Evening, 18:00.
Mine Level 100.
Creak!
Daeron, disheveled and slightly panting, opened the level 100 completion chest.
A purple, five-pointed star fruit floated in mid-air. As if sensing something, it flew toward his mouth without hesitation.
Daeron opened his mouth, chewed, and swallowed it.
Hum—
A surge of mysterious energy flooded his entire body. Daeron's spirit was lifted, an endless variety of flavors lingered in his mind, and even his soul trembled.
[You discovered a stardrop! It's strange, but the taste reminds you of CN.]
Your maximum energy level has increased.
As the pleasurable sensation slowly faded, Daeron regained his senses and suddenly realized his Life Force had surged.
"The improvement is significant!"
Daeron tried to recall: the initial energy value of a farmer in Stardew Valley is 270 points. Every stardrop increases energy by 34 points, up to a maximum of 508 points.
In other words, his Life Force had increased by about one-seventh.
"Sweet!"
Daeron twirled his sword. A dark glint flashed across the obsidian blade, and the sword's body seemed to be breathing slightly.
A brand new and very special way of utilizing Life Force.
Daeron was taken aback. He tried to coat the blade with Life Force again, but found it no longer worked.
"That was just a flash of inspiration, not an automatically mastered ability."
He closed his eyes and sensed carefully.
The obsidian blade was completely different from the neptune greatsword. One was the essence of fire, the other an oceanic heirloom. The former breathed fiercely and was stabilized by crystals, while the latter was heavy and powerful, possessing the rigidity of iron.
Before this, Daeron had never had such an insight.
The stardrop is the key to unlocking Life Force!
Realizing this, Daeron looked at the obsidian blade and thought, "Special weapons have a sense of breathing that resonates with oneself."
"What about ordinary weapons and other items?"
"For example, special crops, gems, and materials—do they have similar abilities?"
Life Force is a treasure sealed within a mountain of jewels, and so far, no one has been able to break through.
Daeron: "There are powerful figures in the Wizard and Adventurer's Guild in Stardew Valley; there must be ways to use supernatural powers."
The next day.
While Daeron was still studying the development of Life Force and special weapons, he was hurriedly called to the Dragonpit by his father, Aerys.
High, thick walls stood firm as a fortress, and the domed building was constructed in a circular shape.
"Screech!"
Toothless's green vertical pupils lit up. Flapping his wide wings, he flew to Daeron's side.
Daeron:!!
A second before being pounced on by Toothless, he quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the impact.
"You lost."
Daeron pressed down on the young dragon's head and rubbed it vigorously.
Annoyance flashed in Toothless's vertical pupils. The dragon's head slammed into Daeron's abdomen, forcing him to the ground with immense power.
Daeron felt as if he had been punched in the stomach, and then he was pinned down by Toothless.
"Screech!"
Toothless opened his mouth and roared, acting very arrogant.
"Hahaha, well done!"
Just then, Aerys stepped out from behind, laughing and clapping, cheering for the coal-black young dragon.
Daeron: ————
Sometimes, he really understood Rhaegar.
Caraxes appeared and roared at Toothless, startling him into flying away.
Daeron rubbed his arm, lamenting that while his Life Force was robust, it didn't reduce the pain.
Father and son found a corner with a brazier and sat down facing each other.
Aerys looked him up and down, suspicion in his eyes. He suddenly asked, "Boy, do you want to replace Rhaegar as my heir?"
Daeron's expression darkened, thinking to himself, *Here we go again.*
The next moment, Aerys said, "Help me tame that black dragon, and I will revoke Rhaegar's status as heir and name you Prince of Dragonstone."
"I support my elder brother."
Daeron didn't know how many times he had said this.
"Who wouldn't want to be king?"
"I have a dragon."
Daeron said calmly.
He knew what his father wanted to do.
He was convinced that the Tourney at Harrenhal was a plot by Rhaegar to seize power, and in fact, it was.
Daeron heard that his father had already discussed stopping the Tourney at Harrenhal.
Some ministers supported it, others opposed it.
He wanted to hear Daeron's advice, and even more, he wanted to bribe him into helping him tame the dragon.
But he never thought about truly supporting him.
He only wanted to set him up as a target to block Rhaegar's fierce offensive.
Aerys was extremely dissatisfied and shouted, "At the Tourney at Harrenhal, Rhaegar will definitely take action to seize my throne, yet you remain indifferent."
This unfilial son!
It's all that bastard Rhaegar's fault for making this boy start to defy him too.
Daeron asked knowingly, "Aren't you planning to stop this tourney?"
"No!"
Aerys spoke with righteous indignation, stating his reason: "I am the King! I have a dragon. I want the nobles and commoners of the Seven Kingdoms to see my majesty and cheer the name of Aerys II."
Daeron took a serious look at his father.
The man's body had recovered well. Aside from his still-delusional spirit, his appearance truly held some of the dignity of a monarch.
"I support it."
Daeron used a wooden stick to poke at the charcoal in the brazier.
Someone had persuaded his father to attend the Tourney at Harrenhal; that person was Count Owen.
It was his instruction.
The Tourney at Harrenhal was a turning point in history.
The nobles of the Seven Kingdoms witnessed the King's madness and reached a consensus to find a better king.
Rhaegar met Lyanna, leading to the False Spring.
So many events originated from this tourney.
It's better to guide it than to block it.
There were many things within it that Daeron could not stop.
Given the personalities of his father and Rhaegar, trouble would have come sooner or later.
He only needed to appear at the critical moments—such as when Rhaegar and Lyanna met, the Starks went south, or Robert's Rebellion—
By appearing at these key nodes, he could change history.
As for the throne?
If Rhaegar made a grave mistake, his line of succession would naturally be shaken.
Daeron wouldn't be modest about it.
After a long time.
Aerys was annoyed that he hadn't tricked his second son and left indignantly.
Daeron walked out of the Dragonpit.
Ser Jon came forward and reported in a low voice, "Lady Cersei is here, and she brought Jaime Lannister with her."
Daeron rubbed his temples and went out to face them.
"Prince!"
Fifteen-year-old Cersei was becoming increasingly feminine and charming. Her slender figure exuded the fragrance of hormones, and she always kept a confident curve at the corners of her mouth.
She was stopped by the Dragon Guards, waving from dozens of meters away.
Daeron nodded slightly.
When he approached, the Dragon Guards no longer blocked her.
"Prince, I've brought you some Westerlands dishes I cooked myself. You must try them."
Cersei held a food box and made her request in a playful tone.
She was forceful by nature.
Daeron declined casually: "No, I only eat dishes made from special crops."
Cersei was prepared. Her smile faded as she opened the food box. "I knew you'd say that. This was cooked from special food I had someone buy from the Essos."
What a joke! It wasn't a Westerlands dish at all.
Daeron glanced at it; inside the box was a pumpkin pie.
Looking at the color and quality, it seemed to be a silver-star quality pumpkin that he had sold across the Narrow Sea to subsidize the construction of the Prince's Domain.
"Eat it, dear Prince."
Cersei held the food box with both hands, waiting to see what other excuse he could find to refuse.
Refusing again would be impolite.
Daeron picked up a small fork and put a piece of pumpkin pie into his mouth.
The texture was soft and glutinous, and the taste was on the sweet side, which suited his palate.
From this piece of pie, two points popped into his mind.
"Cersei didn't make this; it's another task she delegated to someone else."
"The kitchen maids in the Red Keep need to be replaced; they've exposed my tastes."
Daeron smiled and said, "Not bad, it's delicious."
Cersei's expression instantly brightened, her lips curling up: "As long as you like it, Prince."
Seeing this, Jaime, who had followed, was dumbfounded, his molars nearly grinding to dust.
That was the pumpkin he had bought from Pentos, and the pie he had asked a chef to cook.
Cersei didn't say she was giving it to him; she gave it to someone else instead.
And she forced it on him!!
"Won't you invite me in to take a look?"
Seeing that the Prince had finally accepted "her pie," Cersei stood on her tiptoes to peek at the Dragonpit gates.
Since the Dragonpit was established, the feeding of the young dragons had been kept strictly confidential.
Even if her father wanted to enter the Dragonpit, he would be heartlessly stopped by the Dragon Guards.
Daeron declined politely: "No, the young dragons are very wild and will attack any stranger."
She knew it would be like this.
Cersei was already used to it and even somewhat enjoyed the pleasure of being rejected repeatedly and then trying to conquer him.
Men who were submissive to her were boring instead.
She took the initiative to find a topic: "My brother, Jaime Lannister, has just returned from Pentos across the Narrow Sea. He's seen a lot of exotic scenery."
Jaime: "Huh?"
"Wait a moment."
Cersei smiled, then turned with a silent threat, though her voice remained gentle: "Tell the Prince and me about your experiences in the Essos. We're all very curious."
A man can be killed, but not humiliated.
Jaime's chest heaved violently. He grabbed Cersei's shoulders and turned her back, his voice squeezed through his teeth: "That's right, I know the scenery of the Essos very well!"
If he looked at Cersei's beautiful face with its differential treatment again, he wouldn't be able to control himself from drawing his sword.
He shouldn't have come back; he should have gone with Uncle Gerion.
Midday, 12:30.
Daeron saw off the Lannister siblings.
Cersei was happy and cheerful, holding a bouquet of gold-star quality Daffodils. She walked as if dancing, revealing her fair ankles under her exquisite long dress.
She bet she would be the first to taste the young Prince.
Faster than Princess Shaena, faster than that Princess of Dorne, and even faster than the Dayne girl beside the Princess of Dorne.
She viewed all the women Daeron had contact with as rivals.
But they had no chance of marrying the Prince; she would get there first.
Because she was Cersei Lannister, from the wealthiest family in the Seven Kingdoms, with a father who was the Hand of the King, second only to one and above all others.
The Prince accepted her pie and gave her a gift in return.
According to the unspoken rules among nobles, the next step should be sharing a bed.
"Grind—"
Jaime followed behind, witnessing Cersei's lovesick appearance, and kept grinding his teeth in endurance.
He didn't even have the standing to stop her.
.
Not a few days of peace had passed before another major event occurred.
The long-bedridden Kingsguard, "the Old" Ser Harlan Grandison, passed away.
At the Small Council.
Tywin's expression was somber as he said: "Ser Harlan was one of the longest-serving members of the Kingsguard, but he had been ill for a long time. I hope he passed away peacefully."
Acting Maester Harvey stood to the side and said softly: "Yes, my lord."
"We found that he passed away peacefully in his sleep. The Silent Sisters are currently tending to his remains."
The ministers all expressed their lamentations.
Aerys surprisingly attended the Small Council meeting. With his head drooping, he murmured: "Old Harlan is gone—"
Everyone thought the King was grieving the passing of another old friend.
As it turned out, Aerys's mood instantly improved, and he said casually: "Since he's dead, we should decide on a candidate as soon as possible to fill the vacancy left by Ser Harlan."