Chapter 44: The Big Goblet Pub

After leaving, William sat in his car and sent Tina a text, telling her he had something to do today but would take her on a tour of London when he had free time.

Driving his Porsche 911, William found the pub called The Big Goblet in a side alley of the Mayfair district. The place was indeed hard to find. Walking into this small pub, William wondered why Gareth had chosen such a quaint spot more suited to the countryside than the heart of London.

Sitting at the bar, William ordered an Irish whiskey. It was not yet 2 PM, and the pub was nearly empty. Bored, he struck up a conversation with the attractive bartender.

Through their chat, William learned that this pub was established in the 1650s, making it the second oldest pub in the Mayfair district. The bartender also pointed out portraits of several 18th-century politicians hanging on the walls. William recognized one—an individual portrait of the famous English statesman, Winston Churchill, above the fireplace.

As William chatted with the bartender about the pub's history and anecdotes, making her laugh, he didn't notice Gareth and a group of people walk in.

Gareth saw William engrossed in conversation with the bartender and shrugged to the seven or eight people with him, feeling somewhat speechless. He had never realized how flirtatious William Devonshire could be. Ever since William started selling his game, he seemed like a different person—once reserved and introverted, now always seen flirting wherever he went.

"Hey, William," Gareth called.

William turned to see Gareth and his group, consisting of both black and white men, all dressed in sharp suits. Leading them was someone William instantly recognized as Prince Charles of England, accompanied by his 19-year-old son, Prince Wilson.

William stood up and greeted everyone with a nod.

Gareth introduced, "This is William Devonshire. William, I think you don't need me to introduce these two, do you? Prince Charles and Prince Wilson."

Who in England wouldn't recognize the two princes? William quickly shook hands with Charles and Wilson, nodding and saying, "Of course, who in the world doesn't know Prince Charles and Prince Wilson? It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highnesses."

Prince Charles shook hands with William and smiled, "I'm pleased to meet you too, William. You can call me Charles. Actually, you're the most famous person in London right now. There isn't anyone who doesn't know William Devonshire. The papers and TV are all about you these days. Wilson insisted on coming to this gathering to meet you. Fortunately, he's old enough to come to a pub now. I'd like to invite you to my home sometime. Harry is also a fan of yours, but he's not old enough to enter a pub yet."

"It's my honor, Your Highness."

William then shook hands with the somewhat excited Prince Wilson.

Prince Wilson, gripping William's hand, said excitedly, "William, I'm a big fan of yours. Harry and I both admire you, especially knowing you created a game all by yourself. It's amazing. My friends and I love your game, but we can't get past level four. Can I invite you to my home? We can play together. I really want to see what comes after level four. If you come, Harry and I would be thrilled to have you at Kensington Palace."

William smiled at the royal heir who hadn't yet gone bald and agreed, "Sure, Your Highness, I'd be happy to visit."

"Great! How about tomorrow? It's the weekend, and Harry and I don't have school. You can call me Wilson, and I'll call you William, okay?"

William thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright, Your Highness. It would be my honor. I'll visit you at 10 AM tomorrow."

"Excellent, William, it's a date." In this world, Prince Charles and Princess Diana had a very good relationship. Despite being in their fifties, they were often seen holding hands, and the media never reported any marital issues. The harmonious and happy family life made Wilson and Harry's childhood quite pleasant. Wilson, still a bit childish, seemed very approachable and easy to talk to, which made William like the shy prince even more.

Gareth continued the introductions, "This is Commander Richard Bloomley. Richard is the commander of the London Police Special Operations Unit."

"Hello, Commander Richard."

"Hello, William."

Gareth then introduced the others, "This is Arthur Kane, Harry Hart, Merlin Strong, and this is Johnny English."

Johnny English? Isn't that the character played by Rowan Atkinson in the comedy spy film? Seeing Johnny reminded William of the other characters.

Arthur Kane, the head of the Kingsman Academy, Harry Hart, and Merlin Strong, instructors at the spy academy. Damn, what do these guys want from me? Are they planning to recruit me into the spy academy? No way.

Maintaining his composure, William greeted these spies with a smile. Johnny English, looking bored, covered his mouth to yawn. Johnny really did look exactly like his movie counterpart. His face was unmistakable.

"Alright, since everyone knows each other now, let's head to the cigar room at the back for a drink," Gareth suggested.

"Sounds great. I've been waiting so long I almost fell asleep," Johnny English quipped, shaking his head and leading the way.

First-time pub-goer Wilson looked at his father, confused about why such an impolite person was so familiar with his dad.

Prince Charles laughed and explained to Wilson and William, "Johnny is always like this, but you'll find him quite amusing once you get to know him. He always brings joy to us. Come on, Wilson, this is your first time in a pub. I need to keep an eye on you. If you get drunk, your mother will give me hell. I don't want to sleep in the study tonight. William, why don't you join us?"

William followed the gentlemanly Prince Charles to a two-story Gothic building behind the pub. He hadn't expected the front of the pub to be just a façade. The real Big Goblet Pub was at the back.

This part of the pub was even more retro, with medieval furnishings and decorations. Inside, there were only waitstaff and a bartender, with no other patrons.

Prince Charles explained, "William, this is a members-only place. You need a member to bring you in. If you like it, you can become a member too. There are two levels: a standard membership for 3,000 pounds a year and a premium membership for 10,000 pounds. Members can taste the house-made whiskey and beer for free, but other drinks are charged. The whiskey here is excellent."

Alright, not too expensive, and you get free drinks. It seemed like a nice spot for private gatherings. After the bartender poured him a whiskey, William decided to get a membership. The whiskey here was better than any Irish whiskey he had tried; it had a superb taste. The owner must be wealthy to offer such fine drinks for free and not sell them.

William called over a waitress to swipe his card and get a premium membership. He figured he could come here often whenever he had time.

William and Prince Wilson sat together, exchanging gaming tips. William also asked about traditional English noble sports—fox hunting, golf, tennis, equestrianism, polo, snooker, squash, and rowing—all of which had become popular beyond the nobility, except for equestrianism and fox hunting.

William and Prince Wilson were deep in conversation. Prince Wilson even invited William to join their fox hunting in the fall. William, intrigued, agreed, though he realized he'd need a good horse and a fine hunting rifle.

William thought he'd better learn horseback riding soon; it would be embarrassing to be bad at it.

"Hey, William, interested in joining our card game?" Gareth invited William.

William turned to see everyone but him and Prince Wilson at the bar, waiting for a beautiful dealer to deal the cards.

Thinking for a moment, he stood up and walked over with his glass of whiskey.

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