Julian did not even bother to glance at the man anymore. Sometimes Ethan was just like that, responding to whatever people said with that same lingering smile. Julian could not be bothered to care, merely nestling deeper into Ethan’s chest, his eyes half-closed as he prepared to fall back asleep.

Then, all of a sudden, he heard Ethan Caldwell ask: "Jules, what do you know about the power factions in St. Lawrence?"

"Hmm? What do you mean by what do I know?"

"For instance, the other families, the Talbot family, the York family... and the tangled webs of relationships within this circle."

Julian lifted his head to look straight into Ethan’s eyes. That gaze was incredibly serene, appearing so profoundly deep that one could not fathom its bottom. Suddenly, Julian had a feeling that perhaps Ethan Caldwell was going to reveal something to him today.

What could it be...

It was likely related to CORE.

But was that organization truly connected to the top aristocratic families of St. Lawrence, or perhaps even those in other major cities? As Julian recalled from the last time, Dahlia Thorne had mentioned that the long-standing families also had people meddling within CORE. Who were these ancient families?

Were the Talbot family and the York family... the ones that came to his mind? The figures standing behind Kieran Talbot and Louis York...

There were far too many things to consider, making Julian feel a momentary headache. Ultimately, he spoke with absolute candor: "Ethan Caldwell, even though I carry the reputation of being a member of the Sterling family. But... I was just an impoverished wretch brought into the Sterling household."

A beggar clinging to a high branch like him possessed absolutely no right to be privy to so many secrets of this upper-class society.

Furthermore, prior to transmigrating here, he had not read that much information either. This book revolved primarily around Aaron, depicting how exceptionally capable he was and how many suitors chased after him. However, ever since he transmigrated here, everything had deviated from its original trajectory, and Aaron had gradually vanished from Julian’s life.

It was clearly a recent occurrence, yet bringing it up felt as though several lifetimes had passed. It felt so distant that he genuinely no longer wished to expend any mental effort to despise or set traps for Aaron anymore.

And while Julian was lost in his sprawling thoughts, Ethan Caldwell planted a kiss on his forehead. It was a kiss that felt as if it were consoling his wounded soul.

Ethan Caldwell’s voice rang out in a steady, rhythmic tone: "Let me tell you a few tales of the past. They are a bit chaotic..."

Ethan Caldwell’s tales of the past consisted of numerous stories from a very long time ago in St. Lawrence, concerning the colossal factions that cast their shadows over the city.

"Have you ever noticed before that St. Lawrence is not the capital of this country. Yet all the operational command centers, spanning from politics to the economy, are situated in St. Lawrence."

Back when he first established the company with Lucas Hill, and while searching for a way to guarantee himself a peaceful life in the future in the event that Ethan Caldwell was not around, Julian had also discovered this very fact. The city of St. Lawrence was exceedingly peculiar, possessing no official title or phrase to affirm its status. It was located in the eastern part of the nation, whereas the capital sat at the farthest northern extremity of the country.

Nor was it evaluated as the premier metropolitan area within the nation.

But St. Lawrence possessed an absolutely massive upper-class social circle, a place where all the monumental aristocratic families congregated. Exactly how monumental they were, how many households there were, and who they consisted of, Julian had never intended to investigate. When researching information on the internet, he had once seen articles published with sensationalized clickbait titles, but they also clearly demonstrated that many individuals belonging to corporations headquartered in the capital had to humble themselves upon arriving in St. Lawrence.

St. Lawrence was not even a former capital, and throughout history, it had never been a location of glorious renown.

It was simply a piece of land that endured through the passage of time.

It must have been a land of outstanding spirit and exceptional people, which was why the wealthy all favored residing here, eventually clustering together to form an elite circle that commanded such profound apprehension from others.

Ethan Caldwell gently stroked Julian’s hair, his voice steady: "In truth, no one has ever mentioned the fact that St. Lawrence was originally the nation’s autonomous economic zone. It is the sole city to have cultivated the most distinct economic system, holding the majority of the crucial threads for national development and bearing the most significant international ties."

It was true that absolutely no one had ever mentioned it. Julian was completely oblivious to this matter, and even when he had first arrived in this world, he had undeniably conducted thorough research to figure out a viable strategy for his own independent development. Yet, within the entirety of the information that Julian had managed to unearth, there was never a single mention of St. Lawrence being an autonomous economic zone.

A land of freedom governed by a separate economic administration.

This was one of those elements that exerted a tremendous influence and consequentially led to significant repercussions. A special administrative zone meant that aside from the highest echelon of the national government, there was someone else directly interfering in the operation and management of this specific territory. The laws, the values, and everything pertaining to the economy operated under a distinctly established, isolated system.

But who was the overarching figure holding the reins of power here?

A singular name materialized in Julian’s mind...

"Is it CORE?"

It was obvious that Julian’s question lacked any proper context or preamble, but Ethan Caldwell seemed to understand him perfectly. Ethan’s finger slid down the bridge of Julian’s nose, playfully tracing it as he let out an affirming hum: "The high-ranking executive of the St. Lawrence management board maintains a connection with CORE."

"CORE does not monopolize the entirety of the governing power, they lack the capability to do so. Or perhaps it is possible that they have attempted it, but were intercepted and blocked. Nobody truly knows, people only know that in years past, CORE used to stir up massive storms and dominate St. Lawrence, only to suddenly become utterly docile. It is exactly like what people often say about politics, when one faction secures a resounding victory, the opposing side will face a bloody purge."

That certainly sounded a bit troublesome and complicated.

"But truthfully, economics always walk hand in hand with other avenues of development. Such as science and medicine."

Julian agreed with this point, only after delving into the research did he realize that St. Lawrence boasted an outstanding evolution in science and medicine, and was even currently elevating its computer technology sectors to new heights. In the past, there was an era when the medical field in St. Lawrence achieved groundbreaking milestones that multiple allied nations collaborating together might not have been guaranteed to accomplish.

The reason he specified the past was because the relevant information Julian had read dated back at least five years ago. Following that period, St. Lawrence seemed to plunge into a phase of deep stagnation after experiencing an era of excessively transcendent growth.

Much like an economic cycle, there would be moments when it reached its peak of prosperity before inevitably plummeting, falling into a grueling recession. It was just that this particular recession had dragged on for far too long, whereas the caliber of medical and technological development in other countries was advancing as rapidly as a soaring rocket.

Blasting forward without any conceivable limits.

Ultimately, a city that was once profoundly radiant in these specific domains was now nothing more than a diminutive star lost amidst a vast, boundless galaxy.

"Have I ever mentioned this to you before..." For some inexplicable reason, Ethan Caldwell’s voice faltered slightly: "My mother was a highly distinguished researcher in the medical field."

Julian froze for a fleeting second.

Yet, in the mere blink of an eye, he reached out to grasp Ethan’s hand that had been playfully tracing the bridge of his nose, burying his face deep into Ethan’s palm. He looked exactly like a small, affectionately coaxing kitten. This had practically become a reflex for Julian, he simply had this profound sensation that Ethan Caldwell was feeling somewhat melancholic, which prompted him to gently console his lover.

Only after doing so did he begin to ponder the words that Ethan Caldwell had just spoken.

Ethan Caldwell’s... mother was a renowned researcher in the medical arena.

Exactly when did his parents pass away? Julian could not remember clearly, it seemed as though it had not been mentioned on numerous occasions. Because within the original novel, Ethan Caldwell was merely a fleeting character brought up in passing, thus he was not described in extensive detail.

He only knew that Ethan’s parents had perished, his grandfather Grandpa Arthur had seized control of Caldwell Empire, and subsequently raised Ethan Caldwell to adulthood.

In that case, it was highly probable that they passed away when Ethan Caldwell was still very young.

But precisely how long ago was that? Julian did not have a clear answer either.

Furthermore... did her story have any direct correlation with the abrupt stagnation in the development of St. Lawrence?