Chapter 4:
The Kingsroad, beside the Trident River.
This was the only road leading to King's Landing. A massive, jaw-dropping procession snaked its way forward. The gold-and-crimson Lannister lion banners and the yellow-and-black Baratheon crowned stag flags fluttered loudly in the wind.
It was King Robert's royal progress.
However, at this moment, chaos had broken out at the rear of the royal column.
"Get out of the way! Move, all of you!"
A loud, arrogant shout shattered the afternoon calm.
Twelve-year-old Prince Joffrey, dressed in an expensive red velvet hunting outfit, rode a tall warhorse and brandished his longsword named "Lion's Tooth." His face was flushed red as he chased after a filthy young butcher's boy.
"I am the prince! I command you to stop! I'm going to teach you a lesson for that wild little bitch!"
Joffrey's eyes gleamed with cruel delight.
Not far away, two little girls were screaming.
One was Arya Stark, who looked like a tomboy. She was furiously trying to rush forward, but was blocked by her huge direwolf, Nymeria, standing protectively in front of her.
The other was Sansa Stark — a delicate porcelain doll with beautiful auburn hair. She was currently pale with fright, crying helplessly, "Joffrey, please… don't do this…"
"Shut up, Sansa!" Joffrey glared viciously at his betrothed. "I'm teaching these Northern savages what real rules are!"
With a twisted grin, Joffrey raised his sword, the blade pointed straight at the butcher's boy who had fallen into a muddy puddle and was trembling in fear.
"Die, you peasant scum!"
At the critical moment—
Boom—!
A deep, thunderous sound of horse hooves suddenly exploded from the other side of the road.
It wasn't chaotic hoofbeats — it was a uniform, drum-like rumble!
Joffrey was startled by the sudden vibration. His sword swung off course and struck a nearby tree trunk. Furious and embarrassed, he whipped his head around. "Who is it?! Which blind fool dares disturb this prince's fun!"
When he turned, not only Joffrey, but also the royal guards who had rushed over, Sandor "The Hound" Clegane, and the newly arrived Ned Stark all froze.
At the end of the road, a small cavalry squad of only ten riders was slowly approaching.
Yet these ten men radiated the momentum of ten thousand troops!
They wore blood-red cloaks, their bronze breastplates strained to the limit by bulging muscles. Each man wore a helmet that revealed only a pair of cold, emotionless eyes. Most terrifying was the thick, tangible killing intent they carried — the kind only those who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood possessed.
These were ten Spartan guards brought by Victor.
And at the center of these god-like warriors was a young noble riding a pure white warhorse, dressed in a black formal robe trimmed with gold.
He had ink-black hair and deep purple eyes. A lazy yet dangerous smile hung at the corner of his lips. The elegance and dominance that radiated from his very bones instantly made the mud-covered, snarling Joffrey look like a pathetic clown.
Victor Pompey had arrived.
"How noisy."
Victor reined in his horse and looked down at the scene from above. His gaze did not linger on Joffrey. Instead, it swept over the terrified red-haired girl.
[Ding! Core target detected: Sansa Stark!] [Current Status: Terrified / Royal Fantasy Collapsing.] [Suggestion: Display true noble demeanor and steal her favor!]
Victor dismounted with fluid, graceful movements. The Spartan guards instantly spread out, forming an iron wall that blocked the Lannister soldiers trying to advance.
"You… who are you?! How dare you block the road!" Joffrey waved his sword, shouting with forced bravado.
Victor didn't even glance at him properly. He walked straight to the fallen butcher's boy, extended a hand wearing a pristine white glove, and helped the mud-covered child to his feet.
"A true lion only bares its claws at the strong — not at an unarmed child."
Victor spoke calmly. His voice wasn't loud, yet it reached every ear present. "Such behavior, in my homeland, is usually called… cowardice."
"What did you say?!" Joffrey's face turned purple with rage. "I am the prince! He is a peasant! I can kill whoever I want! Hound! Kill him! Kill this ignorant bastard!"
The disfigured giant known as "The Hound" grinned savagely and drew his massive sword, striding toward Victor. "Boy, you picked the wrong person to mess with."
However, the moment the Hound took a step forward—
Clang!
Two long spears crossed instantly, blocking his path.
Two Spartan warriors stared fearlessly at Westeros's famous killer, their eyes burning with bloodthirsty battle intent.
The Hound froze. As a top fighter, his instincts screamed at him: if he moved against these two, that wall of spears would turn him into a sieve in an instant.
The scene instantly reached a deadlock.
At that moment, Victor turned and walked step by step toward Joffrey.
He carried no weapon, yet the terrifying pressure enhanced by the system made Joffrey's horse nervously back up several steps.
"Since you are a prince, you should act like one."
Victor stopped in front of Joffrey's horse, looked up slightly, his purple eyes seeming to hide an abyss.
"Put away your sword. You've frightened this beautiful lady."
Victor turned his head. His gaze became gentle as it landed on Sansa, who was standing frozen in shock not far away.
At this moment, Sansa's heart was pounding violently.
She had read countless knightly tales and fantasized many times about a prince saving a damsel. But reality had been cruel — her "prince" Joffrey had just acted like a madman.
And the man before her…
Mysterious, powerful, elegant, and willing to face the wrath of the royal family for the sake of a commoner. Even the terrifying "Hound" had been deterred by his guards.
This… this was the perfect knight from the stories!
"My lady, tears are like pearls. They should not fall for such trivial matters."
Victor walked up to Sansa, took out a clean handkerchief from his chest, and offered it to her.
"Th-thank you, my lord," Sansa took the handkerchief, her face turning as red as a ripe apple, her voice trembling. "My name is Sansa… Sansa Stark."
"Stark? The ice wolves of the North?" Victor flashed the perfectly practiced, maximum-kill smile. "I am Victor Pompey. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Stark."
[Ding! Congratulations, host! Sansa Stark's favorability has skyrocketed from "Stranger" to "Admiration (60/100)"!] [Congratulations on achieving the title: "Girl Killer"!]
At that moment, a stern voice rang out from behind.
"Everyone, stop this at once!"
A tall, bearded man rode up — it was Eddard Stark (Ned), Warden of the North and Hand of the King.
Looking at the standoff, especially at the ten red-cloaked warriors radiating terrifying auras, Ned's pupils slightly contracted. Having fought on many battlefields, he could tell at a glance that these soldiers were far from ordinary.
"Baron Pompey?" Ned recognized the Pompey family crest. Though the house had long declined, the young man's presence forced him to take it seriously. "What is happening here?"
Victor gave a slight, flawless noble bow and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly:
"Lord Stark, it's nothing serious. Prince Joffrey's sword practice simply went a little… beyond the bounds. I happened to be passing by and took the liberty of correcting his understanding of 'knightly spirit'."
"You're lying!" Joffrey screamed. "Father! Mother! He insulted me!"
However, King Robert, who had just arrived smelling of wine, was staring at the ten Spartan warriors with shining eyes. "By the gods! Where did these men come from? They look damn impressive! Much better than those skirt-wearing Lannister fools! Hahahaha!"
The corner of Victor's lips curled upward.
He knew — he had won this round completely.
Not only had he planted the seeds of affection in Sansa's heart and shown his face before Robert, but more importantly —
From the corner of his eye, he had noticed a pair of emerald-green eyes filled with desire and scrutiny staring at him intently from the window of the grand royal carriage.
It was Cersei Lannister.
[Ding! Detected that Cersei Lannister has developed strong interest (including killing intent and possessiveness)!] [Hidden Quest Triggered: The Queen's New Favorite?]
Victor sneered inwardly:
Cersei? Don't be impatient.
Once I've secured Sansa, we'll settle our account slowly.
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