"Upgrading the pickaxe is urgent."
To mine this meteorite, Daeron needed to upgrade his pickaxe as well.
There was no way around it.
After the fortieth level of the mines, the ore became extremely hard, and an ordinary pickaxe struggled to break it.
He had planned to set aside the materials and gold needed to upgrade the Copper Pickaxe.
Daeron sold all strawberries and Gatherables below Silver Star quality.
"It's time to build a barn."
With his previous experience building a silo, Daeron easily found the construction panel, placed the materials, and selected a location.
Barn materials: 6,000 gold, 300 wood, 150 stone.
Construction would take three days.
Daeron pressed the confirm button, and a wooden construction platform appeared out of thin air on the empty ground east of the Chicken Coop.
Daeron checked the System Panel.
His gold vanished with a clatter, leaving him nearly broke.
"What is spent can always be earned again."
Daeron had thought it through clearly and did not feel the slightest reluctance.
He had originally been torn between upgrading the Chicken Coop first or building a barn.
Chicken Coop—Big Coop—Deluxe Coop.
The Big Coop was an expansion of the Chicken Coop and came with an incubator.
Any egg placed in the incubator would eventually hatch, though the required time varied by egg type.
Daeron had initially wondered whether he could place a Dragon Egg in the incubator.
If it could hatch, wouldn't that be an instant takeoff?
But that was nothing more than wishful thinking.
In Stardew Valley, the incubator included with a Big Coop could only hatch Chicken Eggs, Void Eggs—which were still chicken eggs—and Dinosaur Eggs, which hatched lizards.
Even Ostrich Eggs required completing Ginger Island's museum collection quest to obtain a dedicated "Ostrich Egg Incubator."
The Dragon Egg's life level was so high that it left Ostrich Eggs far behind.
The possibility of a Big Coop's incubator hatching a Dragon Egg was practically zero.
Still, even the slightest possibility was worth trying.
Daeron had agonized over it because of that.
But now things were different.
Since he had discovered that Sun Essence aided the Dragon Egg's hatching, there was no need to upgrade to a Big Coop and gamble on its incubator hatching the Dragon Egg.
He could simply build a barn and buy cows later on.
Whether it was nutritious milk or cheese made from milk with a Cheese Press, both were highly practical livestock products.
For daily drinking and fighting in the mines, he would need the contributions of cows.
At noon.
King's Landing, Mud Gate.
Daeron arrived at the Port and saw the repaired Royal Family ship.
"Your Highness, the hull and deck have been fully repaired, the sails have been replaced, and the ram has been polished. This ship is practically as good as new now."
Lord Owen's face was full of pride.
Even he had not expected the repaired ship to turn out so well.
With its seventeen- or eighteen-meter hull and unique design, crossing Blackwater Bay would be effortless.
It did indeed look quite good from the outside.
Daeron nodded in acceptance and said with feeling, "My lord, your talents impress me."
"It is all in service of Your Highness."
Lord Owen snapped to attention, looking even more loyal than a devoted subject.
Now that they had a ship, they also needed to recruit a captain and sailors.
Daeron asked, "My lord, do you have anyone to recommend?"
"I do, Your Highness."
Lord Owen immediately began introducing them at length.
There were more than a dozen men, all sailors who had served the Royal Family and whose character was guaranteed.
Then Lord Owen's eyes shifted. "Your Highness, there is one more person I would like to recommend."
People moved back and forth across the deck of the Royal Family ship. Some were checking for overlooked flaws, while others carried supplies.
He waved toward the deck, immediately catching someone's attention.
Three minutes later.
Davos walked down the Wooden Ladder from the deck to the Port. On the way, he washed his hands clean in a bucket and carefully smoothed the wrinkles in his clothes.
"Your Highness," he said.
Daeron looked him over. His ordinary face showed only unease and restraint, none of the resentment one might expect after being arrested.
Lord Owen was quick to read the room and immediately said, "Your Highness, his name is Davos Seaworth, the smuggler we caught last time."
"However, despite his humble origins, he is highly skilled at sailing. He is proficient at judging the wind, repairing ships, fishing, and other such skills."
In short, he was a rare talent.
"I'll ask him myself."
Daeron smiled knowingly, fully aware of his deliberate flattery.
No wonder ancient rulers all loved to favor sycophants.
When someone flattered them to this extent, what ruler would not be swayed?
Lord Owen gave an awkward laugh.
Turning back to Davos, Daeron asked, "Davos, how have you been these past few days?"
"Very... very well."
Davos was extremely nervous and struggled to organize his words. "After I was arrested, the Gold Cloaks did not mistreat me. They even fed me the Onion Stew with Beef I had smuggled in. It was delicious."
"I didn't ask you that," Daeron said.
Davos froze, then continued, "This lord is fair and kind. He arranged for me to repair ships and even pays me 10 Copper Star a day."
As he spoke, he glanced at Lord Owen.
The latter straightened his back and put on the look of an upright and impartial man.
Daeron suppressed his laughter and said, "It seems you have been doing quite well these past few days."
He glanced at Davos's face and teased, "You seem to have put on weight compared to when you were smuggling at sea."
Davos did not dare respond. He could only keep wondering what the prince's summons truly meant.
After repairing ships for several days, he had already learned from the other shipwrights about the recent events in King's Landing.
The prince before him was named Daeron Targaryen, the King's most favored son. Not long ago, he had become Deputy Commander of the City Watch.
In only a few days, he had brought the City Guard firmly under his control. Not only had he thoroughly reshuffled its ranks, but he had also launched a sweeping purge against King's Landing's underworld forces.
Davos had simply been unlucky enough to run into him and get arrested.
"Davos, since Lord Owen has recommended you to me, I am willing to give you an opportunity to display your talents."
Daeron suddenly said, "You see this ship."
"I intend to take it to Dragonstone, and in the future, it may travel back and forth between The Wall and both shores of the Narrow Sea."
"Tell me, are you confident you can handle a large ship?"
The moment he heard that, Davos froze on the spot.
Had he heard correctly?
Lord Owen was also stunned. He anxiously said, "Your Highness, he is only a smuggler. You may value his talents and promote him, but you cannot hand the Royal Family ship over to him!"
A smuggler of low birth.
Who knew whether he might sell off the Royal Family ship behind the prince's back?
Hearing this, Davos felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. He had no strength to argue.
The other man was right.
In Westeros, where bloodline was everything, birth represented all that mattered.
And a smuggler stood at the very bottom of the chain of contempt.
The recommender and the recommended man each had their own thoughts.
Daeron had long since made up his mind. "He is only managing a ship, not an army."
"But he is a smuggler!"
Lord Owen tried his best to persuade him.
Daeron waved a hand and said lightly, "What's wrong with a smuggler? My father even put a eunuch to good use as Grand Minister."
"Ah... well..."
Lord Owen was left speechless.
The speaker had not meant anything by it, but the listener took it to heart.
Davos, who had not dared to hope for anything, looked up in surprise. He gazed at the young prince's carefree bearing and etched it deeply into his heart.
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