Since Zen had not appeared at the Chelsea Club for long, most members still occasionally glanced at him with curious eyes when he showed up.

However, the attitude of the club’s core members, including Belus, was quite different.

“Haha! Be honest with me!”

John laughed loudly, wrapping his arm around Zen’s shoulder and murmuring softly.

“Can you perform magic or something? How did you know such information?”

Zen just smiled quietly without saying a word.

John’s father, Viscount Powell, was famous for being easily swayed.

This time too, he invested a large sum in Jackson Fertilizer Company based solely on what people were saying. If Zen hadn’t provided the information, he would have been one of the many victims crying and wailing these days.

“If it had been just a few days later, getting into Fourth Callum College would have been out of the question? Wow, just imagining it gives me goosebumps.”

“By the way, how did you convince the Viscount?”

To Derek’s question, John replied with a pleased smile.

“When I said it was information from Zen Baker, who’s been making money hand over fist these days, he immediately understood?”

John chuckled. Derek, who was subtly observing Zen, leaned forward and said,

“Really, no news from Kotana Railway?”

Derek hadn’t even known there was a company called Kotana Railway until Zen told him. If Eric hadn’t stepped up first, claiming to know Kotana Railway and wanting to invest, he would never have taken such a risky challenge.

“Even if Eric’s okay, for me, losing this money means losing half of my secret funds.”

“You’ll soon hear news about collaboration between Kotana Railway and the Fillepia governor. I’ll explain the rest of the story later.”

“O-Okay.”

Derek nodded with a foolish smile. Unlike the two grinning men, Eric still had a taciturn expression.

“How do you know such information?”

‘Lerian’, where Fillepia state was located, was a distant country that required crossing the ocean on a large ship.

Even Eric’s father, Count Forest, found it difficult to contact the Fillepia governor directly, and he couldn’t have known that the governor had accepted lobbying from Kotana Railway.

‘Thanks to this man’s information network, I didn’t need to ask Belus for help, but it’s unsettling.’

No matter how notable a rich man Zen was, his grandfather who laid the foundation of his wealth was a commoner, and he himself had lived as a commoner unable to show his face in Astrian high society.

Moreover, he wasn’t even that old, so how could he have such connections?

As if Zen could see right through Eric’s thoughts, he smiled and said,

“I don’t have direct acquaintance with the Fillepia governor or know the president of Kotana personally. But as you know, the business world is intricately connected by countless threads.”

Zen continued nonchalantly.

“When I first inherited my fortune from my grandfather and even now, my network isn’t that impressive, but occasionally I meet interesting people with valuable information, one or two connections away.”

Wetting his lips with tea instead of whiskey, Zen spoke politely in his characteristically low voice.

“I’ve always made it a rule to buy information no matter what. Fortunately, I had enough money.”

At that moment, Eric’s eyes sparkled. Most bourgeois, especially novices who inherited wealth, are obsessed with adorning themselves with money. How vulgar that behavior is.

But Zen was different. That’s why he’s here now, isn’t it?

Then Zen furrowed his brow as if he had bitten his tongue.

“Ah. I just misspoke. My current network is incomparable to the past.”

John grinned and said,

“That’s right, that’s right! Because you met us!”

Eric smiled too.

‘I like him.’

Zen has a lot but knows his place. A man willing to pay any price to get close to them, to adapt to this Gratian.

‘If this man is by my side, I won’t have to bow my head to Belus unnecessarily.’

Of course, that didn’t mean he would be at odds with him. After all, he’s the most beloved grandson of Duke Delta.

‘I should get along well. Just, I don’t need to taste that kind of feeling like that day.’

Meanwhile, Belus silently watched Zen and his friends. They were like moths drawn to light.

‘Is it really that good?’

Zen’s information was impressive. But Belus’s brother would probably know that much too.

‘I had quite high expectations, but it’s just average.’

Reading Belus’s indifferent gaze, Zen smiled as he always did, as if he were a serious and good person. As if he didn’t dare to read someone’s inner thoughts.

“Sorry, but I need to leave early today. I have a date with Julia.”

John said as he stood up.

“Julia? Julia from which family?”

“Family? Well. Would you know if I said Julia from Trium Theater?”

“Don’t tell me it’s actress Julia? How did you manage that!”

As Derek exclaimed in shock, veins popped on John’s forehead.

“What nonsense! It’s because I’m at this level that I can meet her!”

“John. Can you introduce me too?”

“What?”

“No, I don’t mean anything by it, I’ve just never seen Julia before. Is it hard to get tickets?”

“Hmph. Then come along, take a quick look at her face, and disappear quickly.”

“Of course. Do you think I lack that much tact!”

Derek also stood up. Even Eric, who would usually stay until the end while keeping an eye on Belus, got up.

“I’m supposed to talk with my father today. Sorry, but I should get going too.”

“Don’t apologize. Father-son relationships are important. Right?”

Belus asked Zen playfully with a smile. Zen nodded.

“Of course. Father-son relationships are important.”

“Haha. Mr. Baker knows well even without having a father.”

Belus laughed loudly, uttering a rude remark. Everyone present heard it, but no one showed a displeased expression. Not even Zen.

“Then let’s meet again later.”

After the three left, Belus leaned back more comfortably on the sofa. He felt like taking a nap right there.

“If you’re sitting there because you’re worried about me being alone, it’s okay. I’m too comfortable right now.”

At his languid voice, Zen chuckled and said,

“No. Rather, I was waiting for us to be alone.”

“Huh? Why?”

Belus asked, blinking his half-closed eyes. Zen said quietly but firmly.

“I think I’ve proven my abilities enough by now.”

Although Zen’s smile was no different from when Belus first saw him, for some reason it looked arrogant. Belus didn’t find that unpleasant.

“Invest in Baem Company.”

“Baem? That car company?”

“Yes.”

Belus smiled, furrowing his brow.

“Didn’t you say before that it wasn’t worth investing in?”

“Yes. To be precise, I said it wasn’t worth it until now.”

Belus’s eyes became clear. Right. Belus had also found it strange that Zen said ‘until now’ back then and had pondered over it once.

“But now it’s different?”

“You must know that the World Expo will be held in three years.”

The World Expo. The biggest event in the world, perfect for every country to celebrate and for individual nations to show off their status. You don’t know how much effort the royal family, parliament, and various companies put into this World Expo.

“Gratian wants to project an image of an advanced country. So wouldn’t it look quite impressive if cars, not carriages, were running on the streets?”

“But it’s individuals who buy cars, not the country.”

“That’s right. That’s why an interesting agenda will come up in the next quarter’s parliamentary meeting.”

Zen leaned forward and said calmly.

“An agenda for street beautification and improvement for the World Expo.”

It was a very simple agenda.

“They will repair the main roads leading to the expo site. They’ll make them stronger and smoother than they are now.”

Also, they will strengthen street beautification enforcement. To prevent animal waste or odors from horses from spoiling the scenery.

“They won’t regulate carriages themselves, but it will become inconvenient to bring out carriages. And around that time, Baem will put out big advertisements.”

“Saying you don’t have to be bothered by regulations and such?”

“Of course, they’ll emphasize that point, but they’ll also advertise it as a new, high-class mode of transportation that the world is paying attention to.”

Anyway, cars are luxury items right now. And rich people who buy luxury items don’t care about convenience.

They choose items that satisfy their vanity. But for this luxury item to take root properly rather than being just a passing trend, it needs to be convenient.

“It will definitely become trendy and take root. And to reap the biggest profit, you need to invest when it seems the most insignificant.”

“Hmm, is that so? But stories about the distant future don’t really resonate with me.”

Although three years might not seem like such a distant future in the investment world, it was still a long time for Belus.

“And no matter how well a company might do in the future, I don’t want to invest in a shabby company right now. I have my pride. I’m sure I’ll get an earful from my brother.”

“Baem is a company that’s steadily growing even now.”

Zen handed Belus the envelope of documents he had placed beside him. Belus raised his eyebrows at the rather thick stack of papers and asked,

“What’s this?”

“It’s an investment proposal prepared by Baem Company. If you take a look, I’m sure you’ll change your mind.”

“Haha!”

Suddenly, Belus burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. The remaining club members glanced at him with bewildered faces. Ignoring them, Belus laughed for a while and then said to Zen, who was still sitting in a neat posture,

“Why are you looking out for Baem so much? Did they promise you a cut if you get me to invest?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why?”

Belus’s blue eyes flashed. His face, with all traces of laughter gone, was chillingly cold, but Zen didn’t flinch.

“I just want to be of help to Delta.”

“Why?”

“Because Delta is special. Special enough that I want to catch his eye.”

Belus prided himself on being able to read people. Right now, the smiling Zen looked like a cunning snake to Belus. But this snake speaks very well. Well enough to make Belus want to play along.

Moreover, he was bored. And if things go well, he might be able to surprise his father or brother.

“Well then, shall we play along?”

Belus smiled, his eyes crinkling. Zen said with his beautiful lips,

“I won’t disappoint you.”