House of The Dragon: House Nightshade

After a good sleep, Vincent woke up feeling quite refreshed. His body felt stronger, more resilient—a sensation he had never experienced before. He wondered if this newfound vitality was the result of the stat points he had allocated the day before. The fatigue that had clouded his senses had likely masked the initial effects, but now, fully rested, he could feel the difference.

Setting these thoughts aside, Vincent exited his room. He had a class to attend. Alfred had already informed him of a scheduled session with Maester Wilkins, who would be teaching him about the history of the world. The previous Vincent had never taken these lessons seriously, often daydreaming or outright ignoring them. But the new Vincent understood the importance of gathering information—especially in a world as treacherous as this one. He had specifically asked Alfred to arrange the class as soon as possible.

As Vincent walked through the hall, he encountered Alfred, who greeted him with a respectful nod. "Good morning, young master. Is there anything you require?"

Vincent returned the greeting with a small smile. "Good morning, Alfred. I'm heading to my lesson with the maester."

"Very well, young master," Alfred responded. "The maester is ready for you. I'll lead the way."

They walked together through the sprawling corridors of the manor until they arrived at a secluded room. As they entered, Vincent's eyes immediately fell upon an old man—Maester Wilkins, the maester of the NightShade family. The maester greeted Vincent, though there was a trace of skepticism in his gaze. He had never been fond of the previous Vincent, whose lack of focus had often frustrated him. However, as Vincent took his seat, the maester couldn't help but sense something different about him. Could it be that the young master had matured? He quickly dismissed the thought as absurd—it had only been a short time since he last saw Vincent.

---

Alfred quietly left the room, leaving Vincent alone with the maester. Vincent settled into his chair and looked at the maester with determination. "Shall we begin?"

Maester Wilkins blinked in surprise at Vincent's enthusiasm but quickly composed himself. "Of course, young master. Today, we will discuss the history of our world, starting with Aegon's Conquest and the founding of the most prominent noble houses."

As the maester delved into the lessons, mentioning the pivotal events that shaped the world, Vincent listened intently. He asked questions, which caught the maester off guard, and his quick understanding of the material left the old man astonished. Vincent found the information fascinating, absorbing every detail with ease. His enhanced intelligence, he realized, was a boon—15 stat points in intelligence made a significant difference.

After a while, Maester Wilkins paused and studied Vincent for a moment. "You seem to grasp the intricacies of these events quite well, young master. But tell me, what do you think is the most important lesson to learn from Aegon's Conquest?"

Vincent leaned back in his chair, his eyes sharp and thoughtful. "History is always written by the winners." he replied with a calm certainty. "Aegon's Conquest is celebrated because he emerged victorious due to his dragons, but had he lost, we would be reading a very different story—one where his actions might be seen as reckless, perhaps even villainous."

The maester raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by Vincent's perspective. "An interesting observation, my lord."

After the lesson, Vincent stood up, thanked the maester, and left the room. The maester, though bewildered by the change in Vincent, couldn't help but feel satisfied with the day's lesson.

Vincent, meanwhile, was deep in thought as he walked through the hallway. The world he was in was vast and dangerous, far more treacherous than he had imagined.

But he wasn't surprised—he had known from his past life that the world of House of Dragon was perilous, filled with betrayal and bloodshed.

He knew that to survive, he needed to be strong. With that thought in mind, Vincent headed to the training grounds. Once there, he spotted a maid and asked her to fetch Alfred. When Alfred arrived, Vincent didn't waste any time.

"Alfred, I need the strongest sword master to train me," Vincent said, his voice firm.

Alfred raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Young master, I believe I can fulfill that role."

Vincent looked at Alfred, confused. Alfred smiled slightly before explaining, "I was chosen as your personal butler not just for my service, but also because I am an expert swordsman. The previous head of the family selected me from among many sword masters to protect and guide you."

Vincent absorbed this new information, nodding thoughtfully. "Very well, then. I want you to start training me immediately."

Alfred agreed and suggested that they start with a sparring session to gauge Vincent's current skill level. Vincent readily accepted, taking the wooden sword that Alfred handed him.

As soon as he gripped the weapon, the system's voice echoed in his head.

*Ding! Side Quest Issued: Impress Alfred.*

Vincent's eyes flicked to the rewards section: 100 system coins. His heart raced with excitement. He remembered the valuable items he could purchase with those coins. Determined to succeed, he met Alfred's gaze and said, "Let's start. Don't hold back."

Alfred's expression remained calm, though there was a glint of interest in his eyes. "Certainly, young master."

Vincent charged forward, using his weight to close the distance quickly before swinging the wooden sword at Alfred. With effortless grace, Alfred blocked the attack. "Impressive movement," Alfred commented.

Vincent smiled and thanked him, but inside, he was frustrated. The system had yet to acknowledge his success. He continued his assault, each swing faster and stronger than the last, but Alfred parried them with ease. Vincent cursed his weak body, lamenting that if he had the physical prowess of his past life, he could have defeated Alfred without breaking a sweat.

But this wasn't his past life. He had to adapt.

Vincent suddenly decided to switch tactics. He aimed a low kick at Alfred, hoping to throw him off balance before delivering a follow-up strike.

Alfred, however, saw through the move and dodged it gracefully. "Clever," Alfred remarked, but before Vincent could respond, Alfred struck back. His blow was precise, knocking Vincent off balance and sending him tumbling to the ground.

Alfred stood over him, wooden sword pointed at Vincent's throat. "But it's not enough to defeat me."

Just as Alfred finished speaking, he noticed a small smirk on Vincent's face. Confused, he suddenly felt his footing slip, and before he knew it, he was on the ground, having lost his balance. Vincent had used a technique that required the target to be close, tripping Alfred just as he had let his guard down.

Vincent scrambled to his feet, grabbed his fallen wooden sword, and pointed it at Alfred. "I win," he declared, breathing heavily.

For a moment, Alfred lay there, then he chuckled softly. A rare smile formed on his lips—something Vincent had hardly ever seen. The system's voice chimed in Vincent's head, congratulating him on completing the quest and awarding him the 100 system coins.

Relief washed over Vincent, but it was short-lived as his body, still weak from the exertion, gave out. He collapsed on the ground, utterly exhausted.

Alfred was by his side in an instant, checking to make sure he was all right. Satisfied that Vincent was simply worn out, he gently picked him up and carried him back to his room.

As he walked, Alfred couldn't help but marvel at the changes in his young master.

"The young master has really changed," Alfred thought to himself. "I never expected such a move from him." Then, glancing at Vincent's peaceful face as he slept, Alfred smiled again. "It seems that interesting things are bound to happen."

He placed Vincent on the bed and quietly exited the room, leaving him to sleep soundly.