NOVEL NEXT Chapter 88: Fame from a Single Battle
"Sex is a steel blade that scrapes the bones," Viserys muttered to himself. Opening the panel, he noticed his Constitution had decreased by 0.03. Glancing at Falia and Asha, who lay peacefully on the bed, he couldn't help but reminisce about the beauty of the previous night. He gently covered them with a blanket and stepped out into the courtyard to get some fresh air.
Despite his reduced Constitution, Viserys could go without sleep for several days without any problem. He prepared to do some boxing to loosen his muscles, but before he could begin, Pyrena arrived unexpectedly. Seeing Viserys so lively, she thought she was imagining things. The servant had told her that the noise in the room had been constant from the end of the banquet until dawn. Seven or eight hours, one against two, and yet he seemed perfectly fine.
Sensing her confusion, Viserys coughed and asked, "Lady Pyrena, good morning. Is there something I can help you with?"
"Lord and Lady invited you to breakfast," Pyrena replied.
"Oh! That's a great honor. What time is it?"
"About two quarters."
"No problem."
Pyrena had expected Viserys to be too weak to walk, but soon after she left, she heard the sound of his powerful punches echoing through the courtyard, accompanied by the rush of wind. After finishing his set, Viserys felt invigorated. A maid brought him a basin of warm water and a clean towel. Although she kept her head down, she couldn't help but steal glances at him. Viserys thought proudly, 'Looks like I made a name for myself last night.'
He changed his clothes and headed to breakfast with the Roth. To his surprise, the dining room was small but cozy, reflecting the close-knit nature of the family. The couple sat side by side, with Dany across from them. Servants brought in refreshments and breakfast with the efficiency of a waterfall.
As if reading his mind, Dany turned to look at Viserys before the couple, who were facing the door, could see him. "Brother," she called.
Dany had her ears pierced the night before, and Lady Methys had gifted her two green stone earrings. The stones matched her violet eyes perfectly, impressing Viserys. He smiled at her first, then greeted the couple. "Lord Roth, Lady Methys, good morning."
"Lord Viserys, sit!" Roth invited.
The couple had heard about Viserys' exploits the previous night, and seeing him in such good spirits, they felt the same amazement as Pyrena. As Viserys sat down, he noticed the Roths were enjoying a small but varied meal, with four or five different colored soups and various delicate side dishes.
"Help yourself," Methys offered.
"Thank you," Viserys replied.
After a night of exertion, he was ravenous. As he enjoyed the rich dishes, Dany quietly sniffed her delicate little nose, sensing a familiar smell on Viserys.
Just as Dany was trying to recall where the familiar scent came from, Methys suddenly shifted the conversation to her.
"Since Lord Viserys is going to become a sellsword, what about Lady Dany? Will you bring her along?"
Although Dany knew that Viserys would take her with him, she couldn't help but look at him nervously.
"Yes, we are each other's only family. We should try not to be separated if we can."
"But sellsword camps aren't the safest places. I was thinking that if you would like, Lady Dany could stay with us for the time being," Methys suggested.
Dany slowed her chewing and pricked up her ears, eager to hear Viserys' response.
"Thank you for your kindness, but as you know, our identities are sensitive, and assassination is a common occurrence. Dany could bring trouble here," Viserys replied.
Although his words were blunt, Dany felt relieved. Viserys understood that the couple might see her as a "political chip." If their motives were divided into ten parts, two might be to use Dany as leverage, five were likely because they saw potential in him and wanted to help, and the remaining three were due to Methys' genuine affection for Dany. Having declined twice, they gave up on the idea.
"Haha, what a brother and sister you are," Roth said, breaking the ice, and clapped his hands.
A maid approached the table with a tray holding five large books. The text on the covers looked old, somewhat resembling Valyrian.
"I remember saying that my ancestor was 'Pirate Raymun,' a Valyrian slave who, unable to bear the cruelty of the Valyrians, stole a ship and came to Braavos. These books were brought back at that time."
Viserys glanced at the books and noticed that the paper was quite new, indicating they were likely hand-copied.
"The text is in High Valyrian, which not many people understand. I don't know their real value, but I'll give them to you as a gift."
"That's very kind of you," Viserys said, bowing slightly in gratitude.
High Valyrian was almost extinct but was the language of dragons and magic. The Unsullied even used High Valyrian to receive orders. While Viserys suspected that Missandei, the translator in the original story, had only an introductory level of real High Valyrian, he had the panel and could quickly become proficient.
Even if the books didn't contain secrets of magic, they were key to unlocking the door to magic. Their value was beyond ordinary imagination.
After a brief chat, Viserys left Zalyne's Keep with Dany. Meanwhile, Falia and Asha slept until the afternoon. Upon waking, they smiled at each other and blushed, remembering the previous night's craziness. Falia noticed the sky outside and became confused. Suddenly, she remembered something important and exclaimed, "Quick! Moon tea!"
Viserys was packing his things, organizing their belongings for the journey ahead. Most of their money was safely stored in the Iron Bank, so he was only taking 10,000 gold dragons and some valuable gems to Windblown. These gems, worth 40,000 to 50,000 gold dragons, were all gifts from Falia. Even with these riches, their combined luggage weighed nearly 10 kilograms.
Reflecting on his former life, Viserys felt a pang of nostalgia. The Dragonbone Bow, the Dragon Egg, the armor, the clothes—all of these items filled three large boxes. Additionally, there was a raven entrusted to him by Illyrio, which also required attention. To minimize their baggage, Dany had to leave behind some of her birthday gifts.
While the siblings were fretting over their luggage, an unexpected visitor arrived: Jorah Mormont.
