Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet

"Settling things," William muttered, shaking his head at Philip. "This new Prime Minister of the British Isles, Richard, sure has some nerve. One nomination, and he thinks he can clear his debt. It seems no matter who it is, they're always thinking of themselves. I just don't get why he's so eager to distance himself from me now, right after getting what he wanted as the new head."

"It's simple," Philip said with a squint. "Think about how you became a Grand Duke, son."

At this hint, William quickly understood. There had been so much support for his new title, not only from within the country but even from other nations. The sheer number of supporters must have intimidated Richard.

"It seems like everything truly has two sides," William said, shaking his head. "He's afraid of me, a 20-year-old? I even thought about helping him out when I heard rumors that some forces were shorting the London stock market. But now, it seems that no matter what I do, certain people won't appreciate it; they'll just be more on guard."

He sighed. "It's a shame I'm English; otherwise, I'd be shorting the market myself. That way, I could make a good profit and leave Richard to clean up the mess."

"Haha, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future; no need to rush," Philip chuckled, clearly not buying William's claim of being "unable to act." He knew well that it wasn't inability but rather fear of public backlash that kept William from shorting the market. 

But Philip was pleased with William's level-headedness. The last thing he needed in an ally was someone unable to grasp the situation. "You're a smart young man," Philip said with a meaningful smile, "and you understand what's permissible and what's not. Don't pay any mind to those taking joy in shorting the market. Once we've recovered, a country has many ways of dealing with individuals or even corporations causing trouble."

"Don't mind Richard's choice, either," he added. "Don't go looking for conflict with him. For us hereditary nobles, as long as we stay out of trouble, our wealth and status won't change. People like Richard, however powerful they seem, are only influential for a time. Thatcher was brilliant, wasn't she? But look at her life now. After stepping down, if former Prime Ministers cling to their status, they end up valued by capital less than a high-level manager. Those who let go can only hope to become senior partners somewhere."

"Your biggest advantage, which I'm sure you know, is that you make money and can help others profit as well. People practically see you as a god for that. Otherwise, do you think everyone in that hall actually agreed with you becoming Grand Duke?"

William was self-aware enough to know this was true. He wasn't universally liked; he wasn't everyone's cup of tea.

Philip nodded, satisfied with William's understanding. "In their minds, making money isn't difficult for you. They were only afraid that if they offended you, they'd lose any chance of working with you in the future."

"So right now, what you need to do is relax, focus on making money, and enjoy the journey as Grand Duke," Philip advised.

"Understood," William nodded, acknowledging that he'd been in the spotlight too much lately. It was time to lay low; if people heard about him too often, they'd eventually get tired of him, even annoyed.

"Thank you, I really mean it," William said sincerely. Without Philip's reminder, he might have believed he could do anything he wanted.

Once Philip and William finished their private discussion, the crowd cheered enthusiastically for him.

After the knighting ceremony, there was a banquet, where the food, like most English fare, was nothing exceptional. After the prolonged proceedings, the ceremony finally concluded.

William stood with Philip at the entrance, personally bidding farewell to the guests before taking his still-excited mother back to their estate.

In the days that followed, William attended a variety of events—balls and charity galas by invitation. Balls didn't interest him much, so he only went twice before deciding not to return. Charitable events, on the other hand, were different.

Aware of the benefits of "spending to avoid trouble," William understood that people loved seeing a rich hero like himself donating generously. Some even secretly hoped for him to face difficulties. Therefore, he focused on charities supporting children and single mothers, taking every interview opportunity to present himself as a wealthy man with a sense of social responsibility who cared about vulnerable communities.

Most importantly, he donated generously at each event, giving at least a million pounds to each charity and as much as five million to those assisting orphans.

His big-hearted donations shifted public perception, reducing some of the envy directed toward him, while also increasing the invitations he received.

Even Westminster Abbey invited him to attend a gala for its renovation fund. 

However, the Devonshire family had never been religious, and William would sooner die than set foot in the abbey.

Doing charity wisely, without wasting money, was also something William understood well. Invitations to causes that didn't align with his interests or offer any benefits went straight to the trash.

Another week passed amidst the flurry of events. Just as William was about to enjoy a day off, Wilson showed up at his door, insisting that he fulfill his duties as Grand Duke by attending a local military review.

Recalling that Wilson had greeted him at the door during his knighting ceremony and curious about the state of the English local forces, William reluctantly agreed.

Dressed in a bright red ceremonial uniform with gold trim that his mother had specially prepared, he flew by helicopter to the review site. Stepping off the helicopter, he noticed that Wilson, dressed similarly, seemed a bit tense. William grinned, realizing why Wilson had been so insistent on bringing him along.

Smirking, William teased, "Hey, you look nervous. First time?"

"No, no, I'm not nervous—just excited, alright? First time at a review like this. How could I not be?" Wilson said defensively.

"Sure, sure," William replied with a grin. "But don't let the marching scare you too much."

"Haha," Wilson laughed quietly. "Don't worry. I'm not scared. This is just the local force. Once you see them, you'll understand. These local militia aren't even on par with rural police. Today's review is more of a parade or festival."

"Is it really that bad?"

"You'll see. Come on, everyone's waiting for us."

With a doubtful look, William followed Wilson to the review stand, greeting various high-society figures along the way.

Being a Grand Duke had its perks. By protocol, William was no longer required to bow to anyone other than royalty at formal occasions. Today, regardless of age, everyone bowed to him, and William only needed to nod and shake hands, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

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