The Imperial Palace had not been built for comfort. It had been built to put guests in a small, unimportant, and very gold-conscious state of mind. Marble columns marched down the throne room, each with scenes of victory sculpted upon them, and the vaulted ceiling glimmered with magical lights that replicated a star-filled sky.
Sharath tried not to gape, but his inner voice screamed: "Oh gods, I've walked into the DLC expansion of my nightmares."
đ§NeuroBoop, of course, did not help."Reminder: This is where people with shiny hats decide who gets rich and who gets executed. Try not to confuse the two."
At the opposite end, on elevated thrones high enough to need their own stairway, were Emperor Virendar Alok and Empress Shantira. The Emperor's eyes were hammer-likeâheavy and blunt. The Empress's were more acute, knife-like as she considered where to strike. Next to them, in a smaller but no less ornate seat, sat Princess madhu, her eyes glinting with curiosity.
All around, nobles crowded the room, grumbling like vultures sighting fresh meat.
"Is that the boy?""Darsha's grandson.""The inventor of the Chill Box.""Merch brat upstart, more his style."
Sharath fought the temptation to raise an eyebrow. Instead, he bowed like a stick, practiced motions coursing through his mind like lines for a school play.
Bassana, hovering one step behind him, breathed: "Stay calm. Smile. Don't pass out."
"Encouraging," Sharath grumbled back.
The Emperor Speaks
"Sharath Virayan Darsha," boomed the Emperor, to quell the whispers. "You appear before the throne charged with disrupting commerce, turning over markets, and undermining noble revenues. But you are also a source of innovation, prosperity, and potential wealth for the Empire."
Sharath swallowed. "So. I'm both a criminal and an asset?"
A few nobles giggled. The Emperor's brow twitched.
The Empress cut in smoothly: "You are here to show this⊠Chill Box. Introduce it. Explain it. And explain why the Empire should not just take it from your family and have done."
"Translation," đ§NeuroBoop hissed in Sharath's mind, "play with the ice toy before they lop off your head."
Sharath stood up straight. "With respect, Your Majesties⊠permit me to introduce."
The Chill Box Spectacle
Servants rolled in a honed Chill Box, shining with inscribed runes. Sharath opened it with a flourish to show fresh wolf meat placed inside days ago. As he pulled it out, intact, the room was filled with gasps.
"Impossible.""Fresh after a week?""Magic storage for the common man?"
Sharath grinned insecurely. "As you can see, the Chill Box keeps things fresh. It keeps food, meat, herbs, and even medicine fresh. It can cool wine, keep fish, and maintain ice for summer festivities. Its applications are numerousâ"
"âand its returns greater," the Empress cut in, gaze constricting.
The Emperor leaned towards him. "Explain to me, boy. Why shouldn't the Crown appropriate this invention for themselves?"
The question hung like an axe over his head.
Sharath's Gamble
Sharath paused. This was what Bassana and Varundar had practiced with him. He delivered the speech like a warrior storming into combat.
"Your Majesty, if the Crown takes the Chill Box, production will grind to a halt, distribution will stall, and resentment will grow. But grant us a partnership, and we can make prosperity flow smoothly.".
Inside the empire, everything will be handled by the Darsha familyâefficiently, dependably, and devotedly. Outside the empire, however, exclusive control shall rest in the hands of the Crown. Ninety percent of profit from outside sales shall go directly into Imperial treasuries. Five percent shall be used for public welfare, a gesture of benevolence toward the common folk. And five percent shall go to Princess Anara, who shall act as faithful mediator between Darsha and the Crown.
Gasps echoed through the hall. Nobles spoke furiously in whispers.
"Daring.""Insulting.""ProfitableâŠ"
The Emperor's eyes narrowed. The Empress's lips curled in a mixture of amusement and contempt. The Princess, however, actually laughed.
"You want me as middlewoman? Clever boy."
Sharath's face flushed. "IâI thought it would⊠ensure loyalty on both sides."
đ§NeuroBoop interjected: "Translation: 'Please don't kill me, here's five percent and a smile.'"
The Court Explodes
Nobles predictably began shouting.
"This is theft!""The boy plays merchant king!""Awarding the princess five percentâoutrageous partiality!"
Bassana growled under his breath. "Ah, music to my ears. Greedy nobles whining."
The Emperor quieted them with a raised hand. "Enough. The boy has spoken. Now we rule."
The Empress cocked her head. "I confess, it is⊠refined. The Crown acquires enormous wealth without moving a finger. The people perceive magnanimity. The princess acquires power. And the Darsha family is still tied to us by obligation."
"But it gives them immense power," one duke snarled. "Too much!"
The Princess leaned forward, grinning. "Then let them do the tedium of production while we reap the rewards. Unless, of course, you want to personally run factories and freezing rooms, Duke Alaric?"
Laughter rippled. The duke flushed.
Sharath stood immobile, unsure whether to be proud or frightened.
The Emperor Decides
Lastly, the Emperor stood up, his garments glinting with suns of embroidery.
"Sharath Virayan Darsha. Your proposition is audacious, even perhaps insolent. And yet it is shrewd. The Empire will accept.".
Ninety percent foreign sales to the Crown. Five percent to public good. Five percent to Princess madhu. Internal sales continue under Darsha control. But remember thisâif you slip, if you cheat, if you break this trust, your guns and toys will be of no use to you."
Sharath bowed low, heart thudding. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
The chamber burst out againâsome nobles angry, others begrudgingly admiring.
The Princess winked at him, mouthing: "Smart boy."
đ§NeuroBoop grumbled in his mind: "Bravo. You've just signed the most lucrative death warrant in history. Don't die before collecting."
Aftermath
With the Darsha party out of the throne room, Bassana laughed. "You did it, boy. You strode into the dragon's lair, waved meat under its nose, and emerged unscathed."
Varundar nodded, though his expression was pensive. "We've won riches. But riches make enemies. Prepare yourself."
Sharath groaned. "So what you're saying is⊠the real chaos is about to begin?"
"Exactly," đ§NeuroBoop whispered gleefully. "And I'm here for every minute of it."