Chapter 476: Show Off

The setting sun dyed the sea crimson, making the entire horizon look as though it had been stained with blood. Earl Grey stood gazing into the distance, his expression solemn.

In his eyes, the two Eastern powers were destined to become natural enemies. Both harboured ambitions of dominating the East, yet there could only be one overlord in the region.

Having chosen his side, Grey was fully prepared to face retaliation from the other party.

"Your Highness, I haven’t made any offensive plans yet. Without knowing whether you would come to our assistance, I could only concentrate on strengthening our defences," Grey explained.

"Then you can start considering an offensive strategy now. Do you intend to let us face the Red Wolves pirates alone?" Simon asked with a frown.

He had no intention of sacrificing his soldiers for the Dutch. More importantly, Grey understood just how dangerous these Latin pirates could be.

Grey smiled bitterly.

This prince was certainly not easy to deal with. He had initially hoped to avoid committing his troops to an offensive operation, but it seemed that was no longer possible.

After considering the situation, he said, "Our fleet is more than capable of dealing with these pirates at sea. We can land ten miles outside Blackthorn Castle, at White peaches Beach, and launch our attack from there."

As they continued their discussion, Grey led Simon to a large map of Split Rock’s main island. It showed the colonial settlements, population distribution, agricultural areas, and other important geographical details.

Picking up a quill, Grey marked White peaches Beach before drawing a proposed route towards Blackthorn Castle.

"Blackthorn Castle occupies elevated ground. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack. The surrounding area is largely open, making it an ideal position for the defenders to use artillery against approaching forces," Grey explained.

Simon frowned.

"If Blackthorn Castle is so difficult to capture, how did the Latin pirates manage to take it so easily?"

"The downfall of an empire often begins from within. A fortress is no different. We made the foolish mistake of relying too heavily on the Latins to help manage Blackthorn Castle."

Grey’s expression darkened as he recalled the incident.

After a brief pause, he continued, "Fortunately, the artillery stationed at Blackthorn Castle is several decades old, and there aren’t particularly many of them."

"What is their exact range?" Simon asked.

The Dutch were currently equipped with cast-iron cannons and flintlock muskets. Although the differences between their weapons might not be immediately apparent, obtaining accurate information would allow him to compare their military capabilities.

Understanding what Simon was thinking, Grey replied, "The fortress has 120 cannons in total, with thirty positioned on each side. Their effective range is approximately 1,000 meters. I’m curious whether Your Highness’s artillery can suppress them. If so, our chances of success will be considerably higher."

"You certainly know how to bring me trouble," Simon remarked with displeasure.

A reckless assault on the fortress could cost the lives of thousands of Brambleford soldiers. He had no intention of accepting such unnecessary casualties.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. That is precisely why I don’t recommend a direct assault. Instead, we should first cut off the Latin pirates’ reinforcements and then establish a siege around the fortress. The food supplies inside Blackthorn Castle can only last for about a month."

Grey’s explanation finally eased Simon’s concerns.

Blackthorn Castle itself might not have been particularly difficult to capture. However, with more than ten thousand Latin pirates occupying it, the fortress had become a formidable obstacle. Their enormous population also meant that their food supplies would be consumed much faster.

"If that’s the case, a siege is indeed the most suitable approach," Simon said thoughtfully.

Grey nodded.

"Our forces alone would struggle to maintain a complete siege around Blackthorn Castle. However, with Your Highness’s soldiers joining us, the operation should become considerably easier."

The two men eventually reached an agreement. Rather than risk unnecessary casualties through a direct assault, they would wait and allow the enemy’s dwindling supplies to weaken their position.

A month of patience was a small price to pay compared with the lives of thousands of soldiers.

After concluding their discussion, they left the official residence.

Lancelot and Liam had been waiting outside. The moment Simon appeared, Lancelot stepped forward.

"My Lord, can we arrange a weapons demonstration with the Dutch?"

When Grey mentioned that the cannons stationed at Blackthorn Castle were several decades old and had a range of approximately 1,000 meters, Simon had immediately become suspicious.

He wanted to determine whether the Dutch had made any significant improvements to their firearms and artillery.

After a moment’s consideration, he turned towards Grey.

"Earl Grey, our generals would like to conduct a weapons demonstration with your soldiers. Would you be willing to accommodate their request?"

"Of course!" Grey readily agreed.

"I would also like to see the capabilities of Your Highness’s army. Such an exchange will help build mutual trust before our joint military operations."

"Hahaha! Excellent. Then it’s settled. Let’s go and watch together."

The group headed towards the Dutch army’s training ground at Fort Zeelandia.

Upon arrival, Simon and Grey each selected one hundred soldiers and two artillery units from their respective armies to participate in the demonstration.

"Your Highness, which side should go first?" Grey asked.

He was quite confident in his soldiers.

Although the cannons stationed at the fortress were outdated, he had brought a batch of newer weapons with him when he arrived at Split Rock.

They might not have represented the most advanced firearms available in Europe, but they were among the principal weapons currently used by his forces.

"We in the Eldorian Empire always allow our guests to go first."

Simon’s response carried a double meaning.

On the surface, he was simply displaying hospitality by allowing the Dutch to begin the demonstration. However, his words also subtly reminded Grey that despite their cooperation, the Dutch were still guests on Eldorian territory.

After Blackthorn Castle was recaptured, the Brambleford soldiers would remain temporarily to fulfil their military obligations under the agreement. They would eventually be replaced by the naval marines once the latter arrived.

Grey nodded and signalled to his officers.

The Dutch soldiers immediately began preparing to demonstrate the capabilities of their flintlock muskets.

Under their officer’s command, one hundred musketeers stepped forward. They skillfully prepared their weapons and ammunition before taking their positions.

Soon, a series of gunshots echoed across the training ground.

The soldiers fired at targets positioned approximately 150 meters away. Several shots struck their intended targets, demonstrating that the Dutch musketeers were reasonably well trained.

"Is that their maximum effective range?" Simon asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Grey nodded.

"Yes. The effective accuracy of the flintlock musket is generally limited to around ninety meters. Beyond that distance, hitting a target becomes largely a matter of luck. Nevertheless, within its effective range, it remains a deadly weapon."

Hearing this, Simon felt somewhat relieved.

The limitations of conventional flintlock muskets were still considerable, and the Dutch had not yet overcome them.

However, just as he was beginning to relax, Grey suddenly changed the subject.

"But we also have a more advanced firearm. I’m certain it will surprise Your Highness."

With that, he gestured towards another section of the training ground.

Two groups of twelve soldiers stepped forward.

Unlike the previous musketeers, these soldiers carried a different type of firearm.

"These men are equipped with rifles. Their effective range is approximately 400 meters."

Simon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He exchanged a surprised glance with Lancelot.

As he had suspected, rifled firearms were already seeing limited military use in European armies.

However, Simon wasn’t particularly worried.

The Eldorian Empire wasn’t standing still either.

Rifled firearms were already under production in Brambleford, and with the development of steam-powered machinery, their manufacturing capabilities would only continue to improve.

The competition between the two armies had just become considerably more interesting.