Chapter 47: Hard to Get

From the shore to Falia's boat, it was only about 300 meters. Andersen estimated that Viserys would need at least three or four minutes to swim the distance. He decided to use this time to destroy Falia. Ignoring the command not to use force, he rushed into the cabin, knowing that failing this task would likely ruin his chances of inheriting his house.

Falia, watching from the window, saw Viserys jump into the lake and disappear beneath the surface. She grew worried, thinking he might have gotten tangled in water plants. As her anxiety peaked, Andersen burst into the room, his eyes full of malice and desire. Asha tried to stop him, but he kicked her aside effortlessly.

"Prince Andersen, what are you doing? Ahh..." Falia cried out as he pushed her hard, causing her to fall backward. Her brown-blonde hair flew out, and her plump, snow-white breasts rose and fell with her rapid breathing.

"Andersen! Do you know what you're doing? Your house will get into trouble because of this!" she shouted, trying to reason with him.

But Andersen paid no attention. He reached out to grab her breasts, and though she tried to shield herself, he forced her hands away with brute strength. Tearing off her outer garment, he revealed her breathtaking curves. 'No wonder she's Lady Moonshadow,' Andersen thought, willing to risk everything for such a beautiful woman.

"Andersen! Ahhh!" Falia struggled desperately, but he was much heavier and stronger. Her desperate resistance only fueled his animalistic desire.

Asha, still recovering from the pain, could only watch helplessly. Just as Andersen was about to make his next move, he suddenly felt a wet, iron-claw-like hand clamp around his neck. He was lifted off the ground and thrown hard onto the floor.

A silver light appeared before Falia, a scene she would remember for the rest of her life. Viserys pressed Andersen to the ground and whispered in his ear, "Tell me! Why are you targeting the workshop?!"

"Let me go!" Andersen shouted angrily, confident that no one would dare hurt him. However, his arrogance quickly turned to regret as he heard a sharp crack and felt searing pain in his shoulder. The intense agony left half of his body numb.

"Ahhhhh!" Andersen screamed, nearly tearing his throat.

"Are you going to talk?" Viserys demanded.

"You wouldn't dare kill me!"

Another crack echoed through the room, the pain so intense that Andersen almost passed out. But the next second, Viserys woke him up by pouring water on his face.

He then sat on Andersen's back, holding his legs and bending them backward. Andersen felt a sharp pain in his back, as if it were about to break.

"Still not talking? If you don't talk, I'll break your spine. You'll be bedridden for the rest of your life. And once your spine is broken, your thing will never stand up again. Think about it. If you're a cripple, will Lord Fregar still give you his house?"

The thought of being bedridden for life filled Andersen with dread. What house? What mission? None of it mattered if he could keep his limbs and live in comfort.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you!" Andersen finally surrendered, revealing Fregar's plan to Viserys.

After being helped up, Andersen noticed something wrong with his arm. He couldn't move it!

"My hand! My hand!" he cried out.

Viserys grabbed his left hand, twisted it, and then pushed it back into place. Another wave of pain surged through him, but Andersen found that he could move his hand again.

'This is witchcraft!' he gasped, realizing that the young man before him was far more terrifying than he had imagined. To save his other arm, Andersen revealed everything about the House Fregar's plan.

Each of the three families had their own courtesan. The current Sealord's family, House Antaryon, supported the "Poetess" Tilicia. However, the Antaryons already held the position of Sealord, so their support for Tilicia was moderate. The main competition was between the Fregar and Zalyne Houses.

House Zalyne, which supported Falia, was not very competitive due to their gradual decline. The Nightingale, Gortave, who had considerable support, was relatively active. From targeting Morel's workshop to setting up Falia with Andersen, House Fregar had been relentless.

However, Viserys' invention of the soap had given Falia a chance to turn the tables. House Fregar then gave Andersen greater support to use an "out-of-the-box" strategy to deal with Falia, clearing the way for the Nightingale to win the beauty pageant.

After Morel's workshop was shut down, Falia's chances of winning seemed slim. However, by sending a batch of soap to the Moonsingers Temple, she had gained a reputation for purity. Despite the uncertain future, House Fregar sent Andersen to act as a "double insurance."

"I'm asking you, was it you who had Danglar lend me money in the first place, trying to exploit me and then rob my sister?" Viserys demanded, his voice sharp with anger.

Falia, nearly recovered from her illness, understood as she listened to Andersen's confession. No wonder Viserys had been so agitated when she mentioned Dany. It was all connected to this betrayal. She looked at Viserys, who seemed ready to devour Andersen alive, and recalled the events of that day.

Andersen, accepting his fate, closed his eyes and nodded. However, instead of becoming angrier, Viserys let out a piercing laugh. "Hahaha." He patted Andersen on the shoulder three times.

"You have a lot of ideas. I'll give you a piece of advice: find a way, by any means necessary, to become the heir to House Fregar. Otherwise, I won't feel any sense of accomplishment when I kill you later."

Viserys said this to sow discord within House Fregar. He had just demonstrated his extraordinary strength, and the fact that he was only a teenager made him even more terrifying. In Braavos, a city renowned for its assassins, Andersen would need to fortify his defenses and secure the protection of a house head to stay alive. Otherwise, soon, Viserys would come for his head.

As Viserys contemplated what to do with Andersen, a threatening warning suddenly came from outside.

"Listen, assassins inside! Do not harm Prince Andersen, or you will be at war with Braavos! At war with the Sealord's Palace! You will be punished by death!"

"My ship is surrounded!" Falia exclaimed, looking out the window. She saw at least six or seven ships and dozens of guards outside, all wearing blue cloaks—the Sealord's guards. The leader, a young man with brown hair, held a bow and arrow, confident he could kill the assassin with a single shot if he showed his head.