Chapter 104: One For All
Twenty miles north of Brambleford City.
This was the location of the Goldwynd family estate. At this moment, the fortress walls were lined with the Goldwynd family’s private soldiers.
The fortress was constructed entirely of compacted earth, with walls twelve meters high and five meters thick. At each corner of the walls stood a watchtower, each manned by over a dozen archers aiming their bows at the Brambleford army outside.
Inside the fortress, the Goldwynd family’s retainers and private soldiers were busy preparing defensive materials.
In the Eldorian Empire, local powerful families typically maintained their own private armies. Strictly speaking, these private soldiers were essentially the family’s servants.
Because powerful families had large numbers of servants, they often trained some of them and equipped them with simple weapons and armour to resolve disputes between families. These trained servants became private soldiers.
Following Simon’s orders, Lancelot and Zephyrus had surrounded the fortress and relayed Simon’s message to those inside.
However, the response was an even tighter defence of the fortress.
"Captain Lancelot, it seems these bandits are determined to fight to the death. What should we do now?" Zephyrus asked with a hint of schadenfreude.
Lancelot glanced at Zephyrus. This fortress outside the city was the largest of the Goldwynd family’s fortresses across the six cities. If they could take this one, the others would be of little concern.
Currently inside the fortress was Pascal Goldwynnd, Cedric’s younger brother. Upon learning that his brother and nephew had been captured, he immediately entered the fortress and rallied the Goldwynd family members to defend it at all costs.
"There’s no need for you to worry. His Highness is acting out of benevolence, unwilling to cause unnecessary bloodshed. But taking this fortress won’t be a problem for me." Lancelot said.
Zephyrus gave Lancelot a cold look. "In that case, I’ll wait and see how you take the fortress."
Ignoring him, Lancelot shouted to Pascal, who stood atop the fortress gate. "Think carefully! Don’t sacrifice the lives of your entire family for your own sake. His Highness is merciful, but if you insist on seeking death, I, Lancelot, will send you to the underworld myself."
"Do you think I’d believe the prince’s lies? Surrendering means death, and not surrendering also means death. He will never let our family go." Pascal roared.
"I originally intended to spare your family, but now I regret it. You care only for yourselves and not for the lives of your retainers."
Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, Simon’s voice suddenly rang out.
Lancelot had been in a standoff with the Goldwynd family at the fortress for a full day and night. The next day, after handling the propaganda about the Goldwynd family’s crimes, he finally arrived.
"Simon, our family has treated you well. Why are you trying to wipe us out?" Pascal shouted angrily upon seeing Simon.
The arrest of Walter and his father had been too sudden, and Pascal still hadn’t figured out why. But he understood one thing: the prince was targeting the Goldwynd family.
"Why? Because three years ago, your family tried to assassinate me." Simon said suddenly.
"How do you know that?" Pascal was shocked.
"Cedric confessed everything, even your family’s secret dealings with the reavers. No wonder your family only suffered minor losses three years ago. You’ve made quite a fortune trading with the grasslands over the years, haven’t you?" Simon said with a cold smile.
Pascal broke out in a cold sweat, his mind going blank. These two charges were enough to have the entire Goldwynd family executed.
The latter charge was something Simon had made up, but Cedric’s final words had struck him as odd. Now it seemed his guess was correct; the Goldwynd family had been colluding with the reavers all along.
"You... You’re lying!" Pascal stammered, trying to defend himself.
Simon ignored him. The Goldwynd family was a large clan, and the fortress was filled with many of its direct and collateral branches. It was precisely because of these people that the retainers had been coerced into resisting.
"Pascal, I’ll say this one last time. If you surrender, I will let bygones be bygones and guarantee that your assets will remain untouched. The same goes for everyone else. But if you persist in your stubbornness, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I will make sure the Goldwynd family’s blood flows like a river." Simon shouted.
There was a difference between Lancelot delivering the message and Simon saying it himself.
The Goldwynd family members on the fortress walls began to stir. As they looked at the Brambleford army, clad in silver armour, a deep sense of fear began to spread among them.
This time, the enemy defending the fortress was the Brambleford army, not the reavers. The reavers would retreat after a prolonged siege, and Lancelot would come to their rescue.
But now, they were rebels, facing not only Lancelot’s army but also the possibility of reinforcements arriving at any moment.
Even if the Brambleford army simply surrounded the fortress without attacking, the fortress would not hold out for more than three months.
After Simon finished speaking, he stood with Lancelot, waiting for Pascal’s response. But what he got was an arrow.
Pascal picked up a bow and shot an arrow at Simon. The arrow landed at Simon’s feet.
"Truly, they won’t relent until they see their own coffins," Simon said, losing patience. He had hoped to resolve this without bloodshed, but it seemed he had been too idealistic.
Lancelot said. "My Lord, let’s attack?"
"Not so fast. Go and bring the catapult from the camp." Simon ordered.
Zephyrus laughed. "Your Highness plans to use a catapult to smash through these earthen walls? That might take half a year."
"Heh, General Zephyrus, you’ll soon see what I’m capable of. Don’t be too shocked when the time comes." Simon said with a smile.
He then whispered a few words to Thomas, who nodded and left.
The catapult in the Brambleford camp was old and rarely used by Lancelot. But since Simon had ordered it, he had soldiers bring it over.
After an hour, a wooden catapult was transported to the site. The catapult had four wheels and a spoon-like arm, with the ’spoon’ made of coiled ropes.
As soon as the catapult arrived, a donkey cart pulled up in front of everyone. On it were glass bottles filled with a transparent liquid.
Pascal, standing on the fortress walls with his private soldiers, looked puzzled.
Simon knew very well that the Goldwynd family members inside the fortress were not united. The larger the family, the greater the internal conflicts. The reason they hadn’t surrendered yet was that they feared Pascal and were being coerced by him.
But once their fear of Simon exceeded their fear of Pascal, cracks would begin to form.
Now, Simon’s goal was to instil fear.
He took a glass bottle filled with liquid from the cart and placed it in the catapult’s groove.
The glass was extremely thin, almost fragile to the touch. When launched, it would shatter upon impact.
Zephyrus looked on with a strange expression. He had seen glass before, but using it to attack a fortress? This was unheard of.
Before he could mock the idea, he saw the soldiers release the rope, and the glass bottle flew through the air, heading straight for Pascal’s position.
However, the catapult’s aim was poor, and the bottle missed its target by a wide margin, shattering against the wall two meters to Pascal’s left.
"Ah..." A scream came from Pascal.