After finishing the call with Yang Eok-gwan, I quietly looked around my lodging.
A bit of dust had collected since I hadn't cleaned for a day.
This is when a vacuum cleaner, especially a wireless one—well, you know what I mean—would be handy.
The kind with killer motor power that sucks up everything in sight… Yeah, having something like that would be convenient.
Just imagining it.
"Heh heh."
A smile crept across my face.
I spent 10 billion, but it feels like I've scooped up even more money!
With a joyful heart, I laid down on the bed.
8 PM.
It's a bit early to sleep.
But I just got here, and going back out feels awkward.
I thought about casually visiting the room next door.
"But Baker needs to rest, too."
Just as I was about to give up on the idea.
Hmm.
Maybe because I thought of Baker, the memory of his troubled face when the topic of the Grosvenor Duke's family came up flashed through my mind.
"I mean, aristocracy in this day and age, really?"
But it's a fact that he's a major landowner in London.
"Still, what could happen?"
Let them play their aristocrat games. I'll just cheer for Dr. Dyson.
After organizing my thoughts, I slowly looked outside.
The night sky over London looked especially beautiful today.
***
At the same time, at the Grosvenor family's castle.
Tennessee Grosvenor, heir to the Grosvenor Dukedom, was receiving intense personal lessons every night.
"Master, would you summarize what you've learned today?"
At the teacher's words, Tennessee replied with an indifferent expression.
"The history of humanity is the history of invasion."
"Exactly. Advanced civilizations cannot tolerate the existence of underdeveloped ones. If you were the first to invent the gun, you must reap its rewards. Don't you agree?"
Tennessee didn't respond.
Instead, he looked down at the cityscape outside the window.
"Master, could you please focus?"
"Let's continue. The Cold War has ended. At first glance, it seems like the era of invasions is over, too. But is human nature so easy to change?"
"Developed civilizations will inevitably invade underdeveloped worlds. Only the weapons change with the times. In the past, they pointed guns and swords. What do they use now?"
Even with the teacher's question, Tennessee's gaze remained fixed on the view outside the window.
"Master? If you continue with this attitude, I will have no choice but to report this to the Duke."
"Report it, then."
"Excuse me?"
"Report that you're dissatisfied with my attitude."
"…?"
"And make sure you don't forget to mention that there was nothing left to teach."
"What do you mean by 'nothing left to teach'?"
While staring at the London night sky, Tennessee slowly replied.
"You asked how today's battles are fought, without guns and swords, right?"
The teacher nodded.
"The modern weapon is advanced financial techniques. In today's world, money is the sword. Am I wrong?"
"Could you explain in more detail?"
"There are countries with potential for growth but lacking in structure."
"The targets of invasion?"
Tennessee replied indifferently, as if it didn't matter what they were called.
"Acquire their failing companies, restructure them, and reap the proper rewards."
"There must be more."
"By wielding the blade of 'investment,' you can dominate their key industries and rake in immense profits."
Only then did the teacher flash a satisfied smile.
"And how did you come to know all this?"
"It's the work of my family, after all."
"You studied in advance?"
"Let's put it that way."
"Good. One last thing to confirm."
"…?"
"No matter how underdeveloped, you're still dealing with a sovereign nation. What will you do if the government steps in to defend those failing companies or key industries?"
"You bring the nation to its knees."
"And how would you do that?"
"First, intoxicate them with large-scale investments, then suddenly crush their foreign exchange liquidity."
"Hoho."
The teacher's eyes gleamed.
"I thought you'd done a little homework, but it seems you've already completed the advanced lessons."
"Does that mean no more classes for a while?"
"When I report to the Duke, I'm sure he'll have something appropriate to say."
At the teacher's words, Tennessee nodded calmly.
***
The next day.
I left my lodging early in the morning.
I went to watch a football match with Baker.
Since I'm dreaming of acquiring Manchester United, isn't it only natural to watch a Man United match?
'Well, that's true.'
But we headed to the youth stadium.
There aren't many players I'd recognize on the current Manchester United squad.
The names I'm familiar with were all part of the youth team back then!
So, what could I do?
I gladly watched the youth match.
The stadium was quiet.
Even in a country obsessed with football, it must be hard for people to keep up with youth matches.
Thanks to that, I was able to sit in the front row.
Thud. Thud.
The players were warming up one by one.
Among them, one player stood out.
Wham!
You can tell just by the sound.
Swoosh!
The ball bent into an unbelievable trajectory.
Thump!
Without giving the keeper a chance to react, the ball hit the back of the net.
"Wow!"
The crowd gasped in awe.
Thud.
The player casually took another free kick.
Thump!
Once again, the ball struck the back of the net with a resounding crash.
This player, with an incredible kicking power that made him truly shine.
Or maybe, regardless of his skills, what made him shine… was simply his looks?
His name was David Beckham.
He would later grow to become an icon of British football.
Next to him was another player, who seemed somewhat smaller than Beckham.
But when it came to ball control, Beckham had nothing on him.
Wham!
Especially when he decided to unleash a ground-splitting pass.
"Wow!"
The crowd couldn't help but let out another gasp of awe.
Even the spectators, who must have been hardcore football fans to come to a youth match, were left speechless.
"How can he make a pass like that…?"
"Unbelievable!"
Even those football enthusiasts were stunned.
Well, it made sense.
He was the man who Zidane and Guardiola both called the best midfielder.
His name was Paul Scholes!
Even after retirement, he was called back to the pitch by Ferguson because he had reached the pinnacle of football.
I'm glad I came.
How many Koreans can say they watched Beckham and Scholes during their youth days?
It's a feeling completely different from watching Jordan live!
"Oh, Gary Neville is playing fullback too."
Hmm.
A familiar face, but out of respect for player protection, let's skip the evaluation…
Anyway!
The match between Manchester United and Newcastle's youth teams ended 6-1.
I had achieved my goal for coming to England in a spectacular way.
"Heh heh."
As we were leaving the stadium, I said to Baker,
"I'm definitely going to acquire Manchester United."
I wonder if he sensed the determination in my words.
"I'll make it happen, no matter what."
There's no need to feel burdened.
I'm going to be in England for at least the next three years, after all.
It seems like my resolve was conveyed.
'Was I too serious, considering it's not just me doing this?'
He smirked.
"By the way, boss, when will you come back once you leave this time?"
"Probably when I come back for school."
"That'll be a few months then."
"Time flies anyway."
"Aren't you talking a bit too much like an adult?"
Instead of answering, I just gave a small smile.
It was really time to head back now.
The short but intense schedule in England was coming to an end.
***
After Baker saw me off, I boarded a plane in London.
Huh?
Jo Soo-deok was there to greet me at Gimpo Airport.
What a grand reception!
"How did you manage your luggage?"
"I traveled light."
"It's one thing to go to Japan empty-handed, but going to London with nothing…?"
"My wallet was full."
"Oh my!"
Jo Soo-deok's smile always has a way of making people feel good.
"How did you know I was coming?"
"The chairman's office contacted me. They said you'd arrive this afternoon."
I didn't even make a single call.
As expected, there's nothing Grandfather doesn't know.
"He asked me to take you to the art museum."
"Not home?"
"Yes. He's decided on a large-scale investment in the arts, and he'll be giving a congratulatory speech himself."
"The whole family will be there?"
"That's what I heard."
Jo Soo-deok glanced at his watch and then spoke.
"Shall we get going, sir?"
It seemed like time was tight.
I nodded quietly.
Vroom!
I had been riding in a Bentley limousine the whole time in England, but now, being in the Schultz S-Class felt different.
Bentley's luxury is undoubtedly overwhelming, but when it comes to fundamentals, Schultz is better than any other car.
Especially with how there's no noise except for the engine sound when shifting gears.
Oh, wait.
At this rate, I might end up inheriting Hyungang Motors!
'Let's stop thinking about cars here…'
I looked over at Jo Soo-deok, who was sitting next to me in the back seat.
"Thanks to your artwork, I passed."
"It wasn't thanks to me. You deserve all the credit."
"You flew all the way to the beaches of Malta to paint it."
"That's only because you gave me specific instructions, sir."
"You executed those instructions perfectly, and that's your merit."
Finally, Jo Soo-deok gave an awkward smile.
Vroom!
The car gradually picked up speed.
It seemed we were really in a hurry.
Even still, it would take at least 30 minutes.
'Might as well enjoy the Seoul scenery for the first time in a while.'
I just relaxed and gazed out the window.
Hyungang Art Museum.
By the time Jo Soo-deok and I arrived, the speech had already begun.
Thanks to that, I was able to quietly take a seat in the back.
'Actually, this is for the best.'
I was about to zone out when—
Huh?
My eyes met Grandfather's.
Not only that, but he stopped speaking and started studying me intensely.
At this point, it felt like tight man-marking…
When I adjusted my posture, Grandfather returned to the microphone.
"Some of you might be wondering why a man obsessed with making money is suddenly investing in artists."
The atmosphere in the venue was good, with laughter breaking out here and there.
"You're not wrong. Park Yong-hak isn't the type to waste money. What I'm saying is, if I'm stepping up to spend money, it means this is the right time to invest in art."
Grandfather briefly summarized the situation at Hyungang.
The vision of the founder laying the foundation and the next generation advancing the technology.
Everyone was familiar with this story up to this point.
But Grandfather took it a step further.
"When technology advances, is that the end of it?"
"Once we've succeeded, won't our competitors be able to do the same?"
Technology development will inevitably hit a ceiling one day.
When that happens, a cutthroat competition will begin.
Can we withstand the flood of cheap products from China?
Everyone pricked up their ears, eager to hear the answer.
"No matter how many times the world changes, the fact that humans are drawn to beauty will never change."
In the end, the future path for Hyungang lay in design.
But then, just as Grandfather was making this point—
He fixed his gaze on me once again.