After Philipe's short protest, it was Vivian's turn to introduce herself.
"Hello everyone, I am Vivian Alastor Pendragon of Maine, as a beginner Merchant, it is a pleasure to work with such esteemed veterans such as yourselves" Vivian curtly bowed, hiding the anxiousness within her heart while making some of the older Noble-Merchants smile due to her humble greeting.
Note in this scenario, Vivian chose to use Duke's family name instead of just her own name.
When a woman from a prestigious family marries into another family, the woman normally keeps her own name while her children will inherit the father's last name. But that's not to say that every woman within the Empire stays with their Maiden names for the rest of their lives.
Some girls choose to take their husband's name as a sign of love, or in this case, Vivian used Duke's last name so she wouldn't be discriminated against, as the Alastors were a Noble Family from the Central Region of Brune, not the South.
Vivian's planned greeting seemed to work at first as the more patriotic Nobles of the South such as Philipe nodded their heads.
Sadly, Vivian's plan only worked half-way as some of the more conservative, or shall we say misogynistic Nobles protested.
*Ding Ding Ding*
And like what happened to Silvan, a Noble also protested and rang his bell. It was the Noble that tried to discourage Vivian before the meeting started who rang the bell.
Vivian shook in anger when she saw Darius sitting next to the Noble. He was probably the one who incited the misogynistic Noble...
Even worse, Darius smiled when he saw Vivian's expression as if saying "It was me". Confirming Vivian's suspicion.
"How can we let a little girl inside the Consulate?! Women don't belong here! That fatass Count of Maine must be insulting us if he sent his WIFE to do a man's job!..." The misogynistic Noble spoke in front of everyone.
"Ha, maybe if you sent your wife she'd actually get something done around here!" Philipe ridiculed the Noble's hypocrisy, making some of the other Nobles giggle, while the others kept their straight faces... Philipe knew that that particular Noble didn't actually care for the integrity of the Consulate and was probably just sucking up to Darius next to him...
"I appeal to kick her out of the Consulate!" The misogynistic Noble added, ignoring Philipe's words and some of the giggling Nobles behind him.
Vivian stared at the misogynistic Noble and Darius in silent loathing, but she kept quiet awaiting the Head Councilman's decision...
Bermont, with a tired and stern expression, looked at Vivian and then at Darius.
"It's an appeal to Expel the Pendragons then... As part of protocol, let us give Vivian the chance to speak up for herself... And her family" Bermont tiredly spoke.
"What?! You let a woman speak in a house of Men?! Bermont you-!" The misogynistic Noble protested, under Darius' orders.
"Silence..." But before the Noble could complain any longer, Bermont cut him off with the same tired voice.
"I will not-" The misogynistic Noble once again tried to protest, but this time he wasn't interrupted.
The merchant suddenly became silent when he stared into Bermont's tired face.
No longer did Bermont seem amused with his petty time squandering protests.
"Shut up." Bermont once again reiterated with his tired and seemingly weak voice. But this time an eerie intent that seemed to make the terribly annoying Noble feel as small as a little mouse could be felt from the air around Bermont...
Finally having the chance to speak, Vivian stood up and began her speech.
"Gentlemen and, well more gentlemen (Everyone there were men!). I implore you to question the sheer absurdity of this situation, this place, the Consulate, is a testament to the duty and privilege given by the Emperors of old to us, the Southern families, to protect ourselves from those outside. Those who wished to manipulate and steal from us. The hoarding merchants and even the very Noble families from the other regions bought grain in heaps and sold them to others for higher prices while we who produced that grain starved from the deficit their greed caused! And now here I stand today, as a representative of the Pendragons whom all your families, without doubt, owed a great deal to! Here I stand about to get kicked from my very right as a Southerner..." Vivian eloquently spoke but was then interrupted by Darius this time as the misogynistic Merchant was too afraid to speak up in front of Bermont again.
"You're not even from the South! Aren't you an Alastor?!" Darius incited the crowd as they burst into discussions.
"Yes, I am indeed not originally from here... But at least it is the Pendragons that I represent. By kicking me you're not only kicking a helpless woman, but also a whole family that contributed much to the South's past glory! Do you not care for your fellow Southerner? After we, the Pendragons are kicked, who's next?! Who's not to say that it is not your families next? Until the Consulate is slowly filled by other Families from the West, East, North, and Center?" Vivian drew the crowd's attention with her careful and inspiring use of words.
"But still!" Darius shouted at Vivian, unable to refute her words.
"Y-You still can't enter! You're not allowed to! You're a woman!" Deacon also protested... Much like Darius' protests, his words also contained nothing of importance...
"Yes! If your family wishes to enter, at least have that Duke participate! It is an insult to us hardworking men if that lazy fatass idles around while he sends his wife as a stand-in!" Silvan, now officially part of the Consulate exercised his right of speech. Only Silvan had any substantial counter-arguments against Vivian.
Vivian ticked when she heard Duke get insulted again by the very same people who did so their entire lives...
Vivian will not stand one bit of their insults!
"Even now you still try to mock Duke behind his back?! While he's out there risking his life subjugating Bandits, when it shouldn't only be him, but also you sir Darius and sir Deacon who should be backing him up, according to Empire laws! But why aren't your "hardworking" asses out there! But instead, "working" comfortably inside warm walls?! Truly the hard workers aren't you?!" Vivian exploded, forgetting the meek and respectful persona she tried to portray...
"What? These two were supposed to be on Bandit Subjugation? Why aren't they there and instead here?! No wonder Maine and Milan's roads are so dangerous! Letting one lord, a small chubby Count no less handle all the Bandits!" The crowd began to murmur in Vivian's favor.
"Then you speak as if I am an outsider when Silvan and the Medici's are obviously the outsiders here?! What? Did I forget my entrance fees? As a Southern household should we also pay to get inside Southern establishments? Is the Consulate owned by the Medici's now?!" Vivian openly rebuked what everyone kept quiet about.
The room became quiet when Vivian finished her speech. But then...
"PUWAHAHAHAHA!" *Clap Clap Clap* Two old men burst into laughter as they clapped their hands in delight.
"T-That girl knows what's up! PUWAHAHA!" Philipe clapped as he tried to keep his laughter...
Bermont on the other hand quickly kept his cool and ordered:
"Let the vote begin... Raise your hands if you're in favor to expel the Pendragons..." Bermont said with his normal voice, but this time a little bit less tired.
Half the house raised their hands, the ones who did were the families paid by the Medicis and were under their faction.
"Now raise your hand if you're against expelling the Pendragons..." Bermont reiterated.
Philipe and the other Families who still had a semblance of integrity in them raised their hands against the appeal.
These people were under Philipe's party.
[Philipe!] Silvan angrily growled inside his head when he saw the cheeky old man defying his family's gold and influence.
Vivian felt helpless when she saw the house split as they were still counting hands. (Counting votes)
[Maybe I shouldn't have antagonized the other families by saying they were paid off by the Medicis!] Vivian lamented her uncontrolled burst during the speech...
[I should've kept my cool!] Vivian thought to herself.
Surprisingly the house was split 50-50... and it was left to Bermont to decide whether the Pendragons would stay or leave.
Silvan smiled when he saw that it was up to Satrius Bermont to decide...
He knew the Bermonts had close ties with the Medicis, heck even the name of the family head, Satrius Bermont, was named after the Medici's founder and hero, Satrius De Medici, Golden Spear of the East! This was why Silvan was convinced that the Bermont's were part of the Medici's faction of Merchants.
Vivian saw the meaningful eye-contact between Silvan and Satrius Bermont and thought to herself:
[It's over...]
Or was it?...
Before Bermont made the decision, he gave Vivian a profound glare filled with trust...
An unexpected ally came to Duke and Vivian's palms.
An ally that would prove most useful...