Under normal circumstances, Kris’s words would have been considered an insult toward the nobility of Magnolia, and it would have caused problems on an international scale. However, not only had Kris already refused to accept damages from Roland, but the emperor had also guaranteed that she would be pardoned no matter what she said.
Kris may have been merely a baron’s daughter and business owner, but at that moment, the members of the Magnolian nobility couldn’t argue with her. She had them all in the palm of her hand. Everyone there, from barons to dukes to even margraves, had been lumped into the same category as Count Roland and considered an incompetent noble.
Once they finally unfroze from their shock, the nobles started reacting in various ways. Some were shaking with anger. Some were holding back laughter. Some were impressed. Some were glaring at Count Roland.
Considering the status of these nobles, they would’ve considered Kris to be unimportant enough to be easily tossed aside. That very same, unimportant merchant now had an advantage over all these people, and Count Roland was to blame.
When he’d been ordered to pay damages, the count had turned bright red with anger. Now, all the color had drained from his face. Apparently, a majority of the nobles in attendance were in the “holding back laughter” camp.
“Ahem!!!” The emperor loudly cleared his throat, and everyone in the audience chamber turned to look at him. “I am grateful for your words of advice, Kris. I apologize for my vassals lacking education, as well as the pain you were put through due to such negligence. I would like to speak on behalf of everyone here and formally apologize to you. I am deeply sorry.”
Arwin got up from his throne and slowly walked toward Kris. He then lightly—no, deeply—bowed to her, his body nearly at a ninety-degree angle. It was a bit extreme.
The members of the nobility gathered in the audience chamber were all buzzing with shock. It was unprecedented for the emperor to bow his head in apology over a mistake made by a single noble. Kris was internally panicking over what was happening, but she quickly noticed something was off about the emperor’s demeanor. He was shaking and going, “Pffft,” as though desperately trying to hold something back, his face turning red as he did so. To some, it could have appeared as if he were trying to endure the humiliation he was currently facing. Those who were watching from a distance likely thought the same.
But Kris picked up that something was going on, so she immediately knelt before the emperor. She lowered her head enough that it was below his, which was quite low because of the right angle he was positioned in.
“I believe your joking has gone a bit too far, Your Majesty,” she whispered quietly so that only he could hear her.
“I’m sorry. Your actions have just been so entertaining that I’m struggling to not laugh. Forgive me.” After this exchange, the emperor lifted his head and returned to his usual stance. “As the emperor, I have already declared at the beginning of this exchange that anything said here will be pardoned,” Arwin said, his voice booming in a powerful tone. “If anyone wants to question or complain about my actions here, you should consider that a sign of fault within yourself and repent. Am I clear?!”
Every noble gathered in the audience chamber knelt and responded with a spirited, “Yes, Your Majesty!”
The emperor then scanned the room, found Roland, and began walking toward him. “Raise your head, Count Roland,” he commanded.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Roland scrambled to stand up, and Arwin gave him an unsettling smile. Roland felt strangely intimidated by it, and though he wanted to take a step back, he desperately fought that urge to avoid being disrespectful.
“Thanks to you, Count Roland, I have bowed my head to someone for the first time during my reign as emperor,” Arwin said. “I’ve learned how it feels to bow your head in front of such a large crowd. I must say, I still have much to learn. I’ve been bowed to plenty of times, but I’ve finally realized that I’ve never done it myself. I was able to learn that thanks to you. I’m grateful to you.”
“I-I am undeserving of your thanks, Your Majesty,” Roland replied, his entire body freezing up.
“So, what are you doing?”
“I’m sorry?”
“The emperor has bowed to Lady Kris, yet you, who created the need for an apology, won’t do the same?”
“O-Of course I will! I will apologize right away!!!”
Roland scrambled over to Kris, who was still kneeling, and tried to apologize to her. Kris, however, was merciless. She held her right hand out toward the count and signaled for him to stop.
“You mustn’t, Count Roland. I received a heartfelt apology from His Imperial Majesty that I am undeserving of. I apologize, but I would like to decline any apology from you.”
“You made your emperor bow his head, yet you cannot even apologize on your own behalf,” Arwin remarked. “It seems that you must face the music, Count Roland.”
“B-But I...” Count Roland lamented, turning into a pale mound of sand and crumbling to the ground.
In reality he’d simply fallen to his knees and hung his head.
Kris looked up at the emperor and flashed him a smile before she spoke again, still kneeling. “Your Majesty, I am sorry that this lowly daughter of a foreign baron spoke so impertinently in regard to the glorious members of the Magnolian nobility,” she said in a resonant voice. “I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”
“Very well. I forgive you!”
Emperor Arwin beamed with joy, as if he had finally gotten rid of his pent-up frustrations.