After testing that the lost knight armor without Dragon Runes could still provide him assistance, Linde stopped trying. After a strenuous workout, he didn't feel any fatigue, not even his breathing was disturbed. He then thanked Varys once more.
"It is my honor to satisfy you, my Lord," Varys said, bowing.
Linde handed the two removed Greatswords to Varys and said, "Lord Varys, please help me sell these two swords. They are no longer useful to me."
Saying that, he clipped the two broad-bladed hand-and-a-half swords his father had forged for him, scabbards and all, into the specially designed clips on his back.
Varys took the two Greatswords and said, "Let me keep these two swords for now! When your reputation becomes even more distinguished in the future, these two swords you've used might fetch a better price."
Linde didn't object and then asked, "Lord Varys, do you have anything else? If not, please help me prepare a few good horses. I need to return to Tengshi Town immediately and take a ship to Highgarden."
Varys showed a surprised expression and asked, "You are going to Highgarden? Did you receive an order from Highgarden?"
Linde looked meaningfully at Varys and said, "Your little birds are truly everywhere. You even know about such things."
"It wasn't my little birds who told me this news; I deduced it," Varys said with a smile. "Your bandit suppression mission is clearly not yet complete. If Highgarden hadn't given an order, it would be impossible for you to leave Tengshi Town."
Linde smiled and asked, "Since that's the case, Lord Varys, can you infer why Duke Mace wants me to drop everything and return to Highgarden?"
Varys thought seriously for a moment and said, "I think it should be related to the martial arts tournament in Godgrace two months from now."
"Godgrace? Isn't that in Dorne's territory?" Linde said, looking puzzled.
Varys showed a hint of admiration and said, "Lord Velas Tyrell has always been committed to eliminating the hatred between The Reach and Dorne. Over the years, he has persuaded some Dornish and Reach lords and nobles. The martial arts tournament in Godgrace two months from now is said to be attended by most Dornish lords and nobles, so he wants to bring some of The Reach lords and noble heirs he has persuaded to participate together. During the martial arts tournament, they will reach a preliminary peace agreement with the Dornish lords and nobles."
Upon hearing this, Linde felt that Velas Tyrell was a bit too idealistic. The feud between Dorne and The Reach had lasted for over a thousand years and could not be resolved simply through a few negotiations and exchanges.
Linde questioned, "Does Thorn Queen agree to him doing this?"
Although Varys admired Velas Tyrell's actions, he was also well aware that Velas's trip was destined to fail. He said, "Thorn Queen did not object. It's likely she wants to use this opportunity to make Lord Velas sober up and stop indulging in fantasies."
Linde immediately understood the intention of the order from Highgarden and said, "So, I'm being recalled to Highgarden to serve as Lord Velas Tyrell's guard, protecting his safety."
Varys nodded and said, "I guess so. After all, who is more suitable to be a guard than you, the Seven Kingdoms' foremost swordsman!"
"Damn it!" Linde couldn't help but curse inwardly, as he suddenly remembered something: Velas Tyrell had injured his foot during a martial arts tournament while fighting the Red Viper, which ultimately led to his disability. Now that he thought about it, it might be this martial arts tournament in Godgrace.
But now he was to serve as Velas Tyrell's guard, and the person he was supposed to protect would return to Highgarden crippled. By then, he would likely face a storm of accountability from House Tyrell. There was no benefit to doing this job well, and if he messed it up, he would be punished.
Linde couldn't help but think, "Maybe I should go back and feign illness!"
However, after a moment of thought, Linde still decided to go to Highgarden and take on the task of guarding Velas Tyrell. Besides wanting to interact with the Dornish, more importantly, he remembered the horse Rhys Farwell had mentioned, found outside Godgrace. He might be able to use this opportunity to capture that horse and give it to Nameria.
As for Velas's disability, he would fulfill his duty to warn the other party. If the other party ultimately didn't listen to him and sought their own demise, he didn't need to care. Moreover, this injury leading to disability occurred during a martial arts tournament, so no matter what, it couldn't be blamed on him.
After realizing this, Linde immediately had Varys prepare horses for his return to Tengshi Town. Without further delay, he left King's Landing.
However, when Linde left King's Landing, he didn't know if his armor was too eye-catching, or if his act of riding five horses alone was too prominent. In any case, information related to him was sent to the Prime Minister Jon Arryn's desk. Jon Arryn's attention was drawn to the design of Linde's fallen knight armor, specifically the dragon head crest on the helmet, which made him think of the Targaryen Dynasty.
So, he secretly investigated who was wearing the dragon-crested helmet and was somewhat surprised to learn it was Linde Terra, the knight newly enfeoffed by King Robert.
Later, he learned that the armor was made by Varys for Linde, which further filled him with questions. He didn't know that Varys and Linde had such a good relationship, good enough to give such a valuable set of armor.
However, these investigations were all conducted in secret. Jon Arryn did not make a fuss but had already begun to pay attention to Linde and Varys, recording their names in one of his registers.
This register contained the names of all suspicious individuals, and the list was constantly growing. Every time he saw this register, he had the illusion of being surrounded by enemies.
This also made him feel somewhat overwhelmed and in need of reliable helpers.
At this point, he thought of Petyr Baelish, someone his officials had mentioned recently. This person seemed to be a usable talent.
But this thought only flashed in his mind before being dismissed, because there were rumors that Petyr Baelish had an unclear relationship with his wife, Lysa Tully. Such a person could not be allowed in King's Landing, at least not before he and Lysa had an heir.
Linde, who had left King's Landing, did not know that he had been targeted by Jon Arryn. However, even if he knew, he wouldn't care. As long as he did nothing to oppose House Baratheon, Jon Arryn would not do anything to him, after all, he even opposed sending assassins after the surviving Targaryen siblings.
Although Varys provided four horses, these four horses were temporarily found and their stamina, endurance, and speed were all inferior to the three horses he had ridden on the way there. After just passing through the Kingswood, leaving the Rose Road, and entering Tengshi Avenue not long after, the horses were already exhausted.
Fortunately, at this time, he happened to encounter the Second Cavalry Division patrolling on the road. Linde commandeered two horses and finally rushed back to Tengshi Town on the fourth night.
Because Linde had little time left, upon returning to Tengshi Town, Linde urgently gathered everyone, re-examined the various tasks he had previously assigned, and then explained to everyone the possible reasons for his trip to Highgarden, in simple terms.
However, at this moment, everyone's focus was not on what he said, but on the armor he had worn back from King's Landing.
Although there were many exquisite armors in the world of Ice and Fire, compared to the lost knight armor, they were clearly inferior.
Nameria, while admiring the armor and expressing her desire to have a similar set made, was also curious about two questions: how Linde would relieve himself while wearing this armor, and whether wearing such a set of armor would be very stuffy and hot.
Linde did not refuse to answer Nameria's questions. Although the lost knight armor looked like a single piece, it was actually composed of more than thirty different parts. These parts were connected by buckles, ensuring that the wearer could move normally. Linde could even perform various leaps and rolls.
As for relieving oneself while wearing armor, it was naturally not difficult, and one could also remove the armor when doing so. As long as one mastered the technique of unfastening the quick-release buckles, it was not a big problem for one person to remove and wear it.
As for whether it would be stuffy and hot, Linde could not answer, because under normal circumstances, the Dragon Runes on the armor would prevent the wearer from feeling stuffy and hot.
Although the armor Linde was wearing now did not have Dragon Runes, his Lost Knight's Greatsword at his waist did. When they were worn on his body, they could also make Linde feel cool and not stuffy.
Because Linde's armor was so eye-catching, Nameria initially didn't notice the two Lost Knight's Greatswords at Linde's waist. It wasn't until she saw the hilt of the Lost Knight's Greatsword, made of dragon bone, that she realized Linde's sword had changed.
Nameria had a piece of dragon bone in her possession. It was said that this piece of dragon bone came from the two dragons that died during the Dance of the Dragons and had been passed down as a family heirloom of the Fudeli Family. She had played with this bone since she was a child, so she was naturally familiar with the special texture on the surface of dragon bone.
Like a child who gets a new toy and wants to show it off, Linde was not stingy in showing off the Lost Knight's Greatsword to Nameria.
He drew one Lost Knight's Greatsword and handed it to Nameria. Although the Dragon Runes of the Lost Knight's Greatsword had absorbed a lot of magic power these days, because Linde, the Lost Country Knight, was guiding it, the Dragon Runes were completely sealed. Even if an ordinary person touched it, they would not be harmed, only feeling a bit cold, like a weapon made of ice.
"So cold!" When Nameria grasped the hilt made of dragon bone, she immediately felt a icy chill emanating from her hand, as if she were holding a piece of ice. Unprepared, she immediately let go and looked at Linde, asking, "What's going on?"
"This is a sword with magic," Linde explained.
"A sword with magic? Like the artifacts in myths and legends?" Nameria couldn't hide the shock on her face as she looked at the sword in front of her.
"In a way, it can indeed be considered an artifact," Linde said with a hint of pride in his voice.
Nameria, with curiosity, gripped the sword again and took it from Linde's hand. However, she misjudged the weight of the sword, causing her to use too much force and stumble.
After regaining her balance, she looked at the Greatsword in her hand with surprise, then casually swung it, looking at Linde with shock, and said, "Is this a Valyrian steel sword?"
"Yes," Linde said, feeling inexplicably happy at Nameria's expression.
Nameria then looked at the other sword at Linde's waist and asked, "Is that also a Valyrian steel sword?"
"Yes," Linde nodded.
"Did you discover a Valyria treasure?" Nameria couldn't help but ask.
"No," Linde shook his head and said, "These are all Valyrian steel collected by the Targaryen Dynasty over hundreds of years, but they never used them until their demise. Now, they have unexpectedly fallen into my hands."
Nameria looked at Linde enviously, then asked with a hint of anticipation, "Do you have any left over..."
"Yes," Linde nodded in response before she could finish, but then, as Nameria's excited expression appeared, he added, "However, it should have already been sent to Pentos across the Narrow Sea."
"Why send it to Pentos?" Nameria was stunned.
Linde truthfully said, "I want to recast that Valyrian steel into a set of armor, and the only people who master this craft are in Kohor in the Free City States Alliance."
"Making armor? With Valyrian steel?" Nameria's face was filled with disbelief.
"Yes, to forge a set of armor exactly like this one, using Valyrian steel," Linde nodded, pointing to the lost knight armor he was wearing.
Nameria suddenly had an urge to beat Linde up, but remembering Linde's strength, she had to suppress the anger in her heart and could only say through gritted teeth, "I don't want to talk to you anymore today."
Although Nameria said that, when Linde left Tengshi Town for Highgarden, she still went to the pier to send off Linde's merchant ship, and repeatedly urged Linde to return quickly.
"When I come back, I'll bring you a gift," Linde said, letting Glory stay in the cargo hold, then turned back to Nameria.
Nameria also thought that Linde might go to Godgrace this time, so she understood what Linde's gift was and smiled, "I'm looking forward to it."
"I'll leave things here to all of you," Linde then said to his subordinates.
Everyone expressed that they would guard the place well and wait for Linde to return.
Only Jon, who was returning to Highgarden with Linde, was unhappy. He vaguely guessed why Linde was taking him along and felt somewhat frustrated that after following Linde for so long and working diligently, he still hadn't gained Linde's trust.
But he could also understand Linde's thoughts and felt that even if he were in Linde's position, he would also take him along.
And he also felt that his return to Highgarden with Linde was not a bad thing. At least it would allow him to avoid a lot of trouble. Otherwise, if he stayed in Tengshi Town in an important position, his family members would definitely make him do things he didn't want to do, and then he would fall into trouble.
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