Chapter 430-2 Audience Chamber II
Freddy felt humiliated, but his judgment hadn't dulled.
Still, he hadn't expected his opponent to be such an extraordinary force, so he badly misunderstood the situation.
'I want that ledger. If I expose the Pazzi Merchant Guild's corruption, maybe we can salvage the wheat trade deal we've already locked in.'
Confident they could secure the wheat, the Arrowz Merchant Guild had already signed a contract with the Pazzi Merchant Guild for the wheat deal.
Their funds were already drained, pushed so far they couldn't even cover the losses from opposing trades.
Despite their fancy clothes, the Arrowz Merchant Guild's finances were completely in ruins.
But Duke Russell, who never even suspected the Arrowz Merchant Guild's desperate state, sneered with a wrinkled nose at Sophia's words.
"Reckless doesn't begin to cover you. Even with the Marquis Grandchester family backing you, you'll be made to pay for your lies."
"I must take responsibility for my words, of course."
Sophia turned back respectfully to the king and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty, Russell Territory is close to the Royal Capital. If you change horses, you could arrive by tonight. You could disclose the entrance to the hidden port I mentioned──please send royal troops to verify this for yourselves."
The king did not doubt Sophia's claim.
In fact, the royal investigation had already uncovered smuggling in Russell Territory, and royal spies had even attended the trades in disguise.
But since Duke Russell was royal and not involved, the king had only quietly summoned him for a warning.
'Truly, what a troublesome cousin. If he hadn't attacked Sophia, none of this would have happened. He doesn't understand his own limits. Considering how well the Russell Territory's government runs under him, he's easily one of Avalon's 7 mysteries.'
"Understood. I'll dispatch the kingdom's knights at once. If it's a port that serves as a trading hub, they won't be able to erase the traces so easily. We'll soon see if Sophia's claims are false. Now, you there, merchant, do you have anything to say? I'm not against adding fuel to the fire, if you're honest."
Freddy trembled at the king's words.
The king's tone clearly held irritation, and his sharp gaze was so intense it felt like being targeted for execution.
Shaking uncontrollably, Freddy knelt before the king.
"Oh, I am utterly terrified. The financial strain has become too much..."
"Your name is..."
"My name is Freddy."
"Ah, Freddy. So you're the one who's been allowing secret trade and begging for my mercy?"
"I admit it. I am deeply sorry."
Duke Russell's jaw dropped, and he froze upon hearing Freddy's confession.
He hadn't expected that Sophia might actually be right.
However, he couldn't keep up that kind of attitude indefinitely in front of the king.
"Hey, Freddy, did you think you could fool me, the lord?"
"I apologize. Please forgive me."
"There's no way I can forgive you!"
It was the king, looking bored on his throne, who stopped Duke Russell's escalating anger.
"Jasper, calm down. Don't make a scene here. You haven't changed since you were a child. Causing a fit won't improve the situation."
"Your Majesty, that's a bit harsh."
Duke Russell slumped his shoulders dejectedly.
"Unfortunately, Your Majesty, it seems that this merchant has been avoiding taxes that should be entering our country through secret trade."
"──I am thoroughly ashamed, Ms. Sophia"
"By the way, Sophia, does the ledger you obtained also record transactions involving forbidden goods?"
At the king's question, Sophia took out a list of the trading items to verify the contents.
"As for exports, they have wheat, salt, alum, and tobacco. Also, they had a reasonable supply of music boxes sold by our merchant guild. If I recall correctly, a declaration is needed if the weight of the magic stones exceeds a certain amount, so wouldn't it be accurate to call them prohibited items?"
"That's right. Hmm... it looks like quite a significant transaction. Now, what about imports?"
"They have an overwhelming amount of sugar, but I'm concerned about the presence of sulfur and saltpeter."
"What!?"
At Sophia's words, the king's gaze sharpened.
He ordered the bureaucrats who had been holding back to take the list of transaction items from Sophia, and the shift in the atmosphere was palpable.
It seemed that magic power was leaking from the king's body; it wasn't oppressive, but it was clear that his breathing had become difficult.
'Wow. The king is seriously pissed off.'
"Freddy, what the hell is going on?"
"W-well, that's... um..."
"Speak honestly. These are not items a mere merchant should casually handle. Who gave you the orders!?"
"I sincerely apologize. I accepted the transaction despite knowing they were prohibited due to financial difficulties. These items were supposed to be delivered by land to our neighboring country, Roisen, not Avalon."
"That makes it worse! Even being a friendly nation, you sold gunpowder materials to another country?"
The king's fury intensified, intimidating Freddy, who was bowing down to the floor as if to rub his head into it.
Additionally, the king turned to Duke Russell and shouted at him angrily.
"Jasper, are you involved in this matter as well?"
"I swear I have no relation to this. My loyalty should be well-known to Your Majesty!"
"For the royal family, relatives can always become potential enemies. Not just parents and siblings, but even cousins can turn hostile."
"I was unaware of such transactions. It's true. Please believe me."
"Now, prove your innocence. Knights of the Kingdom, head to Russell territory immediately and thoroughly investigate the smuggling activities of the Arrowz merchant guild. The House of Duke Russell is to cooperate fully with the investigation. The knights and Duke Russell, leave and do what must be done at once!"
As the king declared this, the leader of the Knights of the Kingdom stepped forward and knelt before him.
Following suit, Duke Russell also knelt.
"At your command."
"It shall be as you wish."
As the two hurriedly left, Freddie was left behind, bowing deeply before the king.
"Make sure to interrogate that merchant as well. Keep a close watch so evidence isn't destroyed."
"Yes, sir!"
Two knights stationed nearby took Freddie away from the scene.
Meanwhile, Lady of Duke Arbal, watching this unfold, recalled the chilling fear she once experienced.
'Indeed, Sophia is not someone to turn into an enemy.'
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)