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Gavin had even heard news of the exiled Targaryen siblings across the sea. It was said that Williem Darry, who had been protecting them, had passed away, and now the two were forced to wander the streets of Braavos.
Some nobles had even put a bounty on the exiled princess Daenerys, hoping to capture her. However, due to their public status as guests of the Sea Lord of Braavos, they were unable to act openly.
There would undoubtedly be contact in the future. Gavin was also planning how to obtain the dragon eggs that Daenerys was supposed to receive, though he wasn't sure if the eggs had already reached Illyrio's hands.
With no suitable plan in mind, Gavin lay on the slightly shabby and hard bed in the tavern room. His thoughts were tangled, unsure whether, if he altered the plot, the Night King, who hadn't received the dragons, would still be able to breach the Wall.
His greatest advantage now was his foresight of future events, but if he were to change the plot, he knew it had to be done with caution. His thoughts also turned to the upcoming tournament.
He knew very well that this was an extremely rare opportunity: it would allow him to fully showcase his strength and possibly earn a considerable amount of wealth.
However, it was unlikely that he would gain any elevation in status from the tournament. The nobles of Westeros had a tacit understanding of blocking the avenues for upward mobility, constantly guarding against commoners and bastards.
The bastards were somewhat better off—some could gain the recognition and aid of their families to become knights—but only a very few could rise to the status of lord. In fact, some were seen as a disgrace to their families and were entirely disregarded.
Gavin's situation was relatively better. Although he had encountered the cold and cruel Lord Houghton Cotstayne, he had also met the kind and considerate Ser Edmund.
The latter genuinely cared about his future and had arranged a path for him to join the knightly class. However, the time span for this would take many years. If he didn't have the panel, perhaps Gavin would really follow the path arranged by Ser Edmund for him.
The next morning, the warm sunlight gently filtered through the gaps in the window, playfully brushing Gavin's face and gradually rousing him from his slumber. He sleepily rubbed his drowsy eyes, got up, washed quickly, and hurried back to the Citadel, as he had another patient to treat today.
Qyburn, who had just finished his work, took off his mask and called Gavin: "Gavin, when you are done, come to my study."
Gavin gave a slight bow and respectfully replied, "Of course, Master Qyburn." However, in his mind, he muttered, "This old fox must be trying to test me again. It's endless." Despite this thought, Gavin's face showed no sign of dissatisfaction, and he maintained his respectful demeanor.
After a while, Gavin arrived outside Qyburn's study. He took a deep breath, steadied his emotions, and then lifted his hand to gently knock on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock," the sound of knocking echoed through the quiet corridor.
"Come in," came the voice of Qyburn from inside the room.
Gavin gently pushed open the door and stepped inside. He found Qyburn sitting at his desk, holding a few books in his hands. While he wore a cheerful smile, there was a subtle depth in his eyes that wasn't immediately noticeable.
Looking at Gavin, Qyburn said in a gentle tone, "Gavin, I want you to focus more on theoretical knowledge. These books aren't typically meant for assistants, but I believe with your abilities, you're not far from forging chain links. I can also see your passion and dedication to medical research. These books contain in-depth knowledge about the human body. You're welcome to take them and read through them."
As he spoke, Qyburn handed the books to Gavin, then waved his hand and said, "Take them book back and study it, but don't let anyone know. Be sure to return them once you're done." Qyburn's face retained its seemingly kind smile, but his eyes were fixed on Gavin, as though trying to catch something in his reaction.
Gavin hurriedly accepted the books with both hands, nodding solemnly. "Thank you, Maester. I will not betray your trust and will keep this secret."
Qyburn nodded slightly, then returned to his seat and began to organize the other items on his desk, no longer paying attention to him.
Gavin tightly clutched the books in his hands, once again bowing respectfully to Qyburn before cautiously turning and leaving the study, gently closing the door behind him.
Back in his dormitory, Gavin, like a hungry beast that had not eaten in a long time, eagerly immersed himself in the study of these books. He spread them out on his desk and flipped through the pages with intense focus and concentration.
After a cursory glance at the books, he discovered that two of them were about the mysterious and elusive blood sorcerers and their exploration of the human body, as well as detailed descriptions of various terrifying and malevolent dark magic rituals.
Moreover, he found numerous annotations and questions added later in the book. The handwriting was neat, and the insights were remarkably sharp. Gavin couldn't help but suspect that these notes were written by Coben, with the questions deliberately left for him to ponder.
Over the next three days, Gavin nearly shut himself off entirely, immersing himself in the small, secluded world of his research.
He lost track of time, ignoring the noise of the outside world, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the obscure yet irresistibly fascinating knowledge within the books.
Each day, he sustained himself with only simple rations and fresh water, sleeping briefly only when sheer exhaustion overtook him.
Finally, as night fell on the third day, Gavin's bloodshot eyes, weary from the relentless study, revealed a glimmer of relief and excitement. After this intense period of focus, he had managed to reach some preliminary conclusions.
The books contained detailed accounts of various blood sorcery techniques used by blood mages—rituals for cursing others, repairing their own physical bodies, and even temporarily enhancing their physical strength to extraordinary levels. Additionally, they offered scattered pieces of knowledge about the blood mages themselves.
However, all of these techniques shared a fundamental requirement: they depended on the unique bloodline of a blood mage to function, much like Gavin's own bloodline, a fusion of the fiery heritage of a pyromancer and the dragonborn lineage.
From biographies of the Belleris family history that he had once read, Gavin recalled that among the forty Dragonlords families, there was another high-ranking family that controlled blood sorcery. Their bloodline, passed down through generations, preserved the distinctive abilities of the blood mages.
This inherited power bore some similarities to the pyromancy inherited by the Belleris family, as both relied on the preservation of their bloodline. However, the powers of the blood mages were far more insidious, sinister, and unpredictable.
Carefully reflecting on the historical accounts in the Belleris family biographies, Gavin realized that among the forty Dragonlord families, the higher-ranking ones possessed powers far beyond mere dragon mastery.
These elite families had maintained control over extraordinary abilities for generations, using them to dominate and firmly suppress most of the other Dragonlord families, securing their place at the top.
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