Chapter 356: Aftermath

Viserys returned with five dragon eggs, a fact known to only a few. However, with the frequent exchange of information between the Free Cities, the news spread like wildfire, reaching Pentos just a little slower than the dragon itself.

There were sightings of a black dragon over the Smoking Sea, but without the presence of its young master. The dragon had even attacked a small ship. Later, a massive creature was spotted near the Sea of Sighs, but no one dared to approach close enough to see if there was anyone with the dragon.

Given the size of Balerion, it was impossible to hide completely. Dragons had been extinct for hundreds of years, and only three were known to exist. If this black dragon was not wild, it was likely to belong to the young dragon lord.

When did Viserys Targaryen quietly appear near Volantis and the Summer Isles?

With the recent anomalies in the Smoking Sea, the spreading grey mist consuming the ocean and land, people realized that the king had been exploring the ruins of Valyria during his disappearance.

Unlike other explorers who emerged from the ruins of Valyria, boasting of their success and selling the treasures they found at high prices, Viserys kept a low profile.

When scholars dug deeper, revealing the Targaryen lineage as the only intact family from the forty ancient families of Old Valyria, the mystery around them deepened. The other families had survivors, but their lineages were tainted and not pure. Only the Targaryens maintained the sacred traditions of the ancient nobility.

Those who had seen Viserys claimed that he bore the distinct features of Valyrian nobility, especially in adulthood. His extraordinary beauty was a testament to his noble and pure bloodline.

Scholars from Volantis, particularly those from the Elephant Party, mocked the Tiger Party for their failed expedition, claiming they had not learned from their past mistakes. They suggested that the Targaryens, with their intact lineage, might hold the answers to the mysteries of the Doom and even the safe passage into the ruins.

These speculations thrust Viserys into the spotlight.

Many who were unfamiliar with the history of Valyria were surprised to learn of the Targaryen's prestigious lineage. The fact that Viserys could ride a dragon into the ruins of Valyria and emerge unscathed seemed more understandable.

People speculated wildly about the treasures Viserys might have found in the ruins, expressing envy and imagining what it would be like if they had found a Valyrian steel sword or a dragon egg, becoming a great noble with loyal soldiers and a hatched dragon soaring in the sky...

Viserys' success sparked a renewed interest in exploring the ruins of Valyria.

However, Viserys was unaware of the stir he had caused in Volantis. He had no time to worry about those who were eager to risk their lives in the ruins of Valyria.

At the moment, he was in the Kingswood outside of Andalos.

A few days ago, he had flown back to the place where his dream began, with two girls. Rhaenys and Daenerys each rode their dragons, equipped with the unique dragon-riding gear that Tobho Mott had made for Viserys.

This gear ensured that the dragon riders could sit securely on their dragons, even during aerial combat, and provided some comfort with the finest furs and soft padding. After all, the most uncomfortable thing about riding a dragon was the discomfort caused by the dragon scales.

With this gear, Viserys felt confident letting Rhaenys and Daenerys ride their dragons. Although Rhaegal and Viserion were not as intelligent as Balerion, they would never harm their companions.

Then, Viserys, riding the black dragon Balerion, Rhaenys on the green dragon Rhaegal, and Daenerys on the white dragon Viserion, the members of the Targaryen family all rode their dragons, leaving Pentos and returning to Andalos.

Aegon watched as the three dragons flew into the sky, eventually becoming a small dot and disappearing from everyone's sight. He felt a mix of emotions.

He had once been welcomed back by his uncle with great fanfare, as if they wanted the whole world to know. However, after the last scandal, all of this had vanished.

His presence within the family was becoming increasingly insignificant.