Chapter 621: Marching to Naath Island

In the following days, there wasn't much to do as King's Landing continued its steady operation. Throughout the Seven Kingdoms, apart from the Night's Watch army on their expedition, there was no war to speak of.

The envoy from Naath Island, who had been leisurely strolling through King's Landing, took this time to relish the bustling scenery of the magnificent city, a sight he hadn't experienced in over a decade. He even took his two younger brothers and sister for a thorough exploration.

Yet, he never forgot his mission. He was here to seek aid from the Valyrian Dragon King on behalf of the people of Naath.

Lately, the influx of raiders onto Naath Island had increased drastically. Even the distant Slaver's Bay had set its sights on them, dispatching slave-catching squads to their shores.

The grey mist scattered from the ruins of Valyria was also continuously encroaching, and Naath Island wasn't far from these ominous remains.

"Missandei."

"Listen, I have to meet the King of Valyria today."

The envoy from Naath, named Milaz, was just in his early twenties. The two younger brothers and sister accompanying him were his cousins. The brothers were named Missandlo and Missande, and the youngest sister was named Missandei.

Now, for some reason, little Missandei insisted on accompanying him to the palace. To the people of Naath, the King of Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms were somewhat unfamiliar; what they recognized was the former sovereign state of Valyria.

Valyria had once protected the small neighbor of Naath Island for many years. The Valyrians were the first to establish a grand Dragonglass fortress on Naath Island.

The Dragon King arrived riding a colossal dragon, melting stubborn stones with dragon fire, then magically fusing them together to form the Black Stone Fortress.

They stayed there for an extended period, and for unknown reasons, the Valyrians were not affected by the dreaded 'Butterfly Fever' virus that terrorized outsiders on Naath Island.

But with the arrival of the Doom of Valyria, the great empire collapsed, and the people of Naath once again lost the protection of a sovereign state, suffering massacres during the Century of Blood.

Thus, Milaz was more accustomed to referring to Viserys as the King of Valyria, rather than the King of Westeros or the King of the Seven Kingdoms.

They hoped that by finding the last Dragon King in the world, they could once again seek the protection of a sovereign state.

Unable to go against his cousin sister's wishes, coupled with the eager looks from his cousin brothers, Milaz eventually nodded, agreeing to take them to meet the king.

The round-faced, short black-haired girl cheered immediately, and her two brothers also rejoiced.

They had fallen in love with the city during their time in King's Landing and were somewhat reluctant to return to their homeland. And now, the chance to visit the legendary palace today, how could they not be thrilled?

However, Viserys was not so easy to meet. The king was usually busy with state affairs, and even when not, he liked to claim he was, sneaking in some leisure time for himself.

The envoy Milaz, with his cousins, arrived at the Red Keep, submitted their request for an audience, and then patiently waited.

The Unsullied soldier led them to the reception room. Milaz's cousins wanted to play in the garden, and after asking the Unsullied soldier, he coldly glanced at the three children, especially looking at Missandei's golden eyes, before nodding, and speaking with an indifferent voice.

"You may."

Then the Unsullied soldier turned and left.

"He's also from Naath, cousin."

As the Unsullied soldier's figure receded, Missandei, who had been watching his retreating back, suddenly spoke to her cousin.

"What?"

Milaz was slightly startled, then understood where that familiar feeling came from earlier.

The soldier had golden eyes and dark skin, the distinctive features of the Naathi people.

He tried to speak in the Naathi accent, but perhaps due to his long absence from his homeland, his attempt was somewhat clumsy and didn't match the Naathi accent. However, it was picked up by Missandei, who had a high linguistic aptitude.

Upon realizing all this, a wave of sadness surged within Milaz. The Naathi were lovers of peace but had become synonymous with weakness. It was clear that the soldier had been captured by slaver squads and sold to Astapor, trained to become an Unsullied, his humanity completely obliterated.

Missandei and her brothers were playing in the gardens of the Red Keep, while Viserys, in fact, was not idling around. He was discussing the possibility of marching to Naath Island with his council of close advisors.

"Marching to Naath Island... It's not impossible, but it's a high-stakes gamble, with high risks and rewards."

"And the purpose of marching to Naath Island is not merely to protect it."

The speaker was the king's advisor, Tyrion Lannister. The Imp, dexterously stroking his chin beard, continued.

"Of course, it's not about seizing it either."

"I believe everyone here, including Your Grace, understands my point."

The Imp's words made everyone in the room nod slightly. Viserys's council was unlike the previous dynasties. There were no representatives stuffed in by various factions, no wine sacks or rice bags.

They were all intelligent individuals, and conversations among smart people often got straight to the point.

"Marching to Naath Island can demonstrate the dynasty's strength, deterring the four corners of ambitious wolves."

"And it can enhance Westeros's influence in the world. After all, previous kings of Westeros only focused on internal affairs."

"They believed that as long as their internal affairs were managed well, they could rest easy. Yet, they overlooked the development of the external environment."

The speaker now was the Minister of Information, Varys.

Compared to the internal affairs managed by the Small Council, Varys's little birds' network extended not only within the kingdom but as far as Slaver's Bay. He was the person in the entire kingdom with the deepest understanding of the outside world, followed by Oberyn and then Viserys.

And improving Westeros's influence worldwide was indeed useful, significantly aiding the economic reforms Viserys intended to implement in the future.

"Marching to Naath Island also allows us to visit and assess the true strengths of those trade city-states along the way, preparing for the future."

The last speaker was the Minister of Law, Oberyn, who was also the commander of the Second Legion. He sat with one leg over the other, touching his chin with his fingers, analyzing the situation from a military perspective.

"However, this mission is not easy to accomplish. We must have a naval general familiar with sailing, leading a fleet of elite naval forces."

"And they must be smart, flexible, adaptable, not sticklers for rules, and most importantly, loyal, with no chance of rebellion."

"Whom do you have in mind, Your Grace?"