Kingdombuilding: All My Inventions Are Novelty

”Thank you for your help at the poetry gathering, Your Highness.”

After the boat trip, Reece and the other two escorted Simon all the way back to his residence before sincerely expressing their gratitude.

”Don’t be so formal. Back in the day, we went through fire and water together.” Simon said with a smile.

Maxwell and the others exchanged glances and laughed. Maxwell said. ”Since Your Highness is rarely in Eldora, let’s meet again soon. And don’t forget about us three after you return to Brambleford.”

”Ah, back in Brambleford, I was bullied by the powerful families and couldn’t do anything. But now, I’ll definitely keep in touch through letters.” Simon replied.

Daniel added. ”That’s great. After all, we promised to share both hardships and blessings.”

With that, the three shook hands in farewell and took their leave.

After seeing them off, Simon turned to Lancelot, who had returned with him that evening, and asked. ”Can you still stand?”

”Your Highness, what kind of question is that? Even after ten days and nights of fierce battle on the walls of Dunmere, I am still full of energy! Ahhh, Liam, give me a hand!” Before he could finish, Lancelot immediately leaned on Liam’s shoulder.

Liam was in no better shape. The two had spent the day indulging in pleasures, and he cursed. ”Go back and rest, you nuisance!”

Lancelot grinned, looking thoroughly satisfied, and waved his hands toward Simon before turning away, muttering. ”The experience is truly extraordinary...”

Simon frowned slightly as he watched them leave. The two had earned their rewards through their contributions in battle, so he let them be. After all, a life constantly facing death needed some release; otherwise, it would drive a man mad.

Returning to his quarters, Ysabeau informed him. ”My Lord, someone came earlier to say the goods will arrive tomorrow.”

”Really? That’s excellent. Once the gifts arrive, I’ll visit the Baker family tomorrow. In a few days, we’ll return to Brambleford.” Simon said.

In just one day, he had already accomplished half of his tasks. The rest was delivering the gifts.

The next day, the merchant ships from Brambleford arrived punctually at noon. Two large shipments of goods were unloaded, and Ysabeau hired over thirty horse-drawn carts to transport everything in multiple trips.

Selecting thirty items, Simon ordered the servants. ”Take these and follow me.”

He was heading to Baker’s residence.

The servants obeyed, loading the chosen gifts onto the carriage before following Simon to the Baker estate.

Yesterday, catching a glimpse of Elin had briefly stunned him, but his emotions quickly settled. Having grown up in the modern era, surrounded by beautiful celebrities and animated heroines, he had some immunity to mere appearances.

Though he enjoyed playful banter, he was no lecher. He knew his priorities; compared to the unfamiliar Elin, he valued the Baker family’s influence in the Eldorian Empire far more.

After all, Elin was still a stranger to him, and strangers evoked only distant feelings.

Thus, this visit to the Baker residence was merely a formality. Once the marriage was finalised, the framework of his Eldorian interest group would be firmly established.

Coincidentally, today was a rest day. When he arrived at the Baker residence, Hughes himself came out to greet him after being notified.

”Hughes pays his respects to Your Highness,” Hughes said, extending a handshake at the gate.

”Grand Secretary Hughes, no need for formalities.”

Simon dismounted as he,e too, took the handshake.

Hughes stood and gestured for Simon to enter. ”Your Highness’s arrival brings great honour to my humble home. Please, this way.”

”You’re too k, nd,” Simon replied before following Hughes inside.

In the main hall, the two took their seats. Simon said. ”Grand Secretary Hughes, I apologise for disturbing you in the afternoon. I’ve brought some small gifts, I hope you’ll accept them.”

With that, he instructed the servants to unload the gifts from the carriage.

”Your Highness, there was no need for this. Your presence alone is an honour. Such extravagance is unnecessary.”

Despite his words, Hughes was secretly delighted.

Noble families placed great importance on face. Simon’s personal visit, bearing lavish gifts, would surely enhance Hughes’s reputation.

Moreover, Brambleford goods were highly sought after in Eldora. Whatever Simon brought would undoubtedly be premium items; this wasn’t just about money but about prestige.

The servants carried in the boxes one by one, opening them before Hughes.

The first dozen or so contained ’Bramblefors’s Finest’ liquor in glass bottles, the transparent liquid clearly visible through the crystal-clear glass.

When the boxes were opened, Hughes’s eyes lit up.

”Your Highness, could this be the legendary glass?” Hughes examined it closely.

”Indeed,” Simon replied, taking out a bottle of wine and placing it on the table.

The afternoon sunlight streamed in from the west, casting a golden glow on the bottle and its contents. This batch was custom-made, and glass-bottled Brambleford’s Finest was not available on the market.

Picking up the bottle, Hughes ran his fingers over the smooth surface, fascinated. ”If Your Highness hadn’t said it was glass, I would have mistaken it for something else. To produce such exquisite craftsmanship through human skill, Your Highness is truly extraordinary.”

Simon once watched a documentary about an isolated African tribe that worshipped glass bottles washed ashore as divine gifts.

This demonstrated how novel objects could deeply impact those in closed environments.

Similarly, Simon’s inventions had a profound effect on the people of the Eldorian Empire, much like how the first mobile phones became instant status symbols among the wealthy in modern times.

Now, Brambleford’s goods were gradually becoming fashionable among the nobility, with high-end items satisfying their vanity.

Even someone like Hughes was not immune.

Twenty boxes contained Brambleford’s Finest, over a hundred bottles in total. The remaining ten boxes held other treasures.

Five of them were filled with handmade soaps infused with medicinal herbs, which Simon introduced one by one.

This was part of his next business strategy: soap would soon be categorised into high, middle, and low grades. The handmade soaps were the premium line, while ordinary soap would become accessible to commoners.

Hughes had never seen such soap before. Learning it was a new product, he smiled approvingly.

The last five boxes contained pure glass handicrafts.

Having mastered their craft, the workers at the glass workshop could now easily produce intricate artworks.