"Aegon's archery—if paired with one of those dragon-hunting ballistae the Rhoynar make..."
The thought alone made Aenar shudder involuntarily as the image formed in his mind.
There was no doubt: Aegon could become a devastating weapon for the family.
With that realization, Aenar found himself quite pleased with Gaemon's risky decision the previous night.
He continued to watch Gaemon and Aegon down in the training yard, then turned and instructed the black-clad steward behind him.
"Have the guards notified. Make sure they understand—Aegon's talent for archery is not to be spoken of."
"Yes, my lord," the steward replied respectfully.
...
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
Back in the training yard, Aegon was fully focused, sparring with Gaemon. The two exchanged blows in rapid succession—Aegon on the offensive, his strikes sharp and aggressive. But no matter how fierce his assault, Gaemon always managed to counter smoothly.
He kept one hand tucked behind his back, relaxed and composed, exuding quiet confidence.
Aegon sighed inwardly. Even with the chip's help, the gap between our swordsmanship is still obvious.
He drew his sword back to his center and launched a precise Valyrian Military Swordsmanship variation—an upward thrust—but Gaemon remained unfazed. With a subtle shift of his feet and a slight turn of his body, he easily dodged the incoming blow.
Gaemon then deftly twisted his iron sword, letting the blade slide along Aegon's with practiced ease. With a light tap—clang!—Aegon's sword was knocked clean from his grip, landing a short distance away.
"Not bad," Gaemon said with a smile. "You've basically learned the core of this technique. With more practice and a bit of adaptability, you'll be well on your way to becoming a capable fighter."
Aegon gave a wry smile, rubbing his right palm, which still tingled from the impact. Gaemon's got a real habit—he just can't help showing off like some aristocratic poser.
Just then, a voice rang out from beyond the training yard.
"Lord Aegon, Prince Gaemon! The lord requests your presence in the reception hall. He has matters to discuss with you."
"Looks like your guild business has finally turned something up," Gaemon said with a slight grin.
Aegon nodded silently, bent down to retrieve his fallen sword, then casually flicked it into the air. It spun in a clean arc, landing perfectly on the distant weapon rack with a metallic clink.
"Let's go," Aegon said flatly.
...
Inside the main hall of the stronghold, Aenar sat at the head of the room, engaged in quiet conversation with a middle-aged Meereenese man whose hair was braided in the local style.
As Aegon entered, he immediately recognized the man: Ramon, head of the slave division at the Dragon's Treasure Guild.
"My lord," Ramon said, bowing low upon seeing him.
After a moment's thought, Aegon asked, "Was it you who sent the beggar with the warning note that night?"
Ramon nodded without hesitation. "Yes. At the time, a number of mercenaries had gathered outside the guild's headquarters. I studied their behavior carefully and concluded that they were lying in wait—only for you."
"Thank you," Aegon said, his tone softening.
"You saved my life—lifting me from a slave to a free man. For that, I'll spend the rest of my life repaying you," Ramon said solemnly.
Aegon stepped forward and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.
Seeing they had finished their exchange, Aenar spoke.
"I've just spoken with Ramon. Based on the information gathered by the spies I placed these past few days, we can be fairly certain the one who betrayed the Dragon's Treasure Guild was your finance steward—Brus."
"It has to be him," Ramon added. "The Dragon's Treasure trade route has been stable for over a century. Every danger spot—sea monsters, krakens, you name it—has been carefully avoided. The odds of an accident are incredibly slim. And the trade routes and maps are top-level secrets. Only the former guild master and the chief financial officer had access to that chart."
Aegon's brow furrowed deeply. "So he did it for money?"
"It's not that simple," Aenar said gravely. "The day after your assassination attempt, Brus secretly traveled to the House Aurélion estate. The Aurélions are one of the permanent council members of the Fourteen Flames."
"This goes all the way to the Dragonlord families?" Aegon said in shock.
"I suspect your Blackstone Tower is hiding something," Aenar said, watching him carefully.
"All I know is that the tower has been passed down in my adoptive father's family for generations—hundreds of years now," Aegon replied, thinking back.
Aenar stroked his beard thoughtfully. "It's always been called the Dragon's Treasure. 'Treasure'... it might very well be that something was buried beneath it—an inheritance from one of the Dragonlord bloodlines."
Aegon let out a quiet sigh. Right now, all he wanted was to settle down, raise children, and continue his bloodline. The last thing he needed was another mess.
"We Targaryens are selling off our holdings in the Freehold," Aenar said after a pause. "We're preparing to leave the Valyrian Peninsula—we don't want unnecessary trouble."
He studied Aegon's face for a moment. Seeing no strong reaction, he continued.
"How about this—let me go to House Aurélion for you. I'll arrange to sell the Blackstone Tower to them in exchange for certain benefits.
In a few years, the Valyrian Peninsula will be destroyed. They'll die just the same."
Aegon said nothing, deep in thought. He didn't answer right away.
Aenar thought Aegon was reluctant to give up the foundation he had built. "How about this? The family will offer you some compensation. What do you think?"
"What kind of compensation?"
Seeing Aegon respond, Aenar secretly let out a breath of relief. Aegon now held considerable weight in his heart, and he didn't want a deep rift to form between him and the family.
"I heard you're asking Ramon to help you find a woman with true Dragonblood?" Aenar asked.
"Yes. I'm not young anymore, and I've been thinking about finding a wife to carry on the bloodline. You know my current status—someone like me would never be considered by the Dragonlord families. And I don't want to marry a woman from another race. Doing so could gradually dilute the purity of our family's Dragonblood over time."
Aegon spoke seriously.
Aenar nodded in agreement. "There are still a few maidens of marriageable age in House Targaryen. Aside from Daenys, you can choose one to marry. What do you think?"
Gaemon quietly let out a sigh of relief when he heard his father exclude his sister Daenys.
"Family head, all women of marriageable age?" Aegon asked to confirm.
"Yes," Aenar nodded.
"I want two," Aegon said.
"Uh…" Aenar was briefly stunned. He raised his hand and tapped Aegon on the head, then agreed. "Alright, two."
Valyria's marriage system allowed polygamy, so it wasn't unreasonable for Aegon to ask for another. Aenar himself had taken multiple wives.
...
Evening quietly arrived.
In the spacious and brightly lit main hall of the castle, House Targaryen held a small ball to celebrate Aegon's upcoming marriage.
Aegon sat upright at the head table, quietly sipping his wine as he waited for what was to come.
This was a private ball held solely for Aegon. Gaemon and the other male members of House Targaryen were absent. Only the black-clad steward Farlen and a few cupbearers served at the event.
Aegon gently lifted his wine glass and took a small sip of red wine.
Then, the black-clad steward Farlen led a group of about a dozen young Targaryen women gracefully into the hall.
Some of the girls shyly covered half of their faces with fans, while others carried themselves with poise, hands folded elegantly before their waists, radiating grace and decorum.
Farlen stood at the front and introduced them. "Among these maidens are daughters of the main and cadet branches, as well as bastard daughters of the family head and Targaryen kin. All of them carry noble blood. Lord Aegon, you may choose two to be your wives."
Aegon set down his wine cup and asked, "May I know their identities?"
Farlen shook his head. "Everything is left to fate. Whether you choose from the main branch, cadet branch, or the bastards—it's all destiny's design."
Aegon nodded in understanding.
As the young women stepped into the hall with graceful steps, they curiously observed the man before them.
Before coming in, their fathers had explained the details of this arranged marriage. A future true dragon, soon to participate in the Dragon Taming Tournament, had been matched with them by Aenar, the head of House Targaryen.
For the bastard daughters, this was a rare opportunity to leap across class lines. Becoming the wife of a true dragon was a union even many noble daughters of the main line could only dream of. They instinctively stood a little taller, subtly presenting their assets, eyes filled with anticipation.
The noble daughters of the main line were also quietly observing Aegon. A true dragon with great potential was no less attractive to them. They remained composed, watching Aegon discreetly, waiting for his choice.
The maidens stood in an elegant row, like budding blossoms waiting to bloom.
Aegon stepped forward, feeling a rush of excitement. Finally, I'm about to start my own family. Once the house was established, the game system would reward him with an achievement bonus, and the main storyline would officially begin.
He walked to the far left and stopped before a delicate and alluring young woman. Her appearance and figure were both outstanding. She wore a flowing pale pink gown that trailed to the floor. Her full, well-shaped chest filled out the elegant silk dress perfectly, exuding a subtle allure.
"May I have this dance, my lady?" Aegon gave a slight bow and extended his right hand.
She smiled softly, dimples forming at the corners of her lips, and placed her slender, pale fingers gently in Aegon's palm.
Her touch was soft and light.
Steward Farlen introduced her from the side, "This is Lady Daenylis."
Aegon's talent chip immediately began its analysis.
[Daenylis Targaryen:
Attributes: Politics: 76; Strategy: 89; Military Tactics: 15; Mental Strength: 73; Vitality: 57.
Talents:
[E-Rank - Pure Blood: Fertility +10%, Offspring Vitality +5%]
[E-Rank - Supple as Silk: Physical Flexibility +50%]
[E-Rank - Strong Desire: Physiological Needs +80%, Fertility +15%]
[True Dragonblood - Dragonseed: Charm +2.5, Fire Resistance increased to 60%, Mental Resistance -55%; 55% chance to tame dragons.]
Skills: ...]