Chapter 147: Not Hot At All

Although Viserys understood that an army of ascetics was a rarity in any era, it didn't stop him from aspiring to something similar. He strictly prohibited gambling, recognizing it as a behavior that could easily undermine military discipline, even among the Windblown mercenaries. Initially, even the old captain didn't quite grasp the reasoning behind this rule. However, over time, he noticed that Viserys' battalion maintained the best discipline, which led him to implement the policy across the entire regiment.

To maintain morale and discipline, Viserys believed that prevention was better than cure. He introduced activities like billiards and football, which not only exercised the soldiers' minds but also fostered teamwork.

Regis knew he had made a mistake. He assumed that since they were no longer on the battlefield, a bit of recklessness might be overlooked. However, Viserys had the Commander administer ten lashes as punishment.

These were no mere symbolic blows; the lashes were delivered with full force. Regis thought that once the punishment was over, the matter would be resolved. But he was surprised when Viserys personally applied medicine to their wounds afterward. This act of care deeply moved the Unsullied, igniting a fierce loyalty within them. They felt a powerful urge to fight for such a leader.

Neither Doran nor the Red Viper witnessed Viserys' treatment of Regis, but they recognized that Viserys was a leader who genuinely cared for his men.

Tyene and the others, who had never encountered Unsullied before, were intrigued by the two who accompanied Viserys.

"You said the Unsullied are all castrated. Do they pee like us?" Tyene asked Arianne with curiosity.

"Who else could I ask?" Arianne replied, rolling her eyes.

"No, I heard my father say that although the Unsullied are castrated, they have artificial penises they use to pee, so they don't smell," the little black girl added. Her insatiable curiosity often led her to learn things others didn't know.

However, what intrigued her most now was the magic that Viserys had promised to teach. She had already mastered nearly everything the Red Viper had taught her about poisons, and it was clear that magic was far more fascinating.

Initially, she had asked the Red Viper to let her accompany Viserys to Pentos, but he had refused. The Red Viper had considered taking his eldest daughter, Obara, and his second daughter, Nymeria, instead. However, both sisters were in Oldtown and couldn't join them on such short notice.

The next day, the group secretly departed for Sunspear. As Viserys had requested, Doran's condition was kept strictly confidential to avoid alerting any interested parties.

After all, Doran had not appeared in public for many years, and the more astute observers had long since guessed the truth about his condition. A sudden resurgence of activity would only draw unwanted attention.

The group discreetly departed from the Water Gardens and made their way to Sunspear, the capital of Dorne. Sunspear was an expansive city, its defenses bolstered by a formidable "triple curved wall." Some sections featured a "cauldron city" design, enhancing its strength. Every other segment of the city wall was equipped with massive ballistae. Although their original name is unknown, they have been called "Scorpions" ever since one was used to slay Meraxes.

After passing through three heavily guarded city gates, the group arrived at the Old Gate of House Martell. This was the site where Nymeria and the Martell ancestors united their houses. Here, the Sun Tower and the Spear Tower—visible even from outside the city—stood as slender, straight spires nearly 200 feet high, reaching toward the sky. Beneath the Sun Tower lay Dorne's Great Hall. However, Viserys wasn't here for sightseeing; there would be time to explore these landmarks later. Today's primary goal was to obtain Nymeria's magical manuscripts, examine some alchemical items, and handle the dragon blood.

They soon arrived at the oldest and most mysterious part of Sunspear—the Sandship Castle.

"After Nymeria married the Martell ancestor, all of her belongings were placed here. But over the centuries, many of these items have been lost or damaged," the Red Viper explained, acting as a guide as he led Viserys through the castle's interior.

The group proceeded directly to Nymeria's former room, which resembled a blend of a small library and a laboratory. By the window, Viserys noticed glassware—test tubes and beakers—adding to the room's scholarly atmosphere.

At first, Viserys thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. "What is this?" he asked, pointing to a platform about one square meter in size, on which rested a nearly perfect octahedron the size of a fist.

"I'm not sure," the Red Viper replied, "but I've heard that when Nymeria was alive, this object could float." He then picked up a book from a nearby shelf. It contained an illustration of the platform and the octahedron, levitating in mid-air. Its purpose, however, remained unclear.

The room was filled with other strange artifacts. For example, there were round plates, similar to dinner plates, engraved with various patterns. Viserys also noticed something resembling a clock. It seemed that both the Valyrians and the Rhoynar had been proficient in alchemy.

Unfortunately, when Viserys touched these items, his panel didn't react at all. Perhaps the magic they once held had long since faded.

The Red Viper then brought out a box filled with books and manuscripts for Viserys. "These are the magical texts that Nymeria prepared for her descendants, but no one has been able to learn from them for nearly 300 years. Perhaps the Rhoynar blood in our veins has grown too diluted," he said with a touch of sadness.

Viserys offered some comfort. "It's alright. If you can't master water magic, there's still fire and blood magic. After all, you have Valyrian blood in your veins."

The Red Viper felt encouraged by Viserys' words. "Let's go see the dragon blood," he suggested.

The group then descended to the bottom of Sandship Castle, arriving at a cavern-like chamber. The cave was illuminated by sunlight reflected through several mirrors, making the space surprisingly bright. In the center of the cave lay a massive blanket, its original color obscured, as if it were intentionally covering something. On top of the blanket sat three urns, each about the size of a kettle.

"Is that where the dragon's blood is stored?" Viserys asked.

"Yes," the Red Viper confirmed. "It's said that over a hundred jars were collected from Meraxes' body, but after nearly 300 years, only three remain—well, two and a half, to be exact. You can take one jar."

'One and a half jars left... I wonder what this stuff is good for,' Viserys mused as the Red Viper handed him the half-full jar of dragon's blood.

When the Red Viper opened the jar, a pungent mix of blood and sulfur filled the air. Viserys noticed that the blood inside wasn't congealed or sticky at all; it retained a surprisingly good fluidity. If stored elsewhere, it would have long since evaporated or degraded. Clearly, House Martell had their reasons for keeping it in this particular cave—there had to be a secret to this place.

Pushing the thought aside for now, Viserys dipped his fingers into the dragon's blood, and a pale blue light screen appeared before him.

[Dragon's Blood: Gain 20 Assignable Points]

"So cool!" Viserys thought, and then, without hesitation, he placed his blood-coated finger in his mouth. Next to him, the Red Viper smirked knowingly, as he had tasted dragon's blood before and remembered the intense heat that had rendered him speechless for days.

[Consuming Dragon's Blood increases Constitution by 10]

Viserys checked his panel and saw that his Constitution attribute had risen to 110. Encouraged, he dipped his finger into the blood again and tasted it, grinning as he did so.

[Consuming Dragon's Blood increases Constitution by 7]

Constitution: 117

[Consuming Dragon's Blood increases Constitution by 3]

After tasting it five times in a row, Viserys' Constitution had increased to 125. But after that, the panel stopped reacting.

However, the Red Viper, who had been watching closely, now looked at Viserys in shock. "You... don't find it hot?"

"Hiss—not at all," Viserys replied, unfazed by the heat that had previously overwhelmed the Red Viper.