When Helbo rushed to Viserys's residence, he could only see Dany practicing swordsmanship on the lawn through the gate. As he attempted to get her attention, a voice from behind startled him. The voice was gloomy and cold, sending a shiver down his spine.
"L-Lady Kyla. I'm here to visit Lord Viserys."
"Lord Viserys is not here. What is your business?" Kyla replied. As Dany's personal bodyguard, Viserys had instructed her to be cautious of Helbo, so her expression was wary and cold.
Helbo's heart sank a little. "Well, it's nothing important. I just wanted to pay a simple visit," he said with a forced smile.
"Lord Viserys has gone out."
"Oh? Where?" Helbo inquired.
Kyla's cold stare remained fixed on him, offering no response.
Realizing his rudeness, Helbo quickly apologized. "When will Lord Viserys be back?"
"I don't know."
Faced with Kyla's frosty demeanor, Helbo felt a chill of dread. He had underestimated Viserys too many times. First, he thought Viserys wouldn't escape the Fierce Fish Company, only for Viserys to earn the moniker "Fierce Fish Eater." Then he dismissed Viserys's soap venture, which turned into a huge success. Finally, he believed Viserys had doomed himself by offending House Fregar, only to see him align with House Zalyne.
The faint spark of goodwill between Helbo and Viserys had been completely extinguished, but he still felt compelled to try once more. He took a small box from his pocket and handed it to Kyla. "This is a small gift for Lord Viserys. Please give it to him."
Kyla opened the box, revealing a black dragonbone ring set with a ruby. "That's fine. If there's nothing else, you can go now."
"Oh, okay." Helbo returned to his carriage, dejected that he hadn't seen Viserys. As the coachman prepared to leave, Helbo suddenly said, "Take the carriage to the locust tree in front. I'll be waiting there today."
"Yes, M'lord. That'll be three gold dragons."
"Three gold dragons! Are your horse's hooves made of gold, or are the wheels made of gold?!"
"M'lord, you have to consider the time. If it were any other day, I wouldn't dare ask you for three gold dragons."
"Okay, okay! Three gold dragons it is."
Helbo reluctantly handed over the three gold dragons. He was determined to wait there until Viserys returned.
...
At this time, Viserys was on Falia's ship, learning about the poetry competition. This competition was not as he had originally understood. It was more like a variety show, with contestants taking turns on stage and judges offering their evaluations. Poets and singers would submit their own songs, which would then be performed by the singers and musicians of the Sealord's Palace.
During the competition, musicians and singers would be spread throughout Braavos, with the highest concentration near the Titan of Braavos. The judging criteria were based on the number of performances each piece received, with votes cast by anyone willing to pay. If a song garnered enough performances, it advanced to the next round; otherwise, it was eliminated. Essentially, it functioned like a recommendation mechanism, ensuring fairness even if someone wanted to spend a lot of money to support a contestant.
The Ten-Day Festival's three competitions were interspersed throughout the schedule. The general arrangement was: song, competition, competition, song, competition, competition, song, competition, competition, celebration.
"In other words, except for the first round's theme, which will be given a day in advance, the other two rounds will be announced the night before?" Viserys asked.
"That's right. Braavos wants to see better works on the first day, so they provide more time," Falia patiently explained. Asha watched Brother Viserys intently.
"Actually, I still suggest you give up, Lord Viserys. Participating in two competitions at the same time will be very tiring," Falia advised.
Viserys smiled crookedly, "Lady Moonshadow, don't worry. The first round's topic is the sea, right? I think I've already written it."
"Already?" Falia was skeptical. She had just told Viserys the topic less than twenty minutes ago. Choosing her words carefully, she said, "Master Viserys, if your song is too similar to existing songs, you may be disqualified." She almost said "plagiarism."
Viserys pointed to the harp hanging on the wall. "I'll play a song for you to hear."
"Okay," Falia nodded, but Asha didn't move to get it.
"Asha!"
"Huh?" Asha, lost in thought while staring at Viserys, quickly recovered. "Oh, okay." Realizing her distraction, she blushed and handed the harp to Viserys.
Viserys examined the harp, noting its resemblance to a guitar or ukulele. Plucked instruments were familiar to him; he had practiced extensively while chasing girls in school. As he tuned the instrument, Falia and Asha watched with anticipation.
"I'm going to start now."
"Okay."
Viserys took a moment to compose himself, then began to play the prelude. The sound evoked images of a vast sea and sky, with lingering notes suggesting a story about to unfold.
(Music: "心雨" (Xīn Yǔ) / Heart Rain by Jacky Cheung (Zhang Xueyou) and Su Rui)
"~Bitter sand,
The feeling of pain blowing against the face,
Like a father's scolding,
A mother's crying, Forever unforgettable.~"
As Viserys played and sang, the two girls began to envision a young man running along the beach. He was filled with longing and hope for the future, but he also faced the harsh blows of reality. At a crucial moment, a determined sailor with a strong physique encouraged him to keep going. Bolstered by the sailor's encouragement, the young man set sail on the winds of life. However, he inevitably lost his way on the sea of existence. The sailor then reappeared to guide him back on course.
Viserys's voice and the melody of the song naturally spread beyond the cabin. Although Joseon, patrolling the lake at a distance, couldn't hear the lyrics, the tune reached his ears, invigorating his men. Some of the more sensitive guards even found tears welling up in their eyes.
'You are worthy of Lady Moonshadow,' Joseon thought with emotion. But then, noticing Viserys's attire, he wondered if the song was his own creation. 'No way! Absolutely not!' Joseon quickly dismissed the thought.
When Viserys finished his song, Falia and Asha had a different look in their eyes. The guarded walls around their hearts had loosened considerably. As they gazed at Viserys's warm smile, they couldn't help but think that spending a night with such a man might be a very good idea.