bookpower Chapter 47 Cultural exchange (1)
Chapter 47 Cultural exchange (1)
25—10—1560 WC
Britannia Kingdom
_______________________
The grand hall of the Kingdom of Britannia was abuzz with excitement as Queen Maria welcomed the nobles of her Kingdom to a historic gathering. The opulent hall, adorned with tapestries and candelabras, was filled with the cream of Britannia's nobility.
At the center of the hall, Imperial Diplomat Joseph stood confidently, flanked by his entourage, With a warm smile, he began to showcase the wonders of the Empire, carefully arranged on ornate tables and pedestals.
"Ladies and gentlemen," she began, her voice steady but warm.
"Tonight, we welcome a most esteemed guest from the Bernard Empire, Diplomat Joseph, who has travelled far to strengthen the ties between us"
Queen Maria raised her goblet, silencing the chatter. "Tonight, We are going to see the products of their country. Let's see what they can offer us!"
Duke Barco leaned toward his wife, whispering, "I do hope this Joseph knows his place. We are not to be easily impressed."
"Dear," she replied softly, "I heard they come from the Monstrous Sea. I want to see how unique their products are."
At that moment, Joseph went forward with an air of confidence, his modern attire contrasting sharply with the traditional garb of the Britannian nobles. He smiled warmly, scanning the room filled with curious faces.
"Good evening, lords and ladies of Britannia!" Joseph's voice rang clear.
"I am Joseph, the Empire's diplomatic envoy."
Joseph, a seasoned diplomat, smiled warmly as he began his presentation. "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed nobles of Britannia, I present to you the wonders of the Empire," he declared, gesturing to the array of products before them. "These marvels will revolutionize your daily lives, bringing comfort, convenience, and joy to your people."
Duke Barco leaned in, curiosity etched on his face. "What sort of marvels do you speak of, Diplomat Joseph?"
With a flourish, Joseph revealed a small wooden box. "Allow me to introduce our products."
Joseph clapped his hands and a man pushing a cart came. The cart contained items that Britannia people were not familiar with.
Joseph pulled out a pen and showed it to the people; everyone was curious about the pen.
Joseph started to explain what the pen was, and all the people were surprised,
One noble commented, "So this pen can write without dipping it into ink, and it can continuously write. "
"Yes, You are right "
"In the Empire, knowledge is shared widely. These books are a gateway to new ideas, philosophies, and stories."
Joseph presented printed books, bound in leather and adorned with golden filigree. The nobles of Britannia, accustomed to laboriously copied manuscripts, were astonished by the sheer volume of knowledge contained within these compact tomes.
A Noble woman's eyes widened in amazement as she took the book from Joseph. "This is incredible!" she exclaimed. "How did you manage to produce so many copies of a single text?"
Duke Barco, on the other hand, looked sceptical. "I don't see the point of this," he said. "We have scribes who can copy manuscripts by hand. What's the advantage of this...?"
Duke Gorge snorted in derision. "It's a novelty, nothing more," he said. "What's the use of having multiple copies of a book when one will do?"
Duke Farl, however, was fascinated by the book. "This is a game-changer," he said, his eyes scanning the pages. "Imagine being able to disseminate knowledge and information on a mass scale. The possibilities are endless."
"So how did you make it and how many books can you copy in a day?" a noble asked
Joseph said, "It's made by the printing press. We can easily make thousands of copies of a book with it."
"Thousands!"
"Yes"
Joseph explained to them about the printing press, how it works, and how it can play a great role in educating their people.
It creates discussion among the Nobles.
As the nobles continued to discuss the printed books, Joseph smiled, pleased that his gift had sparked such interest and debate. He knew that the printing press was a revolutionary technology, one that would change the way people accessed and shared information.
But not everything went according to his plan, because the situation changed quickly.
Joseph, a flicker of concern in his eyes, watched as the nobles argued amongst themselves. Their voices, once filled with curiosity, now carried a sharp edge of apprehension. The conversation had shifted from marvelling at the sheer volume of knowledge contained within the books to a heated debate about the implications of widespread literacy.
"It's an insult to our scribes," a Marquis thundered, his voice laced with disdain. "They spend years honing their craft, copying manuscripts with meticulous precision. "This... if this printing press comes to our country it will put their work out of business. It is a cheap imitation, a mockery of true knowledge."
"More than that," another noble interjected, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Imagine the chaos if every commoner had access to these books! They'd be filled with dangerous ideas, questioning our authority, challenging the very foundations of our society!"
The other nobles nodded in agreement. Their fear was palpable. The power of the nobles rested on their exclusive access to knowledge. Literacy was a privilege, reserved for the elite, and the printing press threatened to erode that privilege.
Another noble said, "The commoners would be filled with wild ideas, their minds poisoned by radical philosophies. We've seen the unrest that can erupt when the masses are stirred."
Joseph, sensing the growing hostility, intervened. "My lords, please," he said, his voice calm and steady. "Knowledge is a powerful tool. It can be used to inspire, to educate, and to empower. But it can also be used to manipulate and control. It's not the knowledge itself that's dangerous, but how it's used."
His words fell on deaf ears. The nobles, fueled by fear and a deep-rooted sense of entitlement, had already made up their minds. They were not ready for a world where knowledge was freely available, where their power could be challenged by the very people they ruled.