"Who else is attending this banquet besides the nobles?" Viserys asked the servant who had come to greet him.
"The Lord Benerro, the High Priest of the Temple of R'hllor."
"Benerro!" Viserys was taken aback. He had assumed that a religious leader of such stature would be far too high-profile to attend a banquet just to see a descendant of the Dragonlord. But after a moment's reflection, it made sense.
Viserys had recently led a group on a daring mission to execute a band of pirates during a gathering. It was a task nearly impossible for others—if not because of the difficulty in locating the pirate's hideout, then because of the challenge of infiltrating it with dozens of people. The pirate leaders were highly selective about who they allowed into their ranks. Bringing too many people would arouse suspicion, while too few would have been futile. Yet Viserys succeeded, leaving many intrigued.
On further thought, it was natural for Volantis, often referred to as the "eldest daughter" of Valyria, with its deep magical heritage, to be sensitive to such events. This was a fortunate turn for Viserys, as it saved him the trouble of seeking out the High Priest himself.
The gathering was held at the Nyessos residence. Through the carriage window, Viserys noticed that the streetlights had already been lit for some time. The carriage moved smoothly along the flat road and soon arrived at its destination. When Viserys and Daenerys stepped out, they were greeted by an entrance carved into the shape of a massive dragon's head. To enter, they would have to pass through the dragon's open mouth. Flanking the dragon's head were two statues of human-faced dragons.
The people of Volantis were indeed the most inventive, eager to incorporate dragon motifs into every corner of the city. Even the street lamps outside Nyessos' house were cast in the shape of dragons, with light pouring from their mouths, giving them an imposing appearance.
Viserys could hear music from the ballroom, even though they were still several dozen meters away. It was evident that many people had gathered inside. After all, the Triarchs were hosting the event, and many had come to show their support or catch a glimpse of the Dragonlord descendants, Viserys and his sister.
Before they even entered the ballroom, the servant at the door announced, "Prince Viserys Targaryen, Princess Daenerys Targaryen has arrived..."
For a moment, the banquet fell into silence. Every head turned toward the door, and hundreds of eyes fixed on the siblings. As Viserys crossed the threshold, he felt as though he had triggered a switch. Not only did the nobles cease their conversations to stare, but even the musicians paused. It was clear that this was orchestrated by the host.
Viserys scanned the room, noting that most of the guests wore formal robes. This was partly to show respect for Nyessos and Alios, but also to underscore the importance of the Targaryen siblings. Initially, the crowd seemed to regard them with the curiosity reserved for rare animals. However, when they learned that Viserys had led a successful raid against a band of pirates, their expressions shifted to one of awe.
'The dragon is still young, but it has already bared its fangs,' Viserys mused, remaining composed under the intense scrutiny of the nobles. Nyessos and Alios, observing his calm demeanor, were both impressed. Yet, they were also perplexed. Despite the rumors about Viserys' ordeal at the teahouse, he neither appeared weak nor trembled; instead, he seemed energized. It was clear that only someone of his caliber could win the championship in swordsmanship.
Of course, Dany was also the subject of much curiosity. Since Viserys had gone to fight the pirates, many wondered why he had brought her along. The nobles of Volantis speculated about the role she had played in all of this.
"Prince Viserys! Princess Daenerys!" Nyessos called out, striding toward them. Seizing the opportunity to solidify his alliance with Viserys, Nyessos took his hand and loudly declared, "Prince Viserys, please allow me to express my gratitude for freeing the people of Volantis from the pirates." As he spoke, Nyessos gave Viserys a subtle wink, though he faced away from the crowd. Viserys returned a knowing and reassuring glance.
"Lord Nyessos, you are too kind. The true fortune of Volantis lies in having a Triarch like you who cares so deeply for the people. If not for your leadership, I doubt I would have taken action against those pirates."
Nyessos' eyes gleamed with satisfaction, thinking, 'This Targaryen is on the right track!' The others leaned in, eager to hear more of the story. Meanwhile, Alios suddenly realized he had been too conservative. He had never imagined that such an old politician could be so shameless. Alios had only intended for Viserys to bolster his campaign, but Nyessos had the audacity to claim credit for the pirate beheading!
'Bah!' Alios thought to himself. He had already rehearsed the lines Selysia and Mya were told in the bathhouse, so now he just needed to play along.
"Everyone, as you know, Prince Viserys has wiped out nearly half of the world's pirates! It must have been an exhilarating battle. Prince, would you be so kind as to tell us about it?"
"Yes!"
"Please, Prince."
"Please!"
Most of the crowd cheered out of politeness, eager to keep up appearances, but there were a few who were genuinely interested in how Viserys had achieved what seemed like an impossible feat. Among them was Benerro, clad in a red robe. He likely understood the pirates' rigorous defenses and their vigilance during gatherings. Viserys couldn't have brought more than fifty men to the pirate's stronghold—perhaps not even thirty.
But how had he managed to kill over two hundred pirates without raising an alarm? It was highly suspicious. Benerro had seen the pirates' heads, and there were no traces of magic on them. Either Viserys possessed an extraordinary level of magical power, or he had employed some unusual method.
As the spokesperson for the Temple of R'hllor, Benerro had his own reasons for interest. He had ongoing conflicts with the Triarchs of the two ruling parties. Politically, his promotion of the Red God's faith encroached on the voter base of these parties. Economically, the Temple of R'hllor purchased slaves and property, all while avoiding taxes. Such a powerful entity was naturally something Benerro wanted to control for his own security.
Nyessos waved his hand, and several slaves carried out wooden boxes, stacking them to form a temporary half-meter-high platform for Viserys.
"Prince, please satisfy everyone's curiosity."
Viserys was aware of what some of these men were thinking, but the secret of the poison gas would only be revealed to the highest bidder. He stepped up to the platform and began recounting how he had disguised himself as a pirate to infiltrate the Orange Shore Bay, emphasizing how he had used the dragon eggs he had acquired to conceal his identity. When it came to the climactic beheading, he attributed the success to the crossbows his men had brought along.
At this point, a young nobleman interjected, "But, my Lord, didn't the pirates wear any armor? And if someone was hit by an arrow, wouldn't they scream?" He glanced at a nearby girl, as if trying to impress her.
'What a fool!' Viserys thought, slightly irritated. Judging by the noble's age, he had probably just inherited his title and was eager to show off his wit.
"The soldiers I brought with me are all highly skilled marksmen. If they aim directly at the opponent's throat, won't that silence them immediately?"
Viserys's explanation still had its flaws. How could his men have simultaneously shot everyone in the throat? It seemed absurd. The young noble wanted to press further, but those around him discreetly advised him to drop the matter. After all, in social settings, it's common for people to speak nonsense, and anyone who points out such blatant lie is often ignored.
"Of course, the primary reason I was determined to eliminate these pirates was because of Lord Nyessos." Viserys continued, turning the focus toward Nyessos. "Lord Nyessos, concerned for the people of Volantis, sought me out, leading to this epic achievement!"
As he spoke, Viserys directed the crowd's attention to Nyessos, who waved and smiled, as if this were merely his duty and nothing worth mentioning—acting the part of a humble servant of the people.
"To Lord Nyessos!" someone in the crowd shouted, raising a glass in toast.
"To Lord Nyessos!" Alios and the others echoed, lifting their glasses in thanks. Many in the room had already begun to understand what was happening, and even Dany sensed that something wasn't quite right.
After Viserys finished recounting the story of the pirate raid, many guests approached him with questions. He answered them all, but when Benerro, still dressed in his red robes, stepped forward, the other nobles instinctively moved aside.
'Finally!' Viserys's spirits lifted. Here was a true fire mage. Although the Red Comet had yet to appear and the dragon eggs hadn't hatched, Benerro could still perform minor magic with the remnants of the world's fading magic. If Viserys could learn fire magic from him, it would be worth tossing all the loot from the pirate raid into the sea.
The only thing that bothered Viserys was Benerro's overwhelming tattoos. Benerro's pale skin was covered with flame patterns that extended across his face and head, particularly over his lips. Tattoos in this world were wild and imaginative, often too much for the eyes.
"Prince Viserys, allow me to introduce myself," Benerro began. "I am Benerro, the High Priest of the Red Temple in Volantis."