Dreamfyre was far faster than Syrax, so the moment Daniella gave the command, the great blue dragon accelerated sharply toward Dragonstone, leaving Rhaenyra and her young dragon flustered far behind in the sky.
Soon, Dreamfyre descended before the kitchen fortress of Dragonstone Castle.
The moment the kitchen masters saw the Princess return riding her dragon while carrying a massive shark in Dreamfyre’s claws, they immediately shouted for everyone nearby to come help.
“Quickly, everyone!
Princess Daniella has brought back prey again!”
By now, such scenes had already become commonplace within Dragonstone’s kitchens.
Whenever Dreamfyre hunted large sea creatures such as whales, sharks, or giant tuna from the Narrow Sea, they would always be delivered directly to the kitchens for processing.
According to Daniella’s arrangement, sixty percent of the valuable meat and materials belonged to her, thirty percent remained with Dragonstone Castle, and the remaining portion was distributed among the kitchen servants and workers.
Because of this, the kitchen staff had become some of Daniella’s most loyal supporters.
Over the past several years, many of them had accumulated savings worth dozens of gold dragons thanks to Princess Daniella’s generosity and business arrangements.
And with money came hope.
The people of Dragonstone were now able to provide better lives for their families than before.
More importantly, Daniella had established the Daniella Academy in White Sheep Town.
For only one gold dragon a year, common-born children could attend lessons there.
This was an almost unimaginable opportunity in Westeros.
After all, knowledge throughout the Seven Kingdoms was monopolized by the nobility and the Citadel.
Commoners rarely had any chance to receive proper education.
Every month, the academy held examinations.
The top five students not only had their tuition waived entirely but also received rewards such as books, parchment, ink, and pens free of charge.
At present, the academy already had more than one hundred students.
Because of Daniella’s efforts over the years, the residents of White Sheep Town and the servants of Dragonstone had gradually accumulated some family wealth.
And once people possessed wealth, they naturally became willing to invest in their children’s futures.
After all, everyone knew that Princess Daniella rewarded useful talent very generously.
To outsiders visiting Dragonstone occasionally, the island did not seem vastly different from before.
But the people who actually lived there could clearly feel the tremendous changes Princess Daniella had brought.
For the first time in many years, they felt genuine hope toward life.
Today’s giant great white shark alone would likely bring Daniella at least three hundred gold dragons in profit.
Therefore, after experiencing her first true dragon battle earlier in the day, Daniella remained in an exceptionally good mood.
The kitchen masters worked with astonishing efficiency.
In less than an hour, the enormous shark measuring over ten meters long had already been expertly butchered.
The most valuable parts of sharks were naturally the fins and meat.
However, Westeros had never possessed the custom of eating shark fin soup before.
In that regard, Daniella could practically be considered the inventor of the dish within the Seven Kingdoms.
This delicacy alone would probably be enough for singers and bards to praise her name throughout taverns for years to come.
Meanwhile, shark skin, cartilage, liver, and heart were all excellent medicinal tonics.
Especially for Aemma, who was currently pregnant, these ingredients possessed nourishing benefits.
Shark skin itself was also extremely suitable for crafting high-quality sword sheaths and leather goods.
Over the years, Daniella had already stockpiled considerable quantities of shark skin, whale hide, and seal leather.
As for the remaining scraps after processing, Dreamfyre simply roasted them with a single burst of dragonfire before swallowing them whole.
Many creatures within this world possessed faint traces of magical vitality, so even wild marine beasts tasted acceptable to dragons.
After years of hunting together, even Dreamfyre had gradually become fond of such prey. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
“Set aside the fattest cuts for His Majesty the King and the members of the royal family.”
“Also prepare shark sashimi for the noble lords.”
“And make shark fin soup for His Majesty and the royal family as well.
Most of them have likely never tasted it before.”
“Hahaha!
Perhaps others have not, but Prince Daemon and Lord Corlys Velaryon certainly have!”
The fat cook Bowis could not help joking loudly after hearing Daniella’s instructions.
“Shut your filthy mouth!”
Cook Padme immediately swung a rolling pin toward him.
“Princess Daniella is still standing here, so mind your tongue before I cut off your manhood and feed it to the dogs!”
Many of the cooks and castle servants currently working in Dragonstone had been personally arranged by Daniella over the years, and their wages were likewise paid directly by her.
Besides developing the agriculture and livestock industries of New Dragonstone Island, Daniella had also spent large sums supporting poor but skilled women.
Some specialized in cooking.
Others tailored clothing, wove fabrics, or crafted goods.
This not only solved their livelihood problems but also ensured Daniella always had capable people available whenever she wished to turn one of her ideas into reality.
After successfully becoming a dragonrider, Daniella’s annual royal allowance had increased dramatically from fifty thousand gold dragons to three hundred thousand.
Thus, she had absolutely no need to care about how others viewed her spending habits.
The allowances given to members of House Targaryen were not fixed.
Every year, they were adjusted according to the royal treasury’s overall income.
However, ever since King Jaehaerys stabilized the realm decades ago, the numbers had barely changed.
Ordinary members of the royal family received approximately fifty thousand gold dragons annually.
As for luxuries such as silk, jewels, fine wines, and other gifts, those depended entirely on the King’s personal favor.
Naturally, this created considerable disparity among different royal family members.
Dragonriders received three hundred thousand gold dragons each year, mainly due to the tremendous expense required to feed and maintain dragons.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Dragonstone received no less than five hundred thousand gold dragons annually, not counting countless additional privileges and rewards.
Even so, most members of the royal family spent nearly all of their wealth on pleasure, banquets, and noble social gatherings.
Even hosting private feasts within the Red Keep required them to pay personally.
Extra rewards for servants and attendants likewise came from their own pockets.
The wages of personal guards and handmaidens also had to be handled privately.
Thus, despite their noble status, most royal family members did not actually maintain especially extravagant personal forces.
Her cousin Viserys, being gentle and somewhat detached from worldly matters, had almost no awareness of cultivating loyal retainers beyond the companions he had grown up with.
As for Daemon, most of his allowance likely disappeared into wine, brothels, and women.
Though admittedly, he had indeed managed to gather quite a number of “friends” along the way.
After Dreamfyre finished eating, Daniella allowed her dragon to return to the Dragonmont on her own before hurrying toward Dragonstone’s main keep.
Today’s dragon battle had shaken the entire island.
As the central figure involved, she naturally could not remain absent for long.
“What?”
“You’re saying three additional wild dragons have appeared on Dragonstone?”
Daemon’s voice carried obvious excitement.
Perhaps because the battle had ended too quickly, the prince still seemed filled with lingering battle intent.
Daniella deliberately rubbed her ears before replying in annoyance, You are reading on g.com, the official source.
“Daemon, why are you making such a fuss?”
“What’s so strange about it?
Haven’t several wild dragons already appeared around Dragonstone over the years?”
“Or do you think I’m incapable of recognizing a dragon?”
Daemon immediately coughed awkwardly.
“I apologize.
I was simply too surprised.”
“After all, House Targaryen has not seen many dragons hatch in recent years aside from Rhaenyra’s Syrax and your Meraxes.”
Daniella immediately smiled mischievously.
“If cousin Daemon worked harder and produced more younger siblings for us, perhaps more dragon eggs would hatch too.”
“It seems you truly need to put in greater effort.”
“Hahaha!”
Viserys immediately burst into laughter beside them.
“Daniella is absolutely right.
You really should work harder!”
Even King Jaehaerys found the scene highly amusing.
However, while observing Daemon’s undisguised interest toward Daniella, the old king also felt a subtle trace of concern emerge within his heart.
Still, he quickly shifted the topic back toward serious matters.
“Glutton is both cunning and extremely vindictive.”
“This time he retreated only because several dragons arrived together.”
“But once we leave Dragonstone, there is no guarantee he will remain obedient.”
“So, Daemon, you and Caraxes will remain stationed on Dragonstone temporarily.”
“Once autumn arrives and Glutton enters deeper slumber within the Dragonmont, the danger should lessen considerably.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Daemon accepted the order obediently.
Although Daniella strongly suspected he was actually quite happy to remain near the Fire Kiss Garden a while longer.
King Jaehaerys then turned toward Viserys.
“And Viserys.”
“Take Daniella formally as your adopted daughter.”
“She has now reached the proper age for marriage, so from this day onward, you and Aemma shall bear responsibility for her future.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Viserys and Aemma agreed immediately without hesitation.
For years, they had already treated Daniella almost like their own child.
Moreover, becoming the adopted daughter of Viserys would further elevate Daniella’s political standing within House Targaryen itself.
Naturally, Daniella had no reason to object.
Thus, from this day forward, Daniella’s position within the family formally shifted down one generation, becoming Viserys’s adopted daughter.
And at that same moment, Viserys quietly made a decision within his heart.
“For Daniella’s sake…”
“I will attempt to tame Vhagar.”
“Only the greatest remaining conquest dragon possesses the strength to suppress Glutton completely.”