Chapter 64: Mirri of Lhazar 

"This..."

Viserys noticed the disbelief written across the boy's face.

Following his gaze, he saw the dagger and rope on the ground, and Mirri's face grew slightly embarrassed.

With this evidence, explaining herself would be difficult.

The truth was...

She did indeed intend to kidnap Viserys.

She wanted to uncover the secret hidden within the boy. To a sorceress like Mirri, the radiance emanating from Viserys was like a precious gem in the darkness or a tantalizing roast to a starving prisoner.

So, from the day she discovered the power within Viserys, she began her meticulous scheme.

Mirri secretly observed the boy's every move, evading detection by the keen senses of the water dancer and the guards.

Her plan was straightforward, just as the soldier had described.

The merchant ship had been docked in Pentos for several days and was set to sail to Braavos that morning.

She intended to seize the opportunity as the ship was about to leave, binding Viserys and stuffing him into a bag before sneaking off the vessel.

Once the ship had left the harbor, even if the guards realized the boy was missing, it wouldn't be easy for them to turn back.

By then, Mirri would have already blended into the bustling city with the captured child.

Although Pentos had officially banned slave trade after losing the war with Braavos, it continued to thrive in secret.

After uncovering Viserys' secret, she planned to sell him to greedy slave traders. His handsome features would surely appeal to wealthy merchants and ladies, potentially fetching a high price.

By that time, she would have returned to her homeland with the secret of magic and her spoils, escaping any consequences.

However...

Mirri's plan was flawless, but her clumsy movements betrayed her. Her attempts at stealth were doomed to fail.

She even tried to hide behind a pillar barely thicker than a baby's arm, insulting the intelligence of the guards from Dragonstone.

She was discovered and fought the guards with her robust figure but was ultimately captured.

...

"Let's say...I'll pretend to believe your excuses for now."

The atmosphere in the cabin grew awkward, but after a long silence, Viserys finally spoke up, standing before Mirri.

"Now, tell me, why did you approach me?"

Truthfully, Viserys didn't believe a single word of Mirri's defense.

However, he didn't want to dwell on this issue. Instead, he was more concerned about how she had discovered the hidden power within his eyes and her true intentions.

"Of course, I wanted to know how you managed to awaken your magical abilities."

Mirri stared into Viserys' pale violet eyes, understanding that the boy was not easily deceived. She quickly devised a plan in her mind, but also wisely chose to confess voluntarily.

"Magic has gone through many periods of absence throughout history, only to return time and time again. It is like the ebb and flow of ocean tides, rising and falling."

...

"Magic is extremely weak now, almost unusable."

At this moment, the woman was still sitting on the ground, but she had changed to a cross-legged position. She casually brushed her messy hair and looked at Viserys as she explained.

"But you have awakened the power of magic at this time..."

That's why Viserys had become so conspicuous, attracting the woman to sneak over.

However, as Viserys listened to the woman's mysterious words, his expression turned slightly confused because he could not understand a single word.

Magic, and something about... tides?

Knowing the future, Viserys, of course, knew that this world had magic.

He even knew about the future 'Blood of Stars,' the male witches, the Children of the Forest and the greenseers beyond the Wall, and even the red-robed woman who gave birth to a shadow.

But he never thought that such a terrifying and mysterious power would appear so abruptly before his eyes.

Viserys had always believed that he was far from these mysterious things, as he was still a trapped beast, confined in a cage with a sword hanging above his head, ready to die at any moment.

But now, these things were already close at hand, even coming to his doorstep.

"Who exactly are you?"

After a moment of silence, the slightly deep voice of the boy sounded.

Blue hair hung over his shoulders, and the black velvet coat outlined with gold shimmered in the sunlight.

Viserys stood in front of the woman, staring intently at her, as if trying to see through her true nature.

This woman spoke casually about the arcane knowledge unknown to others, and even a bit of mystification.

There were only two possibilities for such a person. One was that she was a complete liar, and the other was that she might have some real skills.

"My name is Mirri Maz Duur. I am from Lhazar and am a Lhazareen. I come to serve you, your distinguished lordship."

As the woman had already revealed her purpose, her identity would not remain hidden for long, so she simply confessed everything.

"My mother is a priestess in the temple of my hometown, and she has always wanted to train me as her successor, teaching me songs and spells to please the Great Shepherd, so I know a little about magic."

This woman, named Mirri, explained her identity in one breath.

But whether this was her whole story, no one could know for sure.

"Where is your hometown?"

"Lhazar?"

Viserys was surprised to hear Mirri's self-introduction.

He had previously learned some knowledge about the continent of Essos, and although Lhazar was not a significant place, Viserys had glanced at it when looking at the map and had a vague impression of it.

Now, as Viserys recalled the location of Lhazar on the map, he was shocked because the woman's hometown was extremely far from their current location.

Lhazar was south of the Dothraki Sea, bordered by Slaver's Bay, and close to the Red Waste and the Jade Sea.

It was even not far from the legendary Shadow Lands of Asshai.

"Your hometown is Lhazar, how did you come to be here?"