Chapter 57: Erian Foundation (2)

The representative of Luton Transport, and the man who had narrowly survived the recent masterpiece theft incident.

Baron Obi adjusted the necktie wrapped around his neck.

“It’s larger than I thought. It’s on the level of Royal Nord in New Luton.”

Having recently visited a five-star hotel in the Empire, he seemed pleased with his first impression.

On top of that, the place now served as a landmark of a city bustling with people every day and thriving economically.

“With this scale, I’d say the annual revenue will be worth watching.”

As he stepped through the entrance, the staff who had been waiting in advance came out to greet him.

“Welcome, this is Erian.”

“I have a meeting scheduled with President Roger today.”

When the baron replied, they guided Obi straight to the lounge bar.

And there, I was sitting among people drinking coffee in the hotel.

“This way, Baron.”

“Seems like you enjoy bustling places.”

Obi looked much better than before.

At first, he only cared for the allied Windsor family, but now it seemed I was nearly on par with them.

“It would look odd for a mere secretary candidate to have a private meeting with a baron, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

As the baron took his seat, Yuria, the red-haired manager, approached.

She had already received information about the baron from me and placed a pot of green tea with an Eastern flair in front of him.

He used to enjoy Eastern tea culture in the past as well.

“Please have some. These tea leaves were newly sourced from an Eastern company we’ve partnered with.”

“An Eastern company…?”

I closed the documents about our business partners that I had been reading while waiting for him.

Then I interlaced my fingers and opened my mouth.

“Yes, we’ve recently been pushing to include Eastern tea and refreshments in the hotel’s breakfast service. From elderly patrons to trend-sensitive youth, the response has been positive across the board.”

“I had simply assumed you were just a secretary candidate. I didn’t know you were the representative of a hotel like this.”

Obi spoke candidly while taking in the fragrance.

“It’s all thanks to Lady Echina. I couldn’t have secured this position alone without proper justification.”

“No need to be so modest, even in front of me.”

The middle-aged executive of the Grand Duke’s house smirked slightly.

He stirred the teacup gently and spoke in a voice fitting of someone leading a business.

“I already knew you weren’t just an ordinary candidate.”

Triggered by the recent incident involving Deyan’s painting, the baron had realized that I wasn’t merely a subordinate.

He now seemed to understand that I was the true owner of the hotel.

“Then it sounds like we’ll be able to speak on the same level.”

I signaled to Yuria.

At that, she brought out a document that had been prepared in advance and placed it before Obi.

On the first page of the document, it was written:

“Erian & Deyan.”

“They say you received one of Deyan’s five works from the Grand Duke…”

“Yes. I’m planning to launch a brand symbolizing that painting.”

Upon receiving the document, the baron’s expression turned markedly serious.

“Showing me a business plan means Lady Echina is officially stepping into the family business.”

“Yes, though we still have a long way to go.”

I took a sip of the coffee on the table.

Though it had gone cold, the flavor remained rich after we’d changed the beans.

“We don’t even have a textile factory yet.”

“And what’s the point of showing me this under such circumstances?”

Obi looked both grateful and cautious.

His eyes questioned whether I might make an unreasonable demand, using the favor he owed me.

“If I succeed in securing a factory, would you be willing to cooperate with us?”

“So that’s what this is about.”

As if he’d expected it, Obi calmly shook his head.

The baron was the kind of executive who pledged loyalty only to the Grand Duke within the Luton family.

He was a principled man, to the point that he hadn’t aligned with any of the successors.

“If you’re living in the mansion, you must know this already. I don’t take sides with any line.”

“Yes, that’s exactly why I’m bringing this to you.”

Proposing something despite knowing his disposition.

The middle-aged executive furrowed his brow slightly in response.

“I’m not asking you to support Lady Echina.”

I quietly placed the empty coffee cup down.

“I simply want a business-to-business partnership.”

The baron stared straight into my dull eyes.

As a seasoned businessman who’d been through it all, he understood my intent immediately.

“So you’re saying that, at least while you’re here, you’re not a secretary of the Grand Duke’s house.”

“Yes, that’s correct. I’m here today as the representative of the Erian Foundation.”

The lounge bar was full of visiting dignitaries from other regions.

Amid them, I wore a calm, expressionless face as an equal business representative.

“When Erian & Deyan is established, we’ll need a transport company to supply across all of Nord.”

I pointed to the black lion badge of the Grand Duke’s house pinned to his suit.

“And I believe the only company elegant enough for that role is Luton Transport.”

Hearing my sincere words, the baron exhaled deeply.

Certainly, full authority over the company rested with him.

There was no reason the Grand Duke of the North would oppose business expansion, and the opposing company’s head also belonged to the Grand Duke’s house.

If any problems arose, they could be tied back to Echina for accountability, and my abilities had already been proven through the Erian Hotel.

“So how do you plan to acquire a factory?”

The baron asked again, seemingly ready to hear the plan.

“I plan to take over an existing one.”

“Do you have that kind of money? A textile factory would cost at least 20 billion gold.”

I answered his question as if confirming a lunch appointment.

“I’ve already secured the funds.”

“…?”

A mere secretary candidate, from a fallen junior baron family.

To think that the hotel, only now entering a stable phase, held 20 billion gold in reserves.

The baron exhaled a shallow breath, as if he still found it hard to believe.

“Did you take out a loan with the hotel as collateral?”

“No. I sold the Old Luton property we owned to Lady Echina.”

At the sudden mention of Echina, the middle-aged executive blinked in surprise.

For someone who had lived her entire life as a knight—where had she gotten the funds to buy the most coveted land?

“You’re wondering where the second daughter got such a large sum.”

“Exactly. Even if she’s His Grace’s daughter, she wouldn’t have had any separate income as a knight…”

I smiled faintly, as if I’d been waiting for this question all along.

“Well, then where do you think she got all that money?”

The baron thought of who might be close enough to Echina—and capable of giving her billions of gold.

And when the only possible name came to mind, the head of Luton Transport slightly parted his lips.

“So the Grand Duke intends to give the second daughter a chance as well.”

As expected of a business executive—he caught on quickly.

“Isn’t it admirable? She’s wielded a sword her whole life, but the moment she came into money, her instinct was to invest in real estate.”

The middle-aged executive looked at me curiously, as if surprised I’d called his lord ‘admirable,’ despite him being older than us both.

He tilted his head, as if it felt odd—like speaking with someone his own age.

“Well, in any case, the capital has already been secured.”

“Alright, then which textile factory do you plan to acquire?”

I pointed at the black lion badge pinned to his suit.

“Luton Textiles, which Lady Freya currently owns.”

“Luton Textiles, huh…?”

Obi furrowed his brow, clearly familiar with the place.

It was a factory that once manufactured a fabric called ‘Rumor.’

But now, it had become a burden—pushed aside by cashmere and cotton.

“Still, Luton Textiles uses traditional machinery, so the production volume must be low.”

“You’re right. On top of that, Rumor is now considered a minor fabric.”

Rumor had better breathability than cotton and a slick, smooth texture.

As a result, it was mostly used for undergarments or lingerie.

Yet I had my own reasons for setting my sights on this fabric factory.

In the near future, technology for producing functional clothing using Rumor would rise in popularity.

‘Among the few remaining factories, Luton Textiles—famous for its top-tier quality—will become a gold mine.’

However, if I said that outright, the executive in front of me likely wouldn’t believe it easily.

Which meant I’d need to convince him well in advance.

“Buying a declining factory just because capital is limited makes it look like a half-baked plan.”

As expected of a man who once served the continent’s second-in-command—he was cold and rational.

The middle-aged executive stared at me with a cool gaze, silently demanding a justifiable reason.

“Well…”

But—

In truth, the outcome of all things depends on how they’re used.

“I’m not doing all this just to make and sell underwear.”

I rose from my seat at the lounge bar.

Then I gestured for the Grand Duke’s executive to follow me for a moment.

“…?”

The baron followed me out into the hotel lobby, a puzzled look on his face.

And the moment we descended the stairs and arrived at the gallery—

He realized exactly what I intended to do with Luton Textiles.

“Dance costumes…!!”

The baron stared blankly at the girl dancing beautifully in Deyan’s painting.

Her refreshing and innocent appearance seemed to clear his once-complicated mind.

“Now that an era of peace has arrived, the Empire’s cultural industry will see great growth.”

I pointed toward the hotel entrance.

Following my gesture, the baron turned his head—and what he saw were the guests.

Citizens of Nord gathered to attend tonight’s performance by rising musicians.

Among them were many little girls dressed in ballet costumes, likely fans of the ballerinas.

“The Erian Foundation isn’t just considering demand for dance costumes.”

I stood with my hands behind my back in front of the Grand Duke’s baron.

With eyes darker than anyone else’s—eyes tainted by the world—I spoke.

“Start by making pianos and you’ll soon get requests for repairs. While repairing them, you’ll naturally receive other machines, and from there, grow into a comprehensive company.”

I looked out at the carriages and citizens moving outside the hotel.

People whose lives and fashion changed rapidly with the trends.

“A factory that once made underwear could start selling dance costumes, and if that fabric gains recognition from famous stars, new lines of clothing will surely be developed.”

The baron swallowed deeply at the plausibility of my words.

Then he raised his final concern: the outdated equipment based on traditional methods.

“But can Luton Textiles’ old machinery support such ambitions of yours?”

However, even that final layer of caution quickly began to crumble.

“There’s no need to think of it as simply ‘old.’”

With slender eyes, I curved my lips into my signature sly smile.

Then, hands still behind my back, I answered calmly.

“The more expensive an item is, the more it’s valued when made using ‘traditional’ methods, isn’t it?”

A waiter emerged from the kitchen, heading toward the lounge bar with a champagne bottle in an ice bucket.

I looked toward that wine bottle and spoke.

“The finest wines are made in small batches, with care, using old-world traditions.”

Having finally heard the full direction of the business, Baron Obi—

Closed his eyes gently at the sight of me calmly deflecting all his objections.

“This is why people should never live with debts…”

I held out my hand to the president of Luton Transport.

Beneath the girl in Deyan’s painting, radiant in her dance costume.

“I’m not asking for an immediate answer.”

Back when he was Chief Secretary, countless people had come to the Grand Duke asking for help with their businesses.

Yet among them, very few ever secured a contract.

“A proposal—as a business partner, of course.”

Still, there were those rare one-in-a-hundred cases who succeeded.

And they all shared one common trait.

“I will fully acquire Luton Textiles before our next meeting.”

They admitted their shortcomings and came back, resolved to fix them before the next encounter.

In doing so, they naturally secured a second meeting—while simultaneously proving their capabilities.

“Then, let’s make it official at that time.”

The middle-aged man remained silent for a moment at my ambition.

Certainly, my aggressive marketing strategy leveraging Deyan’s painting and the financial backing from Old Luton were both solid.

Moreover, the chairman himself had personally given Echina the opportunity to enter the family business.

A run-down factory like Luton Textiles was unlikely to stir the jealousy of the other heirs.

In other words, he could still maintain neutrality while avoiding factional disputes.

‘That’s exactly why I specifically chose Luton Textiles.’

“Alright, let’s do that.”

Baron Obi lightly took the hand I had extended.

After exchanging a brief farewell, he returned to Luton Transport.

I quietly watched his figure grow distant.

Then, lifting my eyes sharply, I thought to myself—

‘This is just the beginning.’

Eric—the eldest son who discarded me despite my lifelong loyalty.

Now, I would build a force to rival his and confront him face-to-face with pride.

The foundation was finally in place.

But there was someone else who had been silently watching me the whole time.

A blonde woman who had been quietly sipping tea at the lounge bar.

She observed me, expressionless and cold, as I shook hands with the president of Luton Transport.

“Interesting, Julius.”

Helena gently wiped a drop of tea from her crimson lips.

Then, she flashed her signature refreshing eye smile.

“Pretending to unfold some grand vision, only to naturally secure a conditional promise…”

Like a beast watching a fox return proudly with its prey—fond, yet amused.

“Luton Textiles, huh—”

The Western Grand Duke’s daughter set down her sugar-laden tea on the table.

Then, folding her arms, she walked toward me as I stood in the lobby, alone.

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