Chapter 742: Pregnant Again 

Viserys stood atop a hill, his hands clad in deer-leather gloves crossed over the saddle, as he gazed at the breathtaking sunset in the distance.

He was adorned in a fine silver velvet coat, dark fitted riding breeches, and his silver-gold hair cascaded freely over his shoulders. Atop his head sat a crown of Valyrian steel, at the center of which was a red gemstone capable of emitting a warm magical glow. He looked every bit the elegant prince who had stepped out of a mythic tale.

"Viserys!"

Just then, a young woman's voice echoed from behind him. The sound of hooves lightly tapping and jingling harness bells followed. Rhaenys, riding a snow-white warhorse, spurred her mount to catch up, coming to stand beside Viserys.

"What are you looking at?"

Rhaenys reined in her horse and followed Viserys' gaze. Her breath caught for a moment.

Before them lay a scene so stunning it took one's breath away.

Beyond the hill stretched an endless open plain. The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the earth, illuminating neatly arranged fields brimming with golden crops. Industrious farmers toiled in the fields, undeterred by the hard work.

It was a picture of a sunset, but also a scene of abundant harvest. Rhaenys, who had just been following the caravan at the foot of the hill, had never imagined that such a beautiful landscape lay on the other side.

"This view."

"It's beautiful."

Rhaenys opened her mouth, a plethora of eloquent words coming to mind, but in the end, she settled for the simplest one.

Her brown-haired gaze then shifted back to Viserys, only to find his face devoid of much emotion. Instead, he looked solemn, even a bit serious.

The red hues of the setting sun cast a glow on his profile, leaving only the depths of his eyes in shadow. It wasn't until the silver-haired young man snapped back to reality that he slightly lifted his head, revealing a pair of captivating, pale purple eyes.

"Mm."

"Indeed, it's beautiful."

Viserys nodded slightly, a fleeting smile crossing his face. This was a realm he had built with his own hands; naturally, he relished such a vista. He then dismounted, holding the reins in his hand.

Rhaenys also dismounted, leaping down from her horse and grasping the reins.

"What's the matter?"

She had just noticed the solemnity on Viserys' face, as if he were deep in thought. She knew that the brief smile he had shown was merely to comfort her. A slight flutter in Rhaenys' heart prompted her to ask further.

"Arianne is pregnant again. Aren't you pleased?"

...

Recently, the people of King's Landing had been blessed with not just one but multiple pieces of good news.

The ruling lord of Tyrosh had submitted official documents of fealty to the Valyrian Empire, causing quite a stir among the Tyroshi populace. However, with Lys and Myr having already publicly declared their allegiance to the new empire, the people of Tyrosh were somewhat prepared and not entirely caught off guard.

The unrest and protests against imperial hegemony in Tyrosh had no impact on King's Landing. The Tyroshi lord had to swallow his pride; if he wished to maintain his position without being ousted or killed, he had to quell the chaos.

Lys, Myr, Tyrosh—these three Free Cities had consecutively submitted, and the Three Daughters were officially incorporated into the empire's territory.

The Three Daughters region connected to Pentos and Andalos. The western coast of the eastern continent was now almost entirely dominated by the banner of the three-headed dragon, save for Braavos.

This was naturally a momentous occasion. The people had transitioned from being subjects of the Seven Kingdoms to citizens of the Valyrian Empire. As the empire continued to expand its borders, its citizens could now hold their heads high when dealing with foreign merchants, exuding confidence and even arrogance.

A Braavosi silk merchant and a minor noble from King's Landing had a public altercation. The noble brazenly proclaimed in the streets that Braavos was but a mere ant beneath the empire's boot.

"Who knows, perhaps one day Braavos will be swallowed whole by the New Empire, reducing them to mere slaves of a conquered nation," he added.

The enemies of the empire had long lost their foothold in Westeros. After the two initial conquest wars, the defeated nobles who had their lands confiscated fled to the eastern continent, even contemplating a counter-attack.

However, the Iron Throne had not relented, continuously encroaching upon their territories. They could only flee further east, but death would catch up to them sooner or later.

Take, for example, the tale of Humphrey Hightower, once of the oldtown Hightowers. In a desperate bid for the emperor's forgiveness and a return to the empire, he offered up Lys, executing all its governors. This story had spread like wildfire through the streets.

The minor noble's confrontation with the Braavosi merchant drew a crowd of onlookers. His words were met with cheers and applause, while the Braavosi merchant could only stand there, his face ashen, speechless, before he finally slunk away.

This incident was a testament to the faith and grand vision that the people of King's Landing had in the empire. They held great expectations for the future, and the Braavosi merchant's reaction was a reflection of the concerns that all Braavosi shared.

The empire's growth had now become an insurmountable obstacle for the Iron Bank of Braavos. The New Empire loomed like a mountain over the Braavosi, especially after the annexation of the Three Daughters, intensifying their fears.

But that was of no concern to the people of King's Landing. They celebrated the empire's ever-expanding borders, its fame spreading across the known world, its power rising like the midday sun.

Following the submission of the Three Daughters, another piece of joyous news quickly spread: Queen Arianne Nymeros Martell was pregnant again.

This news was even more significant than the submission of the Three Daughters.

Because if you were to ask anyone what the only existing risk to the flourishing empire was, everyone would likely give the same answer: the current emperor had yet to produce a son.

Although, according to Dornish customs, Princess Diana Targaryen was equally eligible to inherit the Valyrian Empire's throne.

But there was an unavoidable issue: this was King's Landing, the heart of the empire, not Dorne.