"How do you know?" Mollora, who had been slightly tipsy, sobered up instantly upon hearing that Rhaegor's Lady Daniela was pregnant again. The actual power in the Varezes family had shifted from Dragonzel to Rhaegor over the past five years. While Dragonzel still presided over critical matters, other territorial work was gradually transferred to Rhaegor.
It proved that Rhaegor did quite well in handling daily affairs, adjudicating cases, and resolving disputes. In the Borderland Principality, Rhaegor's rule was widely praised, especially among commoners, where Rhaegor almost became synonymous with "justice." Lords also acknowledged Rhaegor's management due to his clear rewards and punishments—mainly his generosity with rewards—and Dragonzel's prestige, which together earned the approval of both new and old nobles.
This was the most significant concern for those who remained in the Borderland Principality: whether the seemingly divine Dragonzel, who was gradually stepping away from his obsidian throne, would see his once airtight rule develop cracks when passed to Rhaegor.
Mollora didn't know, but that didn't stop him from constantly seeking intelligence from Dragon Nest City.
The more, the better.
It would be best if the one in Dragon Nest City no longer paid attention to their small island; only then would they have a slight chance.
It's not that the East Continent has no dragon eggs, but rather no hatchable ones. In the auction houses of Pentos, in the depths of the Iron Bank, in the unknown dark recesses within the Black Wall, and in places beyond mortal comprehension in the Shadow Lands, petrified dragon eggs still lie buried. But the youngest among them were the three dragon eggs once brought to Braavos, and even they have become lifeless fossils.
The Sea King and the still powerful key-holders of the Iron Bank have countless times secretly attempted to hatch them. They have tried an unknown number of mysterious religious rituals, and even secretly conducted blood sacrifices, which are strictly forbidden by Braavos.
They paid the price of three key-holders and one Sea King, as well as twelve key-holders forced into hiding, but the three dragon eggs remained utterly still.
Ultimately, through the mediation of Jaehaerys I's Hand Barth, Braavos and Westeros signed a secret agreement, and the three dragon eggs fell into eternal slumber, becoming three lifeless yet dazzling stones.
However, with dragon blood, and following the successful cases of Dragonzel's brothers, they were filled with hope.
This is also why they constantly dreamed of borrowing from Meral.
"The news of Lady Daniela's pregnancy quickly spread throughout Summerhall," Aeryal said with a sigh. "You should understand the extent to which Lady Daniela and Lady Diana are beloved by the people of Summerhall, right?"
"Yes."
"But this time it seems a bit strange," Aeryal said, stroking his beard with some confusion. "The people of the Borderland Principality regard the Varezes family as deities, and Lady Diana is praised as the incarnation of the Holy Mother. Under normal circumstances, their female relatives would specifically appear before people when pregnant."
"Yes, I still remember the grand scene when I personally saw Lady Diana inspecting the Summer Market while pregnant back then." Mollora recalled the time he infiltrated Dragon Nest City. At that time, Diana truly resembled the Holy Mother in Westeros's Faith of the Seven. It was as if one had seen a god.
Even those who scorned deities like them could not resist that collective frenzy.
Neither of them could figure out the reason.
"Never mind, anyway, if Lady Daniela truly gives birth to an heir for the Arbitrator, we will certainly receive news." Aeryal took back the wine and the glass. "Alright, Mollora, you've had enough to drink today; you can't drink anymore. If you don't want to end up like Meral, full of ailments at a young age, then alcohol should be consumed in moderation."
"Damn it, stop lecturing me," Mollora cursed with a smile, looking bitterly at the brick-and-stone ceiling. "I should have stayed in Oldtown. There's more than one dragon-blooded descendant there, but unfortunately, their mothers aren't our people."
"Sooner or later, there will be problems," Aeryal said calmly. "Sooner or later."
At this moment, Dragon Nest City.
Underground, Ray's laboratory.
"Ah!"
A piercing scream silenced the entire cellar for a moment, but the people with teardrop tattoos on their faces, coming and going in the cellar, merely paused before resuming their work as if nothing had happened.
Ray, who was over fifty but still appeared quite young, calmly watched the silver-haired young man, gagged and unconscious, on the torture rack. He had already extracted the young man's name, origin, and intentions.
Balel Beilelisi, heir to the Beilelisi family, and a companion of Mollora Wuneibaer. He was responsible for transporting supplies to Gray Terror Island and relaying outside news.
The Beilelisi family suffered the heaviest losses in the purges within the Black Wall; they were also the family that contributed the most. The ancestors of this family were not actually the world-renowned Beilelisi family, but their subordinate family, a small family that had never ridden a dragon. They relied on a thin trace of dragon blood from their maternal line to dominate in Volantis until the Doom.
The Beilelisi family disappeared from the stage of history, and this small family replaced the former main branch.
Because their lineage was questionable, they pursued dragon blood with even greater fervor.
Unfortunately, even Mollora and Aeryal had been discovered by Hagen's venomous snakes, so how could he remain unscathed?
So he ended up here.
Extracting information through torture was no challenge for Ray.
However, for Ray, simply extracting information from a dragon thief was not enough. As an important arm of Dragonzel, Ray thought more deeply. Although Dragonzel had no ambition to contend for the Iron Throne, both he himself and Ray were very clear about one thing.
The harmonious situation between the Varezes family and the Targaryen family, created by Dragonzel, would not last forever. In the future, there would be many variables.
Therefore, what Dragonzel was unwilling to do, or felt unnecessary to do, Ray believed he had to do.
Ray waved his hand, and the teardrop-tattooed man responsible for the execution nodded slightly, pulling a bloody torture instrument from Balel's chest, taking with it a small piece of flesh.
But it only caused Balel's exposed body to tremble slightly.
His bloodied body had already conveyed his pain to Ray.
He slowly walked to the young man, whom he had ordered tortured into unconsciousness, and smiled.
Hate us.
Hate the Varezes family.
One day, this hatred will grow into a towering tree.
Unfortunately, everything was within Ray's plans.
Ray narrowed his eyes.
"Father, is it really that serious?"
Rhaegor looked at his silent father and sleeping wife with some disbelief; her slightly swollen abdomen was now flat as before.
"If it hadn't been discovered in advance," Dragonzel said calmly, "Daniela might have died."
Rhaegor lowered his head. He didn't understand why Daenerys was born safely, but this child...
"Wait a little longer," Dragonzel comforted his struggling eldest son. "Soon, when the magma settles, Daniela will conceive again. At that time, she will bear a healthy child for the family."
"A true heir."
All reports from the author have been completed, and double updates will resume on Thursday.
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