NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 146: Dragon’s Blood
"Water magic?" Arianne asked, intrigued.
“Yes, water magic,” Viserys confirmed. “The Rhoynar people mastered some of the most advanced forms of magic, and water magic was one of their specialties. Since over 60% of our bodies are composed of water, I believe there might be a way to heal such injuries using water magic.”
Viserys was improvising, but in this room, he was the authority on magic, and no one dared question his words.
“Didn’t Nymelia leave behind many Rhoynar-era items and books? Maybe...” Arianne began, her excitement evident. It was clear she was eager to bring those relics and texts to Viserys, whether out of concern for Doran or growing affection for Viserys himself.
Doran and the Red Viper initially exchanged skeptical glances. After all, the artifacts left by Nymelia were thought to be readable only by her descendants. But they soon realized that it would be a waste to keep those items locked away, and they agreed to let Viserys examine them, hoping he might find a cure for Doran’s affliction.
“Nymelia did leave behind some books on magic, but most of the spells in them have become unusable,” the Red Viper said. “About a hundred years ago, all the spells stopped working.”
“Prince, I won’t take advantage of you. I’ll share a secret with you,” Viserys offered.
Hearing the promise of a secret, everyone leaned in closer, their curiosity piqued.
“The era of magic is expected to return soon, and many people will have the opportunity to learn it. If you give me the magical manuscripts and books left by Nymelia, I will teach House Martell the magic I learn from them.”
In the past, if someone had spoken of magic, the Red Viper would have likely thrown them out. But after witnessing Viserys’ abilities firsthand, they had no choice but to believe him. Both the Red Viper and Doran were growing increasingly fond of Viserys' straightforward nature—he was direct and didn’t speak in riddles.
The little black girl’s eyes lit up at the mention of learning magic. She looked eagerly at Doran and the Red Viper, and the two of them immediately agreed.
“No problem. As soon as you’re well, we’ll take you to see what Nymelia left behind,” Doran said without hesitation.
'Fire magic, blood magic, water magic... Now all that’s left is the magic of the Shadowbinders, the Greenseers, and perhaps even the ice magic of the White Walkers...' Viserys mused, glancing at his own abilities.
If it weren’t for the system, he would never have been able to learn so much so quickly. He still had over 120 attribute points saved up, and if he wanted to fully restore his body, it would only take a few clicks. But for the sake of “value for money,” he decided to maintain the current situation.
“Oh, by the way, I was wondering if there are any Dragonbone products in Sunspear?” Viserys asked, suddenly remembering that when Dorne made peace with the Iron Throne, they had returned Renly’s corpse and the skull of the dragon Meraxes.
The rest of the dragon must still be there somewhere. Perhaps he could gain some attribute points by touching these Dragonbone relics. That was the skeleton of a fully grown dragon—earning a hundred or so attribute points wouldn’t be out of the question.
Doran and the Red Viper didn’t seem alarmed or surprised by his question. After all, both the Targaryens and House Martell had seen enough bloodshed between them to make such matters feel inconsequential after all these years.
“Is it used to cast magic?” Red Viper asked, intrigued.
Viserys nodded. “Yes.”
“Yes, we have some Dragonbone weapons stored in Sunspear—spears, bows, daggers, and so on. Oh, and there’s also dragon blood.”
“Dragon blood?” Viserys was astonished. Meraxes had been dead for nearly three hundred years—how could any dragon blood still exist?
“That was thanks to a special container crafted by Nymelia,” the Red Viper explained. “We’ve managed to preserve some over the centuries, though most of it has been used up.”
“Used?” Viserys repeated, curious.
The Red Viper looked slightly embarrassed. “Yes, some of the magic left by Nymelia required dragon blood. We’ve been smearing it on newborns, believing it can increase their courage.”
“Alright. Be sure to save some for me when the time comes,” Viserys joked, lightening the mood in the room.
“Oh, by the way, I have something else to tell you—about Varys,” Viserys added, shifting the conversation.
“Varys? What did he tell you?” Doran asked, his interest piqued.
“Tell me what?” Viserys responded, noticing the puzzled looks on everyone’s faces. He continued, “What if I told you that my brother Rhaegar’s son, Aegon—Elia’s son—is still alive?”
“What? Elia’s children are still alive?” Doran exclaimed, his shock mirrored by the others in the room.
“Really? Is this true?” The Red Viper’s voice was filled with disbelief.
Viserys was touched by their reaction. It was clear they held deep affection for Elia. Arianne, too, was stunned by the news. She remembered how her aunt and cousin had met their tragic end, and the thought of it had kept her awake for nights.
“I suspect it’s a lie,” Viserys cautioned. “Most likely, it is a deception. Don’t get too excited just yet, Princes.”
He then explained everything he knew about Varys—his possible descent from the Blackfyre line and the plans he had with Illyrio and Connington. “Varys is probably trying to deceive you so the Blackfyre bloodline can rise to power. But whether that’s true or not, we’ll have to wait and see what the child says.”
“Where is the child now?” Doran asked, struggling to contain his excitement. Like the Red Viper, he was eagerly anticipating the day he could finally avenge Elia by taking the Mountain’s head.
“The child is currently in Pentos,” Viserys said. “So at our next stop, not only will I forge an alliance with Pentos, but I’ll also investigate the child’s background.”
“I’ll go with you!” the Red Viper immediately volunteered.
“That’s fine. If he turns out to be legitimate, you can help protect him as well,” Viserys replied with a hint of humor.
“I didn’t mean it that way,” the Red Viper said, taken aback by Viserys’ frankness. Despite being familiar with Viserys' straightforward nature, he hadn’t expected him to be so candid about such a sensitive issue as succession. If the child truly were Rhaegar’s son, his claim to the throne would technically surpass Viserys’. However, House Martell now understood that even if the child were indeed Elia and Rhaegar’s orphaned son, he wouldn’t be able to challenge Viserys for the throne. Viserys was a man of magic, exceptional martial skills, courage, and strategic acumen—the only one they were willing to back.
In other words, House Martell was only interested in seeing their daughter crowned as Queen. The identity of the King was secondary.
“That’s fine, but after we’ve secured the alliance, perhaps you could stay in King’s Landing for a while to deal with Varys,” Viserys suggested.
“No, I think we should wait until we’ve taken Tyrosh,” the Red Viper responded.
“We’ll see,” Viserys said. “By the way, I'll make sure my men are informed about my situation.”
Viserys had been worried that Lys and the others would grow anxious if they couldn’t contact him. But it turned out he had been worrying for nothing. According to the Red Viper, he had found Regis in a casino.
“You didn’t take them to a brothel. Should I praise you for being considerate?” Viserys quipped. “I did forbid gambling among the troops, didn't I?”
Regis replied awkwardly, “My lord, they were all... well, they were all very happy. It wasn’t...”
