Iron Islands.
Daeron supervised the Ironborn in felling trees to serve as materials for rebuilding the Iron Fleet.
"Prince, a letter from Maester Aemon."
Brynden delivered the letter.
Daeron looked through it and saw Hoster Tully in a new light.
"The old man has guts, daring to join the rebels."
And he even managed a sneak attack on The great Lannister army.
Could it be that the trout, the weakest of the Great Lords, truly counters the lions of the West?
Daeron's lips curled; he could imagine how priceless his teacher Tywin's expression must be.
As expected, Tywin's military capabilities are quite mediocre.
"Prince, shall we return?"
Brynden also noticed the contents of the letter. A flash of frustration at his brother's incompetence crossed his grey eyes, and he took the initiative to suggest suppressing the rebellion.
Daeron nodded. "I will depart from Seaguard and make a trip back to King's Landing. You all follow Lord Paxton back to The Reach first, then head north with light cavalry."
During this time, he had been returning to King's Landing once every half month.
Dragon Language Farm didn't have an gnome hut, so it couldn't automatically harvest crops.
He had to go back to harvest the crops manually and buy seeds to replant.
Additionally, with the War of the Usurper at 30% progress, King's Landing was likely in a state of chaos.
He had to go back and check on things to prevent the situation from boiling over from within.
"Very well, I will go inform the lords."
Brynden was impatient, eager to go home and deal with his pedantic older brother.
Daeron understood him.
After all, who doesn't have a brother who deserves a good thrashing?
"Screech—!"
Caraxes flew overhead, his sharp dragon maw clutching a large piece of jelly-like flesh and skin, chewing it with great relish.
It was a sea monster.
Daeron stood on high ground, looking down at the rocky beach.
Two young dragons, one blue and one black, were tearing at a sea monster, occasionally breathing Dragonfire to cook it, and sometimes biting each other in a scramble for the meat.
This sea monster was—huge!
It had been discovered in a hidden sea cave, lurking in a dark water channel; its body alone was twenty meters long.
Its six thick, long tentacles, lined with suckers, were fifty meters long.
Caraxes had fought it in the sea cave for quite a while, finally succeeding in the hunt after burning through the monster's flexible skin with Dragonfire and crushing its six tentacles.
Daeron had gone to inspect it.
Although the sea monster wasn't a special fish from Stardew Valley, it was considered a special creature native to Westeros, possessing extremely high Life Force.
The three dragons ate their fill, but even after several days, they hadn't finished it.
"In the future, we can explore the special creatures on the various continents; a dragon's growth is inseparable from sufficient Life Force."
Daeron had many ideas.
As the three dragons grew larger, their meals became an occasional special fish combined with ordinary livestock.
This wasn't bad at all.
He couldn't go killing the cows and sheep on the farm; those were special animals he had carefully tended to and petted every day.
Now that they had experience hunting sea monsters, he could certainly train the three dragons to hunt for themselves.
Like the three brothers led by Drogon in the original story.
The black dragon Drogon broke free from Daenerys's control and survived by hunting on his own; his growth rate was much faster than that of the green dragon Rhaegal and the silver dragon Viserion.
Meanwhile, Baelish arrived at The Eyrie and had already met with Lord Arryn.
Lord Arryn was busy with official duties and ordered his nephew Albert to host him.
Maiden's Tower.
Albert settled Baelish there, saying, "When Lysa arrives, she will stay here as well."
"Thank you, Ser Albert."
Baelish was all smiles.
Given the alliance between the Tully family and House Arryn, the two had a pleasant conversation.
Baelish expressed regret for failing to bring Lysa Tully to The Eyrie to wed Albert as soon as possible.
The reason given was the long distance and the watching Royalists armies; he couldn't risk the safety of a noblewoman.
"I completely understand, Baelish."
Albert seemed uninterested and showed no signs of dissatisfaction.
He was over forty and had married a wife in his younger years.
But his wife had died in childbirth along with the child, leaving him a bachelor once more.
Baelish expressed his sympathies and comforted him, "Lysa is a good girl; we grew up together. I swear on my life that she will bear you a healthy heir."
Albert merely smiled.
Baelish stopped there and began talking about the situation in the Riverlands, showing concern for the rebel army.
In truth, he was lying and hiding many things.
Lysa couldn't come to The Eyrie not entirely because she didn't want to take risks.
It was because she was pregnant.
About half a year ago, the "Wild Wolf" Brandon went to Riverrun to officially wed Catelyn.
As everyone knew, "Littlefinger" Baelish was infatuated with Catelyn.
Therefore, Baelish drew his sword and challenged Brandon to a duel, hoping to win back the girl he loved.
The ideal was beautiful, but the reality was cruel.
Facing the weak Baelish, Brandon sliced open his chest with a single stroke, nearly killing him.
If not for Catelyn's plea, Baelish would have died on the spot.
Watching the girl he loved about to marry someone else, failing his challenge, and needing her to beg for his life...
Baelish—turned to the dark side.
At a banquet one evening, the still-recovering Baelish got drunk, and Catelyn ordered him to be helped back to his room.
Lysa, who had long coveted Baelish's body, slipped into the room.
Taking advantage of Baelish's intoxication, the two were like dry wood and fire, entering into a physical relationship.
When Lord Hoster ordered Baelish to escort Lysa to The Eyrie, Lysa took the initiative to drop a bombshell, revealing she was pregnant.
Lord Hoster nearly died of anger.
He thought Rhaegar and Lyanna were already quite something, but he hadn't expected his foster son and second daughter to be even more extraordinary.
But Lord Hoster did not abandon the idea of an alliance through marriage.
He ordered the maester to prepare moon tea (an abortifacient) and forcibly aborted Lysa's child.
Lysa nearly died.
Because of this, she could not come to The Eyrie, nor was she able to.
According to Lord Hoster's original plan, he wanted to secretly send his foster son Baelish back to The Fingers and sever all ties.
But Baelish, relying on his grasp of human nature, secured the opportunity to go to The Eyrie.
In his words:
As long as the Tully family kept it quiet, no one would know about him and Lysa.
During a time of war, the stability of The Alliance of the Four Regions should not be affected by the private affairs of a few women.
He proposed going to The Eyrie as an envoy to appease Lord Arryn and serve House Arryn.
Once Lysa's body recovered and she could marry Albert, he would leave on his own.
But until then, he asked for a chance to make amends.
Thus, Baelish appeared at The Eyrie.
"Alright, familiarize yourself with the surroundings. If you need anything, send someone for me."
Albert was a man of few words, having changed greatly compared to half a year ago.
Baelish's eyes flickered. As he watched the other walk to the corner of the stairs, he suddenly said, "I heard that Ser Denys has been appointed as the deputy commander of the Vale's allied forces and is about to head to the Riverlands?"
"What are you asking!?"
Albert reacted as if his tail had been stepped on, his voice suddenly rising.
Since returning from King's Landing, the name Denys was the last thing he wanted to hear.
The corners of Baelish's mouth curled slightly, then quickly vanished as he asked in a confused tone, "You are Lord Arryn's heir; why aren't you going to the front lines, and instead giving the opportunity to Ser Denys?"
"You think I don't want to?"
Albert walked back, his emotions slightly agitated. "It's because I was injured. My uncle ordered me to stay and guard The Eyrie to ensure nothing goes wrong."
Baelish smiled. "Two heirs—one kept close, one sent to the front. A very prudent approach."
"But have you ever heard the story of the farmer and his two sons?"
Bang!
Before he could finish, Albert grabbed him by the throat and slammed him hard against the wall.
"Le-let go of me—"
Baelish's face changed drastically. He was being choked and couldn't catch his breath, his toes gradually lifting off the floor.
Albert said coldly, "Littlefinger, who gave you the nerve to come here and provoke me?"
Did he think he couldn't see that the other was deliberately sowing discord?
There were no such fools in House Arryn.
Baelish was completely terrified, struggling while pleading for mercy, "Please, let go—"
All conspirators fear physical confrontation the most.
Albert waited for a while until the other's eyes began to roll back before releasing his grip, letting him fall to the ground, gasping for air as if he had just escaped death.
"I... I only wanted to help you!"
Baelish flared up in anger born of fear, trying to prove his innocence.
Albert remained expressionless.
Baelish clutched his neck and said indignantly, "You are Lord Arryn's nephew, while I come from the poorest part of The Fingers, and only with great difficulty became Lord Hoster's foster son."
"I have to find my own way in life after reaching adulthood, while you, as Lord Arryn's heir, have a rival who cannot be ignored."
"In a way, our situations are the same."
He used his humble origins to evoke empathy.
Albert put away his cold gaze and reached out to pull him up.
"Cough, cough, cough—"
Baelish coughed for a while. A clear, large mark from five fingers appeared on his neck, and his throat was red, swollen, and hoarse.
"Sorry, I was impulsive."
Albert apologized.
Baelish waved his hand and said hurriedly, "You are Lysa's fiancé and share a similar fate with me. I will do my best to help you become the next Lord of The Eyrie."
"You can't even help yourself; how can you help me?"
Albert didn't hide his contempt.
Baelish pointed to his head and uttered his famous line: "Knowledge! Knowledge is power."
He began to offer counsel.
Lord Arryn kept Albert at The Eyrie and sent Denys to the front, clearly valuing his own nephew more and not wanting him to take risks.
But the downside was that once the war was won and Denys returned in triumph, he would gain the recognition of many lords of the Vale.
Albert's position would be in jeopardy.
Baelish proposed, "Since you are in the rear anyway, why not apply to Lord Arryn to be stationed at Gulltown, responsible for the rebel army's logistics and grain."
In any era, the officer in charge of grain supplies held a position of great responsibility.
Albert was somewhat tempted but quickly shook his head. "No, I must stay at The Eyrie to take care of my uncle; I can't get away."
.
"You can send someone."
Baelish said as if it were only natural, "You are the heir to The Eyrie; you should have some trusted subordinates under you."
Albert looked embarrassed.
The noble youths he was close to had either gone to the front or stayed at home.
He had a group of followers, but none were capable of much.
Baelish coughed twice, straightened his back, and recommended himself, "If you have no one available, how about me?"
"
"You?"
Albert was full of doubt.
Baelish said proudly, "For several years, I was in charge of the ledgers at Riverrun. If you send me to Gulltown, you'll never have to worry about grain supplies again."
Gulltown was great!
As the largest port in the Vale, it possessed unparalleled trade capabilities.
Once he reached Gulltown, he could skim off a lot of profit.
Albert thought it over and decided to give him a chance.
But not to be in charge of transporting grain; instead, he appointed Baelish as the customs officer of Gulltown.
Just as he said, he was very good with ledgers.
Albert then took his leave.
"Another brute."
Once the other was far away, Baelish flicked his sleeve, his expression turning cold.
But brutes have their advantages—namely, they aren't very bright.
He had already won the other's trust and was about to become the customs officer of Gulltown.
This way, even if Lord Hoster drove him away, he would still have a bright future.
And in Gulltown, if the tide of the war were to change...
Then—there would be much to be gained.