Get comfortable, turn the page, and let’s see what this story has been hiding 🔥 ✦ The prices were 10, 60, and 120 essence.
Expensive, but practical.
Vaelor took a deep breath.
He wanted all three cards on the panel.
Especially the last one, [Golden-Nosed Mouse].
From its description, it was almost the ideal pet.
It might even help him find magical objects.
“Exchange.” Vaelor gritted his teeth and took the first and third cards.
Pop.
The [Constitution +1] card shattered instantly and became a white glow that entered his chest.
The [Golden-Nosed Mouse] card became a pale blue point of light.
Unseen by everyone else, it drifted into the embroidered pouch at his waist.
Vaelor’s expression did not change.
He only felt his body grow warm and his strength increase.
When he looked at the number beside the golden hourglass again, it had dropped sharply.
[Essence Panel] Magic Essence: 68.
It would be a lie to say it did not hurt, but it was worth it.
The daily cards provided by the panel were random, and all sorts of strange or useless things appeared.
It had already been seven or eight days since [Constitution +1] last showed up.
If he did not exchange for it now, who knew when it would appear again?
As for the second card, [Sleight of Hand], he would not spend all his essence on it for now.
He was, after all, a rich descendant of a great house.
He did not need to steal from others.
‘Let me see what the little mouse looks like first.’ While no one was paying attention, Vaelor’s eyes wandered and his hand slipped into his pouch.
“Squeak.” The moment his fingers touched it, he felt something furry and round that gave a tiny cry.
“Prince, princess, please allow us to enter first and check the situation.” The old dragonkeeper suddenly spoke, startling Vaelor.
At some point, they had followed the underground entrance of the main hall deep into the dragonpit.
Around them were dark stone tunnels leading to a vast cavern through many turns.
“We will wait here.” Rhaenyra said it and pulled Vaelor aside.
Vaelor naturally had no objection and secretly kneaded the fluffy ball.
He knew very clearly why he had come.
His first priority was to test whether a dragon could provide magic essence.
Only after that came contacting a dragon, or even taming one.
Yes.
If possible, he wanted to try taming this fierce she-dragon that had been confined for many years.
Dreamfyre was large enough, fierce enough, and beautiful beyond question.
Rather than letting her waste years waiting for Helaena, who was still an infant, he might as well ride her first.
Even if she could not rival Vhagar, the oldest and largest of the surviving dragons from the Conquest’s generation, Dreamfyre should not be inferior to the third generation of dragons.
“You want to tame Dreamfyre?” Rhaenyra asked.
Vaelor did not hide it.
“I want to try.” “Dreamfyre is a fine dragon.
I hope you succeed.” Rhaenyra looked serious.
She had guessed as much from the moment Vaelor asked to come to the Dragonpit.
Blood and fire ran through them both.
From their great-grandfather’s generation to their grandfather’s, almost all had been dragonriders.
Only their mothers came from the Vale and had never touched dragons.
Even Viserys and Daemon were dragonriders.
Riding dragons was like an instinctive love in their bones, something they would pursue without needing to be told.
Seeing Rhaenyra support him, Vaelor felt a little moved.
He patted his chest and promised, “If I can tame a dragon, I will help you whenever anyone bullies you.” Dragons were precious.
Since the Doom of the Freehold of Valyria, only House Targaryen remained as a dragonlord family in the world.
After so many years of growth, House Targaryen possessed no more than a handful of dragons.
It was rare for Rhaenyra to be this supportive.
Rhaenyra found him amusing and explained, “You are Daemon’s son, which makes you my brother.
How could the family’s dragons be withheld from you?” Still, seeing Vaelor pat his chest with that righteous, adorable, and ridiculous little face warmed her heart.
He was not the younger brother threatening her position as heir to the Iron Throne.
There was no ugliness between them.
When she was little, Uncle Daemon had doted on her.
Now, treating Vaelor a little better counted as another place for that old affection to rest.
“Squeak!” Just as the two of them were moved, one mouse became unhappy.
Vaelor quickly lowered his head and saw movement inside his pouch.
A round, milk-white mouse head popped out.
He had been excited and had squeezed the Golden-Nosed Mouse too hard.
“What is that?” Rhaenyra glanced at it and instantly retreated.
All her warmth vanished, replaced by wariness.
“Do not be afraid.
It is a pet mouse I caught in the Red Keep.” Vaelor gave a guilty smile and pinched the Golden-Nosed Mouse by the scruff, lifting it out.
The dragon-eared mouse looked like a plump little hamster.
Its whole body was covered in creamy white fur, and the pads of its four paws were soft pink.
The only unusual thing about it was its golden nose, as if it had stolen cheese and dipped its snout into it.
Vaelor held it up and examined it, muttering softly, “It is actually rather cute.” Was it reliable, though?
“Squeak!” The Golden-Nosed Mouse cried out almost like a person and stretched out its right paw, as if declaring that it was very strong.
“A mouse you just happened to catch?” Rhaenyra looked doubtful.
It did not seem like that at all.
Everyone knew the Red Keep was full of hidden passages, practically a giant nest of rats.
A strange breed of mouse was not entirely impossible.
Vaelor hid his inner delight, tucked the mouse back into his pouch, and quickly said, “I will put it away.
Do not be afraid.” In that moment, the mouse’s abilities had entered his mind.
Its sensitive smell and hearing gave it excellent treasure-hunting ability.
It could even smell faint traces of magic.
That was not the main point.
The Golden-Nosed Mouse was a magical creature provided by the panel.
On both sides of its mouth were storage pouches, together holding one cubic meter of space.
It had instantly become a walking multipurpose storage tool.
‘The gods are helping me.’ Vaelor forced down his excitement and encouraged himself silently.
The Golden-Nosed Mouse poked its head out again and squeaked in protest.
As if saying, “Clearly I am the one helping you.” Vaelor tapped its head and forced it back into the pouch.
Anything drawn from a card would obey him completely.
But that did not mean it lacked personality.
Only after confirming the round little white mouse would not climb out again did Rhaenyra roll her eyes.
“Vaelor, your tastes are very strange.” “Heh.” Vaelor scratched his head and smiled like an honest child.
Since arriving in King’s Landing, he had become extremely practiced at playing foolish and harmless.
At that moment, a series of sounds came from the dark cavern.
“Breathe flame, master the wings.” “Two heads stand, and sing toward three.” “By my lone voice, let fire speak.” It was the old dragonkeeper’s low voice, joined by the others in an ancient High Valyrian song.
Vaelor’s eyes sharpened, and he looked toward the sound.
“That is the fire song used to wake a dragon.
Prepare yourself.” Rhaenyra’s face grew serious as she warned him from experience.
“Good.” Vaelor did not dare be careless.
Before long, the dragonkeepers who had entered the cavern slowly withdrew.
They split into two lines, each gripping the stave used to calm dragons, backing away with extreme caution.
Clatter.
Suddenly, chains shook within the cavern, the sound especially clear in the quiet tunnel.
Vaelor stared ahead with full concentration, his plump face solemn.
His heartbeat quickened.
Sweat gathered in his palms.
Even the Golden-Nosed Mouse curled into a ball inside the pouch, sending him a wave of fear.
Boom.
The next moment, what had to come arrived.
A massive creature burst out of the cavern.
Iron chains whipped violently, and the entire tunnel trembled as a layer of grit and small stones shook loose.
“Shriek!” ✦ ✦ ✦ Ready for more?
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS EmberHollow Thank you for reading.
I hope this chapter pulled you deeper into the story.
Stick around, because there’s still a lot waiting just ahead.