Maegor's Holdfast.
By the time Otto prepared to knock, Prince Aegon and Helena were already awake.
Prince Aegon was flipping through a history book at his desk, trying to find the true origin of Dragons.
Meanwhile, Helena was boredly perusing a 'Blood Magic Notebook' from the Shadow Lands.
"Perhaps we should take some to Dragonstone," Helena said, resting her chin on her hand, her voice a little muffled.
"That's what I intend to do, but not now."
"Why?"
"I plan to build a massive atticto store books from all over the world, and then build a magic tower specifically for magic books."
Thump, thump, thump—a knock sounded.
"Come in."
Otto glanced curiously at the guards by the door.
From the moment he arrived until he knocked, the two guards hadn't said a word, standing still like wooden figures.
He couldn't imagine the scene of Lorente having miniature crossbows pointed at his head by these two.
Pushing the door open, he saw Prince Aegon and Helena reading.
Seeing that it was Otto, Prince Aegon, who had been sitting, closed the history book and stood up.
"Grandfather, this should be our first official meeting. Long time no see, please have a seat."
Prince Aegon wanted to pull up a chair for Otto, but Otto raised his hand to refuse.
"I'll do it myself." Otto pulled over a chair and sat down.
"Grandfather," Helena called out obediently.
Otto smiled, clearly pleased by Helena's sweet and obedient address of 'Grandfather'.
"You were just born not long before I left King's Landing, and Prince Aegon was less than two years old. In the blink of an eye, you two have grown so big.
At the time, I was worried whether your mother could withstand the pressure, and it's fortunate that you are outstanding, Prince Aegon."
Otto felt a bit emotional. He hadn't expected the young Prince Aegon to bear the pressure of the Greens.
"It's not that exaggerated. The person under the most pressure and who worked the hardest was my mother. Especially when I was ignorant of the world, she was truly exhausted."
Prince Aegon's concern for Alicent elevated his evaluation in Otto's mind once again.
Otto looked at the history book by Prince Aegon's hand and asked with interest, "Your Highness, do you enjoy reading history books?"
He was learned, and his greatest interest was history.
People could always gain many useful warnings from the lessons of history.
As for whether the warnings were useful, Otto's assessment was: useless!
For example, the Greens and the Black Party were contending for the throne.
Numerous historical events proved that this could lead to a terrifying civil war.
But could the Greens let go?
As an insider, Otto believed they absolutely could not.
Even if the final outcome was death, the Greens absolutely could not give up!
"Grandfather, my mother often says you are very learned. I have a question I'd like to ask you."
"Tell me, if I know the answer, I will tell you without reservation."
Although Otto spoke humbly and made no guarantee, he was actually quite confident in himself.
Prince Aegon placed the thick history book in front of Otto, stroking the parchment cover. "History books are heavy, recording the great achievements of those who came before. When you open all the history books, what do you think they are about?"
Otto frowned slightly.
"All history books... that covers a lot of things." Otto didn't know where to start for a moment.
Seeing Otto frown.
Prince Aegon's lips suddenly curved into an arc, and he picked up the Sunfyre wood carving from the desk.
"Grandfather, from the time of the First Men to the present Targaryen Golden Age, history books are vast, yet they only tell one sentence: Contend to be King!"
Bang—the Sunfyre wood carving landed in front of Otto.
"Looking at all the royal bloodlines in the world today, the one with the qualifications and ability to sit on that Iron Chair... is only me!"
Prince Aegon was confident and flamboyant, as if the Iron Throne was already within his grasp.
Otto's emotions were complex.
He was proud, yet also anxious about gains and losses.
Ambition, confidence, ability—Prince Aegon lacked none of these, which made him incredibly proud.
But precisely because Prince Aegon lacked nothing, it made him feel a bit useless.
Fortunately, Prince Aegon did not continue, but changed the subject.
"Did His Grace ask you to come?" Prince Aegon asked with a smile.
"You know?"
"Of course."
Otto looked towards the door.
"Then do you know what your guards said?"
"Not only do I know what the guards said, I also know why His Grace summoned me."
Prince Aegon chuckled.
"So, it was really you who did it?"
"I don't know what you are talking about. Let's go see His Grace first, I'm in a hurry to return to Dragonstone."
The distance from Maegor's Holdfast to the Throne Hall was not far.
Seeing Prince Aegon arrive, Tyland immediately smiled and rose to greet him.
"Your Highness, you've finally arrived!"
Otto frowned slightly, something wasn't right.
Tyland briefly described what had just happened.
Prince Aegon glanced at Viserys with a little surprise.
However, deciding to fully support Rhaenyra now, doesn't he feel it's too late?
"I don't like standing, have someone bring a chair," Prince Aegon said to Tyland beside him.
Tyland nodded and immediately arranged for someone to fetch a chair.
Viserys felt embarrassed.
"There can only be one chair in the Throne Hall," he looked at Prince Aegon and reminded him.
There was only one seat in the Throne Hall, and that was the Iron Throne.
Only one person could sit in the Throne Hall, and that was the King of the Seven Kingdoms on the Iron Throne!
"Is that so?"
Prince Aegon looked up and met Viserys's gaze directly.
"I don't like standing, so I want to add another chair. How about it?"
At this moment, Corlys stepped forward and questioned him face-to-face: "Prince Aegon, are you threatening His Grace?"
Turning his head to look at Corlys, Prince Aegon shook his head.
"Lord Corlys, this is not a threat.
Given that the Velaryon ships and warships are very similar, they have seriously threatened the safety of the Stepstones themselves.
Therefore, House Velaryon must pay a deposit of 500,000 gold dragons and pay triple the passage tax.
Otherwise, I will completely prohibit House Velaryon's merchant ships from sailing in the Stepstones.
Do you know what a threat is now, Lord Corlys?"
Before Prince Aegon had finished speaking, Corlys's expression had already begun to change.
Only now did he remember how much Driftmark's trade relied on the Stepstones.
Not five million gold dragons, nor fifty million gold dragons, but specifically 500,000 gold dragons.
Not thirty times the passage tax, nor three hundred times the passage tax, but specifically triple the passage tax.
This didn't seem like a simple threat to him.
"His Grace gave you the Stepstones to protect the Kingdom's interests."
Corlys wanted to warn Prince Aegon not to mess around, but his voice trembled slightly.
"Heh heh."
Prince Aegon let out a cold laugh and no longer paid attention to Corlys.
Since Corlys couldn't figure out his own weight, Prince Aegon didn't mind helping him.
And the calmer Prince Aegon was, the more uneasy Corlys became.
"Your Grace." In his helplessness, Corlys could only turn to Viserys for help.
House Velaryon was, after all, the biggest supporter of the Black Party, so Viserys had to speak up to help.
"Aegon, you can't mess around with the passage tax, otherwise who would dare to cross the Stepstones in the future?" Viserys advised.
However, Prince Aegon showed no respect to Viserys and refused coldly.
"I am the Duke of the Stepstones, and I say who is dangerous is dangerous.
If anyone doesn't want to cross, they are welcome not to, but if they dare to try and sneak through, don't blame Vhagar for being merciless!"
"Aegon!"
Viserys's tone deepened, warning Prince Aegon not to go too far.
Prince Aegon was a little impatient.
"This matter ends here, and I no longer want the chair.
Lord Jasper, are you willing to accompany me to Dragonstone?
My Round Table needs a legal councilor, and I would be very grateful if you would come."
"It is my honor, Your Highness."
Jasper agreed to Prince Aegon without even thinking.
"Then prepare to depart."
Having said that, Prince Aegon turned around and left the Throne Hall directly.
After walking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Daemon.
"Uncle, I heard your right hand is crippled. I sympathize with you. The left hand sword is also very powerful, don't be sad."
Daemon's expression was calm, but his trembling left hand betrayed him. Prince Aegon left the Throne Hall so openly, and no one dared to stop him.
"Go find Mother, tell her to pack her things and return to Dragonstone with us," Prince Aegon said to Helena.
When the two appeared before Alicent, she was enjoying her breakfast.
Swallowing the food in her mouth, Alicent looked confused and picked up an apple pie.
"Want some?"
"Thank you, I've already had breakfast."
Helena took the apple pie and happily ate it.
Prince Aegon was also not polite, picking up a piece of blueberry cake and eating as he spoke:
"Please pack your things and come to Dragonstone with me."
"Does your father know?"
"He doesn't know, but it's not up to him to decide where my mother wants to go," Prince Aegon's tone was cold.
Hearing the unusual tone in Prince Aegon's voice, Alicent frowned.
"Something happened?"
"Yes, but it was expected."
Prince Aegon briefly explained the current situation to Alicent, which made Alicent furious and immediately want to go confront Viserys.
"Don't go. It's better to use that time and energy to pack instead," Prince Aegon stopped Alicent.
"Why not go?" Alicent was exasperated. "Am I his mistress?"
"Rhaenyra is his daughter, and you are not his son?"
Seeing this, Prince Aegon quickly gave Helena a look.
Helena understood instantly, and the two of them together finally managed to persuade Alicent.
"Mother, a deceased lover is always more perfect than a living one. You don't need to care about these things," Prince Aegon comforted her.
"But I'm not reconciled! You are his eldest son, the first in line to the Iron Throne!"
Alicent felt a little wronged, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
In Alicent's view, the reason Viserys favored Rhaenyra was because of his guilt towards his former wife.
But she was also Viserys's legal wife, the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and had given birth to three sons and one daughter for Viserys!
Why did Viserys have the right to deny Prince Aegon's inheritance because of his guilt towards his former wife?
This was unfair to her and to Prince Aegon!
"Don't ruin your health over such a small matter, Mother.
The throne isn't won by words alone. Time will prove who the true King is."
Helena tenderly wiped away Alicent's tears: "Aegon is right, don't let it ruin your health.
We must believe in Prince Aegon!"