Chapter 429: Simon and Elin

Inside the royal castle, Simon and Elin sat close together, discussing dyeing techniques.

Night had fallen over Brambleford. Warm yellow light spilled from the lanterns, illuminating the chamber and casting soft shadows across the walls.

For Simon, improving Brambleford’s dyeing industry was hardly a challenge. Although he couldn’t bring its techniques anywhere near the standards of the modern world, he could undoubtedly advance them beyond anything currently available in the Eldorian Empire.

He picked up a pen and began writing on a sheet of paper.

"Madder for red, purple gromwell for purple, sappanwood for black, sappanwood bark for red, and indigo for blue..."

One natural dye after another appeared on the paper.

Chemical dyes were beyond the capabilities of Brambleford’s current industry, so Simon had no choice but to begin with natural alternatives. Fortunately, his technology library contained information on more than a hundred varieties of natural dyes.

With the proper preparation techniques, these materials could produce an impressive range of colors.

Simon also recorded the principles behind mixing the seven basic colors to create additional shades. With this knowledge, Brambleford’s textile workshops would eventually be able to produce fabrics in almost any color imaginable.

Elin stared at the increasingly crowded sheet of paper, her eyes widening with excitement.

"My Lord, there are so many!"

"These are only a few of them," Simon replied with a smile. "And most of what I’ve written here concerns tie-dyeing patterns."

Traditional tie-dyeing was relatively straightforward. Artisans folded, twisted, or tied sections of fabric before immersing them in dye. When the bindings were removed, the fabric revealed distinctive patterns formed by the areas the dye had failed to reach.

However, the results depended heavily on the techniques used.

Simon’s technology library contained numerous tie-dye patterns, along with detailed instructions explaining how to fold, bind, and dye fabrics to achieve different effects.

Once these methods were introduced to Brambleford’s textile workshops, the quality and variety of their products would improve dramatically.

The next morning, Simon and Elin visited the textile workshop to teach the artisans how to prepare natural dyes and apply the new tie-dyeing techniques.

Following the destruction of the Redwyck family, the workshop had come under the administration of the prefecture office. With the authorities maintaining strict supervision over its operations, Simon wasn’t particularly concerned about the artisans leaking their newly acquired knowledge.

After all, Brambleford’s prosperity depended on keeping its most valuable industrial secrets under control.

The sheer number of patterns and techniques kept Simon and Elin occupied for several days.

During that time, Elin also experimented with dyeing some of the underwear she had designed, eagerly testing different colors and patterns.

She was becoming increasingly confident in her designs.

Then came the news she had been waiting for.

After receiving Elin’s letter, Princess Lisa immediately dispatched a reply. The message had been sent through an expedited courier service that covered more than eight hundred miles.

Her response was brief but exciting.

She had already departed the empire and was on her way to Brambleford.

When Elin learned this, her face lit up.

From that moment onward, she could barely contain her excitement. She spent her days imagining how she would introduce her designs to Princess Lisa and persuade her to help promote them among the empire’s noblewomen.

With Lisa’s influence, Brambleford’s new products could reach an entirely different level of society.

And if the princess approved of her designs, countless noblewomen might soon become her customers.

For Elin, this was an opportunity she couldn’t afford to waste.

***

Four days later, a grand entourage finally arrived at Brambleford’s city gates.

Golden-armored soldiers surrounded an elegant carriage, their polished armor gleaming beneath the sunlight.

The person inside was none other than Princess Lisa.

After two years, she had finally returned to Brambleford.

Her previous visit had ended unpleasantly because of an assassination attempt. Under ordinary circumstances, such an experience might have discouraged her from returning.

Yet this time, she came prepared.

Her decision alone demonstrated how much the situation had changed.

The carriage stopped before the city gates.

A moment later, the pearl curtain was lifted, and Princess Lisa stepped down.

Simon and Elin were already waiting to welcome her.

"Aunt!"

Elin hurried forward, her face bright with delight.

Princess Lisa smiled warmly at them.

"Come now, Simon, Elin. There’s no need to wait for me at the city gates. This isn’t my first visit to Brambleford."

Her tone was affectionate, and her expression carried none of the coldness that might have been expected after their previous disagreements.

However, beneath that warmth lay a considerable amount of calculation.

Two years earlier, Simon had been little more than an insignificant vassal prince whose influence barely extended beyond his own territory.

Now, everything was different.

Brambleford had grown into an increasingly important industrial center, and Simon himself had become a prominent figure in the Eldorian Empire. More importantly, he had established a close relationship with the emperor.

His influence was no longer something the imperial nobility could afford to overlook.

Princess Lisa was an experienced woman who understood the value of political relationships.

In the past, she had maintained close ties with Prince Gerad largely because of the emperor’s favor. But circumstances had changed, and Simon’s growing influence had altered the balance of power.

Naturally, she wanted to strengthen her relationship with him.

There was only one problem.

Their previous disputes remained a potential obstacle. Lisa wasn’t certain whether Simon still held a grudge against her, and she didn’t want old disagreements to interfere with a potentially profitable alliance.

Fortunately, Elin’s invitation had given her a convenient reason to visit.

Brambleford’s increasingly impressive products offered another incentive.

By coming here, Lisa could repair her relationship with Simon while exploring new business opportunities.

As she looked at the prince standing before her, she couldn’t help feeling that she had made the right decision.

"After all," she thought, "there’s no reason to cling to old disagreements when a better opportunity is right in front of me."

Once the formal greetings were over, the entourage began moving into the city.

Almost immediately, Lisa noticed something unusual.

Brambleford was far livelier than she remembered.

Merchants crowded the main streets, their carriages and goods moving constantly through the city. Shops lined the roads, and the volume of commercial activity rivaled that of some of the empire’s most prosperous urban centers.

But that wasn’t what surprised her most.

It was the roads.

Instead of the uneven dirt tracks she remembered, the main thoroughfare was now covered in smooth, solid concrete.

Lisa stared at the road beneath her feet.

She had heard reports about Brambleford’s development, but seeing the transformation herself was an entirely different experience.

Perhaps it was simply the shock of witnessing such a dramatic change.

Yet as she walked along the smooth pavement, an unexpected thought crossed her mind.

Brambleford no longer felt like a remote frontier city.

In certain respects, it even seemed more impressive than some of the empire’s established centers of wealth and privilege.

Simon noticed her expression and smiled.

"Aunt, you don’t need to be so formal with me. No matter how many times you visit Brambleford, I’ll always come out personally to welcome you."

His words were courteous, but there was more behind them than simple politeness.

Simon had matured considerably over the past two years.

He understood that holding on to old grievances could be costly, especially when circumstances had changed so dramatically.

In the world of politics and business, people rarely remain permanent enemies or permanent allies.

Interests changed, circumstances shifted, and yesterday’s rival could become tomorrow’s most valuable partner.

At present, cooperating with Simon offered Princess Lisa far greater opportunities than clinging to her previous relationship with Prince Gerad.

There was no reason for him to reject a potentially useful ally merely because of the past.

Lisa’s smile widened when she heard his response.

She reached out and took Simon’s hand. With her other hand, she held Elin’s as the three of them entered the city together.

"Among all my nephews, you’re certainly the most considerate," she said warmly. "And you needn’t worry about your new products. Whatever Brambleford develops, I’ll do my best to promote it for you."

"Thank you, Aunt."

Simon accepted her offer without hesitation.

Elin followed with a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Princess."

Lisa immediately turned toward her.

"Why are you still calling me Princess? You should call me Aunt, just like Simon does."

Elin froze for a moment.

She hadn’t expected Lisa to address her so affectionately.

After a brief hesitation, she lowered her head slightly and answered in a shy voice.

"Aunt."

"That’s better!"

Lisa nodded with satisfaction.

Soon, the conversation turned to Elin’s underwear designs.

The moment the subject came up, the two women seemed to forget everything else around them. They discussed fabrics, colors, patterns, and the possibilities of introducing new designs to the empire’s noblewomen.

Their conversation became increasingly animated.

Simon initially walked beside them, but as their enthusiasm grew, he gradually found himself left behind.

Neither woman seemed to notice.

Watching them talk so happily, Simon could only shake his head with an amused smile.

Princess Lisa had arrived with thirty noblewomen from the empire. Every one of them was dressed magnificently, their elaborate gowns trailing behind them as they walked.

The sight reminded Simon of the differences between the fashions of this era and those of the modern world.

Then, for reasons he preferred not to examine too closely, a mischievous thought crossed his mind.

I wonder how many of these noblewomen are wearing underwear beneath those elaborate skirts.

He immediately shook his head.

Simon, get a grip on yourself.

Suppressing the ridiculous thought, he turned his attention back to the guests.

The group soon reached the hotel.

Simon had arranged for the entire entourage to stay there. His royal castle simply didn’t have enough suitable rooms to accommodate so many guests comfortably.

Besides, he wanted Princess Lisa and the noblewomen to experience Brambleford’s newest developments firsthand.

The hotel was the perfect place to begin.

However, the moment the group arrived, a series of surprised gasps erupted from the noblewomen.

They stopped almost simultaneously, staring at the enormous building before them.

The Goldwynd Family Hotel had undergone a remarkable transformation.

Its exterior was imposing, its entrance spacious, and its overall appearance far more refined than that of an ordinary inn.

But Princess Lisa’s attention was captured by something else entirely.

She stared at the large, transparent panels covering the hotel’s windows.

Then she turned toward Simon, scarcely able to believe what she was seeing.

"Simon... are those really glass windows?"

"Aunt, they are," Simon replied casually. "The hotel now has glass windows and glass doors."

After establishing the glass workshop, he had arranged for the first batch of glass panes to be installed in the hotel.

The initial installation had been a success, and the remaining old windows were gradually replaced.

Curtains had been hung inside to provide privacy, completing the transformation.

What had once been an ordinary hotel had now become something resembling a modern establishment wrapped in an antique architectural style.

To Simon, it was a sensible investment.

To Princess Lisa, it was practically an assault on her understanding of wealth.

"You’re such a spendthrift!"

She looked at the glass windows again, her expression filled with disbelief.

"Do you have any idea how expensive glass is? And you’re using it for Windows?"

Her heart ached at the thought of the money that had gone into the building.

Glass was a valuable commodity in the Eldorian Empire. Even wealthy nobles couldn’t casually afford to install it throughout an entire building.

Yet Simon had covered the hotel with it as though he were using ordinary window shutters.

Lisa stared at him, wondering whether her nephew had completely lost his mind.

Simon merely smiled.

To him, the glass workshop was already producing the future of Brambleford.

And if Princess Lisa thought these windows were extravagant, she had absolutely no idea what else he had planned.