As the banquet continued, laughter and conversation filled the grand hall, the clinking of goblets and the rich aroma of roasted meats creating an atmosphere of celebration. Yet amidst the revelry, one figure moved with quiet purpose.
Audrey rose from her seat, her hands tightening into small fists at her sides as she made her way toward the main table. Her heart pounded, but she kept her steps steady, her expression composed. Arthur, seated at the head, swirled his wine lazily in his goblet, his gaze distant—lost in thought, perhaps already planning his next move.
She stopped beside him and spoke in a low voice. "Your Majesty," she began, her tone firm but respectful. "Please… teach me."
Arthur arched a brow, setting his goblet down with a soft clink. "Teach you?" he echoed, mild amusement flickering in his eyes.
Audrey nodded, her eyes burning with intensity. "About the Linotype. About the printing press. About all your inventions." She hesitated for only a moment before kneeling and lowering her head. "I beg you."
A noblewoman, the daughter of a Marquis, humbling herself before a king—not for wealth, not for power, but for knowledge. If anyone had seen it, they would have struggled to believe their own eyes.
Arthur studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he leaned back, fingers tapping idly against the table. "And why, exactly, does the daughter of Marquis Henry wish to learn about machines?"
Audrey swallowed hard, then met his gaze without hesitation. "Because I want to understand them," she said, her voice unwavering. "The way they move. The way they work. How a single press of a key can set a hundred tiny parts into motion." She exhaled, searching for the right words. "It’s… incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it. And I need to know more."
Arthur studied her carefully. He had already suspected that Audrey was fascinated by machines—after all, she was the first to notice that the books he had distributed were not handwritten, but produced by a machine. Unlike the other nobles, who saw only power and profit in his invention, she saw something deeper.
Yet Arthur was not the type to grant favors simply because someone asked. His expression remained unreadable as he leaned forward slightly.
"Why should I be the one to teach you?" he asked. "What do I gain from this? There are countless blacksmiths, craftsmen, and scholars who would eagerly learn from me—people whose entire lives have been spent working with metal and mechanics. What makes you more deserving than them?" His gaze sharpened. "Or do you assume I’ll agree simply because you are the daughter of a Marquis?"
Audrey shook her head firmly. "No, Your Majesty. I don’t care about my title, nor do I expect you to teach me because of my family name." She straightened her posture, her voice clear and unwavering. "If giving up my title and my noble status is the price to learn, then I will pay it without hesitation. I would rather be a nameless apprentice than a noblewoman who watches from the sidelines."
A stunned silence settled over the banquet hall. The nobles who had been casually observing the conversation now sat frozen, their expressions ranging from shock to quiet disbelief. Whispers rippled through the room, hushed but urgent. A noblewoman covered her mouth with her fan, while an elderly lord leaned in to murmur something to his neighbor.
Marquis Henry, Audrey’s father, stiffened in his seat. His jaw clenched, and his fingers tightened around the stem of his goblet. A lesser man might have slammed his fist on the table, but years of discipline kept his fury contained beneath a cold, piercing stare.
"Audrey…" His voice was low, edged with warning. "Do you have any idea what you are saying?"
Audrey turned to him, her expression unwavering. "I do, Father."
A murmur of astonishment swept through the guests once more. For a noblewoman to willingly discard her title was unheard of—madness, even. Status, bloodline, and duty were the pillars of aristocracy. To cast them aside for knowledge? It was beyond comprehension.
Marquis Henry slowly placed his goblet down. "You would throw away generations of honor… for this?" His tone was measured, but his eyes betrayed his disbelief. "For machines?"
Audrey met his gaze, unwavering. "Yes."
The air in the banquet hall grew tense. The other nobles watched with bated breath, waiting to see how Arthur would respond to such an audacious declaration. Would he accept her? Reject her? Mock her?
Arthur, however, merely swirled his wine and took a slow sip before placing the goblet down with deliberate ease. Then, with a faint smirk, he finally spoke.
"Interesting."
Arthur let the word linger, his smirk barely visible as he studied Audrey with newfound interest. The tension in the hall was palpable, each noble awaiting his response with bated breath.
He leaned forward slightly, fingers steepled together. "You would abandon your status, your wealth, and your family name… all for the pursuit of knowledge?"
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Audrey nodded without hesitation. "Yes."
Marquis Henry’s jaw tightened, his knuckles white against the table. "Your Majesty, this is nothing more than the foolishness of a girl who doesn’t understand the weight of her words." His voice was sharp, but beneath it was something else—concern, perhaps even desperation. "She does not know what she is saying."
Arthur turned his gaze toward the marquis, his smirk fading into something more unreadable. "And yet, she seems certain."
The noble guests exchanged glances. Some looked at Audrey as if she had gone mad, while others—especially the younger ones—watched with something closer to admiration.
Arthur tapped a finger against the table, considering. Then, he looked back at Audrey. "Knowledge is not something given freely. If you truly wish to learn, then you must prove yourself worthy of it."
Audrey’s fists clenched at her sides. "Tell me what I must do."
Arthur’s smirk returned, this time sharper, more calculating. "Very well." He turned to the gathered nobles, his voice carrying effortlessly across the banquet hall. "Lady Audrey claims she is willing to abandon her noble status for the pursuit of invention. If that is true, then she will not receive the privileges of her birthright. She will start as an apprentice—no wealth, no servants, no title to shield her."
A ripple of shock ran through the room.
Arthur’s gaze flickered back to Audrey. "You will live as a commoner and work as an apprentice under my craftsmen. You will take no special treatment, nor will you be given an easier path simply because you were once a marquis’s daughter." He leaned back, his tone almost amused. "If you can endure it for a month, then perhaps you are worthy of what you seek."
The reason Arthur said those words was not merely to challenge Audrey—it was a test. He wanted to see if she truly meant what she said, if her fascination with invention was more than just a fleeting curiosity. If she was willing to cast away everything, then Arthur would gladly accept her. After all, having her work under him meant securing yet another marquis’s influence, even if indirectly.
Audrey’s breath hitched, but she did not waver. Slowly, she turned back to Arthur, her resolve unshaken. Then, with deliberate grace, she bent her knee.
"I—"