-Chapter 194

-Chapter 194-

-POV MC-

Executing Karlon Steelshanks did me much more good than I could have imagined, but it also worried me about the state of my mental health.

The possible attack of the White Walkers, although unpredictable, occupied my mind constantly, for the more I delved into magic, the more I felt my insignificance and the insignificance of my power.

One question persisted with each passing day: what is so different about me that could make me triumph over century-old, even millennia-old, creatures who have been waiting to take their revenge on humanity?

Apart from the fact that I am a person reincarnated in this world, I am just an ordinary human being.

I debated internally for a long time about what I should do in the future, and eventually, I decided it was time to seek advice from someone wiser than myself or, at least, someone more experienced in all things magical in this world.

---

-POV 3rd-

-27th day of the 12th moon of the year 300 AC-

"The last time we talked, you were more... arrogant, and now you stand before me, begging for advice and training," Leaf said, looking at me with a sort of mocking smile, realizing that our positions had slightly reversed because it was I who needed her now.

"Don't overdo it," I said, knowing that I still held all the cards.

Leaf smiled and said nothing more, careful not to cross the line between humor and mockery, and I took the opportunity to return to our main topic:

"I would like to learn how to see through Weirwood trees."

"Learning to see through Weirwood trees, for what purpose exactly?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"For what reason exactly?" Leaf insisted.

I rolled my eyes and gazed at the Weirwood tree, then said:

"I hope to connect with the past to ensure our future..."

"That's a very bad idea," Leaf said, cutting me off.

"You don't even know what I intend to do to defeat these abominations made of ice," I said, frowning, displeased with her interruption.

"It doesn't take a genius to understand that you're trying to learn ancient magics to gain an advantage over the apostles of the Great Other."

"You sound like Melisandre," I said, noticing that she referred to the White Walkers as the apostles of the Great Other.

"That's what they are. Their goal is to destroy all of humanity's faiths by first destroying humanity and all other intelligent species not submitted to the Great Other," Leaf said.

I nodded, understanding her explanation, then returned to the main topic of our conversation: "Are you going to teach me or not?"

Leaf debated internally for a few moments before finally sighing and saying:

"I promised I would, but you won't be able to find what you're looking for this way. Only the Three-Eyed Raven could accomplish such a feat. The strength of your soul and mind is not great enough to delve so deeply into the world's memory. Your mind could even remain trapped in the memory, while in the real world, your body would gradually wither away."

Understanding the stakes and risks, I took a small breath before saying, "I'm ready."

"Very well, meet me in a moon, and we can begin your training," Leaf said before disappearing into the forest.

---

-POV Viserys Targaryen-

"This is absurd!" I yelled once I finally learned the number of ships we had lost in the storm.

"A third. We just lost a third of our entire fleet," I said, annoyed by the loss I had suffered without having fought a single battle.

"There are not only disadvantages, my prince," Aegor Velaryon said, focused on the horizon and not bothered by the losses we had just incurred.

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to explain how losing so many ships could be beneficial for me or for us in general, and he eventually said:

"The majority of the ships we lost belonged to the Redwyne, Lannister, and Vale fleets. The Imperial fleet is practically intact, which allows us to maintain an advantage over the resources that will be distributed at the end of the war, as well as a decision-making advantage if the conquest of the Summer Islands takes longer than necessary."

I glanced at the two fools Aegon had assigned to me, inwardly cursing him for this task I would have gladly avoided if only I had the option to refuse.

'Two dogs I will have to properly train before our return to Westeros if we want to have a firm grip on Westeros for decades to come,' I thought before shouting at the two to get ready, as I began to see land, and we did not know how we would be received by the locals.

---

-POV Euron Greyjoy-

'Another ship carrying ice chests,' I thought, recognizing the type of heavy ship capable of transporting such loads, specially built in Westeros since Aegon Targaryen's accession to the throne.

'It's almost too easy, and to think I'm being paid 3,000 gold coins just to pillage these merchant ships,' I thought before shouting:

"Come on, row, you bastards, the coins are calling us, the Essosi pigs are waiting for us!"

None of my mute crew members responded, but the speed of execution quickly improved, as did the speed of the Silence, which was within boarding range within minutes.

Clad in light leather armor and wielding an ax, I jumped onto the deck of the other ship, only to see men cutting the rope that connected the lifeboat they were in to the ship.

Surprised and confused by this act of cowardice, I smiled before finally frowning, as I had caught the gaze of one of the men before the lifeboat was cast into the sea, and there was no fear in his eyes.

I heard my second-in-command trying to make noise with his throat, as he could not speak, which drew my attention to him as he looked at the sky. But it was already too late, as I saw the Silence and the other 18 ships of my fleet being engulfed by a giant fire-breathing lizard.

'A dragon,' I realized, also understanding that I had drawn the attention and wrath of the Emperor.

'If he came all the way here, it's to send me to the depths, but my time hasn't come yet,' I thought before running with all my might and jumping into the sea.

In the air, I saw the dragon engulf the ship I was standing on just seconds earlier, and as soon as I hit the water, I dove... dove... dove until I sank into unconsciousness, no longer having enough air, and I passed out.

'I... am the Drowned God. I cannot die, for... what is dead may never die.'

---

-POV Daenerys Targaryen-

During the week that passed, I constantly felt a certain loneliness. Since the end of the war with Aegon, we had both begun to come to terms with the idea that we would have to spend the rest of our lives together.

Losing my crown as queen to gain that of an empress was not a bad trade, but exchanging my freedom for this gilded prison had tormented me for many nights.

Given my beauty, I had even thought he would rush to marry me to impose himself on me, but most of the time, he seemed more annoyed by my presence and eager to talk to someone else, which had unconsciously hurt me.

'Everyone would want a woman, a lady, a queen, or an empress like me. I was the most beautiful woman in this world. It wasn't just me saying it; everyone said it, and on top of that, I am the rider of Drogon,' I thought.

Recently, I started observing him, watching him when he was focused during the councils or meetings I had been invited to, observing his reactions, his desires, what made him smile, and I realized that he was actually quite an ordinary young man under the crown.

'One of, if not the only person who could be my equal in this world, one of the few people who could feel the thrill of power that comes with having a dragon.'

But these past few days had shown me a side of his personality that I didn't know, a panicked, almost fearful side, and I wondered what could scare a man as powerful as him.

'What could possibly frighten the Champion of the Lord of Light, Azor Ahai?' I thought.

*DRAGON ROAR*

'It seems I might be able to ask him directly,' I thought, standing up and heading directly towards the underground cave connected to the castle.

---

-POV MC-

As soon as I landed, Sandor Clegane immediately collapsed to the ground, as he was the one who handled dragon flights the least well.

Why, I don't know. Probably because of the hellfire Rhaegal had unleashed on Euron Greyjoy's pirate fleet.

Taking advantage of this lawless pirate's overconfidence had worked out pretty well for me, as I managed to wipe out his entire fleet without losing a single soldier.

The only thing I lost was a shipment of ice and one ship.

As soon as I set foot on the gangway, I was bombarded by all the members of the council who were there to welcome me.

So instead of listening to their grievances one after the other, I said:

"We will all speak in the council chamber in an hour, once I've taken a much-needed bath. For now, I just want to let you know a few things so that you can consider our next moves. The personal fleet of the so-called pirate king established on Basilisk Isle, Euron Greyjoy, has been destroyed. I did not attack the

 ships flying the flag, but on my way back, I ordered Aurane Velaryon to deploy all our forces in the Stepstones and to close them."

"Close access to the Stepstones?" Benjen said, confused by what that order implied.

"I gave him the authority to plunder, seize, and sink any ships not flying the Westerosi flag," I said, taking a slightly authoritative tone, as the measures I was taking were meant to intimidate and demonstrate the strength of the Empire.