"Prince, please wait."
He had just left the Tower of the Hand when someone called out from behind him.
Daeren turned around. "Lord Varys?"
Varys wore his usual practiced smile as he approached step by step.
Before Daeren could ask anything, Varys took the initiative and sighed mournfully. "Grand Maester Pycelle died unexpectedly. The kingdom has lost one of its pillars. It is truly heartbreaking."
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Varys was acting, so Daeren played along. "Indeed. A wise man who served three Kings died in a staircase alcove."
"The dead cannot be brought back. We must look ahead."
Varys even offered a word of comfort.
Then the two fell silent, staring at one another in an oddly tense atmosphere.
Was this interesting?
Daeren looked innocent, without the slightest trace of guilt or unease.
He had killed the man.
But wasn't the accomplice—or perhaps even the mastermind—standing right before him?
"Your Grace is truly magnanimous."
Varys broke the silence first.
He knew perfectly well how Pycelle had died.
He was merely curious how Prince Daeren had bypassed his Little Birds and taken Pycelle's life.
Now it seemed there was nothing to be tricked out of him.
Daeren said, "Lord Varys, why don't you tell me what you came for?"
If Varys did not cough up something useful soon, Daeren would not be so courteous next time.
"My Little Birds have learned another small matter concerning you."
Varys smiled gently. "Ser Janos Slynt, who guards the Dragon Gate, has joined a conspiracy. They intend to force Lord Manly from power and drive out the newly recruited Gold Cloaks."
"Janos Slynt..."
Daeren repeated the name, committing it to memory.
In the original story, he had been the commander of the City Guard during Robert's reign.
He was notorious for corruption, and had even been permitted to do so by the King.
He had taken part in the coup and betrayed the politically clueless Ned Stark.
Varys added, "Ser Janos lacks virtue in his private life and often engages in shady dealings. The men Ser Alliser Thorne recruited into the City Guard have severely affected his... business."
As he spoke, he laid out the time and place of the planned coup in detail.
"Thank you for informing me, my lord."
Daeren took his leave.
He had been wondering whom to make an example of, and someone had delivered himself right to Daeren's door.
As for whether it was true or not?
Daeren did not doubt Varys's ability to gather intelligence.
After spending some time getting to know him, Daeren had also gained a sense of Varys's methods.
By specifically pointing out Janos, Varys most likely disliked the man's corruption and bribery.
"We are all working for the kingdom."
Watching Daeren's departing back, Varys tucked his hands into his sleeves, his expression unusually earnest.
That night.
Daeren took action in Lord Manly's name, inviting captains of every rank to eat, drink, and make merry.
Anyone familiar with Chinese history would know what this was called.
A feast at Hongmen.
Cobbler's Square, inside a certain brothel.
"Thanks to Lord Manly! Thanks to the fucking ale and tits!"
"Hahaha..."
The brothel had been booked out by the commander of the City Guard. The Gold Cloaks present reveled without restraint, embracing poorly dressed girls as they shouted and laughed.
They were utterly vulgar.
Second floor.
"Prince, are you truly going to do this?"
Lord Manwoody was over forty, lean and gaunt, with black hair and a beard streaked sheep-gray.
Learning of tonight's plan had left him deeply uneasy.
Daeren's face was as still as a calm lake. He pressed him into a chair. "I will bear all responsibility. You need not feel any burden."
Lord Manwoody was still flustered. "But if the murder of our fellow soldiers is exposed, it will be judged as treason."
He did not care much for himself, but the Prince had such a promising future. Why take such a great risk?
Lord Manwoody was a good man, possessing the kindness, courtesy, and fairness expected of a noble lord.
But he was also incompetent, unable to keep his direct subordinates under control.
Sometimes, even those assigned to guard the city and patrol dared to obey him only in appearance.
How could the army defending King's Landing be allowed to remain like this?
"My lord, failure is called treason. Success is called revolution."
Daeren lightly patted his shoulder, his voice filled with force.
The arrow was on the string; it had to be loosed.
Lord Manwoody sighed helplessly and passively accepted it.
Checking the time, Daeren estimated that the men would arrive soon.
A quarter of an hour later.
The captains guarding King's Landing's eight City Gates, led by Janos Slynt, along with more than a dozen mid-ranking Officers, arrived in two separate groups.
One group came in a large cluster, while the other consisted of only a few men.
When they saw Lord Manwoody, they merely nodded in perfunctory greeting.
But when they noticed Daeren standing behind Lord Manwoody, their expressions changed at once, and they hurriedly bowed.
Daeren said amiably, "Tonight is an internal gathering of the City Guard. Do not be so formal."
As they spoke, Alliser arrived with a group of men.
"Alliser Thorne, why have you brought a group of patrolmen to a banquet attended by His Highness the Prince?"
A Gold Cloak officer built like a bull stepped forward and questioned him bluntly.
"Some people think too highly of themselves. Even their subordinates are treated like honored guests."
"Hahaha..."
More than a dozen Gold Cloak Officers took turns verbally attacking the thorn in their side.
Who among those present had never embezzled or accepted bribes?
The moment Alliser arrived, he had kept a close eye on them.
He was also arrogant by nature, looked down on them, and greeted them with nothing but cutting mockery.
He had practically become everyone's greatest enemy.
Faced with their ridicule, Alliser sneered and did not take it seriously at all.
Thinking him timid, the group wanted to press even harder.
"Gentlemen, we have business to discuss tonight."
Daeren cut off the pointless chatter.
Janos's heart skipped a beat. "Prince, isn't tonight a gathering for pleasure?"
The Gold Cloak Officers immediately caught on, their faces turning ugly.
This was not for pleasure. It was for business.
What business could there possibly be for men like them to discuss?
"Don't be impatient, Ser Janos."
Daeren began normally, but halfway through, his smile vanished. "Also, do not interrupt when I am speaking."
"Ser Alliser!"
Bang!
At the command, the room's doors slammed shut.
"Alliser, what are you doing?"
The burly officer was both shocked and furious.
Alliser said nothing, looking toward Daeren as if seeking confirmation.
Daeren gave a slight nod.
"I don't know anything! Let me out!"
Confident in his own strength, the burly officer shouted and charged forward.
The next instant.
Alliser moved. He drew the Steel Light Sword from his waist and slashed at the man's neck with swift, ruthless force.
Slash!
A head wearing an astonished expression flew into the air. He had been beheaded on the spot.
!!!
The Gold Cloak Officers were horrified. Some drew their weapons, while others questioned Lord Manwoody, who had remained silent from beginning to end.
"Quiet."
Daeren remained composed. His voice was not loud, yet it reached every ear.
A Gold Cloak officer from a minor noble house looked shocked and said urgently, "Prince, we are all brothers-in-arms. How can you allow Alliser to murder people so wantonly?"
Daeren turned his head aside, thinking that this man had learned nothing.
"Disrespecting His Highness is punishable by death!"
Alliser lunged forward and swung his sword.
His opponent was no weakling either. Having received a noble's education since childhood, he drew a longer, heavier double-edged greatsword from his waist and roared as he counterattacked.
The clang of metal rang out, sending fierce sparks flying.
Alliser proved superior. Finding an opening, he kicked the man down, planted a foot on his chest, and thrust his sword through the gap beneath his throat guard. Blood immediately gushed out like a spring.
Pfft!
The Steel Light Sword was pulled free, its thin blade completely unharmed.
By contrast, the thick blade of the double-edged greatsword bore several fresh chips from their clash.
"Truly a divine weapon."
Alliser was secretly thrilled, his dangerous gaze settling on the rest.
"It's... it's over."
Seeing this, everyone was terrified out of their wits and completely lost the will to resist.
In terms of status, there were Prince Daeren and Lord Manwoody. In terms of strength, Alliser Thorne and the men he had brought were all experts capable of taking on several opponents alone.
What fucking banquet was this?
This was clearly a trap set to wipe them all out in one stroke.
Daeren clapped lightly, drawing everyone's attention. "Gentlemen, can we talk now?"
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