Chapter 314: March North! Sail South!

"My Lord, I’m back!"

At Prince Simon’s manor in Brambleford, civil and military officials had gathered.

In the center of the grand hall, Desmond and the surviving sailors dropped to their knees, crying uncontrollably.

Even Benjamin and Lancelot were moved. Of the more than seven hundred men who had set out, only two hundred and thirty-one returned. Two-thirds of the navy had perished in the vast sea.

Simon stepped forward and helped the soldiers up one by one. His eyes were hot with emotion. He had known from the start that the journey would be dangerous, but these men still went without hesitation.

It was because of brave, selfless soldiers like them that his territory stood strong and unshaken.

Simon believed in weapons, but more than anything, he believed in his men. Without their courage and sacrifice, how could he sit safely in this hall?

"Soldiers, it is I who should salute you." A thousand words in his heart condensed into a single deep bow.

Desmond and the others had red eyes, but their expressions remained firm. Together they shouted. "Our honor lies in our loyalty! For Your Highness, we fear neither death nor sacrifice! All so that one day, Your Highness will ensure that the people of the six cities are never humiliated by foreign invaders again!"

"Desmond, you’re a true man of iron and steel. I admire you!" Lancelot shouted.

"We admire you too!" The others echoed loudly.

In that moment, Desmond could no longer hold back his tears. His mother had died at the hands of the Latin pirates. His crew had been attacked by a British fleet at sea. Later, with Tammy’s help, they narrowly escaped.

But while passing through the Split islands region, they were ambushed by a Dutch fleet.

Already badly damaged, they had little power to resist. With death on their minds, they managed to sink a Dutch warship, but their own ships could no longer sail. They had no choice but to beach themselves on a deserted island.

If they hadn’t encountered the Fletcher family’s fleet, they probably wouldn’t have made it back.

The hatred for his country’s enemies and the pain of personal loss weighed heavily on his shoulders.

Simon gave Desmond a firm pat on the shoulder. "I know how much you’ve suffered. The soldiers who died will not be forgotten. I will repay this blood debt tenfold, a hundredfold. The same goes for the civilians who died in the Dunmere campaign. Our strategy for the next few years is this: march north to crush the reavers, sail east to defeat the Latin pirates, and seize the sea trade routes!"

"March north! Sail east!"

The officials present all straightened up. This was the first time Simon had officially laid out their future strategy.

Desmond clenched his teeth. "My Lord, we’ve been waiting for you to say that. You might not know, but the seas are crawling with Western warships. Their ships and weapons are far superior to those of the Eldorian Empire. From what I’ve seen, only Brambleford’s warships stand a chance against them."

"The Fletcher family told me everything. The Western powers are expanding their influence toward the Eldorian Empire. So first, we must crush the reavers in West Ham. Only then can we focus fully on taking the sea trade routes."

Baldwin nodded. "The reaver threat is like a dagger at the heart of the empire. It must be dealt with."

Desmond added. "Now is the perfect time to build a large number of Galleon ships to prepare for future naval battles. I swear, I’ll feed those Dutch and British bastards to the fish!"

Simon smiled and clapped Desmond’s shoulder again. This was exactly the kind of fighting spirit he needed.

Turning to the others, he said. "Now that Desmond has returned, we’ll act on two matters. I’ve ordered the machinery department and the military workshop to work together and increase the production of flintlock rifles. This fall, there will be a northern expedition against the reavers. General Benjamin, besides leading the Brambleford army, start selecting elite troops from across the six cities to train with the Brambleford forces. Also, form a chariot unit."

"Yes, My Lord!" Benjamin replied loudly.

"Baldwin, besides managing state affairs in each city, the government must also support the shipyard’s production of Galleon ships. Do not delay when it comes to funding."

"Understood, My Lord," Baldwin said.

"Fjord, James, the lime bombs are your responsibility. Also, when we march out, I want to see field cannons."

"Yes, My Lord."

After issuing his orders, Simon looked northward.

This campaign against the reavers was part of a larger plan, but also a necessary move. The unrest in Preston was getting worse. Attacking first was a way to defend. If the reavers seized the chance to strike south, Preston wouldn’t be able to hold.

And Simon was sure the reavers wouldn’t miss the opportunity in this time of chaos. If Preston fell, he’d be caught between enemies. That was something he would never allow.

So he made up his mind to launch a northern expedition, forming a chariot unit as the first line of defense in the field and asking Fjord to develop lightweight field cannons.

After setting the future direction for Brambleford, Simon also announced rewards for Desmond and the navy officers, inviting Desmond to take a seat.

He had prepared a grand feast in the castle to welcome them home and honor their courage.

...

After the banquet, Simon met with Desmond alone.

"My Lord, it’s a shame that Tammy was killed by the Dutch during the sea battle. Otherwise, you could’ve heard firsthand about the current situation in the West."

"That’s not important. I’m already grateful that you all came back alive."

Desmond was deeply moved. Simon’s care for his soldiers warmed his heart. ’Even if I die in battle, it would be worth it.’ He thought.

Then he remembered something and handed Simon a notebook written by their interpreter.

Simon opened the notebook. It was filled with questions and explanations from Tammy. He read through the list carefully.

After going through it all, he had a clearer picture of the world situation. A few centuries ago, the grassland tribes had invaded Europe, completely shaking the Europeans’ worldview.

Since then, Europe had undergone an explosive transformation. Science progressed rapidly, with one breakthrough after another.

This scientific revolution pushed Europe into the Age of Exploration. First, the Americas were colonized. Then came the rest of the world.

According to Tammy, once the Dutch seized control of the Eastern trade routes, they banned merchants from other countries from entering.

That was why so few foreign envoys had come to the Eldorian Empire in recent years.

But the Dutch were now in decline. They were being replaced by Britain, France, and Prussia. Religious divisions in Europe were also causing tension and frequent wars.

As for their technological level, Tammy had described it in detail. In Simon’s eyes, it matched the standards of mid-18th century modern Europe.

Britain had already proposed the steam engine and was trying to develop it.

Simon couldn’t calculate the exact effect of the butterfly effect. Even a tiny change could shift everything. But now he saw that this world, after the Three Kingdoms era, had taken a completely different path.

Both sides of the world had entered an unfamiliar future.

Only the geography remained the same. Everything else had become foreign.

This was no longer the world he thought he knew. It was something else entirely, a far more dangerous world.