Chapter 98: Who Wins?
"Fifteen million caps!"
Princess Lisa nearly jumped to her feet in shock.
Simon nodded silently.
Her expression stiffened for a moment before Princess Lisa forced a smile and spoke. "I didn’t realise that the prince is now so wealthy."
"Compared to you, Auntie, I’m still far behind. I’ve heard that your assets in Eldora are quite substantial." Simon flattered her. "So, what do you think about this matter?"
"Forget it. Since you’ve already made agreements with so many merchants, I can’t force you to break your word. But could you prepare some glassware for me to bring back to the emperor and the consorts?"
Initially, she had wanted to secure the glass-making technique for herself. However, after hearing Simon’s explanation, she was unwilling to risk offending so many people.
After all, Simon had already taken their silver. If this matter were to fall entirely on her shoulders, she would have a hard time dealing with those people in Eldora. While Simon was far away from the emperor’s reach, she would have to face these people daily.
Princess Lisa’s greed caught Simon off guard. He knew that this situation had likely arisen because she had secretly influenced Emperor Alaric to agree to her demands.
In the letter from Lady Isolde, it was clear that Emperor Alaric was pleased with Simon and had even praised him, with no mention of demanding the glass-making technique.
However, for Simon, Princess Lisa’s greed was something he could exploit. It’s not a person’s flaws that are worrisome, but their lack of vulnerabilities.
"That’s not a problem," Simon said. "But I have a better idea."
Princess Lisa, who had been feeling somewhat disgruntled about not getting the glass-making technique, now perked up slightly. "What idea?"
"I can give you a high-level membership in the guild. How about that? It’s worth a million caps of silver." Simon said with a smile.
Princess Lisa’s face lit up with joy. "You’re always so thoughtful, Auntie’s favourite. Let’s settle it this way." She said, fearing that Simon might change his mind.
"Of course," Simon replied, thinking to himself that this membership was essentially a gift. He could create as many memberships as he wanted, and he wouldn’t lose anything. On the contrary, once Princess Lisa became a member, she would have to purchase goods from him, allowing him to profit from her.
Each harbouring their own thoughts, Simon instructed Ysabeau to arrange a banquet. Since Princess Lisa had arrived, it was customary to invite local officials and influential families to pay their respects.
However, the prince’s castle had no singers or dancers, so Simon had to borrow some from the Goldwynd and Chandlier families.
That evening, the prince’s castle was filled with the sounds of music. The Goldwynd, Chandlier, Redwyck and Duskry families, along with Baldwin and other Brambleford officials, were all in attendance.
With Princess Lisa present, the banquet was far more orderly than the chaotic gatherings at the Goldwynd family’s events.
Simon and Princess Lisa sat at the head of the table, with Baldwin seated below them, followed by Lancelot, Bjorn and others. The Goldwynd and Chandlier families were seated at the lower end.
"Prince Simon, what is this dish?"
During the banquet, Princess Lisa had little interest in the mediocre performances, which she found unbearable. In her own residence, such singers and dancers would have been punished.
The only thing that caught her attention was the array of unfamiliar and delicious dishes.
Despite having tasted countless delicacies in Eldora, these exquisite dishes still managed to captivate her.
"This dish is called abalone," Simon explained.
"Abalone? What is that? It looks so strange." Princess Lisa said in surprise.
Simon smiled. "Auntie, although the abalone may look unappealing, it’s incredibly delicious. Why don’t you give it a try?"
In modern times, abalone was a delicacy that only became popular after the Cold War, and even then, it was mostly consumed by coastal residents. Inland people rarely had the chance to taste it.
Since his industrial projects were progressing smoothly, Simon had devoted some of his energy to improving his quality of life.
He had inquired about abalone and found that no one had tried eating it before. So, when he sent Harlan to Ashenford to scout locations for shipbuilding workshops, he also asked him to look for abalone.
To his surprise, Harlan sent him a jar of abalone the very next day, claiming that these creatures were abundant in the sea.
Simon was overjoyed. In a place with such rich natural resources, he would never have to worry about seafood.
Seeing that Princess Lisa was still hesitant, Simon picked up an abalone and ate it himself.
Instantly, a tantalising aroma filled the air.
Princess Lisa sniffed the briny fragrance and swallowed hard. After a moment’s hesitation, she took a bite.
"Mmm, it’s delicious." Princess Lisa said, her hesitant expression turning to delight.
Seizing the opportunity, Simon added. "Not only is abalone delicious, but it’s also a medicinal ingredient. It’s very nourishing."
Hearing this, Princess Lisa ate even more.
Soon, more dishes were served: clay pot chicken, roasted duck, and others, some traditional Eldorian Empire dishes, and some modern ones.
Princess Lisa was overwhelmed by the variety, but found her appetite growing.
Simon rarely hosted banquets, so many of the dishes were unfamiliar to the guests, who eagerly dug in.
For a while, the music and dance performances became mere background entertainment.
However, one person stood out from the crowd, staring intently at Princess Lisa with a look of infatuation.
This person was none other than Walter, a man notorious for his lustful nature.
In Eldora, Princess Lisa’s beauty was widely known, and Walter had heard rumours about her. Like many other scholars, he had fantasised about catching her eye and becoming one of her favoured companions.
Unfortunately, he had never had the chance to approach her in Eldora. Now, with this rare opportunity, he couldn’t help but feel restless.
Moreover, Princess Lisa was Emperor Alaric’s younger sister, only twenty-eight years old, a vibrant age exuding a mature charm that Walter found irresistible.
Combined with her striking beauty, Walter was utterly captivated.
However, his behaviour did not go unnoticed. Standing behind Princess Lisa was a golden-armoured guard named Zepherus, who had once been an instructor for the 400,000 imperial guards in Eldora and was a formidable warrior.
He had been gifted to Princess Lisa by Emperor Alaric as her personal guard, though rumours circulated that Zephyrus and Princess Lisa shared a questionable relationship.
"How dare you! Who do you think you are? How dare you act so disrespectfully? Guards, seize him!"
Just as everyone was enjoying the meal, Zephyrus suddenly shouted. Two golden-armoured guards rushed forward and grabbed Walter by the arms.
Only then did Walter realise his grave mistake. His face turned pale, staring at the princess in such a manner was a serious offence.
Cedric, who had been unaware of what was happening, looked up and was equally shocked.
Princess Lisa, who had been chatting with Simon, frowned at the commotion. "Zephyrus, what’s going on?"
