Kingdombuilding: All My Inventions Are Novelty

Chapter 169: Caught

"The net of heaven is wide, but it lets nothing slip through. Lothair, in the end, you could not escape this prince’s grasp."

Simon’s spirit surged. That bastard had nearly gotten him killed, and this was a debt he had never forgotten.

Richard had already heard of the Chandlier family’s betrayal during his return and said. "Such a heartless traitor should be hanged at the city gate to serve as a warning. The entire Chandler clan should be executed to prevent future troubles."

Baldwin did not object. Attempting to assassinate Prince Simon was high treason and, by law, punishable by execution of the entire clan.

The Duskry family, co-conspirators with the Chandlier family, had all been thrown into prison and were set for execution after the autumn assizes. The rest of the Chandlier family had already been beheaded in the Eastern Market.

The once-dominant Four Great Noble Houses of Brambleford had now completely vanished.

Only a few days ago, Simon had still held some naive hope for the nobility, showing leniency and mercy. But after the Chandlier family’s assassination attempt, he would never again feel sympathy for them. He now understood that the conflict between himself and the aristocracy was irreconcilable. It was either them or him.

He said. "Send Lothair and the others involved in burning the state granary, along with those merchants who acted as spies, to Dunmere. As a warning, I want them strung up along the city walls. Let every traitor see what awaits them."

"Yes, Your Highness. I’ll see to it immediately." Baldwin replied with a smile. With the Chandlier and Duskry families dealt with, Brambleford was now free of noble clans. From this moment on, it was Prince Simon’s domain alone.

The intelligence brought by Richard signalled that the storm of war was finally descending upon Dunmere. For Simon, this was a fated battle.

The reavers could afford to lose, but he could not. If he lost, he would lose everything.

But if he won, not only would it elevate his status among the princes of the Eldorian Empire, but his territory would finally enter a period of stable development.

And that was exactly what he needed. With the system in his possession and himself as a builder of civilisation, his mission was to spark an explosion of progress.

In the modern world, it was the scientific explosion in fifteenth-century Europe that allowed Western civilisation to conquer the world for the first time.

Here, in this world, he would never allow his country to once again be bombarded open by foreign cannons.

"My Lord, please take good care of your health when you go to Dunmere. Do not act recklessly. Your safety now concerns the lives of a million people under your rule."

After the probing attack by the Alkamite tribe, a full-scale reaver assault was inevitable.

Dunmere was too important. Simon had to go in person to oversee the defence.

He gently squeezed Ysabeau’s hand as she adjusted his cloak. She blushed slightly but did not pull away.

He smiled and said. "I haven’t seen you and Joan perform your dance yet. How could I bear to die now?"

Joan laughed. "That’s right, sister. Just stay here in the castle. With me there, His Highness’s daily needs will be well taken care of."

Ysabeau nodded and sighed softly.

This time, Simon was only bringing Joan with him to Dunmere. Ysabeau would stay behind in the castle, as he needed a trusted confidante in Brambleford.

He gently rubbed Ysabeau’s hand once more, then turned to Joan and said. "Let’s go. Time is tight."

Joan nodded and followed him obediently out of the castle.

Outside the gate, the five hundred cavalry who would escort Simon to Dunmere were already assembled.

Simon glanced back at the worried Ysabeau and gave her a reassuring smile.

The two girls were originally handmaids gifted to him by Lady Isolde. In this era, they were considered his personal property.

He could do whatever he wanted with them, and they would have no choice. The only question was whether he felt like it or not.

Though now a prince, Simon still disliked forcing others. ’Servants should be nurtured and won over,’ he thought.

Clearly, over time, the two girls had become more comfortable with him, and their little gestures had become quite natural.

"Move out!"

With that command, the cavalry began their slow march toward Dunmere. Three days later, they arrived at the city.

By then, Benjamin, Lancelot, and Liam had already been garrisoned there for over a month. Aiden had also nearly completed renovations on the city walls.

As they rode through Dunmere, Simon immediately felt a sense of desolation. Unlike Brambleford, Dunmere spanned only ten miles in width and length, and the surrounding area was sparsely populated. Even within the city, only a few scattered civilians could be seen.

The residents were yellow-skinned and emaciated, dressed in rags, their eyes filled with fear about the impending war.

Within the city, Simon could still see the ruins left by the war three years ago. Most of the population had either been killed or abducted during the invasion.

Few had returned. The city was filled with abandoned homes and broken walls, and no one had repaired them.

His administrative residence had already been prepared. After entering the city, he went directly to the compound.

"My Lord!"

As soon as he arrived, Benjamin came charging in.

Simon said. "No need for formalities, General. Thank you for arranging such a fine residence for me."

The compound was a traditional courtyard house, complete with rock gardens, flowers, and pavilions. While not as grand as the royal castle, it was still charming in its own way.

"As long as Your Highness is pleased," Benjamin replied with a grin. "There are still a few decent houses in the city, but since you asked for one near the gate, I chose this."

Simon nodded, then asked. "Any movements from the reavers in recent days?"

Benjamin’s face turned serious. "That’s the very matter I came to report. The Alkamite tribe is now less than a hundred miles from Dunmere. I expect them to arrive tomorrow."

"What’s the status of our city defences?"

"As per our plan, the cannons have not yet been deployed. We’re still using traditional defences like rolling logs, boiling oil, and stones. The catapults are in place, but loaded with rocks only. We’re not using the powder bombs yet." Benjamin reported.

"Good. Send some of the powder bombs up anyway, but don’t use them unless it’s necessary." Simon instructed.

From the Lothair case, he’d learned that the gunpowder formula had been given by the reavers themselves. That meant they knew how to use it.

This wasn’t surprising. Gunpowder had existed for centuries. Even the Eldorian Empire used fire tubes and gunpowder weapons against the reavers. There was no way the reavers were unfamiliar with them.

That was what worried him. The methods he used to deal with them might be learned and replicated.

This was why he emphasised cannons. Gunpowder was easy to copy. Cannons, without the technology, could not be replicated.

Now that he had arrived in Dunmere, he wasn’t here to enjoy the scenery. He stood up and said. "It’s still early. Let’s go up to the city walls. I’d like to see how Aiden has done with the repairs."