Chapter 375: Rockets!

With no moon in the sky, the night was exceptionally dark.

Only the castle lanterns emitted a faint, dim light.

At this moment, Simon said a few words to Carl, who then left and quickly returned with an eunuch from the Golden State. The eunuch placed a box in front of the door.

Simon opened the box to reveal Brambleford fireworks.

These were a batch of brand new fireworks, not the ones Simon had used during the New Year, but a type of rocket firework.

Alaric, looking at the cylindrical and conical items in the box, asked. "Simon, what are these?"

"Father, are you familiar with firecrackers?" Simon first gave them a warning: these fireworks could explode.

"Of course, I know about them." During the New Year, the castle would also set off firecrackers, so he wasn’t unfamiliar with them. Upon hearing the word ’firecrackers,’ the younger princes’ eyes brightened.

Simon continued. "These are similar to firecrackers, but they release beautiful flames when they explode."

"Beautiful flames?" Alaric looked confused. Firecrackers were just firecrackers; what did flames have to do with them?

"Father, rather than explain, let me show you," Simon said with a smile.

He had brought the fireworks for the wedding, hoping to add some excitement. Since he was getting married in this world, he wanted to make it a lively occasion.

Moreover, if these fireworks pleased Alaric, it would also give Simon the opportunity to impress his father.

Simon picked up a rocket firework, which was about a meter tall, and lit a candle to ignite it.

"Father, this firework is called ’Rocket Blast.’" Simon said with a grin, placing the rocket-like firework at an angle against a small tree in front of Banquet Hall and lighting the fuse.

"Zzzzz..." The fuse burned quickly.

In just ten seconds, the rocket firework suddenly shot into the sky at an angle.

After disappearing into the dark night, as everyone watched intently, the firework exploded with a loud ’boom.’ The silver flames spread like raindrops across the sky, tearing through the darkness in a dazzling array of colors.

"Ah!"

At the moment of the explosion, some of the younger princes and princesses screamed in shock.

But once they saw the beautiful display, they were instantly captivated by the stunning spectacle.

Simon looked up, and the fireworks filled the sky, their explosion covering an area of five to six meters. He stood with the others, admiring the view.

Actually, these fireworks weren’t difficult to make. It was a creation of Fjord when he was researching the cannon.

With the development of the Brambleford army, the military had grown dissatisfied with weapons like the catapult. Not only were they heavy, but they also had a short range and were prone to damage.

So, Fjord had started producing cannons, a type of curved artillery.

In modern times, the cannon was invented during the Old Dynasty and was used in mountain warfare, excelling at hitting enemies hiding behind cover due to its curved trajectory.

After researching it, Fjord figured he could use the cannon to launch small gunpowder barrels. He began working on making short and wide barrels for the cannon.

But before the cannon was finished, he realized that by shrinking the gunpowder barrels to the size of cherries, he could make fireworks that exploded in the sky, thus solving Simon’s earlier regret that fireworks couldn’t fly.

So, during his experiments, he boldly created this batch of sky-bound fireworks.

"Simon, what is all this?" Alaric asked, his eyes wide with surprise as he stared at the fireworks.

"Father, these are fireworks from Brambleford, filled with gunpowder."

"I’m familiar with gunpowder, but why does it make such colorful, beautiful flames?" Alaric said, incredulously.

"Father, it’s the work of craftsmen," Simon explained.

Alaric nodded. "Indeed, you always have something new. Let me give it a try."

Simon took out another firework, showing Alaric how to light it.

Alaric understood, and following Simon’s example, he lit the firework with a candle, moved a few steps back, and once again, a beautiful firework exploded in the sky. Everyone around them was mesmerized by the spectacle.

"I want to try one too! I want to try one!" After the next firework exploded, the princes and princesses eagerly surrounded Simon.

Alaric laughed heartily, seemingly approving of the fireworks display. Simon began teaching each of them how to light the fireworks.

"Boom boom boom..."

One by one, the fireworks flew into the sky, filling the heavens with colorful explosions.

The princes and princesses had a great time, while the concubines watched, equally fascinated.

The castle guards and maids also noticed the spectacle, but they didn’t understand what was happening. They thought something serious had occurred, so they rushed to protect the royal family. However, when they saw everyone enjoying the fireworks, they returned to their posts.

Meanwhile, in the common districts of Eldora, the citizens also saw the beautiful fireworks above the castle.

Some were amazed by the sight of the multicolored display in the sky. A few even knelt toward the castle, believing that the Emperor had received divine favor.

While everyone was enjoying the display, a small eunuch hurried over.

The eunuch knelt before Alaric and said. "Your Majesty, the citizens in the common districts are gathering. They say that Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, blessed by the heavens, and that the auspicious fireworks are a sign of divine favor for the Eldorian Empire!"

"Hahaha..." Alaric, who had been preparing to light another firework, suddenly laughed loudly.

The ancient belief in the divine right of kings had deeply influenced the people, and Simon’s unintentional fireworks display had further solidified Alaric’s supreme status, strengthening his claim to the throne.

Laughing, Alaric suddenly threw his arm around Simon’s shoulders and said. "Simon, you truly are my lucky star. Tomorrow, I’ll grant you the Third Rank Crown and make you a Third Rank Prince!"

Upon hearing this, Princess Elowen and Prince Wilson smiled happily.

However, the Crown Prince, Second Prince, and others looked extremely displeased.

"Thank you, Father."

Simon smiled, showing his teeth. The title of Third Prince meant he was now on par with Prince Gerad and others. It also signified Simon’s growing position in Alaric’s heart.

The banquet ended in a joyful atmosphere. Simon hadn’t expected that a few fireworks would earn him the honor of becoming a Third Rank Prince.

But since it was late, the princes couldn’t stay in the castle any longer. They left the castle and returned to their respective places.

Outside, a carriage was waiting for Simon. As he was about to board, another carriage blocked his way. The curtain was lifted, revealing the face of the Third Prince.

"Brother, it’s hard to travel in the dark." The Third Prince said, smiling.