

Clap. 

“Buy this corkscrew. In Virginia, we open corks with this.”

“Ooooh… Ooooh!”

Henry IV watched as something… something… was happening right in front of him. But his brain couldn’t process the situation fast enough and simply stalled.

“By the way, I wish to apologize to everyone for my earlier rudeness. Especially, to His Majesty the King.”

And then, just for an instant, he saw Oitotan’s lips twitch again. No one else seemed to have noticed. Finally, Henry IV’s brain rebooted and grasped the situation.

…That bastard. He’s enjoying this.

***

The most critical factor in the long-term preservation of wine is the prevention of ‘oxidation.’ It’s often said that old wine, improperly stored, turns to vinegar. This is precisely what happens when wine is over-exposed to oxygen. This problem became acute after the discovery of new sea routes and the dawn of the Age of Discovery, as Europeans began to spread across the globe. They needed to transport wine by ship more frequently.

Wine was an essential component of Holy Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, a primary rite of Christianity. This beverage, holding a religious significance that went beyond a simple staple, was something Europeans had to take with them, whether they were going to America, Africa, or Asia.

With this need, fortified wines like Port and Sherry, which did not spoil easily, emerged. At the same time, storage methods that blocked oxygen, like glass bottles and cork stoppers, became popular. And in the modern era, ‘sulfites’ (sulfur dioxide) were added to more systematically prevent oxidation…

My family owns a vineyard. This means we have a sulfur fumigator at home for protecting the grapes. Until now, I’d been using it to keep the wood for shipbuilding from rotting. We also have sodium carbonate, or soda ash. That’s a common household item. In other words, making sulfites isn’t difficult.

Sulfites are commonly used as food preservatives. They’re added to most sausages and hams. And when added to wine, they remove the oxygen, inhibit bacterial growth, and prevent oxidation, helping to preserve the wine long-term. The fact that even wineries that try to avoid adding any flavor-altering substances still use sulfites speaks to their usefulness.

That was the reason our wine could cross the Atlantic without being a fortified wine. That was the source of our wine’s hidden strength.

Swoooosh! 

“Use only a tiny amount! One spoonful per cask is enough!”

“Move all the oak barrels! We’re using them again!”

This was the Chesapeake winery. In one corner, fortified wines were aging in oak barrels. In another, ordinary wine was being treated with sulfites and then slowly bottled in sterilized glass.

We were starting to gradually reduce production. It was the early 17th century; brandy already existed, and glass wine bottles were slowly spreading. The age of fortified wine was not far off. Instead, we were planning to supply sulfites, glass bottles, and cork-related tools. How successful that would be… was up to Oitotan.

He had caused a bit of an uproar with his unconventional behavior when he was (unintentionally) promoting the Virginia chicken… But it would be fine this time. He’s a chief, after all.

It would probably be fine.