Chapter 15 – His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress
“This lotion is wonderful. Please sell the method and the rights to produce this lotion to the Magnolia Empire,” stated the Empress, leaving Chris utterly stunned in the presence of all the empire’s nobles.
Inside, Chris couldn’t help but feel a wave of distress. Her initial nervousness and anticipation had transformed into anxiety and regret.
“Who is she? Who said the Empress was a normal, rational person?” she silently questioned, shooting a bitter glance at Reiner. However, he remained silent, not even meeting her gaze as he noticed her eyes fixed on him.
Chris pondered, “Is it alright to get angry? Why did we have to find ourselves in this situation in the first place?”
Scene transition
They were led from the reception room to the audience chamber. There, the empire’s nobles had gathered, creating an atmosphere of tremendous pressure. Ignoring it all, Reiner approached the empty throne nonchalantly and knelt down. Chris followed suit, mirroring Reiner’s movements and kneeling in front of the empty throne. Due to nervousness, her movements might have been a bit awkward. However, strangely enough, she also felt a sense of excitement along with the overwhelming pressure she experienced for the first time in the audience chamber. Perhaps because of that, her fists naturally clenched with a bit of strength.
Emma, like Chris and Reiner, made the same movements, but she seemed pale with nervousness. How long had they been kneeling here? Even a short amount of time felt incredibly long in this place.
From behind, the voice of a soldier could be heard saying, “His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress have arrived!” Two sets of footsteps approached.
“Oh, have we kept you waiting? I apologize.”
A bold voice and heavy footsteps passed by from behind, heading towards the throne. Following behind, light but steady footsteps ensued. “Thud!” “Swoosh…” The sound of someone sitting on the throne could be heard, intensifying the already tense atmosphere.
“Everyone, please calm down.”
“…His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, and Reiner Valdia have arrived at the castle.”
As soon as the Emperor spoke, Reiner offered a greeting. Chris, who was specifically instructed to relax, kept her head down and maintained her posture.
“Hmm? What’s the matter? Are you too nervous to speak?”
“No, no, I apologize. I never even dreamed that as a mere merchant, I would have the opportunity to personally greet His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress. I was overwhelmed with emotions. Once again, please allow me to greet you. I am Christie Saffron, daughter of Martin Saffron, the Baron of Astoria Kingdom. I currently manage the Christie Trading Company in the Valdia Margraviate. I hope that you will remember me from now on.”
The Emperor listened to Chris’s words and showed a slightly surprised expression, but quickly regained composure.
“I had heard about the Saffron Trading Company, but I wasn’t aware that your father had been ennobled.”
“My father was recently ennobled, so it’s understandable that you didn’t know. Also, the Saffron Trading Company hasn’t publicly announced my father’s ennoblement outside the country.”
“I see. However, if you’re a noble’s daughter, our response may have been inappropriate.”
The Emperor gave a meaningful smirk and briefly glanced at Roland. Roland, who noticed the Emperor’s gaze, blushed bright red. To think that the person he thought was just a daughter of a trading company turned out to be a noblewoman from another country. In that case, Roland’s actions could potentially become an international issue. However, as long as Chris doesn’t make it a problem, everything will be fine. In other words, it also becomes a way to hold power over them.
Reiner had known about this beforehand, but he chose to remain silent because it could be used as a weapon. Thus, he refrained from intervening in Chris and Roland’s exchange. A dark aura seemed to envelop the Empress as she observed their interaction.
“Your Majesty, shouldn’t we stop now? Besides, I am eager to see the new product as soon as possible,” Reiner interjected.
“Oh, yes, of course. Chris, please proceed with the explanation,” the Emperor urged, flustered by the Empress’s words.
The Emperor panicked at the Empress’s words and urged Chris to explain. It was a moment when she realized that wives are strong in any country. “Well…” Chris began explaining about the toner and conditioner.
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The male members, including the Emperor, reacted indifferently. However, the Empress, her attendant maid, and the waiting maids listened intently with great interest. The more they heard, the brighter their eyes sparkled.
“I was amazed by the idea and the products you have created to heal damaged skin caused by makeup. It’s like a revelation,” the Empress exclaimed.
“Thank you very much. I personally use this toner and conditioner. If you use the conditioner, Your Majesty’s hair will become even more beautiful,”
“May I touch your hair?”
“Certainly, please go ahead,” Chris replied.
Unbeknownst to Chris, her hair had become noticeably smoother and shinier since using the conditioner. Although she hadn’t noticed it herself, there were moments when her hair moved gracefully, adding a touch of allure to her gestures. Despite her young age, she felt a sense of embarrassment when Reed pointed it out.
“It’s wonderful. I have never seen hair so smooth and shiny. Perhaps only women can truly appreciate its value,” the Empress remarked.
“Empress, would you like to try the toner?” Chris offered.
“Yes, I would like to, please.”
As expected, the Empress agreed to try the toner. However, Roland interjected with concern.
“Empress, if I may, using such a product may be risky for safety reasons.”
A stifled sound filled the room. The Emperor put his hand on his forehead and shook his head in disbelief.
“Count Roland, We are currently engaged in conversation with Miss Chris. When did I ask for your opinion?”
It seemed that Count Roland, in an attempt to criticize the product’s safety, had unwittingly stepped into a dangerous territory himself. The Empress joined in.
“It seems you fail to grasp the true value hidden in this product. Are you a dull servant who cannot recognize its worth… or is it that the Emperor is too lenient with his servants?”
Roland’s misstep had entangled the Emperess as well. The Emperor’s face clearly displayed a mix of frustration and blame, as if saying, “You’ve done it now, you fool!” Gripping the armrest tightly, the Emperor’s hand trembled.
“Cough, well then. Count Roland, you have no knowledge about cosmetics, hence nothing to offer. Do not speak here. Understood?” the Emperor reproached Roland with disdain.
The Emperor reprimanded Roland in a displeased and low voice. With a pale face, Roland shrank back to his original position. As I glanced at Reiner, he had his hand on his mouth, hiding his face while shaking his shoulders. It seemed he thought Roland got what he deserved. Looking around, I noticed several nobles engaging in similar behavior to Reiner.
…It seems that Roland is widely disliked.
After the exchange settled down, the trial of experiencing the toner continued. Although there was no danger, some individuals might have a skin reaction. If that were to happen, unfortunately, they would not be able to use the product. The attendant maid volunteered to try it first, her eyes shining with excitement. The Empress, though visibly frustrated, had to watch the maid try it first.
“This product is also good for dry skin and skin irritation,” Chris explained, feeling the eager gazes of the waiting maids.
“Hehehe, are you planning to win over all the women in this castle?”
“No… but when it comes to this product, I want all women to try it at least once, regardless of personal gain,”
During the encounter with the Empress, the confirmation seemed to be complete, as confirmed by the maid who examined her hands after applying the lotion. She had a dreamy look in her eyes as she dropped the lotion into the Empress’s hand. She then explained how to evenly spread the lotion on her hands using both hands. The Empress confirmed the sensation after applying it and raised her palms.
“This is wonderful, absolutely wonderful. I can confidently say that this is the best among all the offerings I have received so far. Such a remarkable product,” the Empress exclaimed.
“I am honored to receive your praise,” Chris replied.
As the Empress gazed at her open palms with a dreamy look, her expression disappeared momentarily, and she wore a mischievous smile as she made an audacious statement.
“This lotion is amazing. Would you consider selling the production method and rights to the Magnolia Empire?” she asked.
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