After the attendants had distributed the books to all the guests in the banquet hall, murmurs of curiosity filled the air as the guest flipped open the covers, eager to uncover its contents. Some skimmed through the pages with furrowed brows, their expressions clouded with confusion, while others—more than half of the room—reacted quite differently. Their eyes widened in recognition, faces lighting up with excitement as they realized exactly what they held in their hands.
Arthur, noticing the mix of reactions, allowed a small smile to tug at the corner of his lips before addressing the crowd. "I see that some of you are puzzled by this book and why so many others seem pleased to receive it." His eyes swept across the room as he continued, his voice steady and confident. "To clarify, those who attended my last banquet may recall that I shared an economic theory—one of my own development—that has the potential to reshape the way our world functions and vastly improve trade, commerce, and industry."
He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle. "At the time, I ensured that the information remained confidential. Those who were present signed a binding magical contract, preventing them from disclosing its details to anyone. As a result, those who were absent had no way of learning what was discussed that evening."
Arthur then lifted his own copy of the book, his fingers running over its embossed cover. "But tonight," he declared, his voice carrying through the hall, "I am making this knowledge available to all of you."
Gasps rippled through the crowd as the significance of his statement sank in.
Arthur then added, "Not only here, but I will also be selling these books in other regions of the kingdom. Anyone who wishes to learn from them can purchase a copy for just one silver coin. Also as I mentioned in the previous banquet, those who cannot afford to buy one can visit the church or a public forum to read it for free."
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The banquet hall fell into stunned silence. Nobles, both men and women, as well as the attendants tending to the guests, were utterly shocked by the price. A single silver coin? They struggled to believe what they had just heard.
In this world, although paper had replaced parchment, books still had to be painstakingly copied by scribes—a process that could take at least a month for a book of this size. The cost of producing such a book was no less than five silver coins, and they typically sold for anywhere between two to eight gold coins, depending on the knowledge they contained. Mass production was nearly impossible, as only nobles could afford books, making the trade barely profitable.
However, when Arthur had first distributed the books, excitement about the content of the book overshadowed curiosity of how Arthur could make so many copies of the book. Many had eagerly flipped through the pages, marveling at the content, without considering the sheer number of copies he had produced in just a few months. But now, upon hearing the price, all other thoughts vanished.
One silver coin—an amount even some lower-income commoners could afford. The realization sent waves of disbelief through the hall. Why would the king sell a book worth at least five silver for just one? Confusion and shock gripped them all, leaving them unable to process anything beyond the staggering price and why the king would sell these valuable books at a loss.
However, Audrey who was sitting quietly, flipping through the pages of the book. As she read, she noticed something strange—every letter, every word was identical in shape and size. A scribe could never achieve such perfect uniformity, no matter how skilled. Confusion crept into her mind. How was this possible?
To confirm her suspicion, she turned to her father. "Father, may I see your copy of the book?"
Marquis Henry frowned in puzzlement. The contents were the same—why would she need to compare them? Still, he handed it to her without question.
As Audrey examined her father’s book, her heart pounded. The realization hit her like a bolt of lightning—this was not handwritten. It couldn’t be. Something else had created these books.
Audrey had always been fascinated by innovations that could change the world, and now she was certain—this was one of them. Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she turned to Arthur.
"Your Majesty," she said, her voice filled with excitement and wonder. "I’ve noticed that every word in these books is exactly the same in size and design. This level of precision is impossible for a scribe. Can you tell me how these books were made?"
The banquet hall fell into stunned silence. The nobles exchanged bewildered glances. A book written without a scribe? Impossible. Murmurs spread through the crowd as they hurriedly flipped through their own copies, scrutinizing the text.
One by one, their faces shifted from confusion to astonishment. Audrey was right—every letter was flawless, identical across every page. Something beyond their understanding was at work.
Arthur was caught off guard—someone had discovered the truth before he could even reveal it himself that these books were not written by a scribe but by a machine.
He turned to Audrey, his gaze settling on the young noblewoman with flowing blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Her sharp blue eyes gleamed with curiosity, a stark contrast to the confusion that filled the banquet hall. Unlike the others, who were still struggling to grasp the significance of what they held, Audrey had already begun unraveling the mystery.
Arthur let out a small chuckle, genuinely impressed by the keen-eyed noblewoman. He had expected the gathered nobles to focus on the astonishingly low price of the books, yet she had been the first to notice the far greater revelation—the books were not handwritten.
"You have sharp eyes, Lady…?" he said, pausing slightly and gesturing for her to provide her name.
She met his gaze with confidence and dipped her head respectfully. "Audrey, Your Majesty."
Arthur nodded, committing the name to memory. "Lady Audrey, then. You are indeed perceptive."
The murmurs in the hall grew louder. The revelation had already unsettled the nobles, but now they were beginning to grasp the weight of it. A machine that could create books? If such a thing existed, it would change everything they knew about knowledge, learning, and even power.
Marquis Henry, Audrey’s father, looked at her with a mix of surprise and curiosity. He hadn’t expected his daughter to be the first to raise such a question, but he knew she had always been fascinated by innovation.
Audrey, unfazed by the growing attention on her, pressed forward. "Your Majesty, if it wasn’t written by a scribe, then this ’machine’ you speak of—how does it work?"