Chapter 203: Father-Son Bonding
The maple trees behind the Imperial court rustled in the autumn wind, red leaves fluttering down.
After discussing the matter of the cannons, the two fell into silence.
After a while, Emperor Alaric seemed to make up his mind and finally said. "Simon, are you still angry with me?"
In Simon’s memory, Alaric hadn’t called him by name like this since he was ten. Startled for a moment, Simon replied. "This son wouldn’t dare."
"Wouldn’t dare? Heh, but you didn’t say you aren’t. Looks like you still hold resentment against me." Alaric gave a bitter laugh. As he aged, he had become more sentimental. In the past, he wouldn’t have cared what his sons thought of him.
Simon cursed inwardly. Truthfully, he didn’t really hate Alaric; after all, he was just an imposter.
And in recent days, after reading through the historical records, he knew that in the Eldorian Empire, many princes were either exiled or killed. Simon surviving until now was already a miracle.
"This son truly doesn’t resent Father. If not for you, I would still be lost in the pleasures of Eldora, and how could I now contribute even a little to the Eldorian Empire?" Simon said sincerely.
Alaric turned and stared into Simon’s eyes, as if trying to see through him.
Alaric was unafraid; his expression remained genuine.
In a country like the Eldorian Empire, where rank and hierarchy were so strict, most princes would feel nervous being stared at like this.
But Simon came from a world where everyone was equal, so he didn’t understand this kind of hierarchy. Facing the emperor, he wasn’t afraid; instead, he was curious about what being a ruler truly meant.
In history books, emperors were usually labelled simply: wise or foolish. But few cared about what kind of people they really were.
"If that’s true, then I’m relieved. My efforts weren’t in vain." Alaric said slowly.
"Father?"
Simon looked confused. At this point, he already had a good idea of what Alaric was going to say.
As expected, Alaric said. "Among all the concubines, only your mother had no background. Likewise, among all the princes, only you lacked support from noble clans. If I had kept you in Eldora back then, with your unruly personality, you might’ve been dead by now."
"But I must admit, I truly disliked you at the time because of your rebellious nature. So, I gave you Brambleford as your domain. That way, even if you caused trouble, it wouldn’t be too serious. And being far from Eldora, the other princes would forget you. Even if the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he wouldn’t see you as a threat. You could live out your life in peace. This was also my way of keeping a promise to your mother."
Alaric’s tone was cold, as if he were simply telling a story.
Simon was a little surprised that Alaric was really opening up to him, so he said. "In the past, it was my fault for wasting Father’s good intentions. But I’ve changed now and will never let you down again."
"The great victory in Dunmere has proven that. I didn’t expect it, but I’m very pleased. Living a quiet life can preserve your safety, but as a prince, being able to serve your country is a blessing for the royal family. From now on, never forget your original intention. Assist the new emperor as your third uncle has assisted me."
"This son understands," Simon replied with a bow.
He knew well that he wasn’t in line for the throne. After all, traditional law dictated that the eldest was favoured over the youngest.
Moreover, while Alaric had protected him, he had never shown particular favour, just as Baldwin had analysed, Alaric’s true favourite was the Crown Prince. As for him, Alaric was simply fulfilling a father’s duty.
And it was also to ease Lady Isolde’s worries.
But to Simon, that didn’t matter. What did matter was that Alaric’s attitude toward him had clearly changed. That change was more like how he treated Prince Gerad, a sign of trust and value.
And that was far more valuable than simple affection.
Affection might be an emotional bias, but trust and recognition affected both feelings and logic. Alaric now valued him both emotionally and practically.
That alone made Simon very satisfied.
This trip to Eldora had two goals: to find some allies and to help maintain internal stability in the Eldorian Empire.
So far, the cannons were enough to intimidate the reavers and the vassals for a while.
During this period of peace, Simon needed the right time, place, and people to develop Brambleford. Now he had the time and place; he just needed the people.
Cosying up to Prince Gerad was the start of building his network. But in his eyes, the most valuable connection to invest in was still Alaric.
So even without the father-son relationship, Simon would still try to win Alaric over during this trip to Eldora.
That’s why he acted just the way Alaric liked.
"Good, remember that. Your domain borders Prince Gerad’s. Learn from him. In the future, don’t have any wild ambitions, or I won’t be able to tolerate you." Alaric said sternly, clearly a warning against rebellion.
"This son wouldn’t dare."
Simon remained submissive, but thought to himself, Once you’re gone, it won’t be up to you. If the new emperor is wise, fine. If not, don’t blame me.
"I’ve said what I needed to. Now that you’ve proven loyal in protecting the royal family, I will naturally reward you more." Alaric said, now smiling.
Simon chuckled inwardly; Alaric really knew how to play both the stick and the carrot.
The serious talk over, Alaric asked Simon about trivial things, like whether he had gotten used to life in Brambleford, whether the food suited him, and so on. Though small, these questions showed genuine care from a father.
Compared to earlier conversations, this part made Simon feel more like a real son.
Back in Brambleford, he had only guessed Alaric’s character based on memory. But now, he could see that Alaric wasn’t exactly a wise ruler, but neither was he a fool. At least in critical moments, he could still be counted on.
After weighing it all, Simon thought maintaining a good relationship with Alaric was definitely a smart move. So he said. "Father, I brought a very fine gift for you on this trip. I’m sure you’ll like it."