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"Maester Qyburn, I wholeheartedly agree with your viewpoint. I have an idea. Our understanding of the human body is still incomplete, and without a full understanding, there will be deviations in treatment. Therefore, I believe that the progress of medicine should not only focus on developing new medicines but also on understanding the human body, as this is the foundation of everything." Gavin spoke with fervor, as though he was willing to risk everything for the advancement of medicine.
"Gavin, your idea is exactly what modern medicine has been neglecting," Maester Qyburn said, his brow furrowed in concern. "However, such research is strictly forbidden by the Citadel. Given the current circumstances, we can only focus on developing new medicines and methods." His voice carried a note of helplessness.
"What if the Citadel doesn't find out, Maester? We're doing this for the sake of academic research and medical advancement. If we achieve great results, everyone will benefit," Gavin said eagerly, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"This idea of yours is very dangerous, Gavin. You are still young. It would be better for you to accumulate more knowledge and experience first. You can focus on studying the theories in this area. I believe, over time, the Citadel will change. Please don't jeopardize your future," Qyburn said, raising his hand to signal the end of the conversation before Gavin could respond.
"Let's leave it at that for today. I still have some medicines to prepare, and there is a surgery tomorrow. Remember to arrive early. You may go now, Gavin."
Gavin bowed respectfully and said, "Yes, Maester. I will not disturb your work. See you tomorrow."
As Gavin stepped out and closed the door behind him, he rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Old fox." He knew Maester Qyburn wanted his help but was too cautious to ask directly.
The constant probing had been going on for over ten days. Gavin couldn't afford to show too much—if he scared Qyburn off, it would cause trouble. In truth, over the past few months, Gavin had discovered some of Qyburn's dark secrets—his experiments with corpses.
But the evidence was lacking. If he had it, he could threaten him directly, which would be far more effective than this ongoing charade.
Gavin returned to his dormitory, changed out of his formal maester's robes, and carefully strapped his sword to his waist. He then slowly made his way toward the Oldtown.
The Old Tavern was bustling with noise, filled with a mix of people. Most of the patrons were mercenaries and pirates traveling between the Oldtown port, and their identities could change at will. The air in the tavern was thick with the scent of malt beer and sweat.
Gavin followed the servant into a private room, where he saw five men seated.
From their attire, it was clear they were mercenaries hired by ships passing through. They were laughing and joking as they drank their beer. The leader of the group, a tall man, had a short axe placed on the table. Gavin immediately recognized him—this was Domas Saan, the captain of this mercenary group.
He wore worn leather armor, the scratches on it seeming to tell tales of past battles. His muscular arms were exposed, veins bulging like twisting worms. The blade of the short axe gleamed coldly in the light.
Gavin took a deep breath, walked forward with a smile, and said, "You must be Captain Domas, I am Gavin Flowers."
Domas laughed heartily. "So you're Gavin, huh? Come, take a seat! First, let me thank you for treating my comrade. I thank you on behalf of Luca."
Gavin nodded with a smile and quickly walked to his seat to sat down. About a month ago, Gavin had treated a mercenary named Luca.
During their conversation, Gavin had heard from Luca that, a year ago, their team had been hired by the Sealord of Braavos to explore the mysterious ruins of Valyria.
Although the expedition resulted in heavy casualties, they were fortunate enough to have found a navigable route. Because of this, their leader, Domas, had secretly drawn a simple map of the route.
Gavin showed great interest in this and suggested paying 5 gold dragons for a copy of the map. Today, he had come here specifically to complete the transaction.
At that moment, a burly mercenary with a long, narrow scar on his face set down his mug of ale and, eyeing Gavin sideways, said, "I heard you healed Luca, but the map is a very valuable thing. Seeing as you treated luca, I'll let it go for 10 gold dragons." His voice was rough, and his gaze held a hint of challenge, as if he were a predator testing Gavin's resolve.
Gavin did not immediately respond. He glanced at Domas and saw that the captain was acting nonchalant, clearly indicating that this was Domas's intention. Since the price was acceptable to Gavin, he smiled and agreed, "Alright, 10 gold dragons."
The scarred mercenary, however, gave a dismissive grin. "I've changed my mind. It's 20 gold dragons now."
Upon hearing this, Gavin unconsciously tightened his grip on the sword at his waist, suppressing his anger. He said calmly, "It seems like you don't have the sincerity for a transaction."
The mercenary, upon hearing this, sneered with contempt, eyeing Gavin sideways as he arrogantly laughed. "Kid, you want to draw your sword? How about this—let's step outside and have a duel. If you win, I'll give you 1 gold dragon. But if you lose, you'll pay me 40 gold dragons for the map!"
Gavin, unfazed, replied dismissively, "No need to step outside. We can do it right here. I'll give you one move, you can strike first."
The mercenary, enraged by the insult, drew his sword and lunged at Gavin with a roar. But before he could even reach Gavin, the young man's blade was already moving, faster than the mercenary could follow.
With a sharp "clang", Gavin effortlessly knocked the mercenary's sword aside. Before the man could even recover, Gavin's blade flashed again, cutting a deep gash across his hand.
In the blink of an eye, Gavin had his sword pressed firmly against the mercenary's throat, swift and unyielding, leaving no room for escape.
The room fell silent in an instant. The other mercenaries stared in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief. The defeated man's face turned bright red, a mix of shame and anger, yet he remained powerless.
Gavin smiled faintly, took out a gold dragon, and tossed it onto the table. Slowly, he sheathed his sword and said, "Thank you for the lesson."
The mercenary ground his teeth and said, "I misjudged you. Your swordsmanship is impressive."
At that moment, Domas laughed heartily and tried to ease the tension. "See? I told you this kid had some skill!" The others laughed along, and the atmosphere quickly returned to its former liveliness.
As night fell, Gavin, having just finished copying the navigation route, decided to stay overnight at the tavern. After all, the Citadel had strict rules, and as an assistant maester, returning late would undoubtedly attract the attention of the guards. To avoid any unnecessary trouble, staying overnight at the tavern was undoubtedly the wiser choice.
Earlier, he had successfully exchanged a gold dragon for the ownership of the route map before nightfall.
Through the course of conversation, Gavin had also made a friend of sorts with Domas. In their chats, Gavin discovered that this group of mercenaries could skillfully shifted between pirates and mercenaries, depending on the situation.
Gavin also took the opportunity to inquire about the situation in the Valyria Ruins and the Sea of Smoke, unexpectedly learning a lot about the pirate factions on the Narrow Sea, the ongoing wars between the nine major trade city-states, and some interesting tidbits from the Essos continent.
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[Chapter End's]
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