NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 20: Illyrio
In the courtyard, Dany practiced swordsmanship under the guidance of a skilled water dancer swordsman. Meanwhile, Viserys conversed with Helbo about the workshop's current situation.
“Lady Falia and another lady named Gortave are both popular candidates for the beauty pageant at the Ten-Day Celebration,” Helbo began, sharing the latest gossip. “Fernan seems to be Gortave's supporter. Gortave once said she would build a new theater in Greenwater Town.”
“And the most suitable place in Greenwater Town…” Helbo continued, piecing together information he had gathered over the past few days.
“Morel's workshop is in a bad situation. Many skilled workers have left, and it seems they lost a lot of money when they bought whale oil,” he concluded.
Helbo then turned to Viserys, his expression filled with regret. “Viserys, it's all my fault. We've expanded too quickly.”
He kept apologizing, assuring Viserys that he would find a way to pay his share of the compensation. Viserys, however, sat in his chair, deep in thought.
“I heard there will be a tournament at the Ten-Day Celebration. I want to sign up,” Viserys suddenly announced.
Helbo’s heart sank. Was Viserys hit in the head? The prize for the tournament was generous, but the competition was fierce, attracting sword masters who had been honing their skills for decades. The tournaments were dangerous, with deaths occurring almost every time. Helbo tried to dissuade him.
“You haven't been in Braavos long enough to know, but every tournament brings out a new crop of sword masters, and almost every time someone dies in the arena…” Helbo warned.
“My goal is not to win the championship. I have other plans,” Viserys reassured him.
In fact, Viserys wasn't fooling Helbo. After spending more than three months in this world, he had sensed some subtle changes. According to the original plot, he and Dany would have run away to another city to avoid debt. But because of his transmigration, Viserys not only stayed in Braavos, but he was also thriving.
He sensed that the assassin newly sent by Robert was quite capable. According to the images in his dream, the assassin had been drifting at sea for at least ten days, showing his toughness.
Robert had been on the throne for more than ten years, spending all his time partying and drinking, and racking up a huge debt. Now, he had been in power for less than eight years, and the financial situation had not yet deteriorated to the point of being out of control. What if he found that Viserys was growing up too fast and decided to bite the bullet and pay the Faceless Men hundreds of thousands of gold dragons to assassinate him?
The headquarters of the Faceless Men, the House of Black and White, was in Braavos. Viserys hoped to raise his “value” as much as possible through the tournament, making the price Robert would have to pay for his assassination prohibitively high. The “remnants of the former dynasty” might be far away, but the gold coins in front of Robert were not.
Viserys believed this possibility was very high. After all, when the Mother of Dragons was pregnant in the original story, Robert hadn’t bothered to find the Faceless Men. Now, it was even less likely.
Viserys was confident that in three months, his constitution would improve significantly, allowing him to fully display his sword skills.
At the same time, the Water Dancer swordsman teaching Dany was also gaining knowledge and skill from their sessions. He would likely achieve a good ranking in the upcoming competition. Viserys had heard that the champion of the swordsmanship competition would be awarded a Valyrian steel sword, while the poetry competition champion would receive a dragon egg! These were generous prizes from Braavos, and though it was just a rumor, the value of the final prize was expected to be substantial.
If he could win a lot of money through the competition, Viserys planned to take Dany and leave Braavos. He would hide and bide his time, eventually changing his appearance and joining a mercenary group. With the money earned, he could buy more dragon eggs—three were not enough; he needed at least five. In a few years, Dany would hatch the dragons, and they would retrace the Mother of Dragons' path to glory. Of course, the part about marrying the Horselord would be omitted. Viserys was confident he could command a thousand-man mercenary group within a few years, all without selling his sister.
After hatching the dragons, he would go directly to Astapor in Slaver's Bay to recruit those who sought vengeance. These plans, however, he kept to himself. To Helbo, he only mentioned his intention to participate in the tournament. Helbo, having no reason to refuse, promised to take care of the registration.
Just as the two were about to part ways, Viserys's servant entered and reported, “M'lord, there is a man outside who claims to be Illyrio and says he wants to see you.”
Illyrio! Viserys's eyebrows raised, and his whole body tensed in high vigilance. This Illyrio was, in many ways, the most important person he had encountered since his arrival. Viserys guessed that Illyrio was far more than just a merchant—he had quite a reputation and considerable influence.
Viserys thought that if Illyrio could get in touch with the Horselords, he could probably connect with many Sellsword leaders as well. Although Viserys no longer planned to use Illyrio to sell his sister, maintaining contact with him was crucial if he wanted to pursue the Sellsword route in the future.
Helbo, perceptive as ever, noticed Viserys's reaction and realized he was not needed. He took the initiative to leave, exiting through a small door.
Viserys now felt a mix of nerves and anticipation. Illyrio was the second original character he had met (if he counted himself as the first, then Illyrio was the third). This man had a lot of influence and power.
He turned to the maid and said, “Jill, tell Dany that today's lesson is over. Take her to change and wait in the drawing room.”
“Yes, M'lord,” Jill replied.
Viserys took a deep breath, changed into a silver coat provided by the servant, and walked straight to the front door. Outside the gate, a corpulent man sat in a lavish carriage. His golden beard and hair, combined with a red robe, exuded an aura of wealth. Rings adorned every finger, each one colorful and ornate.
Despite his opulent appearance, young Illyrio was once an assassin. Through his cunning and resourcefulness, he became a wealthy merchant in Pentos. Dragon bones, dragon eggs, jewelry—these were all part of his extensive business. His luxurious carriage parked outside was a symbol of his wealth, attracting the attention of everyone on the street.
Illyrio had begun gathering information on Viserys as soon as he arrived in the city. The boy had reportedly killed more than ten people in one night. This was extraordinary. Illyrio had initially thought that Viserys would be a broken man after the “Feast of the Crown,” but instead, he seemed to have developed a new talent.
Soon, Illyrio saw Viserys approaching. Any doubts he might have had vanished when he saw the handsome young man. Viserys exuded an aura of confidence and strength, and Illyrio could sense his presence even from a distance.
The scent of blood was unmistakable.