Chapter 24: Audience
Capitol: 13:05 hrs. 18/09/1538
"My, oh my…how amusing" Said Roswaal in a low tone that only the Emilia Camp heard.
Subaru: "What is it? Why are you happy?"
Emilia: "Is something off?"
Beatrice: "How don't you two realize I wonder? Don't you see the guards?"
Emilia & Subaru: "What about them?"
Beatrice: "I can understand this from Emilia but come on Subaru this is supposed to be Betty's contractor specialty in fact."
Both Emilia and Subaru started to look more at the guards.
Subaru: "Why are there so many? And why are they outfitted like that?"
Emilia: "I don't see any problem, we are safe with so many of them here, right?"
Roswaal: "I am afraid that if we don't resolve these issues in a convincing manner all these guards will take us to the dungeons."
?: ?:? hrs. ?/09/1538
A noble's house was all that broke an otherwise plane landscape, it was surrounded by crop fields that went as far as the eye could see, near the house in the yard two men where fencing, a father and son.
"Father are you sure about this? The hero is as strong if not stronger than the sword saint." Voiced the son.
"Worry not son, he has a reputation of being short tempered, once we hit something he hates he will blow up and the court will see him as what he is." Answered the father.
"And that is?" Asked the son.
"A monster. He will lash out and force the hand of all the knights, there his crusade against our way of life will end." The father replied.
"Still, I cannot see how these false accusations will amount to anything and what about the candidate? Isn't she well-tempered?" Replicated the son.
"We will see just how well-tempered the half-witch is. And about the accusations don't worry, just planting the seeds of doubt will suffice." Finished the father before a butler signaled that the food was ready.
Capitol ?:? hrs. ?/09/1538
A large room within a large building on the outskirts of the city, night had already fallen upon the world, a man was sitting on a desk, he was making some math, sweat could be seen on his forehead…he stopped calculating. "DAMN IT!" he shouted as he threw a wooden cup against the wall beside him. The door opened. "Dad are you alright?" a young girl asked. "I am, it's just that I'm stressed that's all." The dad replied. "Can you read me a book dad?" the girl inquired, to which the dad nodded and guided her to her bedroom. On his desk many papers could be seen but the general information available from them where that the man was the owner of a guild that made and sold clothing in the capitol and more importantly that his sales had dropped in half since the merchants started bringing cheap clothing from a small town in the northeast. An open letter could also be seen, it was from a noble famous for fabricating fake claims and schemes to put his opponents down, it invited him to partake in his latest scheme that he claimed would save the man's guild from collapsing.
Capitol: 13:05 hrs. 18/09/1538
?: "Odd, I was expecting more people to join us."
?: "Does that change anything father?"
Father: "Your right…It doesn't…Focus now it's going to start."
Miklotov: "Now we are all here because Miller here along with a collection of other figures have convocated an audience where they wish to stop the royal candidate Emilia from using what they call 'Unethical use of fortunes from her sponsor Roswaal L. Mathers to illegally and artificially lower the price of products with the aim of driving out competition combined with the use of slave labor.' Is this correct Miller?"
Miller: "It is correct wise sage! We have run the numbers multiple times and that is the only way that lady Emilia's company could possibly sell products at such low prices!"
Miklotov: "And you and all your companions are aware that such harsh accusations will require all of you to pay a bigger leavy if it false?"
Miller: "Yes we are!"
A man that was in Miller's group stood up and got close to Miller "You didn't tell me anything about this you bastard." He told Miller to which he replied: "Calm down, this is just the initial accusation, it can and will change as time passes, beside this is what you told me when you ran the numbers."
Miklotov: "Is everything alright on the accusant side?"
Miller: "It is oh wise sage, it's just a small misinterpretation by my friend here he is somewhat deaf after all."
Miklotov: "We will leave it at that then. Do the defenders have anything to say?"
Emilia: "We do, I must say that used some of the Margrave's fortunes to finance the initial endeavors of our company, but through the use of new ways to make every step of fabrication cheap the company does not draw any more money from the Margrave's pockets and makes a profit."
Miller: "By stealing cotton and other raw materials maybe?"
Emilia: "I actually sent the papers of all the transactions done by the company to the general treasury. There you will see that nothing is stolen."
Subaru: "It is unacceptable that we lose our time and pay ears to such ridiculous accusations, may I…"
Miller: "This accusation is against the candidate! How do you dare interfere commoner?"
Beatrice (To Subaru): "Let it slide in fact, just sit down."
Miller: "It's good that you understand your place. Now lady Emilia, how do we have guaranties that you didn't force the farmers into giving you so much cheap cotton, or even worse trick them?"
Roswaal: "Since they are my subjects, I must say that the reason they sell cotton so cheaply is due to new agricultural measures that I personally enacted."
Miller: "Even if so, it still doesn't explain how you make items so cheap unless you use slaves!"
Emilia: "That is because we use machines that make the work of hundreds with a few dozen."
Miller: "Council of sages don't be fooled for such machines are impossible! I bring here a witness!"
Fuchs who until now was sitting on the back row not calling any attention to himself now walks forward to present his case. "I can't believe you right now." Said Subaru to himself.
Fuchs: "It is true, I was the owner of a company that made and sold cloth in what's now Macragge, once his company arrived in town everything went downhill, he started making new buildings away from the town, from the eyes of the townsmen…"
Subaru: "It was to have room to expand and plan better without bothering the townsmen!"
Miklotov: "Sir Subaru please wait until he concludes."
Subaru: "As you wish sage."
Fuchs: "As I was saying once he finished constructing the buildings many of the town people started disappearing…"
Subaru to Emilia: "This is when we started to construct the railways…"
Emilia to Subaru: "I know, just let him dig further into his hole."
Fuchs: "…and as they disappeared…absurdly cheap cloth started to circulate, the merchants where no longer interested in my cloth and I couldn't sell it anywhere…so I was forced to close but not before summoning Sir Subaru to beg him to stop doing what he was, he threatened to kill me if I stepped in his way, so I stood down. All of my poor workers that where now out of a job were absorbed into the inhumane conditions and standards that the company employs. I haven't seen them ever since and fear the worse. Thank you for your attention."
Miklotov: "Now that we have heard you do you have any replies lady Emilia?"
Emilia: "We do, first of all the disappearance of town folks was not due to them being enslaved in our factories, but to the expansion of our railway system, where they live near the construction site to make transport easier. Surely you have seen the steal road we have made to the capitol and the bunch of tents that follow it."
The counsel started talking among themselves seemingly agreeing that Emilia's version made more sense.
Miller's son: "Are we seriously going to believe the words of this half-witch? Who knows how many times she has deceived people? I bet this isn't the first or last time."
Everyone fell silent upon his words. Subaru stood up ready to start shouting but Emilia soon stopped him.
Miller's son: "That's right you better control your dog witch!"
Emilia: "Why are you so mean towards my knight? I understand the outrage against me…but my knight?"
Miklotov: "Guards get him out of here the last thing we need is to enrage Sir Natsuki, make sure he gets punished."
Miller's son: "What? You can't do this! This is outrageous!"
Miller: "Please oh great sage I beg you to pardon my son he is still young. I will scold him myself later."
Miklotov: "It doesn't seem like you understand the danger of enraging him, do you?"
Miller: "Who?"
Miklotov: "The hero that has achieved what the sword-saints could only dream about for 400 years. We do not have the patience and will to play along with your scheme this time Miller."
Subaru: "Wait me? How am I dangerous?"
Miklotov: "Please do not be offended Sir Natsuki but you have a reputation of being shorted tempered if defending someone in particular, not to speak of what you have achieved."
Subaru: "So from your perspective I'm as strong as the sword-saint?"
Miklotov: "You really do underestimate yourself it seems."
Miller's son: "Get your dirty hand off me! Father!"
Miller: "Just shut up and follow the guards!"
Miller's son: "Wha-? Stop! How dare your?! Do you know who I am?!"
The son was dragged outside shouting, but his words fell on the deaf ears of the counsel. As he was nearing the door another man entered.
Russell: "Such savagery for a noble…Natsuki sorry for taking so long but you didn't send a letter."
Subaru: "What are you doing here?"
Russell: "Saving you from this madman. If you will allow me great sage."
Miklotov: "Go ahead, we are currently listening to the allegations about Lady Emilia's company using slavery to drive cost down and analyzing the existence of machines capable of driving down cost so much without recurring to slavery."
Russell: "Miller, Miller, Miller…What if I said that I myself had seen those machines work?"
Miller: "Do not listen to him great sage, he is probably indebt to sir Natsuki in some way!"
Miklotov: "I will decide that."
Russell: "I will propose something that will allow all of us to save time in this whole ordeal. Send Observers to witness the great power of the Whaler's machines and their revolutionary way to make things, of maybe even see them yourself."
Miklotov: "An interesting proposition…and the council seems to like it."
The council starts discussing if they should or not use Russell's idea, if they do, they will make angry a fairly powerful noble, but they will avoid enraging the hero. On the accusant bench many seem worried that all the material they prepared would be in vain.
14:30 hrs.
Miklotov: "After much discussion we have settled on a resolution. I won't be capable of assisting myself, but we will send three other sages, the accusants will also have to send three observers."
Subaru: "Can it just be three of you?"
Miklotov: "That is not for you to decide Sir Natsuki. If anything off is seen we will summon another audience, if not you are free to do business as usual."
Miller: "What? You are just going to end this here? What about all the other allegations I'm still to make?"
Miklotov: "Like I said: We do not have the patience and will to play along this time. We and the accusants must send a letter to Emilia's company in one week with the names of the observers. This audience is now dismissed!"
Everyone in the Emilia camp sighed in relief as did the guards, while on the accusant bench many people could be seen enraged with Miller shouting about losing time or coming from so far.
The Emilia camp was now outside the audience room talking about said audience when a man interrupts them, he wants a word with Subaru and Emilia. The man told them that he was lamenting his affiliation with Miller, and he would like to talk about the possibility of doing business together, to which he was told that he would have to wait, but that if he was an observer he would be well received.
Roswaal: "How did you convince Russell to come help? He usually doesn't like bothering with these…deals."
Subaru: "It wasn't you? I was about to thank you, that man and his son where really getting on my nerves."
Beatrice: "Because that was his plan in fact."
Subaru: "What? To make me angry?"
Beatrice: "I can see no other reason to be so openly hostile I suppose. We better be more careful next time in fact."
Capitol: 14:00 hrs. 19/09/1538
The Karsten family manor was finally finished, and a party to commemorate the event as well as the return of old Crusch would start later. Large stacks of smoke could be seen coming out of a chimney from all the foods being prepared for the event and Crusch could be seen in the garden training with Wilhelm. "You still haven't got up to speed Crusch-sama are you sure about training in this condition?" Inquired Wilhelm somewhat worried. Crusch threw another blow at him that was easily deflected. "I am just more short of breath than I remembered." She replied regaining her posture preparing for Wilhelm's retaliation that never came. "In that case, try to keep up Crusch-sama!" Yelled Wilhelm while dashing away. "If you can catch me, you can consider yourself a winner!" Crusch smiled at his statement despite knowing deep down that she would probably never be 100% back to what she once was, the dragon blood had left some nasty long-term effects on her body, but it was nothing that Ferris couldn't somewhat remedy with his magic.
17:00 hrs.
The party was now beginning, the guests started to arrive, for the most part the party was a way to give the message that Crusch was back and to try and secure the cooperation of nobles that lost faith in her before. But another reason was for Crusch to start gaining some of the momentum that was currently held by the Emilia camp who had so far done a fantastic PR campaign and the Felt camp who had secure absolute loyalty within Flanders and the many Astrea's lands.
Hoshin Company HQ: 20:20 hrs. 19/09/1538
"What do you mean the trains where property of Emilia and Subaru!?" Exclaimed Anastasia "I lost the chance to secure such a good business…no I never had the chance in the first place…brilliant…brilliant, I didn't know she could be so cunning!" Said Anastasia to herself. "Ana these are your allies, as we have secrets so do they, I say we should let this slide." Interrupted an odd scarf. "You do not understand the amount of money we lost in a wild goose hunt that Emilia knew all along would leave us nowhere…but what's done is done…I'm going to have to talk with her."
Macragge: 13:05 hrs. 27/09/1538
All six observers had arrived on Macragge via the railway that connected it to the Capitol and where surprised at how fast it was as had been everyone else in their first trip. They were received by Subaru, Emilia, Beatrice and Garfield and were taken through a trip around the factory district. They were allowed into the fabric and clothing factories where the three observers sent by the accusants were watching in awe as day's worth of hand work were done in mere minutes by large metallic machines. The three observers sent by the sage council where quiet the entire time only talking among themselves but seemed pleased with what they were shown. "It's insane…we are done for…" muttered an aristocrat. "Lady Emilia I wonder when we can speak of business, now I am even more interested than before." Asked a guild leader. "Later, we have prepared a guest room for you to stay a few days if need be." She replied.
18:15 hrs.
The tour had finished in the cotton fields where machines pulled by dragons could be seen working and doting the landscape. The three sages seemed content but one of them told Emilia and Subaru "We have noticed the odd smell and it is expected from such rapid growth in such a small town, my guess is that you haven't solved it, have you?" He was answered as he expected "Then we will send someone specialized in sewer construction within a month to fix it. Consider it an investment from our part." Emilia and Subaru thanked the sage before sending him off. The other two observers seemed shaken or even fearful, it was natural since their status depended on a business that Subaru had now shattered. The last observer was waving off the others and would then talk with Emilia and Subaru.
20:00 hrs.
The last observer would finally get to talk about business with Subaru and Emilia.
James: "Well firstly allow me to formally introduce myself, I am James Laboure, the head and owner of the Laboure guild that makes and sells clothing in the capitol."
Emilia: "And what do you want to talk about?"
Subaru: "It better not be about increasing our prices so you can sell something."
James: "Worry not hero, I wish to buy some machines from your company, specifically the ones used for sewing. Combine that with buying cheap cloth from your company and my guild will be capable of competing with your prices."
Emilia: "The machines are expensive though."
James: "My guild is capable of moving large amounts of money."
Subaru: "And what do we have to gain from this?"
James: "I'd say better penetration into the capitol's markets. But also, once we also start making cheap clothing other guilds and artisans will be forced to also buy your machines, intern making the supply of cheap clothing even bigger, forcing even more guilds and artisans to buy your machines and so on."
Subaru: "The engines can and will blow up if they are not properly maintained…I really don't want to hear about anyone dying because of that."
James: "We will be careful, we will follow any and all recommendations, but please allow us to have at least one sewing machine. If not, I can't think of anything to keep my business afloat."
Emilia: "I guess we can sell a few, one engine can power four machines, right Subaru?"
Subaru: "They can Emilia-tan. We will sell your guild four sewing machines and one engine to run it, they should be made and ready to install in four days if production keeps going as it is."
James: "Thank you two, I really can express how thankful I am!"
The man gave the two a hug.
James: "I really thought my guild was done for…Once again I thank you two and beg you to forgive me for affiliating with Millers."
Emilia: "It's all right, now we have to iron out the details about this transaction."
Beatrice: "Finally, I wrote down this contract, read it well and sign it if you like it, I suppose."
Like that the business saving transaction was done, the next day James would go back to the capitol to share the good news with his people.
Next Chapter: "Telegraph?"