Chapter 429 Audience Chamber I
The audience chamber was, simply put, "red, white, and gold."
The walls, carpet, curtains, and throne were all draped in red fabric, making the room nearly blinding in its crimson hue.
To make the red stand out even more, the pillars and ceiling were finished with white plaster, adorned with intricate sculpted decorations from the tops of the pillars to the ceiling.
Even at this stage, it was already harsh on the eyes, but the extravagant gold decorations on the walls, throne, and chandelier sparkled and dazzled all around.
'I thought the previous dining room was luxurious, but this place is surprisingly gaudy!'
This was to be expected.
It was a historic place where the coronations of kings had been held, the very spot where foreign envoys first met the king.
It was no exaggeration to say the nation's pride was at stake; if it looked shabby, Avalon would be looked down upon by other nations.
Sophia followed her guide, slowly making her way to the throne where the king and queen sat.
At that moment, she felt deeply grateful for Rebecca's lessons in etiquette.
After all, everyone present was watching Myetiquette closely.
'Straighten your back, be aware of your body from your head to your toes and fingertips. Walk gracefully without swaying, and don't hold your breath. Observe your surroundings with downcast eyes while still taking everything in... Mother, observing without moving my gaze is too hard!'
Repeating Rebecca's words, she made sure to maintain a graceful smile.
It should've only taken about a minute, but to Sophia, that time felt like an eternity.
Finally reaching the king, she offered the deepest courtesy to show her respect.
First, Marquis Grandchester had finished his greetings and began introducing his companions, Sophia, Rihito, and Amelia.
It seemed the royal palace also recognized Rihito as 'Paracelsus.'
Many must have known about him using someone else's name, but they understood that Rihito had indeed made accomplishments, even as a fake.
A chamberlain standing next to the king called out to Sophia.
"You can talk to Your Majesty now. Tell me your name."
Sophia spoke, bowing her head for all 3 of them.
"Greetings to Your Majesty, the sun of our country. I am Sophia, Guildmaster of the Sophia Merchant Guild. I came here because you called for me."
"Good. Lift your face."
"Please forgive me. I am afraid of your dazzling glory, and I cannot lift my face."
Sophia answered, still bowing her head, and waited for the king to speak.
This is how commoners talk when they meet the king.
It's not just because the golden throne is too shiny.
"You don't need to be nervous. You are one of my people, like my own child. Show me your face, like a father."
Finally, Sophia could slowly stand up.
To be honest, keeping one leg back and bending down, bowing deeply, was so hard her muscles were screaming.
'Are noble ladies secretly strong in their core muscles?'
Her muscles were trembling so much she started thinking about stupid things.
She should be in good shape, but it seems like she wasn't used to these muscles.
Sophia was secretly cheating with body-strengthening magic, but no one seemed to notice.
"So you're Sophia. I've heard the rumors."
"I hope I haven't offended your ears."
The king knows Sophia because Golem Sophia was at the dinner party as Sara.
But it was an unofficial meeting, so she had to act like this was her first time meeting him.
"Hmm. The rumors about you are very different depending on who tells them. Some say you're like a saint, while others say you're a wicked merchant who hoards wheat for profit. So, I wanted to meet you and talk. Which one is true?"
"That's a difficult question. I've never acted like a saint or a holy person, and I don't think I'm a wicked merchant."
"They say the Sophia Merchant Guild is sharing the recipe for a special medicine to combat heat fever and actively spreading knowledge on how to prevent it. It's common knowledge that they are giving out many supplies for free."
"Heat fever is not just someone else's problem; it could happen to any of us tomorrow. How can we pretend it doesn't matter? From a merchant's point of view, if fewer people fall victim to heat fever, it might mean more customers in the future."
"Hahaha. If it's for future profit, then they can't really be called a saint, can they?"
"I completely agree."
'I mean, don't you think the merchants in this country are donating way too little? Don't they ever think about giving back to society?'
"Now, what about the bad reputation? It's an undeniable fact that they monopolized all the wheat from Grandchester territory."
"It's true you bought all the wheat at prices higher than those publicly announced by Grandchester territory."
"So, it's not an unfair monopoly then?"
"──Your Majesty, please allow me, the lord, to speak on this matter."
Marquis Grandchester interjected.
"Granted."
"When our territory announced the wheat prices, there were only 3 merchant guilds, including the Sophia Merchant Guild, that wanted to buy."
"That's the first I've heard of this."
"Since the Sophia Merchant Guild offered the highest price, they had the right to purchase all the wheat. However, Sophia requested to sell to other interested merchants as well."
"That doesn't sound like a monopoly. Sophia, explain your reason for considering the other merchants."
The king tilted his head.
He did not understand why the Sophia Merchant Guild would compromise their own profit to accommodate other merchant guilds.
"I think the merchant guild that wants to buy the wheat might have already found someone to sell it to. Usually, they don't sell all the wheat at the first price. They probably didn't even think they wouldn't be able to buy it at the first price. Buying without waiting for Grandchester territory to lower the price... maybe they have a deal with a deadline?"
"But that's their own fault. They should have paid more if they needed to. If they failed, they should have bought from the Sophia Merchant Guild."
"That's right. But I liked that they didn't side with the nasty merchants who were trying to wait for Grandchester territory to lower the price by holding back on buying the wheat."
"I see, collusion. It happens in every territory, but it seems it's become a big problem."
The Marquis Grandchester answered this question.
"Yes. This has been going on for years, and it's really hurting the territory's money."
"But we can't say for sure that Grandchester territory and the Sophia Merchant Guild didn't team up to raise the price of wheat. Maybe the deals aren't fair?"
'Well, yeah, you'd think that.'
"I'm not saying I didn't talk to Sophia beforehand, but I just asked them to trade at a fair price. I thought the new Sophia Merchant Guild might be able to beat the old merchants."
"So, it was a fair deal, and you got the money from the Sophia Merchant Guild?"
"Yes."
"But you didn't give the Sophia Merchant Guild any money, did you?"
The Marquis Grandchester looked troubled.
"To be honest, I've paid the Sophia Merchant Guild a lot of money."
"What in the world!"
The king leaned forward, and the nobles and bureaucrats around him also raised their voices in a murmur.
After all, an auction is a system that assumes all bidders are equal.
If the auction was conducted with kickbacks and benefits as a given, it would greatly damage the trust of both the Sophia Merchant Guild and the Grandchester territory.
"Anyway, the Sophia Merchant Guild's goods are many charming items, from the hunting contest prizes to the liquor and souvenirs that everyone enjoyed. In that sense, it's quite a bit of spending. However, most of the hunting contest expenses are not paid by the Grandchester territory, but by the Grandchester family. Thanks to that, I've had to part with a significant number of my fine Hestia breed horses."
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