In the Great Hall.
The throne was positioned at the center of the far wall, its back resting securely against the wall. Arthur was sited on the throne.
A luxurious crimson carpet ran down the center of the hall, stretching from the grand doors to the base of the throne. It served as a path for guests and esteemed visitors. To the left and right of the throne, the king's councilors stood.
Duke Richard entered the room, his voice steady as he greeted, "Good morning, Your Majesty. Thank you for providing us with a place to stay and for making time to meet with us first thing today."
As Richard spoke, Arthur couldn't help but think to himself, Well, that's not entirely true; this isn't the first thing I did this morning. But judging by his demeanor, it seems he's not angry about how I treated Miss Olivia yesterday. That's a good sign.
"Of course, you are our esteemed guest. It's only right that I make time for you," Arthur replied, his gaze sweeping over the three guests.
Arthur took a glance and saw that Richard and the knight appeared unchanged from the previous day—neither angry nor upset. However, when his eyes met Olivia's, she quickly looked down, avoiding his gaze. She seems too afraid to even meet my eyes, he thought. "I did frighten her by suggesting her family could fall into my hands. I shouldn't have let my words run wild, especially when I mentioned she might be captured by another nation and become their plaything. I should apologize to her if I get the chance".
"Your Majesty, have you made a decision regarding my proposal?" Duke Richard asked, his voice tinged with nervous anticipation.
"I have made my decision, and I will accept your proposal," Arthur announced, his tone firm.
Inside Richard mind, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. How could this foolish King Arthur Jr. even consider rejecting a marriage with Olivia? Ever since the former King Arthur III passed away, he has been pushing for this marriage, only to stop a few months ago when he realized my efforts were futile. But now, this is his only chance to marry my lovely daughter! How could this brain-dead king refuse my proposal? I was foolish to worry last night about his hesitation. Winning over a simpleton like him is easier than I thoug…
Before Richard could finish his thoughts, Arthur added, " But the condition would be different from what your first proposal is."
"What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?" Duke Richard responded quickly, masking his anger and surprise.
"Well, you said the request was a proposal, correct? Since it's a proposal, there should be room for negotiation. Am I wrong?" Arthur replied, his voice carrying an authoritative edge.
"You are absolutely correct, Your Majesty," Richard said, though a hint of annoyance crept into his tone.
"Then here's my offer: I will provide you with additional soldiers and a sum of three hundred thousand Keldo gold coins. However, instead of marrying Miss Olivia Luke, I propose a new condition," Arthur stated.
The great hall fell into stunned silence. All present—members of the king's council and the three guests from the Dukedom of Luke—were taken aback. No one had anticipated that Arthur would choose not to marry Olivia when the opportunity was right in front of him.
Arthur had kept his intentions hidden from the council, knowing that most of them were corrupt and untrustworthy. Thus, it was no surprise that everyone in the room was shocked by his unexpected decision.
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"The new condition is simple," Arthur began, his voice steady and authoritative. "I intend to make changes in Keldoria. First, I will change the current taxation and trade systems, which are unjust and disproportionately favor the wealthy. I will gradually transition to a more equitable system, and I expect you to implement these changes in the Dukedom of Luke without fail.
"Initially, the Dukedom will adhere to the new taxation plan I will establish. The Dukedom of Luke shall retain 80% of the taxes collected, while Keldoria will receive 20% annually. However, if the 20% collected by Keldoria falls below 80,000 Keldonian gold coins, the Dukedom of Luke will be responsible for covering the shortfall. Furthermore, if Keldoria discovers that the Dukedom is misrepresenting its contributions and only pays the bare minimum of 80,000, the title of Duke will be stripped, and the Dukedom will become a dependency region of Keldoria.
"In addition, when Keldoria can demonstrate infrastructure projects that benefit citizens of both parties, the Dukedom must not refuse and must allow the Kingdom to proceed with the construction within their land. In return, the Dukedom will receive 10% of the revenue generated by these projects until the agreement is concluded. Upon acceptance of this offer, trade between the Dukedom and Keldoria will be classified as regional trade, meaning the tariff rate will remain at zero.
"This agreement will last for 100 years. After that period, the Dukedom will own 10% of the shares for any infrastructure built for over 50 years. If the infrastructure is built for 20 to 49 years, the Dukedom will own only 5% shares, and anything less than 20 years will not grant the Dukedom any shares. Additionally, humanitarian laws and national regulations set by Keldoria must be adhered to. Here are the detailed terms of the agreement letter," Arthur concluded, gesturing for Duke Richard to come forward and take the written document that he wrote this morning.
"How can he possibly call this condition simple?" Duke Richard thought, his face tightening in disbelief. "Is he really talking about taking 20% of the taxes from my land? What on earth are shares and tariffs? This is absurd!" Richard mind raced with skepticism
However, Richard hid his emotion and approached King Arthur Jr., took the letter, bowed, and returned to his original position. As he unfolded the two-page document, he carefully read through the detailed terms and conditions that Arthur had written.
Once again, the hall fell into a heavy silence. All present—members of the king's council and the three guests from the Dukedom of Luke—shared a common thought: Keldoria was doomed. The incapable king, who seemed more concerned with his own interests than those of his citizens, was proposing a change in the taxation system. How could he possibly implement such changes?
The council members exchanged worried glances, fearing that Arthur's misguided reforms would drive all the people away from Keldoria and the nation to its fall. Is he really going to impose a 20% tax on the Dukedom of Luke? Does he even understand the significance of the title of Duke? What the hell is shares and tariff? Questions swirled in their minds, and a sense of dread settled over the room.
Most of the council members were anxious for one of two reasons: the corrupt officials feared losing their comfortable positions if the kingdom fell, as they had grown accustomed to manipulating the king for their own gain. A small faction, however, genuinely worried for Keldoria's future. They wanted to voice their concerns but were too intimidated by the memory of Arthur Jr.'s previous outburst, where he had nearly punished a council member to death for suggesting King Arthur Jr should consider the kingdom's welfare. Thus, no one dared to challenge Arthur's decisions, opting instead to remain silent, their apprehensions hanging heavily in the air.
As Richard continued to read the document in the heavy silence of the hall, Arthur broke the stillness. "Duke Richard, I will give you some time to consider my proposal." He glanced at the pendulum clock. "Let's say three hours. We will reconvene at 1 PM. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to send my valet to find me."
Richard felt a surge of relief at being granted time to contemplate the weighty information. "Thank you, Your Majesty," he replied, eager to accept the offer forgetting to ask about words he didn't know.
With a nod, Arthur dismissed everyone in the room, leaving Richard to process the implications of the proposal. After taking a deep breath, Arthur stepped outside and spotted his valet waiting patiently.
"Please inform Duke Richard that I will be in the library when he comes to see me," Arthur instructed his valet.
"Also just like yesterday, please bring my lunch to the library around 12," he added before making his way to the library.
...
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Is the new condition fair for Duke Richard? answer in the comment.