Chapter 394: Homecoming!
At this time, Simon already had the O’Hare merchant’s confession.
Gius reported after leaving the city. When he arrived, the secret guards were interrogating the merchant, and they had recorded a statement.
Gius immediately brought the confession to Simon.
"Your Highness, the Ohare merchant has confessed. It was indeed the Second Prince who ordered him to sell tribesmen into the Eastern Castle. Prince Lionel knew too. These tribesmen came from his territory." Gius said firmly.
Simon read the statement and nodded. He was almost certain it was the Second Prince. The tribal leader Fern had just been defeated; the reaver tribes couldn’t have deployed assassins into Eldora so fast without someone opening the gates.
"It’s time to avenge the fallen soldiers," Simon said, clutching the statement. "Bring the merchant in."
For safety, he asked Gius to keep the merchant outside the city.
Now he could tell Emperor Alaric the truth. How else could he explain to his dead soldiers? How could the Brambleford army respect him if he could not deliver justice?
They fought bravely for him, but he could not secure fairness. Who would risk their life for him in the future?
This time, he would show his soldiers that he was loyal to them too.
"Yes!" Gius spoke firmly. He was angry about this too.
Gius left, and Simon came out of the main hall.
Elin was by the window. Seeing Simon’s grim face, uto xnm mxcep in her eyes.
When Simon looked at her, she quickly looked down, afraid to stir trouble, she had bej een war; bcv rludnu bcfter befomarrat the Crown Prince might take out his anger on her.
Looking at the frightened, deer-like Elin, Simon’s dark expression softened.
He smiled helplessly and headed straight to the castle.
In the castle, Simon went directly to the imperial study.
Before he could speak, Alaric said. "It seems you already have clues about the assassin."
"You already know, Father?" Simon was surprised.
"Don’t forget, this is Eldora. But I’m ashamed I didn’t notice your Second Brother’s moves. When we learned it was the Ohare merchants, we already guessed it was him." Alaric sighed.
"Then I hope Your Majesty will judge wisely." Simon said, handing over the confession.
Alaric glanced at it and sighed deeply. "Your Second Brother is too impatient."
He paced slowly, then said. "Give me the Ohare merchant. I’ll give you a satisfactory answer."
"I have already had the merchant brought into the castle." Simon said shortly.
Alaric nodded, seeming suddenly very tired. He waved Simon off. "Your mother told me you’ll leave Eldora soon. You should prepare."
"Yes, Father." Simon bowed and left.
He was not afraid of Alaric smoothing things over. If the Emperor did so, Simon would gradually distance himself from court politics.
After Simon left, Alaric sat and thought deeply, then began writing an imperial edict.
Outside the castle, Simon returned to his mansion to prepare for his trip back to Brambleford.
He no longer needed to attend court or engage in Eldora affairs. As a regional lord, he was basically an independent ruler; interfering in court politics would be a serious taboo.
In the next few days, Eldora grew livelier than before, stirred by rumors that the Second Prince had tried to assassinate Prince Simon to frame the Crown Prince.
The whole city buzzed with talk of the matter.
Soon after, an imperial decree was announced: the Second Prince was immoral, attempted to murder his brothers, and defied the law.
He was stripped of his title and exiled to the barren region as a commoner.
With the imperial decree, the assassination scandal quieted down. The city became tense and wary.
After years of a weak image, Emperor Alaric finally showed strength, unafraid of angering Prince Lionel by punishing his son.
Many officials now saw this as proof that royal powerhad strengthenedd and that the emperor no longer feared the regional lords with armies.
More importantly, they understood Simon’s key role.
To appease Simon’s anger, Alaric exiled the Second Prince,e backed by Prince Lionel, showing how highly Simon was valued.
Other princes stopped looking down on Simon. They realized the court was different now.
The rising regional powers in the east would influence their lives from now on.
With the answer clear, Simon chose to return to Brambleford that very afternoon.
He traveled by merchant ship, carrying many gifts.
Watching the great city of Eldora fade away, Simon smiled slightly.
He had brought home his wife, now it was time to build his own legacy and live quietly.
---
As the merchant ship pierced through the morning mist, a huge and busy dock slowly came into view for Simon.
This dock was none other than the Dew Dock, north of Brambleford city.
From Eldora to Brambleford, the journey by boat took ten days and went smoothly overall.
In the first half of the trip, Elin cried often, missing her parents. But in the latter half, as she grew familiar with Simon, she enjoyed the scenery and people along the way.
After all, Elin was only eighteen or nineteen, the playful age. Once freed from worries, she became lively.
She no longer dwelled on the troubles in Eldora, and the Second Prince was now just a stranger to her. His exile was deserved. The only regret was that Prince Lionel probably wouldn’t honor the trade agreement.
But that didn’t matter. Now, with the royal family, Prince Gerad’s land, Prince Augustus’s land, and the interest-exchange Prince Vael’s land, these regions would sustain his trade for a while.
In the future, maybe he could just blast his way with cannons. After the assassination attempt, his faith in the princes dwindled. The blood oath was just a comfort for Empress Gretchen and Alaric.
Though the other princes might tolerate it for now, when conflicts became irreconcilable, the blood oath would be as useless as farting after pulling down one’s pants.
"Your Highness has returned!"
Though the ship had not yet docked, officials spotted its flag and began cheering.
Simon had been gone a month. Officials and generals in his territory were anxious and unsettled, unsure what to do without him.
Standing on the ship, Simon saw the crowd waiting at the dock, civil and military officials alike.
He said to Elin. "My Lady, let me introduce Brambleford’s officials to you."