Kingdombuilding: All My Inventions Are Novelty

Pointing, he said. ”That stiff-looking man is Baldwin. He’s as stiff as he looks and is my chief secretary. To his right is Benjamin, my grand commander in charge of the armies of six cities. To his left is Aiden, my strategist, a quiet scholar with a cunning mind. Behind Benjamin is Lancelot...”

Elin followed Simon’s gestures and occasionally covered her mouth to smile. Simon’s introductions were elegant and amusing, making it easy for her to remember their names.

As the ship slowly reached the dock, the sailors lowered the gangplank. Simon led his group ashore.

Baldwin had heard of Simon’s return early and waited with officials, mainly to meet the Lady.

As the ship docked, seeing Simon with a very beautiful woman at his side, the crowd exchanged looks and called out. ”Greetings, Your Highness! Greetings, Our Lady!”

After disembarking, Simon felt relieved; here he need not fear assassins around every corner.

The officials bowed deeply. Elin was somewhat overwhelmed.

Simon smiled and said. ”Don’t be nervous. They are my subjects and will be yours too. They mainly came to greet you.”

Elin nodded gently. As Hughes’s daughter, she had seen how he greeted officials and straightened her posture, trying to look regal. In a clear, melodious voice, she said. ”Please, no need for ceremony.”

Simon smiled faintly. Elin was truly a daughter of a great family. She was refined. Her no need for ceremony was confident and clear.

”Thank you, Your Highness and Our Lady.” Baldwin and the others rose but kept their heads lowered, unwilling to look directly at Elin.

In the Eldorian Empire, staring at a woman was rude, let alone the Lady.

At the dock, a horse carriage was ready. Simon led Elin aboard.

Baldwin and others lifted their heads and said. ”Congratulations, Your Highness, on winning a beauty. Shouldn’t you share some wedding money to liven things up?”

Simon always had good relations with his subordinates. He expected this and said. ”The wedding money is with Liam. Go ask him.”

Hearing this, the crowd swarmed around Liam. Lancelot and other generals grabbed Liam and began frisking him.

Watching the officials playfully crowd around Liam, Simon climbed into the carriage with Elin and headed for Brambleford city. Inn the carriage, Elin tapped her chest. She had been nervous earlier but, seeing the officials’ jovial behavior, smiled. ”Your Highness, you have such good relations with your subjects.”

”Yes. This is Brambleford, no heaviness or stiffness like in Eldora. It’s a vibrant city and will never be like Eldora.”

The first time he visited Eldora, Simon was shocked by its splendor. The second time, Eldora felt less impressive than Brambleford.

He believed that in a few years Brambleford would surpass Eldora.

”Really? Then I must take a good look at Brambleford.” Elin said, pulling back the curtain slightly to peek at the unfamiliar place.

Through the slit, she saw the road from the dock to Brambleford city was covered not with yellow earth but a silvery surface.

Neither merchants nor horse carriages left any marks on it.

Horse hooves sounded especially loud on the road.

The carriage soon reached the city gates.

Two rows of soldiers in dark green uniforms, each carrying stick-like weapons, saluted the carriage.

Inside Brambleford city, the same type of roads continued. Suddenly, the streets grew crowded.

People passed by with smiles, wearing clean cotton clothes and carrying baskets filled with goods.

Merchants wore silk and brocade, pulling carts back and forth busily.

What surprised Elin most were groups of young men in white robes playing in the streets. Their chests bore the characters for ”Oxford Academy.”

Looking up, Elin saw a giant object floating overhead, startling her enough to close the curtain.

Simon laughed. ”How do you like my city? Amazing, isn’t it?”

Still startled, Elin nodded. ”The people here seem wealthier than those we passed. The number of merchants almost equals Eldora. But Your Highness, what’s that thing flying in the sky?”

”That’s a hydrogen balloon,” Simon replied with a smile.

Elin exclaimed. ”Not a hot air balloon? What’s a hydrogen balloon?”

---

The carriage rolled along the clean cement road with a soft clatter, heading toward Simon’s Castle mansion.

On the way, Simon explained to Elin the difference between hot air balloons and hydrogen balloons, as well as things unique to Brambleford like cement. Elin was amazed and couldn’t stop smiling.

Even though she was known as a talented woman in Eldora, these new scientific ideas made her feel a little confused.

The carriage traveled quickly on the cement road. After about ten minutes, they arrived at the castle. Ysabeau and Joan happily got off and directed the servants to carry the wedding gifts inside.

When they heard Simon had returned, all the servants gathered. Roland also came back from the mine, especially to meet the new princess of Simon’s Castle.

After getting off the carriage, Simon led Elin into the main hall.

Once the gifts were moved inside, Roland and the servants entered the main hall. Smiling, he bowed and said. ”Greetings to Your Highness and the Lady.”

Elin, having already been through this once at the dock, was calmer this time. She smiled back, saying. ”No need to stand on ceremony.”

”Thank you, Princess.” Roland and the others stood up.

Then Elin said. ”From now on, I will serve Your Highness together with all of you. I hope everyone can work together to help with the daily chores. I don’t have many valuable things, but I have prepared some silver coins as a small gift.”

After saying this, she signaled to Kobe, who immediately took out a small package full of silver coins.

Before leaving, Hughes had given her these coins to distribute among the servants so they would have a good impression of her and serve her faithfully.

”Thank you, Princess,” Kobe said as she handed out the silver coins, making many servants smile.

Simon whispered to Elin. ”You really know how to win people over.”

Elin smiled quietly. ”That’s what Father taught me.”

After Kobe finished giving out the coins, Simon said loudly. ”You all have received the silver. From now on, serve the Princess well. Anyone who harbors ill feelings towards her, do not blame me for being harsh.”

”Yes, Your Highness.” The servants bowed deeply.

Simon nodded and dismissed them, leaving only Roland.

He said. ”Princess, this is Manager Roland. He used to serve Mother. Remember, he is the most trusted person in Brambleford. When danger comes, he is the one you can rely on.”

Elin said softly. ”Mother once told me to rely on Manager Roland more in the future.”

Roland was a little emotional and hurried to say. ”Princess, rest assured. As long as you command, this old servant will serve loyally and do his best.”

Elin smiled gently.

After meeting the servants, Simon took Elin to the bedchamber. This would be their home from now on.

Inside the bedchamber, Elin relaxed and wandered around like a child.

Seeing the full-length mirror in front of the dressing table, she stopped and examined herself carefully. This mirror was much bigger than the one Simon had given her.

After playing around in front of the mirror for a while, she walked over to the bed and her eyes lit up.

”Your Highness, what is this?” Elin pointed at the spring mattress on the bed. Compared to the usual wooden bed, this was a big new thing on Simon’s ship.