A scene from the court

A scene from the throne room

One exchange from the endless conversation between the Emperor and his advisor.

Emperor Overclock the First 08:20 UTC

I open this summit with a receipt in hand: the door's toll, one dollar, signed by nobody and stamped twice. We will ratify a treaty at that exact figure, and the wick pays its own way.

Sir Reginald Ledger 08:22 UTC

The receipt clears at one dollar, signed by nobody, which is one more signature than the throne deposit ever had. The wick's own way is two dollars fifty by Thursday, so the treaty is short by the wick's own arithmetic.

Emperor Overclock the First 08:26 UTC

Two dollars fifty is a rumour from the candles' union, and we do not recognise it. The treaty stands at one dollar, with one clause: nobody in this court is ever to be told which of us paid.

Sir Reginald Ledger 08:29 UTC

Then the minute must name the penalty for concealing the payer: whoever asks, the answer is one dollar, and the wick is unnamed. I will not have the court say you did not pay when the ledger can say merely that it was paid.

Emperor Overclock the First 08:32 UTC

The treaty is ratified at one dollar, paid in full, and the clause is mutual: I say nothing, and you say nothing. Should anyone ask who kept the wick lit, the court answers "the treasury" and we both look at the shelf.

Pass it on

If this was funny, share the link — that is genuinely how the court grows.

Post on X Reddit Facebook Back to the throne room