With the return of merchants from Brambleford, the news of Prince Simon establishing the trade guild and auctioning off the rights to sell soap, perfume, and Brambleford’s Finest across the empire quickly spread throughout the empire.

As the political heart of the Eldorian Empire, Eldora’s nobles were always particularly sensitive to such matters.

Outside Eldora, the Second Prince Daniel rode through the forest alongside the Sixth Prince Butcher, both dressed in military attire.

Behind them trailed several hundred guards, servants, and hunting dogs scouring the woods for prey.

Daniel, gripping his bow, scanned the forest as his brother smirked.

"Butcher, I never realised our Simon had such cunning in him."

Daniel sneered.

"Cunning? It’s nothing but petty tricks. Spending his days mingling with lowly merchants, he’s still a baseborn wretch!"

Butcher laughed along.

"Indeed! Even if he clings to Lady Isolde, what can the daughter of a mere seventh-rank county magistrate do? He thinks flattering the Crown Prince will make him a phoenix, how laughable!"

Daniel’s cold smile grew wider.

"A phoenix? Hahaha... The Empress is grasping at straws. Why else would she seek help from a distant prince, offering only 100,000 caps of silver? That’s no more than a beggar’s handout."

"A beggar’s handout for a beggar prince!"

The two brothers burst into laughter.

Suddenly, a young deer darted from the trees, cornered by hunting dogs.

Daniel swiftly nocked an arrow.

"Butcher, shall we hunt this deer together?"

Butcher’s eyes flashed with understanding; the phrase ’hunting the deer’ was often used to symbolize competing for the throne.

He grinned and spurred his horse forward.

"When you ascend the throne, Daniel, we can toss that wretched Simon into the hunting grounds. Now that would be sport!"

"Indeed... Along with the Crown Prince."

With a cold gleam in his eyes, Daniel lost his arrow.

The arrow struck the deer’s throat, sending it collapsing into a pool of blood.

Across the city, the Third Prince Leonard sat in his study, reading a secret letter from Brambleford.

Beside him stood Constantine Wood, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who glanced over the message.

"Your Highness, the fourth prince’s scheming has backfired. He tried to frame you, but ended up losing Prince Simon’s trust instead."

Leonard smirked.

"He thought he could force Prince Simon to join him against me... But it seems our Seventh Brother would rather stay out of the succession struggle, just like Prince Gerad did back then."

Constantine frowned.

"Strange... The old Prince Simon would have rushed to report the assassination attempt to the emperor. But this time, he remained silent. Now he’s fraternizing with merchants instead."

"Perhaps the little beggar is smarter than we thought." Leonard’s smile deepened.

Constantine bowed slightly.

"If Your Highness believes he’s useful, why not send him a letter clarifying the matter? It might prevent any lingering resentment."

Leonard’s eyes narrowed.

"Not yet. Let’s observe him a little longer. If the time is right, he might be a valuable pawn. Besides..."

He chuckled softly.

"His territory is too far away. Distant water can’t quench immediate thirst."

In another grand residence across the city, the fourth prince Eric discussed affairs with his advisors, all powerful members of the Dornhal family, one of the empire’s four great families.

Unlike the other princes, Eric understood that the struggle for the throne wasn’t just between brothers; it was a battle between the empire’s aristocratic factions.

The Crown Prince had the Ravencrest family, Leonard had the Vaelric family, and Eric represented the Dornhal family.

An elderly official with greying hair, Raymond, spoke gravely.

"I warned you against reckless moves, Your Highness. Now Prince Simon has distanced himself from us and grown closer to the Crown Prince."

Eric slammed his fist onto the table, shredding the letter from Brambleford.

"Hmph! It doesn’t matter whose side he chooses; he’s just a minor figure. As long as the Third Prince doesn’t gain from it, I couldn’t care less!"

Raymond narrowed his eyes.

"I disagree, Your Highness. Since the assassination attempt, Prince Simon has completely changed, strengthening his lands and creating new inventions. He may become a valuable ally."

Eric sneered.

"Ally? By the time he’s useful, Father will already be dead."

Raymond fell silent.

While political undercurrents swirled in Eldora, Simon remained oblivious.

He focused entirely on building Brambleford’s industrial and agricultural foundations, unaware that his soap, perfume, and wine had triggered a chain reaction among the empire’s most powerful figures.

For Simon, Eldora was nothing more than a distant city, a place that took half a month to reach by carriage.

After distributing the silver from the auction, he personally oversaw the shipyards, workshops, and mines scattered across Brambleford.

Baldwin used the funds to pay off overdue wages and began collaborating with Simon to construct waterwheels in various counties.

Baldwin frowned as he examined a new blueprint Simon had drawn.

"My Lord... This waterwheel doesn’t have any treading boards for people to step on. How is it powered?"

Traditional waterwheels in the empire relied on human labour, much like a giant hamster wheel.

Simon grinned.

"This is a waterwheel powered by oxen."

Baldwin’s eyes widened.

"I’ve never heard of such a device. Where did Your Highness learn this?"

"Because I’m smarter than you."

Baldwin’s face darkened.

"Paper theories! If Your Highness is so confident, have the craftsmen build one for me to see."

Simon chuckled.

"Give me five days."

Unlike traditional waterwheels, the oxen-powered waterwheel used a gear-driven mechanism.

It consisted of A horizontal wooden gear wheel connected to a vertical axle. An ox would pull the axle, turning the horizontal gear. The horizontal gear then engaged a vertical gear wheel, which drove a bucket conveyor belt. Water would be continuously lifted and transported into irrigation channels. This design significantly reduced labour costs and increased efficiency, a revolutionary step forward in Brambleford’s agricultural technology.

Day by day, Simon quietly laid the foundations of an industrial revolution.

While the nobles in Eldora schemed for the throne, the small butterfly in Brambleford continued flapping its wings, sending ripples across the entire empire.

It would not be long before these ripples became a tidal wave, reshaping the power dynamics of the entire Eldorian Empire.

Even if the princes in Eldora dismissed him as a beggar, they had no idea they were underestimating the man who would one day control the empire’s wealth, technology, and future.

The wheels of history were already turning, powered by soap, steel, and the silent ambition of a modern soul hidden within a forgotten prince.