Kingdombuilding: All My Inventions Are Novelty

”Gius, I order you to immediately send people to monitor all medical clinics. Do not let anyone who buys medicine for bruises and injuries escape surveillance.”

In the castle, Simon spoke solemnly to Gius.

Gius had already learned about the burning of the government estate on his way back. At present, Richard was in Dunmere City, responsible for gathering intelligence on the grasslands, while Gius handled affairs within the domain.

This incident filled him with guilt because he had received no prior warning.

”Your subordinate has already arranged for a secret investigation upon arriving.” Gius hesitated before continuing. ”By the way, Your Highness, these past few days, I’ve had the covert guards keep an eye on merchants returning from the grasslands. A few of them behaved suspiciously after entering Brambleford City; they snooped around everywhere and even lingered near the workshop district and the Machinery Department.”

”Are you saying these merchants are spies from the grasslands?” Simon asked.

”Wouldn’t that make sense? These smugglers only care about profit. They’ll take our silver to work for us, but they’ll just as easily take the reavers’ silver to work for them.” Gius replied.

”They take our silver?” Simon frowned. ”Do the covert guards also buy information about the grasslands from them?”

Gius nodded. ”The grasslands are vast, and only these merchants can infiltrate the reaver tribes. Recently, the reavers have grown very wary of unfamiliar merchant groups. The covert guards I sent, disguised as merchants, were almost captured. It’s been difficult to gather intelligence, so we’ve had to resort to bribing these merchants for information.” Double agents were not unheard of in reality, and Gius was right not to trust these merchants.

Simon said. ”In that case, secretly arrest those suspicious merchants immediately and interrogate them under torture. We don’t have time to play games with them. Right now, it’s better to kill a thousand by mistake than let one slip away.”

Gius nodded, his expression darkening.

As soon as Gius left, Simon was about to head out when Percival suddenly arrived, requesting an audience at the castle.

Recently preoccupied with preparing for war in Dunmere, Simon had left the merchant association’s business to Percival.

”My Lord.” In the main hall, Percival bowed respectfully.

”No need for formalities. As the merchant association’s deputy head, you’re quite busy. What brings you here?” Simon asked.

Percival grinned. ”My Lord, no matter how busy I am, I could never forget about you. Heh, Your Highness, I’ve come with great news!”

”What news?” Simon asked, his interest low. The recent events had left him irritable.

Noticing Simon’s mood, Percival said. ”My Lord, this will definitely make you happy. I’ve brought you two shiploads of saltpetre.”

”Two shiploads? Didn’t Bjorn say there’s no saltpetre on the market now?” Simon asked, puzzled.

Percival explained. ”For this, Your Highness should thank Merchant Chandlier. A few days ago, on my way back from Burrow’s Town, I happened to run into the Chandlier family’s merchant ships returning to Brambleford. Unexpectedly, they were carrying saltpetre. Once back in the city and hearing of Your Highness’s shortage, I remembered this and went to see them. He was very willing and said he had been planning to send the saltpetre to Your Highness.”

”Oh?” Instead of being pleased, Simon frowned.

”My Lord, what’s wrong? Isn’t this good news?” Percival asked.

”Good news? It certainly seems so. But why would Lothair pass up the chance to take credit and instead let you deliver it?” Simon said.

Percival froze, suddenly realising something. ”You’re right... That guy used to be even more eager than I to please you. Your Highness, what are you implying?”

Instead of answering, Simon asked. ”Where did you see Lothair?”

”He was at the docks, seemingly preparing to leave town,” Percival said.

Simon’s eyes narrowed. Connecting the two incidents, he grew increasingly suspicious of Lothair.

”Go and call Gius back immediately,” Simon ordered urgently.

Seeing Simon’s grim expression, Percival didn’t dare ask further and rushed out. Soon, Gius was brought back.

After Simon explained the situation, they immediately headed to the Dew River docks with the covert guards.

But by the time they arrived, Lothair was nowhere to be seen.

Shortly after, the city guards reported that apart from a few servants and Lothair’s concubine, all important members of the Chandlier family had left the city.

”Lothair! I treated you well!” Simon roared in anger.

Gius cautiously said. ”My Lord, Merchant Chandlier was still a nobleman at heart. I never expected him to be so patient; he deceived not only you but also lulled me into lowering my guard. I have failed you.”

”This isn’t your fault. It’s mine. Nobles will always be nobles, how could they ever be content living as commoners?” Simon muttered to himself.

Percival interjected. ”My Lord, the situation isn’t yet certain. Maybe Merchant Chandlier simply took his family on a trip. Look, the Chandlier family’s merchant ships are still here, and these two ships are filled with saltpetre.”

As they spoke, an old man suddenly emerged from one of the ships. Seeing Percival, the withered elder said, ”Manager, Merchant Chandlier and his family have gone to visit relatives. Before leaving, he specifically instructed this old servant to deliver the goods on these ships to Your Highness to ease his urgent needs.”

”My Lord, see? Maybe you were overthinking this.” Percival said.

The two docked merchant ships, each over thirty meters long, were standard Chandlier family vessels. If their cargo holds were indeed filled with saltpetre, Brambleford would no longer need to worry about gunpowder supplies.

Frowning, Simon boarded the ship with Gius, beginning to wonder if he had been too paranoid.

After all, he couldn’t accuse Lothair based on mere suspicion.

”Your Highness, the saltpetre is right here.” The old man said, leading them into the ship’s hold, which was indeed packed with saltpetre.

Percival said. ”My Lord, see? Maybe Merchant Chandlier really did a good deed.”

The old man added. ”Merchant Chandlier bought this saltpetre at a high price from a merchant from Sylvaris. I heard the Sylvaris Prince has sealed the saltpetre caves there; no one can mine them without his permission.”

As he spoke, the old man rubbed his eyes. Standing close to him, Simon caught a faint, familiar scent from the old man’s hands.

His face paled in horror.

”Gunpowder! Get away from here, NOW!”

Gius reacted instantly. With a swift slash of his blade, the old man clutched his chest and collapsed with a groan.

The three of them rushed to escape. Before they could get twenty meters away, a deafening BOOM erupted. Simon shoved Gius and Percival to the ground as a shockwave blasted over them.

”Percival, you idiot! I’ll kill you!”

His body aching as if shattered, Gius scrambled up and punched the dazed Percival.