Chapter 240: A New Surprise?
"Did you hear? The Chamber of Commerce is hosting a product exhibition in the East Market. They’re unveiling a brand-new item!"
"Seriously? Then we better go now! I heard the exhibition only lasts seven days. Miss it now, and you won’t get another chance!"
"..."
The next morning, the front page of the Brambleford newspaper blared bold headlines: "Exhibition Fair!" and "Glass Mirrors!"
The merchants of Brambleford were thrown into a frenzy. Many had missed out on the previous three blockbuster products and still regretted it. Now, none of them wanted to miss this fourth opportunity.
As soon as they saw the paper, they rushed straight to East Market.
Curious scholars and commoners joined the crowd as well, eager to see what the buzz was about.
Naturally, this exhibition fair was Simon’s idea. No matter how incredible a product was, people had to see it with their own eyes. This was the perfect way to reveal the mirror’s magic.
First, it would shock and awe everyone with its clarity; second, it would get merchants talking, word would spread like wildfire, and the hype would build on its own.
At the market, a portion of the plaza had been cordoned off and surrounded by soldiers. No one was allowed within three meters of the mirrors.
Inside the roped-off area stood over a dozen glass mirrors, each propped up and gleaming.
Merchants standing in front of them stared in disbelief at their own reflections, so mesmerised that they refused to leave.
"Hey, haven’t you looked enough already?" One merchant behind them grumbled. "Let the rest of us see too."
The man up front didn’t even glance back. "I got here first. I’ll look as long as I like."
"Screw off." The guy behind him grabbed his shoulder and shoved him aside. But the moment he caught sight of his own reflection, he too became entranced.
And so the cycle repeated.
The East Market was soon jam-packed. Tensions ran high. Arguments broke out. A few scuffles even turned into full-blown fistfights.
People were completely blown away by the mirror’s clarity, and all they wanted was one more look. The sharper merchants, however, weren’t wasting time. They rushed to the Chamber of Commerce to see Percival directly.
"Vice Chairman, what’s the deal with these mirrors? Can you give us a heads-up?"
One of them discreetly slid a banknote worth over a thousand caps of silver across the table.
Percival immediately pushed the silver note back.
He was fully aware of Simon’s stance on corruption. If he took that money, he wouldn’t just lose his position; he’d be facing prison, or worse.
Simon had made it crystal clear at court meetings: Brambleford officials received three times the standard salary of their counterparts across the empire. Even the lowest-ranking ones earned at least thirty-six caps of silver annually.
In return, Simon demanded zero tolerance for bribery. Get caught, and you wouldn’t just lose your job; you could lose your head.
As one of Simon’s close aides, Percival had no shortage of silver. He had no reason to accept bribes and even less reason to be foolish.
"You’d better take this back." He said, face turning serious. "Otherwise, we have nothing to discuss."
The merchant was stunned. In the Eldorian Empire, this kind of thing was the norm. An official refusing silver? That left him unsettled.
"Vice Chairman Percival... Was it not enough?" He asked hesitantly.
Percival slammed the table. "You trying to get me executed? In Brambleford, we don’t take silver under the table. Take your bribe and go. If you want to talk about mirrors, then talk properly."
Flustered, the merchant hurriedly tucked the banknote away. "Right... Then I just wanted to ask, how are the mirrors being sold? When? What’s the method?"
Percival’s tone eased a bit. "His Highness has ordered that no distribution rights will be granted. The mirrors will go on sale within the next couple of days. As for the method: auction."
"Auction?" The merchant blinked. "You mean... You’re auctioning off the rights?"
"No!" Percival clarified. "The mirrors themselves will be auctioned. The process is complex, and they can’t be mass-produced yet. Auctioning is the only practical way, and it keeps things fair."
That was the strategy he and Simon had worked out. Since the mirrors were positioned as luxury items, their first appearance had to make waves. And nothing did that better than an auction.
While Percival was teasing the merchants with just enough info to get them hooked, Simon sent a single mirror to Eldora, addressed to Emperor Alaric.
He held nothing back this time. He didn’t even send one to Lady Isolde, deciding to wait and deliver hers after the buzz had peaked.
Percival’s statements quickly spread through merchant circles. Many began hoarding silver and preparing to bid. The legend of the mirror soon spread back to their hometowns, and noblewomen and heiresses across the empire began planning pilgrimages to Brambleford.
Meanwhile, the mirror that Simon had sent to the capital finally arrived, delivered by Carl to the Imperial Palace.
"Your Majesty, a gift from Prince Simon has arrived," Carl announced.
Inside the emperor’s private chamber, Alaric was reviewing reports when Carl entered. Two eunuchs followed behind, carrying a tall, cloth-covered object with visible strain.
"What’s that rascal sent this time?" The emperor asked, with a hint of curiosity.
A strategic model of the empire sat prominently in the room, a gift from Simon. A telescope rested beside the emperor’s desk. Both items were dearly treasured.
"I’m quite curious about what surprise His Highness has brought us this time," Carl said, motioning to the eunuchs.
With a dramatic tug, the black cloth was removed.
A stunning two-meter-tall, fifty-centimetre-wide glass mirror was revealed, its frame adorned with gold, carved dragons, and intricate filigree.
"Your Majesty! An assassin!!" Carl screamed at the top of his lungs.
He had caught sight of a lifelike figure inside the mirror and panicked.
Even Alaric was startled. But he had weathered many storms and didn’t panic easily. He narrowed his eyes and cautiously raised a hand.
The figure in the mirror raised its hand too.
Then he reached over and patted Carl’s shoulder.
The mirror image mirrored the gesture perfectly.
Alaric immediately understood. The figure was just his reflection, incredibly lifelike, but no different than what one might see in a bronze mirror, only vastly clearer.
The clarity was so shocking that, at first glance, it looked like a real person was standing inside the frame. No wonder Carl was so terrified.
"Protect His Majesty! Guards!!"
Just then, a squad of guards rushed in.
At the sight of armoured figures in the mirror, they instantly mistook them for enemies. Swords were drawn. They charged.
"You rebel scum, prepare to die!"
Alaric finally snapped out of his daze and shouted, "Stop! HOLD IT!"