The air within the Bedchamber seemed to solidify in this instant.
Following Sophia's words regarding monarch-minister etiquette, the originally somewhat lively atmosphere completely vanished.
Even the most obtuse person would understand the immense weight behind those words.
This was not merely politeness; this was conceding national dignity.
The hand Delilah used to grip the ruby longsword suddenly tightened, her knuckles turning slightly pale from the force.
A flash of astonishment passed through her fiery red eyes before she spoke in a low and cautious voice, "Monarch-minister etiquette... Your Majesty. Does this mean the King of Qubi no longer places himself on equal footing with you? Is he... showing goodwill towards Your Majesty, or even seeking peace?"
Daphne also couldn't bother acting coy anymore. With her small mouth agape, the pentagram staff in her hand emitted an uneasy faint light.
"Could it be that because Your Majesty defeated the Kingdom of Orr a while ago, the King of Qubi is terrified? Or perhaps he feels that merely sending some gifts is no longer enough to repay the life-saving grace, and simply wants to give the entire country to Your Majesty? Although this seems very abrupt, it's indeed a good destination for the people of Qubi. After all, our Mason has people, food, and a future."
Irene, acting like a seasoned veteran, wagged her finger from the side, her tone revealing a shrewdness that saw through the mundane world.
"It's probably a bit of both. The Kingdom of Orr's thick city walls and numerous elites didn't even last a few days in Our Majesty's hands before it became the City of Hill. The King of Qubi isn't stupid. Rather than waiting to be swept away as an obstacle later, it's better to bring his capital and join the group now, exchanging it for the treatment of a founding minister."
Willow still maintained her shoulder-massaging motions. The pressure was just right, as if the stormy waves of the outside world had nothing to do with her.
However, in her eyes that were as calm as water, a certain flame called ambition flickered.
"Your Majesty, if the King of Qubi truly proposes submission formally at the banquet... what are your plans?" Willow asked softly, her breath almost brushing past Sophia's ear. "Will you incorporate this place as an inner city, or merely let it exist as a vassal state of Mason?"
Sophia took a sip of the slightly cool wild berry juice, her gaze falling on the mountains outside the window that had been dyed grayish-black by coal smoke.
Refuse? How could she refuse?
Hadn't she made this arduous trip precisely for these coal mines? The first step of the industrial revolution was energy. Rather than painstakingly acquiring these ores through trade and having to look at other people's faces, it was better to directly take over the territory.
If he was tactful, she wouldn't mind letting him continue sitting in that position as a high-level manager. If he wasn't tactful... then the Qubi Palace would probably have to be renamed the Mason Office in Qubi.
"Qubi has no need to fear, but they must understand that this opportunity only comes once."
Sophia stood up and walked to the massive distribution map of the mining areas, her fingertips tracing over the several red dots marked as high-yield.
"This Queen does not detest those who take the initiative to show goodwill," Sophia's voice remained cold and clear, yet carried an unquestionable domineering aura. "Since he has already lowered his posture into the dirt, then This Queen will give him an opportunity for a meteoric rise. The mining rights of the coal mines, the construction of transport routes, and the future industrialization reforms—all of these require an obedient local proxy."
Delilah and Daphne exchanged a glance. Although they still felt this turn of events was somewhat inconceivable, looking at Sophia's appearance of strategizing from a command tent, the near-blind sense of worship in their hearts overflowed once again.
Delilah gazed at her Majesty's cold yet confident gaze, feeling her heartbeat constantly accelerating.
Subduing the enemy without fighting... is this Your Majesty's true tactic? Conquering souls with Potions, and aweing territories with majesty. I thought I only needed to slay enemies, yet I never expected that Your Majesty was already calculating the territory of the entire continent.
"Alright, since the host has already rolled out the red carpet, we cannot lose our manners either," Sophia turned to look at Willow. "Go bring out the dress for the welcoming banquet. At the banquet, This Queen will let the King of Qubi see clearly exactly what kind of lord he is pledging loyalty to."
Willow smiled faintly and bowed slightly, "Accepting the decree, Your Majesty."
The mahogany door of the Bedchamber was knocked upon by an extremely light, highly rhythmic tapping, interrupting the private whispers regarding sovereignty among the few people in the room.
"Your Majesty Sophia, the banquet is ready. My Royal Father has ordered me to come and guide the distinguished guests."
The one speaking was the First Princess of the Kingdom of Qubi—Helena.
This princess, who was known as the Pearl of Qubi, was currently lifting her heavy formal dress and standing outside the door with her head deeply bowed. That humble posture didn't look like she was welcoming guests in her own Palace at all; rather, it looked like a maid of a small country awaiting the descent of a god.
As the door opened, Sophia, having changed into a deep purple, heavily crafted embroidered long dress, walked out slowly.
The Black Rose outlined with gold thread on the hem of her dress circulated with a dark luster under the lamplight. The black fox fur at her collar accentuated her snow-white skin. Her pale golden pupils, even without carrying any emotion, were enough to make Helena, who was leading the way, feel a wave of suffocating oppression.
"Lead the way," Sophia spoke coldly.
Walking along the long corridor leading to the banquet hall, the sight before them fully displayed what it meant to have a family possessing mines.
On both sides of the corridor, countless neatly dressed attendants were jogging back and forth. Some were holding glass basins filled with iced fruits, while others were carrying whole lambs that had just been charcoal-roasted.
When Sophia passed by, without exception, these servants stopped in their tracks and knelt against the walls, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Unlike the cold sternness and efficiency pursued by Mason, the decorations of the Qubi Palace were extremely luxurious.
Bowl-sized raw jadeites were surprisingly embedded in the stone pillars of the corridor, and the gaps between the floor tiles were filled with sparkling mica powder. Every five steps stood a massive glass palace lamp, refracting multicolored lights and shadows, illuminating the entire passage to look dreamlike and fantastical.
"Your Majesty, although this King of Qubi doesn't have a large territory, he sure has a knack for squandering wealth," Irene muttered softly from the side, her eyes fixed on those jadeite brackets. "With this hardness, if they were used to make linings for precision bearings, they would definitely be great."
When the heavy bronze doors were jointly pushed open, a wave of heat mixed with precious spices and rich meat aromas rushed against their faces.
Sophia stepped into the Main Hall, her feet treading on a walkway paved with whole pieces of polished Kunlun Jade. Right in the center of the hall, a fountain carved from pure amethyst was slowly spewing spring water.
The surrounding walls were hung full of various gemstone ornaments produced in the Southeast Mountains. They were as red as blood and as green as marrow. Under the reflection of countless candles, they dazzled the eyes.
What was placed on the long tables were not ordinary pottery, but semi-transparent glass cups and glass plates. These luxury items, which were extremely rare in the Middle Ages, were as ubiquitous as roadside stones in the Qubi Palace.
Although Qubi's cooking techniques seemed somewhat primitive to Sophia, they won out in being "large in quantity and expensive."
Huge honey-roasted wild boars had onions stuffed in their mouths. Whole alpine red-spotted salmons were laid out on crushed ice. There were also various animal meats stewed in clay pots, emitting a tantalizing greasy aroma.
The King of Qubi had long been waiting below the steps. Watching Sophia lead Delilah, Daphne, and the others closer step by step, that rushing aura of a King made his knees go weak.
"Your Majesty Sophia, please take the seat of honor."
The King of Qubi turned sideways, pointing at that black jade throne crafted from a whole piece of black jade that originally belonged to him. On it, a brand-new black fox pelt produced from Mason had already been laid out.
Sophia did not decline. Lifting the hem of her dress with one hand, she sat upon that black throne with elegant yet domineering movements.
Willow skillfully stood behind Sophia, her slender fingers resting on the back of the chair. Daphne was like a curious elf, staring at the exquisite glass tableware in front of her. Meanwhile, Delilah gripped her longsword, her sharp gaze coldly sweeping over the surrounding Qubi nobles, causing those who attempted to peek at the Queen's honorable visage to lower their heads one after another.
Within this banquet hall that was luxurious to the point of being almost decadent, the clamor of clinking glasses seemed to be forcibly cut off by some invisible power the moment Sophia sat upon the black jade throne.
The air was filled with the scents of grease and spices, yet at this moment, it revealed a suffocating tenseness.
The ordinary ministers standing at the far end of the banquet almost let the glass cups in their hands slip. They looked at each other in dismay, their pupils full of horror and bewilderment.
Madness... His Majesty the King must be mad! That is the black jade throne, the symbol of Qubi's royal power! He actually let the Queen of Mason sit in the seat of honor, while he himself sat in the side seat below like a lowly attendant? How is this welcoming a benefactor from a neighboring country? This is clearly... submission! Could the rumors be true? Is our country really planning to be downgraded into a province of Mason starting today?
Meanwhile, the several core veteran ministers standing in the front row, despite having already known the King's intentions through secret talks, were still shocked into breaking a cold sweat by Sophia's matter-of-fact appearance upon truly witnessing this scene.
We thought that facing the concession of a nation's sovereignty, this Girl Tyrant would at least reveal a hint of surprise or reserve, but she's actually... so calm? This kind of look, it's as if this isn't her first time stepping into this hall, but rather returning to her own Temporary Palace from which she has long been separated. Could it be that from the moment she delivered the Potion, she had already counted Qubi as something within her pocket? Was every moment of our struggle as laughable as a clown's act in her eyes? With such unfathomably deep shrewdness, is she really just a teenage girl?
Before Qubi continuously invited Sophia to visit, Qubi had already held countless meetings. Only in the end did they arrive at this best conclusion of submission.
Currently, the Qubi people had lost much, and their supplies had suffered heavy losses. If they continued to develop, they could still slowly recover. However, Mason had now wiped out Orr. A country with such boldness would likely set its sights on them before long.
Mason was much faster than Orr. They could still play tai chi with Orr, but there was no way to play tai chi with Mason. Therefore, submission was the best path. Furthermore, after this Queen of Mason took the throne, since she was able to create methods like winter seeds to let her subjects survive, it was possible that Qubi following Mason might be even better off.
Compared to the trembling fear of the Qubi people, the mental state of the Mason group sitting beside Sophia was an entirely different and extreme picture.
Delilah still kept her hand on her longsword, her fiery red eyes coldly sweeping across every face below. Her inner thoughts were simple and domineering:
A bunch of fools, actually still obsessing over seating arrangements. Wherever Your Majesty's sword edge points, all thrones should belong to the Black Rose. The King of Qubi is very tactful. If he had dared to invite Your Majesty to sit in the lower seat just now, he wouldn't just have lost his throne right now, but rather his head.
Irene, on the other hand, wasn't looking at the people at all. Her gaze constantly darted between the glass plates and the jadeite pillars, even beginning to calculate the hardness of these ores.
Your Majesty's operation this wave is too steady! The higher she sits, the more imposing her momentum will be when collecting the coal mines. Although these stone decorations are tacky, if they could all be melted down to make wear-resistant bearings... hehe.
The King of Qubi probably hasn't realized yet that what he offered isn't just a seat, but the fuel package for Mason's industrial takeoff. And even if they aren't useful for experiments, they'd look really nice when taken back to make some small trinkets! In the future, when the commoners can all eat and drink their fill, these gemstones and jadeites will be the very things loved by the powerful and wealthy.
Daphne was looking at the side of Sophia's face with a face full of worship, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the pink star on her staff.
Your Majesty is truly too cool! That black jade throne makes Your Majesty's skin look so white it glows!
As the person who understood Sophia's script the best in the entire hall, Willow held a wine jug, standing elegantly in the shadows of the throne. She keenly captured the fear in the eyes of the Qubi nobles.
Your Majesty calculated it perfectly indeed. Maintaining absolute coldness amidst this extreme luxury is the fastest way to destroy the other party's psychological defenses. The Qubi people think they are entertaining guests with gemstones and fine food, but little do they know that Your Majesty is using her gaze to perform an asset valuation for this country. This kind of tactic, making the other party voluntarily sacrifice themselves without expending a single soldier... even I feel a deep tremble.
Meanwhile, Sophia, who sat in the seat of honor receiving the reverence of thousands, didn't have too many strange thoughts.
This black jade chair is so cold. Even though Willow padded it with fur, it's still so hard it hurts my butt.
Inside the hall, the musicians were carefully playing slow-paced ancient zithers. The zither music echoed among the gemstone-inlaid stone pillars, yet it simply couldn't suppress the tense feeling of a secret struggle in the air.
Sophia's fingertips lightly swirled that radiant glass cup. The pale purple wild berry juice left a thin layer of red blush on the inner wall of the cup. She was in no rush to use her chopsticks, nor was she in a rush to speak. She merely used those pale golden eyes that seemed capable of seeing through souls to look at the King of Qubi seated below with a faint, enigmatic smile.
The King of Qubi wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead. Although submission was already destined to be the outcome, he still wanted to strive for something for himself and for his subjects.
He pondered for a moment before taking the lead to raise his cup, breaking this restless silence.
"Your Majesty, although Qubi's winter cannot compare to the harshness of Mason, the wind in the mining areas always carries a hint of coal smoke; it is quite coarse," he let out two dry laughs, his eyes revealing a fawning look. "I wonder if Your Majesty is accustomed to your stay here this time? If there are any shortages, even if it means tearing down the pillars of this Palace to exchange for them, this minister will definitely handle it properly for Your Majesty."
These words were spoken extremely heavily. Even talk of tearing down pillars had come out; it was clearly a probe to test Sophia's appetite regarding the upper limit of his personal loyalty.
Sophia set down her cup, producing a soft "clack". She tilted her head slightly, the black diamond dangling ornament amidst her hair swaying gently, bringing about a burst of icy, magnificent light.
"There is no need for pillars," Sophia's voice was like a clear spring after snow, cold and carrying unquestionable majesty. "This Queen is used to seeing clean snow in Mason. In this place of Qubi, the snow is black. If your heart also turns black along with it, then no matter how sufficiently the heat burns, I'm afraid you still won't be able to keep your life."
The King of Qubi's hand jerked violently, wine splashing onto his fingertips. He heard the warning in Sophia's words.
"Your Majesty jests. The subjects of Qubi have received your divine grace; our hearts are naturally as red as glowing charcoal." He took a deep breath, deliberately lowering his voice mysteriously. "Actually, aside from the few rich mines mentioned in the letter, I recently discovered some strange black crystals deep within Mine Shaft No. 1. Lord Irene should be interested. When that thing burns, the flame is blue, and its thermal power far exceeds ordinary coal."
As he spoke, he observed Sophia's reaction. He was gambling, gambling on this Queen of Mason's thirst for resources. If Sophia showed strong interest, he might still retain a shred of room to bargain.
However, he was disappointed.
Sophia merely nonchalantly adjusted the lace at her cuffs, her tone even revealing a bit of waning interest. "A blue flame? Irene, This Queen remembers that the experimental product you tossed together in the laboratory last time seemed to have a purple flame?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Irene loudly agreed while stuffing grapes from the jadeite plate into her mouth. "King of Qubi, the quality of this heavy gift of yours is not quite up to par. I've even created fireworks. Have you seen fireworks? Probably not. But you'll still have a chance to see them later. As for exactly how you'll see them... you know what I mean."
The King of Qubi let out a long sigh, his heart sinking. He knew he could no longer fight for anything more for himself and his subjects. This Queen Sophia did not plot for anything in Qubi other than wanting some minerals. And as for the minerals, if he didn't give them to her, she could directly send troops to take them.
The King of Qubi raised a glass cup full of wine. His hand was trembling slightly, his eyes revealing the absolute determination of burning one's boats:
"This first cup of wine is a toast to Mason's salvation, and also a toast to... the descent of my Lord, Your Majesty Sophia!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the Qubi nobles in the hall stood up in perfect unison, some even knocking over their glass cups due to nervousness.
Sophia sat upright on the black jade throne, looking with a faint smile at this King below who practically had the words 'submission' written on his face.
"This Queen accepts your wine."
Sophia raised her cup to her brow. Her pale golden pupils emitted a chilling majesty under the refraction of the glass.
"Then, let This Queen see what kind of sincerity Qubi has prepared, aside from these pretty stones and piping hot meat."
Inside the hall, the originally swaying glass lamp fires seemed to become still due to this solidified atmosphere. The King of Qubi downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, and then asked his Queen to bring something over.
The King of Qubi knelt on the cold Kunlun Jade steps. He panted heavily; that was the collapse that followed the complete snapping of his long-tense nerves.
After the King of Qubi knelt on the ground, the Qubi ministers knelt one after another behind him. Some veteran ministers had bloodshot eyes, while others still didn't quite know what exactly was happening.
He slowly took out a thick scroll wrapped in dark animal skin from his chest, and then untied the pure gold seal symbolizing Qubi's supreme sovereignty from his waist, holding them up with both hands above his head.
At this moment, the entire hall was so dead silent that one could hear a pin drop.
"Your Majesty, this is the complete map of mineral veins exchanged with the lives of our ancestors throughout past generations since the founding of Qubi." The King of Qubi's voice was hoarse, yet carried an unprecedented honesty. "There is not only coal here, but also several refined copper mines and associated silver mines buried deep beneath the fault lines that this minister has never mentioned to the outside world. This minister... holds absolutely nothing back."
He raised his head, meeting Sophia's frost-like, cold gaze, and revealed a bitter smile that bordered on relief.
"This minister saw it early on, Your Majesty Sophia is not someone who will remain in a small pond. We people guard this tiny plot of mining pits and think ourselves the wealthiest under heaven, but in your eyes, I'm afraid these are merely the fuel for your conquest of the world. Since we are destined to be swept away by this tide, why shouldn't this minister submit early on? As for those clumsy probes just now... Your Majesty, that was the final selfishness of a monarch from a defeated nation. This minister wanted to leave a way out for Qubi's Royal House, and also wanted to beg you for the dignity to live on for the sake of those tens of thousands of subjects digging for food in the mine shafts."
Sophia sat on the black jade throne, her gaze lingering on that map and golden seal for a long time.
Sophia had thought he would still wrangle with her for a few rounds, and was even prepared to have Delilah persuade him physically. She hadn't expected this guy to be even more transparent than she imagined.
This act of bringing his capital to join the group, while looking cowardly, is indeed the smartest method of self-preservation. Since he's even pulled out his family fortune, if she were to still put on the appearance of a Tyrant, it would instead make Mason look petty.
Sophia slowly raised her hand, gesturing to Willow beside her.
Willow understood. She elegantly walked down the steps. Those hands wearing white silk gloves steadily received the map and golden seal that were sufficient to change the landscape of the Northern border.
"Your honesty has saved your life, and also saved this country." Sophia stood up, her black fox fur tracing a sharp arc in the air. She walked down the steps one by one, stopping in front of the King of Qubi, looking down at him from above:
"This Queen accepts your submission. From this day forward, Qubi is no longer an independent sovereign state, but rather Mason's Southeast Mineral Special Zone. The Kingdom of Qubi will retain its original name as the City of Qubi. You are still the manager here, the City Lord of Qubi. But you must remember, what you pledge loyalty to is the Black Rose, not your personal crown. As long as the miners can eat their fill, and as long as the coal can be sent to Mason on time, This Queen guarantees the future of you, your dependents, and all your subjects."
Irene was already so excited she was about to take off on the spot. She stared at the map in Willow's hands, her eyes completely filled with stars.
Copper! And silver mines! Long live Your Majesty! We finally have materials!
Delilah, meanwhile, slowly loosened her grip on the ruby longsword, retracting that blade-like killing intent a bit.
Winning without fighting. Your Majesty only used a single banquet to make a country offer up its spine. It seems the sword should next be pointed towards the farther seaside, because this land is almost unable to contain Your Majesty's ambition.
Daphne sidled up to Sophia, so full of worship she was about to faint: "The way Your Majesty spoke just now was simply even more dazzling than the Holy Light!"
Although Sophia's tone remained cold and clear, it carried a trace of a superior's concern.
"Rise. Since you are our own people now, stop kneeling. Willow, fill the wine."
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