Viserys's silver-white hair shimmered under the lamplight, adding to his handsome features.
Viserys's half-black, half-red attire looked both opulent and imbued with a dangerous, assassin-like aura, making the last Dragon King captivating.
"I am the Fourth Black Pearl. The First Black Pearl was a lover of Prince Aegon, so I also possess some true dragon blood." Belaquo Adarys introduced herself playfully, a brown-skinned descendant of true dragons, who actually resembled a Brown Pearl more.
She was both youthful and lovely, the undisputed beauty of Braavos.
The First Black Pearl was a pirate queen, whose father was the Sea Lord's son and mother was a princess of the Summer Isles.
Later, the Black Pearl was taken as a mistress by Aegon IV, who was then a prince, and bore him a daughter who grew up to become a courtesan.
Her daughter's daughter then followed in her mother's footsteps, passing down the profession through generations until the present day.
"There are seven generations between me and that Aegon." Viserys looked at the Black Pearl.
If one took the Unworthy King as a starting point, the Black Pearl's lineage was several generations higher than Viserys's.
Although the Black Pearl was not old, her seniority was on par with Viserys's great-grandfather, Aegon, "the King Who Should Not Be King."
However, this was normal, as the Unworthy King had too many children with significant age differences.
Later, the First Blackfyre, who caused great trouble, and the Unworthy King's grandson, Baelor, were even born in the same year.
"Then you can call me great-grand-aunt." The Black Pearl suddenly laughed, lovely and playful.
Viserys looked at the Black Pearl and suddenly remembered "the teenage great-grand-aunt who rebuilt the family's glory," and couldn't help but laugh: "My great-grand-aunt has long been in her grave. I don't have such a beautiful relative with such high seniority."
To speak of an ancient dragon, there truly was one: the half-dead Three-Eyed Raven, Bloodraven, who was of the same generation as Blackfyre.
However, Bloodraven was merged with the weirwood tree, making it difficult to categorize him as a living person.
"You are quite humorous. Besides an assassin, you could also be a very good actor." The Black Pearl was also amused by Viserys.
Viserys and the Black Pearl could only be considered distant relatives, a remote branch of the family.
According to Westerosi inheritance law, it was generation by generation, with clear main branches.
The Black Pearl had taken the Adarys family name and lived by it.
Just like the poor relatives of House Arryn who filled the Vale of Arryn, but the main line of House Arryn had died out several times.
"Many people say you are like a fallen king without a kingdom, without support, Your Majesty Viserys. Seeing you today, handsome, dashing, and charismatic, truly gives me a fresh perspective. Not only a king in exile, but also a unique gourmet, the singer Silver Traveler, and the Violet Swordsman who killed Quicksword."
"Those are just empty titles; I am indeed a king without a kingdom," Viserys said. "But how do you know all this?"
The Black Pearl covered her mouth, looking at Viserys provocatively: "In Braavos, the Black Pearl knows everything. Braavos's finest singers, goldsmiths, and playwrights are all within my network. The style of these songs clearly surpasses their usual standards, let alone every single one. And if they were Braavosi, the Black Pearl should have been the first to taste the sweetest bite."
"So you don't need to be curious; if you pay attention, I will naturally know the movements of 'Nightingale' and 'Swordswoman.' After all, understanding your competitors also helps you gauge the winds."
Viserys observed the Black Pearl; the chief courtesan also represented the chief broker, possessing information from all corners of Braavos.
The Black Pearl family had complex connections with the Sea Lord, the Summer Isles, true dragons, and the House of Black and White, and being a family of courtesans, their influence was naturally extraordinary.
"So that is your philosophy of survival." Viserys still admired the Black Pearl, for her social grace and ability to navigate various situations.
"The trends of Braavos should be led by the Black Pearl, so I also help many down-and-out individuals. However, there are too many fallen ones, so I always have to screen them carefully. I want to see if you embody a part of the Mad King or a part of a genius." The Black Pearl explained.
Actually, this was easy to understand. As the most prominent courtesan in Braavos, the Black Pearl's actions had a celebrity effect, and many people naturally hoped to gain fame through her.
Singers praised them, goldsmiths and jewelers vied to create items for them, artisans begged for their patronage, and merchant princes paid exorbitant fees, equivalent to a royal ransom, to escort them at balls, banquets, and theatrical performances, while assassins fought each other in their names.
"So now, do you think I am suitable?" Viserys looked at the Black Pearl.
"Very suitable, Your Majesty Viserys," the Black Pearl said. "You have successfully piqued my interest."
"It seems I can stay on this pleasure barge a little longer." Viserys relaxed somewhat; he and the Black Pearl still had topics to discuss.
"It is also my honor to journey with such a brilliant young man as you. Seeing you, I understand why the First Black Pearl fell in love with that Aegon; you have much in common. It is said that when Aegon was a prince, he was handsome and dashing, skilled with spear and sword, enjoyed hawking and dancing, and possessed exceptional intelligence, making him one of the most dazzling princes of his time."
"He was indeed unparalleled in his youth," Viserys said. "Unfortunately, he had one major flaw: a lack of self-discipline, which ultimately led him to be controlled by lust, gluttony, and material desires, unable to extricate himself. So, in the end, he could only rot and fester, dying obese and bloated in his bed, having legalized his noble bastards before his death."
"And what about you? Which Dragon King do you aspire to be? The Conqueror, the Uncrowned, the Conciliator, the Unworthy, the Good, the Mad, or the Landless?" the Black Pearl asked.
"Perhaps I have a bit of each of them, but for now, I am just Viserys," Viserys said.
"Very good." The Black Pearl raised a wine bottle and poured Viserys a cup of hot lemon drink.
The lemon taste was slightly bitter; Braavos did not produce lemons, and their price was very expensive.
"I prepared a few gifts for you in advance. Now, it seems you are worthy of my consideration." The Black Pearl opened a cedar wood box on the pleasure barge.
The first box contained black pearls, seven large ones filling the space.
"Seven is a lucky number. These black pearls should be enough for you to live on for a while. If you hadn't caught my eye, you would only have received this." The Black Pearl pointed to the box. "But from then on, you would no longer be my focus."
Viserys looked at the round black pearls; even if the 'interview' had failed, to receive so many pearls showed extraordinary generosity.
"So now?"
"Now you are worth more."
The Black Pearl opened another box. The second box was filled with dragon bone items: dragon bone hairpins, dragon bone bodkins, dragon bone toys, and on the top layer, a dagger.
It was a Valyrian steel dagger with a dragon bone hilt, its blade dark as smoke, emitting a sharp, cold gleam.
"A Valyrian steel dagger." Viserys recognized this expensive toy.
"Indeed, this dagger once belonged to Aegon the Unworthy. I am gifting it to you."
"Thank you very much." Viserys's gaze towards the Black Pearl was now very different; she truly was a top-tier wealthy woman.
"Don't rush, there's a third gift, some books." The Black Pearl's charming eyes were also pleased with Viserys's reaction.
Young men always loved warriors, yearning for blood and fire.
When the third box was opened, it revealed a heavy, large book.
"'The Reigns of the Four Kings.' Perhaps you will like it."
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