First Pot of Gold

"With food this delicious, one simply can't stop thinking about it. If I come across premium ingredients in the future, they won't go to waste," the Female Swordswoman said.

"Then we'll be in for a treat," Xisa said.

This was also a form of diplomatic interaction. The sheriff and the courtesan were both members of Braavos's upper society, and they would not trouble Viserys every day.

"My pleasure," Viserys said with a smile. In truth, he also wanted to test the limits of the Cannibal Talent.

Aside from expensive sea snails, were there any other foods that could increase his stats?

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: Tiantian Kan Xiaoshuo Cangshu Quan, read anytime.]

Back then, Cannibal had devoured quite a few dragon eggs, dragon corpses, and hatchlings. It had been an utter waste.

Fossilized dragon eggs were extraordinarily expensive, while unfossilized dragon eggs and hatchlings were even more priceless.

In this age when dragon eggs had vanished without a trace, Viserys could only study other ingredients.

Dragonstone was also surrounded by the sea. Cannibal must have hunted vast amounts of fish there, and there were surely marine creatures among them that could increase his stats.

"To the chief courtesan."

"To the Sealord of Braavos."

"To His Grace the King."

Viserys Targaryen, Sheriff Xisa Zarodin, and the courtesan Female Swordswoman raised their cups together.

"Perhaps you won't be able to call me His Grace the King in the future. You can call me His Majesty the Emperor," Viserys suddenly said with complete seriousness.

"Long live the Emperor!" The Female Swordswoman was so amused by Viserys that she burst into laughter.

The Female Swordswoman found Viserys more and more interesting.

Aside from his impractical dream of becoming king, Viserys was an excellent friend, from his handsome appearance and manner of speech to his appreciation for fine food.

Only one emperor had ever appeared in the world: Aurion, the Dragonlord of the Century of Blood, who had vanished amid the ruins of Valyria.

Now that Viserys had fallen so low as to run a private dining club, his fantasies of becoming emperor were nothing but wishful thinking.

After the cups were filled and clinked together came the noisy revelry of young people.

Once drunk, one felt humanity's insignificance all the more keenly, while one's heart surged with passion. It made one want to pluck down the stars and moon.

After eating and drinking their fill, they still sat together boasting.

But that was perfectly normal. If young people weren't hot-blooded, could they still be called young?

Moreover, the sheriff and courtesan of the Sealord's Palace district had already become part of Braavos's rising social ladder. They both had bright futures ahead of them.

Within this small group, both Xisa and the Female Swordswoman believed Viserys had almost no chance of succeeding.

Viserys only had two or three followers around him. No money, no soldiers, no dragons.

With only a handsome face, restoring his kingdom was like chasing an illusion.

Meanwhile, far to the west, Baratheon's throne was becoming ever more secure.

"Why doesn't Moro state his wish? To become the First Sword," Xisa asked Moro, the bald, bearded guard, with a touch of drunkenness.

Moro shrugged. "You are still young, Miss, young master Xisa, King Viserys. But for a Water Dancer, I am already rather old."

That made sense. Combat required Talent and hard training.

If a warrior failed to make a name for himself in his teens, then his prospects for the rest of his life were bleak.

It was not just Water Dancers. Cruel Maegor and Blackfyre had both shown their brilliance in their teens.

The Female Swordswoman glanced at Viserys. Viserys's career as a warrior, having started so late, was also a tragedy in bold letters.

"How many ranks do Water Dancers have?" Viserys asked curiously.

"People often say that the finest and most honored swordsman is the Sealord's First Sword. But that person does not take part in comparisons with common swordsmen. Braavos has another ranking for swordsmen," Moro answered.

"Those famous swordsmen aren't for people like us. They fought their way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and every last one of them is arrogant. Either they wait to become First Sword, or they become the honored guests of governors, courtesans, and bankers," Xisa said disdainfully.

Even if assassins rose to prominence, they could not avoid becoming the dogs of kings and nobles.

"Let's not talk about fighting and killing. Sing us a song for our banquet," the Female Swordswoman said.

"You're in luck, Viserys." Xisa immediately brightened. "The Female Swordswoman rarely sings."

Viserys also tapped out a beat as he enjoyed the artistic feast.

Aside from her swordsmanship, the Female Swordswoman's voice was equally beautiful.

At the end of the dinner, the song the courtesan Female Swordswoman sang was My Season of Love.

"I fell in love with a girl as lovely as summer, sunlight shining upon her hair..."

"I fell in love with a beauty as radiant as autumn's sun, sunset spilling over her locks..."

"I fell in love with a maiden as white as winter snow, moonlight reflecting by her ears and temples..."

Xisa Zarodin, that shameless simp, had sparks practically flying from his eyes as he clapped and cheered nonstop.

Viserys thought the music was good, but not so good that it deserved such an exaggerated reaction. All he could say was that simp economics never failed.

It was said that Nightingale had the most beautiful singing voice among the courtesans of Braavos. Viserys also hoped to hear her someday.

Then Xisa sang a song, the most common Song of the Titan among the Braavosi. He sang it passably, without much that stood out.

"You should sing one too, Viserys," Xisa said.

After thinking for a moment, Viserys stood up. In such a setting, he truly ought to sing a song.

"I'm going to sing a song no one has ever heard before," Viserys said.

The Female Swordswoman and Xisa looked at Viserys, curious to hear what sort of music it would be.

"If you miss the boat I'm on,

you will know that I am gone.

You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles,

a hundred miles, a hundred miles,

a hundred miles, a hundred miles.

You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.

Lord, I'm one hundred miles from home, two hundred miles.

Lord, I'm three hundred miles, four hundred miles.

Lord, I'm five hundred miles from home.

Away from home, away from home.

..."

(Here, a mile refers to a league, equal to three English miles.)

Xisa and the Female Swordswoman, who had been laughing and chatting happily, froze where they stood at once. This song...

Though she had never heard it before, the Female Swordswoman could immediately tell its worth.

Its lyrics and melody were not intricately polished, but its emotions were sincere, its tune beautiful, and its homesickness deeply moving.

As a courtesan, the Female Swordswoman had her own collection of lyrics, but this was the first time she had heard words so classic.

Beautiful and mournful, it stirred the soul.

"What is this song called?" the Female Swordswoman asked impatiently.

"Five Hundred Miles," Viserys answered.

"I've never heard this song before. Did you write it?" the Female Swordswoman asked.

Viserys thought about it. I copied it, but no one would believe me if I said I didn't write it.

"I wrote it. It was inspired by my homesickness. Please don't laugh at me. It was merely an accidental inspiration."

"Accidental inspiration." The Female Swordswoman felt as though her mind had crashed.

A song like this was enough to leave its name in history, yet Viserys claimed he had written it by accident.

If that were true, then all the singers in Braavos ought to jump into the water and drown themselves. Talent surpassed effort.

"Did you really write this?" Xisa asked in shock as well. "Could you have copied it in King's Landing?"

"Composed by Viserys Targaryen himself, without changing a single word." After thinking it over, Viserys decided it was better to claim it as his own.

If he claimed the singer Justin had passed it on to him, there would be far too many holes in the story.

"You're truly a genius." The Female Swordswoman sucked in a cold breath.

A gourmet of unmatched caliber and a genius lyricist and composer—was this still a wastrel?

In her heart, Viserys's standing had swiftly risen beyond the point of being a Viserys who could do everything except become king. He was now an artist, Viserys.

The Female Swordswoman's thoughts turned rapidly. No matter where it had come from, Viserys was the one who had brought her this song.

For the Female Swordswoman, an opportunity to rise to the next level was right before her.

This song was an absolute classic, and its lyrics were elegant rather than cheap and suggestive. It suited pretentious courtesans even better.

As a port city, Braavos had many foreign sailors and merchants.

Sea travel in this era was extremely dangerous. One could imagine how appealing this song would be to travelers longing for home.

"Do you have any other lyrics?" the Female Swordswoman asked.

"No. Art requires inspiration," Viserys said. In truth, he also had songs like Trembling Sea of Heartbreak and By the Shores of God's Eye. But playing hard to get was the best approach.

Now he wanted to see how sincere the Female Swordswoman was.

"May I perform this song?" the Female Swordswoman asked expectantly. Every trace of drunkenness had vanished.

For a courtesan to become famous, promotion was indispensable.

Otherwise, why did Masked Lady, Poetess, and Mermaid Queen all put on such airs? It was all for publicity.

If the Female Swordswoman performed this song, it would undoubtedly create a sensational boost.

"Of course. But there's no need to list me as the lyricist. Westeros once had a mysterious knight, so let the author of these lyrics be called the Silver Traveler," Viserys said decisively, giving them some face.

House Targaryen had once produced the Knight of Tears and the Silver Fool. One more Silver Traveler would not matter.

"You're a generous man, King," Xisa praised.

But the Female Swordswoman stared straight at Viserys, her gaze turning shrewd. "I'll pay to buy this song, but I won't make things difficult for you. I'll give you one hundred gold coins as payment first, but it won't be a one-time deal. As I continue performing it, I'll give you additional royalties. And if you write new lyrics in the future, we can work together first."

"Deal." Viserys nodded.

The Female Swordswoman was also very perceptive. She knew she could not sign an exclusive agreement. If Viserys truly was a gold mine, the forces behind her could not monopolize him.

Since that was the case, she might as well offer him a favor. Come and go freely, cooperate happily.

One hundred gold coins was already quite a substantial sum. This was also Viserys's first pot of gold.

One hundred gold coins was extremely generous. It was said that the ransom for a famous knight was three hundred Gold Dragons.

Moreover, the price offered by the courtesan was not exclusive, but a royalty-based arrangement.

"Pleasure doing business!"

"Pleasure doing business!"

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