Baelon took the note and looked closely.
*?!*
What did it mean,
Rhaenyra and Ser Cole were openly fooling around in the godswood?!
And Ser Harrold had caught them?!
Come on, sis, couldn't you stay out of sight?!
Baelon unhurriedly finished dealing with the factory's affairs before getting up to return to the Red Keep.
On the way, he instructed the knight who had brought him the letter, "Assor, keep buying grain from across the Narrow Sea.
"You can also send men to buy moderate amounts in the Trident Riverlands. Be careful not to drive up grain prices."
Assor Celtigar removed his helmet, revealing a young face, about twenty years old.
Silver-gold hair, purple eyes.
Assor Celtigar was the second son of Bartimos Celtigar, Earl of Claw Isle.
And House Celtigar, like the Velaryons, was one of House Targaryen's oldest allies, as well as one of the four houses that had first answered Aegon the Conqueror's call.
They'd certainly earned their credit for backing the dragon!
And yet.
They were still holed up on Claw Isle!
Perhaps customs in Westeros differed from those of Britain as he had known it in his previous life, and the royal family simply had no inclination to elevate new nobles.
Assor put on a serious expression and nodded firmly. "I understand, Prince."
In this world, grain was the foundation of everything.
As for whether Baelon would become someone else's granary if he only stockpiled grain without massively expanding his army...
Baelon: ...
He almost couldn't hold back his laughter.
To avoid congestion, he followed the river road, taking the long way around to enter King's Landing through the King's Gate.
He skirted the foot of Visenya's Hill and crossed Hook Street to reach Aegon's High Hill.
The Red Keep stood atop Aegon's High Hill.
From an attendant, he learned that Viserys and Rhaenyra were in the Kingspyre Tower and had been alone together for some time.
Baelon let out a breath. All right.
Family mediator Baelon was on duty.
He suddenly remembered something and quietly gave Ser Uther an instruction, then hurried toward Viserys's bedchamber.
Ser Uther nodded and beckoned, taking fifteen knights with him in the opposite direction from Baelon.
But before Baelon reached Viserys's bedchamber, he encountered Lyonel Strong.
"Prince Baelon!"
"Lord Lyonel." Baelon stopped, nodded in greeting, and continued forward.
"Prince, I have something important to tell you!" Lyonel stopped Baelon, his tone urgent.
Baelon halted.
He knew very well that Lyonel was normally a man of few words, not someone who spoke carelessly.
As for the scandal surrounding Rhaenyra's romantic affairs?
That was no great matter.
Viserys was not Jaehaerys. Even if he learned about Rhaenyra and Ser Cole, he would not send his daughter off to become a nun.
As long as the matter stayed within the Red Keep's high walls, it would have no effect on Rhaenyra.
In fact.
Even if the rumors spread throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
They would not matter to Rhaenyra.
Because her father was Viserys I, and her father loved her.
Because she rode a she-dragon.
Dragons, power, succession rights, interests-all of these indisputably outweighed chastity and honor.
This matter did Rhaenyra no harm. The only person affected was Ser Cole.
He had forsaken his vows and brought shame upon the honor of the Kingsguard.
It was simply inevitable that Viserys and Rhaenyra would have an argument.
So throughout the journey, Baelon had only intended to return to the Red Keep to act as a mediator.
But Lyonel had sought him out.
It didn't take a brain to realize that whatever Lyonel had to say must be more important!
Viserys and Rhaenyra were merely having an argument.
"What happened?"
Baelon put on a calm face, trying to look a little more mature.
"The fate of the Seven Kingdoms, and countless lives, now hang upon your words, Prince." Lyonel Strong's expression was grave.
The two came to a secluded, open space and made certain no one was eavesdropping.
Lyonel immediately recounted what had happened that day.
Baelon's expression gradually grew grave, dark clouds gathering over his face.
Viserys had suddenly developed grand ambitions, possessed by Aegon the Conqueror, and decided to launch an expedition against Dorne?!
What was he thinking?
Did the navy the Kingdom of the Three Daughters had assembled in the Stepstones not exist?!
Or did he want all-out war on two fronts, fighting everywhere at once?!
More importantly.
Baelon knitted his brows. "This is terrible."
Lyonel sighed in relief.
It seemed Prince Baelon was on his side!
Just what one would expect of Prince Baelon the Merciful.
As long as the prince was willing to dissuade the king, peace in Westeros could be maintained.
Baelon hurriedly asked, "What do we do if the Dornish avoid battle again?!"
Just as Dorne's Yellow Toad had dealt with Aegon the Conqueror.
Had Aegon encountered any meaningful resistance during his conquest of Dorne?
No.
He had easily occupied Dorne's lands!
He had taken Skyreach by storm, Yronwood by siege, and Torrhen's Square without a battle.
As for Wyl, Sunspear, and Ghost Hill...
Those had been even easier!
He had not even encountered the Dornish army!
Aegon had hosted the Dornish nobles at Sunspear, declaring Dorne part of the unified Kingdom and ruling Dorne in the king's name.
Not a single person present had voiced opposition. It had gone frighteningly smoothly.
But after Aegon left.
Rebellion had erupted in Dorne.
Lyonel: Wait, that isn't right.
Why are you considering how to deal with Dorne?!
Lyonel's smile froze on his face before it could fully form.
A bad feeling rose within him.
The next second, he heard the gentle voice of Prince Baelon the Merciful.
"The Dornish will not submit easily. Has Father prepared himself to kill every Dornish noble?"
Wh... what?
Lyonel could not believe it. What had he just heard?!
Kill every Dornish noble?!
Horrified, he looked Baelon over as he never had before.
"Ahem." Baelon's eyes shifted uncomfortably.
People in Westeros did not seem particularly receptive to the idea of exterminating one's enemies and tearing them out by the roots.
He immediately tried to salvage his words.
"Once, Meria Martell declared to Queen Dowager Visenya."
"He would rather see every last one of his subjects die than have them become Targaryen slaves."
"Visenya promised to grant her wish." Baelon clenched his fist and thumped it against his chest.
"For Queen Dowager Visenya, for Aegon the Conqueror, I am willing to fulfill our ancestor's promise."
Baelon showed nothing on his face, but inwardly, his astonishment came in an endless torrent.
Well, who would've thought that an upstanding-looking fellow like Viserys would suddenly start a fight without any warning?!
Baelon folded his arms.
He had originally wanted to develop industry for a while before launching a major redevelopment of King's Landing's old city.
At least once he had money, he could demolish Flea Bottom and relocate its residents.
A group of poor people with nothing to their names happened to live closest to the Dragonpit.
Too dangerous.
Make them relocated homeowners and corrupt them with money and wealth.
But events never developed as Baelon wanted.
The situation shifted and developed on the sly, springing something huge on him whenever he let his guard down. There was simply no predicting it.
Chaotic and disorderly.
He had thought that even if war broke out, Westeros and the Stepstones would fight first.
Yet with a single thought from Viserys, war with Dorne was imminent.
His original plan had been to go to Dragonstone at seven to tame a dragon.
But now, it truly seemed that plans could not keep pace with change.
His journey to Dragonstone would have to be brought forward.
Baelon truly could not understand it.
He had been out for less than a day. How had things suddenly turned out like this?
There was no doubt!
He had been bullied!
Viserys and Rhaenyra.
The two had secretly thrown an absolutely fantastic Targaryen madness party in the Red Keep.
Guess who hadn't received an invitation?
Him and Daemon.
He and Daemon had been excluded.
Before you continue