Chapter 225: Meeting the Members of BNC
As the Steam Carriage continued advancing through the busy roads of Camford, the scenery outside gradually began to change.
The districts they passed through became more developed.
The buildings grew taller.
The roads widened.
The number of Steam Carriages moving around increased noticeably.
Then they entered a part of Camford that immediately separated Northwick from many other Dukedoms in Britannia.
Bridges.
Massive bridges.
One after another.
Some stretched above roads.
Others connected entire districts together.
A few were so large that multiple lanes of Steam Carriages traveled across them simultaneously.
The steel framework beneath some of them was visible from the road below, while others were decorated with elegant glass structures that reflected sunlight beautifully.
Steam Carriages moved across those bridges continuously.
The traffic never seemed to stop.
Lucy found herself staring through the window.
Her eyes widened slightly.
She followed the towering structures until they disappeared from view.
It was her first time seeing road systems designed on such a scale.
Metallica had impressive infrastructure.
But this felt different.
This felt artistic.
Modern.
Almost futuristic.
She slowly turned toward Ezra.
The excitement on her face was obvious.
She wanted to tell him how amazing the bridges looked.
How impressive they were.
How the entire city felt different from home.
But...
Ezra was still focused on his Starlix.
The holographic screen floated above the device as he checked the latest updates regarding the Phantom Rolls shipment.
His eyes moved calmly across the information.
The shipment was still progressing according to schedule.
Lucy stared at him.
Then stared some more.
Unfortunately...
He didn’t react.
Not because he was deliberately ignoring her.
Well...
Maybe a little.
The road structures that fascinated Lucy where things Ezra had already seen countless times through the memories of his previous life.
Although...
He couldn’t deny that Northwick’s craftsmen were skilled.
Building something like this with the technology available in Britannia wasn’t simple.
The more he looked at the bridges, the more appreciation he had for the engineers behind them.
As the journey continued, more landmarks appeared.
Tall company headquarters dominated sections of the city.
Massive signboards stood high above the roads.
Advertisements continuously shifted across holographic displays.
Some promoted upcoming theater performances.
Others advertised luxury products.
Several displayed broadcastings programs.
Then...
Lucy suddenly pointed outside.
"That’s your poster, Master."
Her voice carried obvious excitement.
Ezra finally looked away from his Starlix.
Outside, a giant holographic billboard displayed the Phantom Rolls.
The vehicle slowly rotated on the screen.
Its elegant exterior reflected simulated sunlight.
Below it were the words:
BNC GRAND AUCTION EVENT
The image occupied nearly the entire display.
Several passing pedestrians had even stopped to look at it.
Lucy smiled proudly.
It looked as though she had personally created the invention herself.
"The design department and social department worked very hard on that advertisement."
The BNC representative seated beside the driver glanced backward.
Her expression carried a trace of pride.
"You all did an amazing job."
Lucy answered before Ezra could.
She already knew how this conversation would normally go.
If Ezra replied first...
The answer would likely be short.
Very short.
Yet...
"It’s expected."
Ezra spoke before she could finish smiling.
The atmosphere immediately froze.
Lucy slowly closed her eyes.
There it is.
The representative blinked.
"You are one of the top broadcasting groups in Britannia."
Ezra continued calmly, his eyes returning to the billboard briefly.
"Anything less would be strange."
His tone remained completely flat.
The words themselves sounded like praise, but the delivery sounded like a business report.
The BNC representative could only smile awkwardly.
Lucy quietly sighed.
Master really knows how to make compliments sound emotionless.
"Lucy."
Ezra suddenly called her name.
He hadn’t even looked up from his Starlix.
"Yes, Master?"
She turned toward him immediately.
"We should properly check the tourist attractions."
His thumb continued scrolling.
"So, we can visit them after the event before returning home."
Lucy blinked.
The suggestion genuinely surprised her.
She tilted her head.
"I thought you would want to return home immediately after the event."
She placed her index finger against her lips thoughtfully.
Ezra finally raised his eyes.
"You do realize there are important materials here that they don’t sell in Metallica that we can buy."
His gaze landed on her.
"Also."
A brief pause followed.
"I’m sure you’re looking forward to sightseeing."
His expression remained unchanged.
Lucy slowly looked away.
Then quietly took out her Starlix.
The tourism flyer was already in her other hand.
"I do want to go sightseeing."
Her voice became noticeably softer.
There was even a slight cute tone hidden beneath the words.
The BNC representative smiled.
The driver smiled too.
Neither spoke.
But both reached the same conclusion.
She’s a very cute young lady.
The journey continued.
Hours passed.
The city gradually changed around them.
Eventually...
They finally arrived.
The status of BNC Broadcasting Group became obvious the moment they entered the district containing its headquarters.
The first thing they saw was a massive black gate.
The walls surrounding the property were tall enough to make the place resemble a private fortress.
A security guard stepped forward to verify their identities.
Only after confirmation did the gates begin opening.
The heavy metal doors slowly separated.
Outside the entrance stood an enormous holographic signboard.
The BNC crest rotated proudly above it.
The image could easily be seen by passing traffic.
The Noble-Class Steam Carriage entered the property.
Lucy immediately looked outside.
The courtyard was enormous.
Rows of parked Steam Carriages occupied designated sections.
Steam Trucks stood nearby.
Several Ironstride Walkers were arranged neatly in another area.
Employees moved between buildings carrying documents and equipment.
The entire headquarters felt alive and busy.
At the center stood a massive main building.
The structure dominated the surrounding area.
Several additional buildings extended behind it.
Together they occupied an area large enough to compete with Ezra’s former family estate.
"We’ve arrived."
The representative smiled.
The carriage doors opened.
Lucy exited first.
Ezra stepped out from the opposite side.
Both looked around briefly.
The scale of the place spoke for itself.
"Thank you for bringing us here."
Ezra bowed politely.
His voice remained flat.
Yet the sincerity behind the words was obvious.
Lucy also bowed.
The representatives smiled.
Then Lucy remembered something.
"Are we taking our luggage?"
She asked.
"No."
A cheerful voice suddenly sounded from behind them.
"They’ll take your luggage directly to the hotel we’ve prepared for you."
Both Ezra and Lucy turned.
A man walked toward them with an energetic smile.
His steps carried confidence.
Almost too much confidence.
"Nice to meet you, Phantom Rolls creator."
He extended his hand immediately.
"My name is Park Weber."
His smile widened.
"I’m one of the heads of the Auction Planning Committee."
He pointed toward himself proudly.
"And the Head of the Social Media Department of BNC Groups."
The man looked around his mid-thirties.
Light brown hair.
Brown eyes.
His clothing appeared surprisingly casual.
Not sloppy.
Just relaxed.
The type of clothing worn by someone important enough to ignore strict dress codes.
Ezra shook his hand.
"It’s an honor to be here."
His reply remained calm.
"Thank you for having us."
Lucy followed with a proper maid bow.
Park immediately laughed.
"Good."
He clapped his hands.
"Let’s introduce you to everyone."
His energy seemed endless.
"Then we can start discussing how you want to approach your Auction presentation."
"Alright."
Ezra nodded.
Like that...
Park personally guided them through portions of the headquarters.
First came the News Broadcasting Department.
Rows of employees worked before holographic screens.
Reporters prepared scripts.
Editors reviewed footage.
Producers coordinated broadcasts.
The entire floor moved like a machine.
Then came the theater division.
Massive stages occupied several sections.
Workers moved props.
Actors rehearsed scenes.
Directors shouted instructions.
The atmosphere was lively.
Lucy’s eyes widened at the sight of famous actors and actresses she had seen on Linsta, it felt unreal to her, that she could get the opportunity to see them in person.
After a quick tour through several departments of the Broadcasting Group, Park finally brought Ezra and Lucy to the office where the Auction Event Planning Team operated.
The atmosphere inside was completely different from the departments they had visited earlier.
The moment the door opened; a wave of activity rushed toward them.
Voices filled the room.
Some employees were discussing schedules.
Others were speaking through communication devices.
Several holographic screens floated above desks, displaying charts, auction information, guest lists, and promotional data.
The entire office moved with purpose.
Everyone looked busy.
Everyone looked important.
Then...
"Guys! Guess who I just brought!"
Park suddenly pushed the door open wider and entered with his usual energetic attitude.
His voice immediately cut through the office noise.
Several employees looked up.
"Our Golden Inventor is here!"
Park spread both arms dramatically before pointing at Ezra.
The room fell silent.
For a brief moment, dozens of eyes landed on Ezra simultaneously.
The sudden attention would’ve made most people uncomfortable.
Ezra simply stood there.
His expression remained unchanged.
Then...
"Wow, he’s finally here."
A man seated behind one of the office desks leaned back in his chair and looked at Ezra with obvious curiosity.
His eyes moved up and down.
Clearly trying to compare the real person with the image he had seen online.
Some employees quickly returned to their calls.
Their work remained important.
Even so, they still occasionally glanced toward Ezra.
Others weren’t as restrained.
The workers who had fewer responsibilities at the moment immediately gathered around him.
"Your invention is really amazing, Ezra, right?"
A female employee smiled warmly.
"I watched the presentation three times."
Another worker raised his hand.
"I saw you during the Unveiling Party too."
Several others joined in.
Questions began coming one after another.
The excitement was obvious.
To them, Ezra wasn’t simply another inventor.
He was currently the face of the largest upcoming Auction Event in Britannia.
"Calm down, guys."
Park waved both hands downward.
The crowd reluctantly quieted.
"Let’s allow the genius some breathing room."
He turned toward Ezra and Lucy.
"The two of them traveled all the way from Metallica."
His tone became more reasonable.
"They should rest first."
The employees nodded.
"Okay, Boss."
"Fair enough."
"See you later, Ezra."
One by one, they returned to their workstations.
Although...
Several still sneaked curious glances toward him while pretending to work.
Park clapped his hands together.
"Alright."
His smile returned immediately.
"Let’s go have a talk with the executive heads in the conference room, shall we?"
Lucy blinked.
Then narrowed her eyes.
Didn’t he just say Master should rest?
Her gaze followed Park suspiciously.
The man seemed completely unaware of his own contradiction.
Or perhaps he simply didn’t care.
Ezra, meanwhile, had already started walking.
Rest could come later.
The important thing was finishing the work.
Park led them through another hallway before arriving at a spacious conference room.
Inside sat a woman.
Her posture looked relaxed.
Almost lazy.
One leg rested over the other while her attention remained focused on the holographic screen floating above her Zphone.
Her fingers occasionally moved across the screen.
The woman didn’t even look up when they entered.
"Lara, you’re here."
Park waved lightly.
Only then did the woman glance up.
Her gaze lazily moved across the room before landing directly on Ezra.
"Is that the Phantom Rolls boy?"
She ignored Park’s greeting completely.
Her eyes moved between Ezra and Lucy.
"Yes, it’s him."
Park sighed dramatically, then pointed at himself.
"But once again, you’ve ignored my greeting."
"Quiet."
Lara replied immediately.
Without even looking at him.
The holographic screen disappeared as she switched off her Zphone and slipped it into her pocket.
Only then did she stand.
"Nice to meet you, Ezra."
She extended her hand.
Ezra shook it.
"It’s nice to meet you too."
His voice remained flat.
Lara studied him for a moment.
"I’m sure you must already know me from the news."
A relaxed smile appeared on her face.
"I’m Lara. The main broadcaster of BNC News."
"I don’t watch the news."
Ezra answered immediately.
The room became quiet.
Park froze.
Lucy looked toward the ceiling.
Lara blinked once.
Then twice.
"So, I didn’t know."
Ezra continued calmly.
"But now I do."
"Ehnn..."
Lara stared at him.
The surprise on her face barely lasted a second before disappearing.
Instead...
A faint smile appeared.
Interesting.
That seemed to be what she was thinking, then her attention shifted.
"What about you, Miss Maid?"
Lucy immediately straightened her posture.
"I’ve seen you many times on the news, Miss Lara."
She bowed politely.
"Your broadcasting skills are truly top-tier."
"Hmm."
Lara stepped closer.
Lucy immediately felt pressure.
Not the pressure of an Alchemist, but the pressure of a confident adult examining her.
The young maid instinctively took a step back.
Then another.
"Were you the one who recorded his invention presentation?"
Lara asked.
"Yes."
Lucy nodded.
Her voice sounded slightly nervous.
"I see."
Lara folded her arms.
Then...
"Your skills suck."
The words landed instantly.
No warning.
No preparation.
No mercy.
Lucy froze.
Her entire body became stiff.
The statement struck with the precision of a knife.
Park looked at Lara awkwardly, because he knew what type of person she was.
"But."
Lara casually raised a finger.
"I could see you tried your best."
The damage reduced slightly.
Only slightly.
Lucy felt as though she had just been stabbed and then given a bandage.
Lara turned toward Ezra.
Her expression became more serious.
"I’m quite impressed by the way you presented yourself in the post."
Lara folded her arms while studying Ezra carefully.
Her eyes moved across his face as though she were evaluating a product.
"With that plain expression of yours and that flat tone, you still managed to pull people into listening to what you were saying."
She clicked her tongue lightly.
The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Most presenters relied on excitement.
They used gestures.
Facial expressions.
Voice fluctuations.
Some even overacted to hold people’s attention.
Yet somehow...
The boy standing before her had done almost the complete opposite.
"And honestly..."
Lara pointed directly at him.
"That part really impressed me."
Lucy glanced between the two.
She could already tell that Lara wasn’t the type to hand out praise casually.
The woman seemed more like the type who criticized first and complimented later.
Usually much later.
"But."
Lara’s finger remained pointed at Ezra.
"For the Auction Presentation, we’re going to fix some of your mistakes."
Ezra looked at her expressionless, not saying anything.
He just stared at her with his blank eyes, listening to her list his mistakes.
"Your posture isn’t bad, but it isn’t good either, you barely have any reaction for the audience to see, and you are going to be dealing with arrogant nobles and proud craftsmen so that needs work."
She lowered one finger.
"You look uninterested half the time."
Another finger lowered.
"And most importantly..."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Your poker face needs work."
Lucy frowned slightly.
"My Master already has a poker face. And a good one at that."
She protested.
Which wasn’t wrong considering what type of person Ezra was.
Once she said those words...
Silence filled the room.
Park looked more helpless at Lara, because to him, he felt like she was bullying them, but he couldn’t do anything about it considering her personality.
Ezra narrowed his eyes at her, knowing she was trying to defend him, but it was a professional that was mentioning his mistakes, which he already guessed was going to happen when he meets the members of the BNC Group.
The room became strangely quiet.
Lara stared at her.
Then...
"No. my dear "
Her reply came instantly.
"You think he does."
The answer was direct and ruthless.
Lucy’s shoulders trembled slightly, but she exhaled out low, also knowing Lara could be right since she was technically a Presenter of the biggest new group in the kingdom.
As for Ezra... He still remained silent.
His face didn’t change in the slightest.
"Either way."
She waved her hand dismissively.
"The Auction isn’t some invention video posted online."
Her tone became more professional.
"There will be executives, nobles, Industry leaders, people who can determine whether your invention becomes a historic success or just another forgotten project."
Her eyes locked onto Ezra’s.
"So, we’re polishing everything."
She pointed at him again.
"Your speech, your presentation, your movement and that face of yours."
The last statement made Park sigh.
A short cough quickly followed as he tried to catch Lara’s attention, telling her to relax.
Lara ignored him completely.
"Well..."
A smirk appeared on her face.
"I’ll personally be putting you through all of that."
The smirk widened.
"So, I look forward to working with you."
Without waiting for a response, she turned around.
The conversation clearly ended the moment she decided it ended.
Not giving Ezra any chance to reply.
Although...
Not that he had been planning to say much anyway.
His expression remained exactly the same.
"Are you leaving now?"
Park asked.
He was already seated near the conference table.
Several holographic screens floated above the setup he had prepared for the executive meeting.
The call was almost ready.
"Yeah."
Lara replied without stopping.
She only turned her head slightly.
"I’ll come back after the call."
Then she paused.
As though remembering something.
Her eyes shifted toward Lucy.
"Oh."
She lazily pointed at her.
The sudden attention made Lucy straighten her posture immediately.
"Miss Maid."
"Yes?"
Lucy answered politely.
"Make sure you take good care of your Master."
Lara’s tone remained casual.
But the words carried a hidden meaning.
"We need him functioning at his best for the Auction."
Her gaze briefly landed on Ezra.
Then returned to Lucy.
"Try not to let him bury himself in work every waking hour."
Lucy blinked.
Then slowly nodded.
"I’ll do my best."
"Good."
Lara looked satisfied.
Then she casually waved one hand.
The gesture looked more like she was dismissing everyone than saying goodbye.
A moment later, she disappeared through the conference room doorway.
The room became quieter.
Park returned to preparing the executive call.
The workers outside continued moving around.
Meanwhile...
Lucy stared toward the doorway Lara had exited through.
He probably won’t even need my help.
The thought surfaced in her mind naturally.
After everything she had seen over the past few months, Ezra already felt like someone who could handle almost anything himself.
Yet...
She quickly shook her head.
That isn’t right.
Even if he didn’t ask for help.
Even if he rarely relied on others.
She was still his maid.
And she intended to do her job properly.
Her gaze shifted toward Ezra.
The young inventor had already walked toward the seat Park prepared for him.
His movements were calm.
Steady.
Without hesitation.
As though nothing Lara had said affected him in the slightest.
The holographic screens above the conference table flickered softly.
The executive call was about to begin.
