Harrenhal began its military mobilization and war preparations the moment Roman returned.
The series of reforms and development measures Roman had previously implemented in Harrenhal had brought unprecedented prosperity to the fortress and its territories.
Because Roman's policies attracted a large number of people seeking a livelihood, the population of the entire territory had exceeded 800,000; it was now time to expand the army.
First was the cavalry. With the support of a developed metallurgical industry, Roman expanded the Ironmen to 1,000 men in one go and increased the Light Cavalry to 2,000.
The infantry legions consisted of 2,000 heavy infantry, 2,000 light infantry, and 1,000 technical troops for operating machinery.
These 8,000 men were professional soldiers, supplemented by logistics and auxiliary branches.
At its current maximum, Harrenhal could only support these 8,000 full-time soldiers; any more would begin to impact normal civilian production.
However, according to Roman's investigations, excluding the behemoth that was The Reach, the other Great Lords could at most muster a few tens of thousands of troops. Harrenhal felt no intimidation facing such opponents.
The newly recruited soldiers were trained by veterans and non-commissioned officers, and they typically ate together in the same mess hall.
Under other nobles, mess halls were divided into three tiers: nobles, officers, and soldiers.
But in Harrenhal, officers and soldiers were equal; everyone received the same treatment unless their specific duties required otherwise.
To ensure discipline, Roman's scrutiny of the army was extremely strict. Any discovery of embezzlement of military pay or ordering soldiers to perform private labor resulted in immediate dismissal, flogging, and penal labor.
New recruits received ideological education immediately upon arrival to foster military cohesion, making the soldiers understand that serving was a way to protect their families and their own property.
The soldiers' daily meals were also carefully designed by scholars based on nutritional science. Thanks to Roman's early planning, the vegetable and fruit gardens originally established for large towns now provided a steady stream of fresh food for the army.
Coupled with various military benefits, as long as a person joined the army, their entire family would undergo a world-shaking transformation.
Consequently, those who joined the army in Harrenhal were one in a hundred; the Free Folk and the people of the Crabs Claw Peninsula had no chance of becoming part of those 8,000.
Because of the influx of outsiders into the Harrenhal territory, the pressure on public security became immense for a time, and some banditry began to resurface.
Roman took the opportunity to send the army to suppress the bandits, allowing the new recruits to learn the fine traditions of their predecessors.
Harrenhal's army was like a vigorously growing tree, but at this critical moment, Roman collapsed.
Without any warning, Fili discovered something was wrong one morning when she went to wake Roman as usual.
Roman's body had suddenly become feverish, and he was incredibly weak. Fili summoned Lady Helaena and the scholars, but after an examination, they found nothing wrong.
Besides the fever, Roman's back was in severe pain, and he often talked in his sleep.
After several years of development, Harrenhal now had a basic administrative bureaucratic system that could function even if Roman was temporarily absent.
However, everything in Harrenhal was currently built upon Roman's plans. Lady Helaena could not do without Roman; she could only anxiously demand that the scholars find a way to treat him.
Fili stayed by Roman's side day and night, applying cold compresses and wiping him down in an attempt to help.
Roman had completely lost his usual dashing composure; he lay weakly on the bed, his chest heaving, murmuring low whispers from his mouth.
The cool water used to wipe Roman's body evaporated instantly, forming a white mist above him.
Fili was also suffering during this time; she clearly felt a power churning within her body, a sensation that grew stronger as Roman's condition worsened.
Despite this, she endured the discomfort and stayed by Roman's side. Fili did not trust others; she did not want anyone approaching Roman casually.
In just one month, Fili developed heavy dark circles under her eyes, her smooth and beautiful blonde hair became brittle, and the young girl's face was etched with deep exhaustion.
The scholars warned Fili that her body had reached its limit and that she would collapse if she continued, but she politely dismissed them every time.
At this moment, Roman was struggling against various illusions in his dreams.
Amidst the clouds and dreams, the red comet hung high in the sky.
It was evening; the light was fading as the day drew to a close. Over a vast marsh, two giant dragons were locked in combat.
One was as massive as a castle, but its skin was covered in wrinkles, its body was battered in many places, and its wings were riddled with large holes, giving it the appearance of extreme old age.
The other dragon was dark red all over, only half the size of the old dragon, but young, powerful, and terrifyingly ferocious.
The two dragons bit and breathed fire at each other in the sky, grappling together with total disregard for their own injuries, intent only on killing the other.
Finally, the two dragons clawed at each other and fell together, continuing to scorch each other with fire even as they plummeted through the air.
Roman looked up at the high sky, his mouth hanging open in shock.
"Khorakho? Vhagar?"
It was impossible for Roman to be mistaken; that was definitely Vhagar and the Bloodworm.
"Is this... Gods Eye? Have I come to Gods Eye during the Dance of the Dragons?"
Before Roman could think further, the two giant dragons crashed down before him, and a colossal wave instantly surged toward him.
But unlike the records of the Dance of the Dragons, the two dragons did not sink to the bottom. Instead, they raised their heads together and stared directly at Roman.
Roman:!!!
Before Roman could react, the two dragons breathed dragonflame directly at him, the high heat striking Roman with immense force.
Roman could only vainly extend his arms to block, but the dragonflame incinerated his clothing in an instant.
Then his skin began to carbonize, and the subcutaneous fat melted, bubbled, and burst into flames.
Roman was like a sheep roasted by dragonflame; once the two dragons finished burning him, they would come to fight over the meal.
Intense pain spread throughout Roman's entire body. This feeling was similar to when he first encountered Heren's ghost, but compared to the residual dragonflame of Balerion back then, this fire was at full strength.
Roman was like a piece of choice meat, skinned and brushed with egg wash, roasting in the fire.
"You two beasts!"
More than fear, Roman's first reaction was rage. He felt furious at the actions of Vhagar and Khorakho.
Roman's blood vessels burst, and the blood that flowed out turned into White Flame.
A pillar of white fire erupted from within the orange flames spat by the two dragons, blocking the attack for Roman.
Roman finally gained a moment's respite. His outer skin had been burned to ash and mixed with the White Flame and blood, turning into a black paste that clung to his body.
This paste caused Roman's pain to diminish instantly, and then it transformed into neat rows of scales.
"Are these dragon scales?"
While Roman was still marvelling at his transformation, the two dragons in front of him suddenly stopped breathing fire. Two figures charged into the White Flame and thrust their swords into Roman's ribs on either side.
"Another dragon! With it, I still have a chance!"
"Let go! You Rogue Prince, you have no right to possess this dragon!"
Roman looked at the two men before him; they were clearly Daemon and Aemond 'One-Eye'. These two had first fought each other, then watched Roman get blasted by dragonflame, and then each gave him a sword thrust.
And now they wanted him to join their Black or Green factions?
Roman didn't care if this was a dream or not; he shattered Daemon's skull with a single punch, and the blood and brains were instantly incinerated to ash.
Then Roman slammed a fist into Aemond's abdomen. As he doubled over in pain, Roman moved behind him, hooked a hand into Aemond's empty eye socket, and pulled with all his might. Aemond's head was torn off amidst screams and struggles.
The corpses of the two men instantly turned into a cloud of ash and blew away. Roman looked up at the sky and the two dragons.
"This farce should end."
Holding a spear in his hand, a pair of blue-black wings sprouted from behind Roman's back. He spread them with a flap and flew toward the two dragons.
Vhagar and Khorakho tried to attack with dragonflame again, but Roman avoided the two pillars of fire with a slight tilt of his wings.
Then, adjusting his angle, he dove and slammed into Vhagar's head, his spear plunging into Vhagar's massive eye in an instant.
The White Flame traveled from Roman's arm through the spear and into Vhagar's brain. The giant dragon's brain was ignited instantly, and the entire dragon head began to thrash in agony.
Roman ignored the doomed dragon and looked up at Khorakho. The Bloodworm, seeing it had no advantage, intended to fly vertically to gain a superior position.
But Roman was faster. He kicked off Vhagar's head and catapulted himself into the air.
Subsequently, Khorakho's long, slender neck was struck directly by a mass of White Flame. The spear, coated in dragonflame, easily pierced Khorakho's windpipe, and the White Flame poured down the pipe into the Bloodworm's mouth and belly.
Khorakho was already adept at breathing fire; its duration and volume of fire were among the best of all dragons.
But this instead became the perfect fuel for Roman's White Flame. Khorakho writhed in the air in agony before its chest was blown open by the White Flame within its body.
Blood rained down like a storm but immediately turned into ash.
Roman looked up, and the dreamlike sky shattered at the sound.
Roman snapped his eyes open. His body was burning; the fire was about to come out!
Fili saw Roman wake up and wept with joy, immediately stepping forward to embrace him.
But she was instantly scalded by Roman's high-temperature skin and let go.
"Lord Roman, what is happening to your body?"
Roman: "The situation is urgent. Fili, prepare a boat for me. I must go to Gods Eye!"
Seeing Roman's grave expression, Fili knew the severity of the problem. She immediately set out to arrange a boat and ordered all fishermen to leave Gods Eye.
After ensuring that others would not be affected, Roman kissed Fili's forehead on the shore.
Through Roman's burning lips, Fili knew Roman was suffering. She said through tears:
"Lord Roman! You... I, I will be here waiting for you!"
Roman gently wiped away the girl's tears. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Take care of yourself."
Then Roman rowed the small boat toward the center of the lake. Along the way, Roman's body gradually lost control, dragon scales grew out, and White Flame began to erupt uncontrollably.
Finally, Roman reached the depths of Gods Eye and rolled into the water.
The cool lake water licked Roman's body and was heated to a boil by the White Flame, sending up a series of bubbles.
Roman went deeper into the lake. In the water layer where even sunlight could not reach, he knew the time had come.
The shores of Gods Eye were crowded with fishermen who had just come ashore. They stared anxiously at the lake's surface, praying for Roman.
Meanwhile, Fili and Lady Helaena watched Gods Eye with worry. Scholar Tom comforted them from the side, saying Roman would be fine.
Minutes and seconds passed. In the atmosphere of extreme oppression, people began to feel despair, for no one could hold their breath underwater for that long.
Just as everyone was about to break into tears, a thunderous boom erupted from Gods Eye.
Dense bubbles pushed the water surface up, forming a massive mountain of water, which then exploded into countless splashes.
A figure wreathed in White Flame ascended rapidly into the sky. When that ball of fire climbed vertically into the air, it instantly burst, lighting the sky brilliantly.
For a moment, two suns appeared in the sky.
After the brief eruption, the White Flame dissipated, revealing the figure's true form.
Roman, the heir of Harrenhal, a newborn dragonseed, stood in the air.
He was still in human form, but dragon horns, a dragon tail, and newborn dragon wings had grown from Roman's human body, with fire and lightning surrounding him.
Gods Eye, which had once been stained red by dragon blood, witnessed the birth of a new dragon today.