Chapter 351: Tell Me Everything

Cardiff City. Simon stared coldly at Marten, who was kneeling before him.

Earlier that afternoon, Marten had tried to barge into the city and was arrested by the city guards.

After the collapse of the Mountain Battalion, a few scattered soldiers had straggled back to Cardiff City, barely three thousand out of the original thirty thousand.

Most had gotten lost after the rout. No one knew where the rest had gone.

"You! What do you want to do to me?! I’m with Prince Gerad! You wouldn’t dare!" Marten shouted as he struggled against the two soldiers holding him down.

Simon looked him over. Soft, chubby, pampered, not someone who had ever suffered. ’Life in the southern cities really does raise useless men.’

"Let go of me! Aren’t you afraid of what Prince Gerad will..." A flash of silver cut his words short.

The sword gleamed as it struck. A red line bloomed across Marten’s neck. He clutched at his throat, eyes wide with disbelief.

He couldn’t believe Simon actually killed him.

"Throw him in the wild and feed him to the dogs," Simon said coldly.

Not just a small Mountain Battalion general; even if Prince Gerad himself stood before him, Simon would not hesitate to draw his blade.

The grain supply had been ambushed. Though furious, Simon also blamed himself. He regretted letting the Mountain Battalion handle the transport, but back then, it was a desperate situation, and he had no better options.

Now, all that resentment had nowhere to go. And this fool Marten had the nerve to return? Did he think Simon’s sword wasn’t sharp enough?

The two soldiers dragged the corpse away.

Just then, a scout galloped up, dismounted, and knelt before him. "Your Highness, the reavers have retreated! The siege of Preston is broken!"

"They retreated?!" Simon’s eyes lit up. "Tell me everything." Excitement beamed around him.

The scout, visibly excited, relayed the full battle report.

When he finished, Simon broke into uncontrollable laughter. "Hit by a cannonball! Heaven truly protects the Eldorian Empire! Hahaha!"

Then, turning to Thomas and William, he ordered. "Pack up. We leave for Preston at once. With Fern’s fate unknown, the Sunderland Tribe must be in chaos. Now’s the time to take Snake Pass!"

The brothers nodded and quickly got ready.

The next morning, Simon set out for Preston under the protection of Cardiff City soldiers.

On the way, he saw firsthand the horrors of the drought in Preston. The land was cracked and barren, all the edible food gone. Everywhere they rode, they saw starving refugees.

Some bodies were already rotting, the air filled with the stench of decay, crows circling overhead.

It felt like the end of the world.

Simon’s thoughts turned to the King as he travelled down memory lane.

’Now that the reavers are defeated, I’ll settle the score with that traitor next.’

By midday the next day, they arrived in Preston.

Passing through Cobblestone, Simon saw soldiers burying the dead. There were so many bodies; the sight made his scalp tingle.

This was the brutal truth of ancient warfare.

"My Lord."

At the Brambleford military camp, Simon met with Benjamin, Aiden, Lancelot, and the other generals.

The scouts had already informed them he was coming, so they had gone out to greet him personally.

"Gentlemen, you’ve worked hard," Simon said warmly.

He had stayed in the rear the entire time. It was these commanders who had fought and bled on the front lines. He felt truly grateful to them.

"This is our duty, Your Highness. No thanks needed." Benjamin replied.

They entered the main tent.

There, Benjamin recounted the full course of the battle.

At the end, he said. "My Lord, Fern’s fate is still uncertain. Now is the time to strike while the iron is hot. Fern governs West Ham and the northern territories. With him gone, the reavers are leaderless."

"I’ve already thought of this," Simon said. "I’ve sent orders for the Dunmere army to march on Snake Pass. You’ll depart tomorrow and link up with them for a joint assault."

He paused, then added. "The Dunmere army brings 100 cannons. You have 50. That gives us 150 total, more than enough to take Snake Pass. If we succeed, the reavers will be locked forever in the frozen north."

The commanders’ eyes lit up with excitement.

The city of Dunmere bordered reaver land. They’d lived in fear of raids for years. Securing Snake Pass would change everything.

Not only was the Pass far more defensible, but it also gave them space to prepare for any threat.

"Yes, My Lord. I’ll ready the army for tomorrow’s departure." Benjamin said. "By the way, we also captured 250 reaver cannons. Would Your Highness like to inspect them?"

"Oh? I’d like to see how their weapons compare to ours."

Benjamin led Simon to an open field where the captured cannons were neatly arranged.

They were all bronze, smaller and shorter than Brambleford’s artillery. Clearly lightweight guns.

"My Lord, this is their gunpowder." Said Liam, presenting a handful.

It was primitive black powder.

Simon nodded. ’So, the Sapphires aren’t that advanced after all.’

There were no sights or aiming mechanisms, just mid-17th century technology, at best.

"We tested them," Liam added proudly. "They’re no better than our export models. They’re no match for us in a straight shootout."

Simon smiled. That reassured him.

"You artillerymen did well this time. I’ll make sure you’re rewarded when we return."

Liam beamed with joy.

But then he hesitated and said. "My Lord, Prince Augustus came several times demanding a share of the cannons. He claims they’re war spoils and he deserves a portion. What should we do?"

Simon’s face darkened.

He was already frustrated with Princes Gerad and Augustus. "I’ll handle him. This entire disaster was because of him. I won’t leave Preston without teaching him a lesson."

The generals chuckled. That was the Prince Simon they knew.

Just then, a loud voice came from outside.

"Isn’t that brat Simon here? Tell him to come out and face me!"