The size and structure of the residence were completely inconsistent with the status of the "Ruler of Westeros," but the security was extremely tight, layered three times inside and out. After verification and a search under the guidance of the leading Unsullied soldier, Illyrio was finally allowed to pass through the gate. He crossed a courtyard that was smaller than the garden of his own magister's mansion and entered the somewhat shabby hall.
There were no tricks or traps. Daenerys was indeed seated at the head, smiling brightly and living up to her reputation as the "most beautiful woman in the world."
Just by glancing at her from the doorway, a faint sadness rose in his heart again. The greatest obstacle on Aegon's path to becoming king was someone who had once flown out of his own hands.
Illyrio would never forget that years ago, when the woman before him first came to him with her brother seeking refuge, she had still been childish. Even so, she was already more beautiful than any woman he had ever seen, so much so that he briefly entertained the thought of taking her for himself.
In the end, reason overcame desire. He understood that Princess Daenerys's status carried far more value and potential than simply being a beautiful woman. After a painful struggle, he restrained himself and suppressed the impulse. Instead, he followed the plan and introduced her to the khal.
The ability of reason to overcome desire had always been something Illyrio was proud of. Yet now it was hard to say whether that choice had truly been wise.
...
The shy and timid girl who once sheltered under his roof had died on the Dothraki Sea and been reborn in blood and fire. The reborn Dragon Queen was a true Targaryen, and her wings had grown strong enough to cover the sky.
Sitting at the head of the hall, she appeared powerful and confident, and she had every right to be.
If he had followed his instincts back then and taken her by force, would there be so many problems today?
Pushing away yet another meaningless assumption, Illyrio put on the mask of the wealthy merchant magister. With his round belly held high and a smile on his face, he walked toward the center of the hall.
"Your Grace, it has been many years. You have become even more beautiful and charming. The Lord of Light must have poured all blessings upon you."
"Lord Illyrio, seeing that you remain healthy and strong brings me great comfort in these times of bloodshed and conflict." Daenerys smiled and raised her arm, gesturing toward the side. "Allow me to introduce my Hand. The Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, the hero who led humanity to defeat the White Walkers, Aegor West."
"I have long heard of your great reputation. It is an honor to meet you today." Illyrio's smile did not fade at all. He turned naturally toward the Hand and bowed slightly. When he raised his head to meet Aegor's gaze, his body stiffened for a brief moment.
The instant he entered the hall, Illyrio had felt an inexplicable pressure.
As a well traveled man, he was familiar with this sensation. It was dragon's might.
Although the Dragonlords of Valyria had perished in the Doom, their blood had spread across Essos through conquest and indulgence. From nobles and royalty to prostitutes and slaves, people with Valyrian blood occasionally awakened dragon's might of varying strength.
His second wife, Serala, had been one of them. When he pressed her beneath him during lovemaking, he often felt as if he were conquering a humanoid female dragon. The feeling greatly satisfied his masculine desire for conquest.
As a true Targaryen, it was perfectly natural for Daenerys to possess dragon's might.
But how could the man before him, said to be from beyond the Sunset Sea, possess an aura several times stronger than Daenerys herself? Could he be a descendant of the Dragonlords of Valyria who had somehow circled the world and arrived in Westeros from another direction?
The rulers of the Free Cities liked to call themselves the "Daughters of Valyria." But if a father suddenly appeared claiming authority over them again, the princes and magisters would certainly resist.
"You are too kind, Lord Illyrio." Aegor, dressed in black armor and black clothing, did not even stand. He merely gave a lazy and insincere smile. "I should be the one thanking Magister Illyrio for generously protecting Her Grace in the past. Because of that, the queen worthy of my loyalty and service exists today. Please allow me to express my respect and gratitude."
Illyrio naturally knew who Aegor was.
Even when this Lord Commander had only just established himself in King's Landing and built the Night's Watch industry, Illyrio had already learned about him through his little birds. When he had free time, he even had someone read him the novel The Night's Watch's Fantastic Adventure.
At that time, like most clever men including Varys, he had believed Aegor was merely a talented figure skilled in marketing and storytelling. Who could have imagined that this man would become someone capable of dealing with the White Walkers and helping the Queen conquer the realm?
"Very well, please sit, Lord Illyrio." Daenerys's smile grew even brighter. "My army has just taken King's Landing, and the Seven Kingdoms are not yet firmly under control. I do not have much time to entertain you or reminisce. Please forgive me. May I ask what brings you here?"
Illyrio sat down under Missandei's guidance and shifted his large body slightly to settle comfortably.
He looked deeply at the black clad Hand sitting opposite him. Seeing the calm expression on Aegor's face, his heart slowly sank.
Daenerys receiving him personally was good news. However, the deliberate presence of the Lord Commander clearly revealed something.
The Queen acknowledged the help he had given her in the past, but she did not consider him one of her own.
Because she did not consider him one of her own, she did not trust him. That was why she had summoned someone reliable to accompany and observe the meeting.
Aegor West had carved out a position for himself in King's Landing as a member of the Night's Watch. He had risen to Lord Commander through fierce internal struggle, led the Night's Watch to defeat the White Walkers, and helped Daenerys subdue the North and the Riverlands before taking King's Landing.
Such a man was not easy to deal with.
With him present, persuading Daenerys to spare Aegon would be extremely difficult.
Illyrio took a deep breath and clenched his teeth.
He had already come this far. There was no reason to retreat now. Even if it was extremely difficult, he had to try.
"Your Grace, please allow me first to congratulate you on reclaiming your rightful throne." Illyrio's smile faded slightly, and a hint of seriousness appeared on his naturally cheerful round face. "However, you must not be carried away by victory. The newly restored Targaryen dynasty currently stands in a dangerous position, surrounded by enemies."
"You indeed hold an absolute advantage within the Seven Kingdoms, and the remaining enemies are nothing to fear. But you must not forget that Westeros has never been an isolated island in the middle of the sea. Its frequent trade and interaction with the continent of Essos have effectively connected the lands on both sides of the Narrow Sea, binding their interests together."
"While Your Grace and the Lord Commander prepare your forces in King's Landing to strike at the remaining enemies in the Riverlands, have you paid attention to the attitude of the trade cities across the Narrow Sea?"
Do I also need to consider the opinions of people across the sea while dealing with rebellious subjects in my own kingdom?
Although this thought crossed her mind, Daenerys was no longer the naive girl she once was. After being guided and assisted by figures such as Littlefinger, Varys, and Aegor, she had long learned to control her emotions.
Illyrio had chosen a good moment. Her mood was still fairly pleasant, not enough for the fury of the dragon to override reason over a single sentence.
"No, I have not. Please enlighten me."
"Your Grace, do you know how many cities on the continent of Essos do not practice slavery?"
"None." Daenerys answered immediately. She had spent her childhood wandering between cities while hiding from assassins supposedly sent by the Usurper. She had once even feared she might become a slave herself. Naturally, she had thought about this matter before. "Braavos and Pentos claim to have abolished slavery, but those with wealth and power can always circumvent the rules. So the answer is none."
"Your Grace is wise." Illyrio praised her, and this compliment was sincere. "Before you appeared in Slaver's Bay, the economic cycle of Essos worked roughly like this. The Dothraki raided across the continent and sold captured people to Slaver's Bay. Meereen, Yunkai, and Astapor trained them as pit fighters, bed slaves, and Unsullied. Other cities then traded their goods with these three cities in exchange for slaves."
"Of course, this is only a simplified description. The source of slaves was not only Dothraki captives, and Slaver's Bay also traded copper and olives. But regardless, this triangular trade was the primary form of economic activity across Essos."
"It is not anymore." Daenerys spoke calmly. Her smile had disappeared, and the tone of her voice carried cold killing intent.
"That is true. But the reason I explain this is simply to remind Your Grace of one fact. Everything you did in Slaver's Bay, especially in Meereen, offended nearly half of Essos."
"Thank you for the reminder. This 'half of Essos' already demonstrated that fact through war." Daenerys's lips curved slightly, revealing a hint of pride. "I assume I do not need to remind you, Lord Illyrio. I won."
"The entire world knows that you won. To be honest, even after collecting so much information, I still cannot fully understand how Your Grace achieved victory in that battle." Illyrio sighed. This statement was also true. "But the process is not important. The result is that the war shattered the confidence of the Anti-Dragon Mother Alliance."
"Realizing they could not defeat you or restore Slaver's Bay to its former state, the trade cities accepted defeat. They abandoned the idea of using Slaver's Bay as a source of slaves and began searching for alternatives, even recruiting trainers to train their own."
"That is good." A flash of anger appeared in Daenerys's eyes. "So?"
"If you had remained peacefully in Slaver's Bay as the queen of the three cities. No, the three cities of the former Slaver's Bay. Then perhaps the land would have enjoyed peace. After learning their lesson, the slave masters would not have dared to form another alliance against you."
Illyrio paused briefly and looked up at Daenerys before continuing.
"But you chose to return to Westeros to claim the Iron Throne, and now victory is close. Do you know what the slave masters across the Narrow Sea have been busy doing recently?"
"Preparing for war?"
"Yes, and no." Illyrio's expression became solemn. "They are studying how an alliance of nearly half the world lost the First Anti-Dragon Mother War."
"Surely Your Grace understands. When someone uses the word 'first,' it means they believe a 'second' will follow."
(To be continued.)