Rumors and changes

When I wake up it's already past 7:00. I asked Ted not to wake me up today and instead only come back to my house when the first greenhouse desalinator is ready. I take my shower, get dressed and for the first time I have my breakfast calmly. Today is much better, I have some white bread and fruit that I ordered yesterday afternoon at the Sleeping Dragon, I take advantage of some of my free time to do something I've been doing while waiting for customers during the long afternoons at the tavern, I use my system to read everything I've collected so far. Today in particular I have an important piece of knowledge from the Lords' library: The magic battery used in clocks, lights and other modern alchemical items from Valyria. According to the books in the private library, they collect a special type of volcanic rock that stays hot even after long periods and then they created a magic rune that further extends the duration of the high temperature of this rock, followed by a second rune that prevents the heat from dispersing. Thus creating a rock that is always in a heated state, but not enough to melt objects. Of course, this does not last forever, but its long period of up to a few months in a single light bulb makes this item a highly efficient battery.

The fact that they managed to carve this into something as small as a pocket watch is incredible as well. To make things better and prevent mages from working themselves to death on these batteries, they also automated the process using a magic matrix powered by the 14 flames that constantly imprints these two runes on various rocks, in something they have not yet called a factory. I smile with satisfaction after confirming that they did not hide the two runes, this is because only mages can use them, as for the method of converting heat into energy I had already seen it even in the common library, they had their method revealed expecting new useful inventions from commoners and merchants as a form of incentive. Since the mass manufacturing method is still in the hands of the Lords there is nothing to fear. Another major problem is that even the best batteries don't last long, so trying to take these inventions to very distant locations by ship or horse takes a long time, making all this magical technology something unique and exclusive to Valyria.

However, such methods have existed for so long that they became popular to the point that even commoners used them. Although things like "refrigerators and stoves" were still considered something luxurious with only nobles and merchants using them. I make mental notes on this particular subject, but there is not much I can do, I could steal more of these higher power "batteries" and keep some of them in my inventory or try to get one of the presses that prints the rune on the rocks. But it is too late for any further plans and I have a lot on my hands until the day of departure. I stop my reading when I hear the sound of the carriage outside the house, because it is time to leave.

While Rafael is on the ship starting the desalinator tests and taking care of other crew matters. Three important events were happening simultaneously in the city that would later culminate in great chaos throughout Valyria.

***

In the port of the northern district not far from where the Sigh of Valyria was, Madam Liza was watching the Howling Rose ship departing from the port alongside her younger sister Zaya. Inside the ship leaving Valyria was her mother Madame Rose and all her other sisters, who sadly, they had just said goodbye, Liza wanted to follow her mother, but was told to stay by Zaya's side, as they completed one last mission together. .

The two of them, along with their 4 brothers, were the last of the family who still remained in the Valyrian Freehold. Ever since her brother Malcon betrayed their mother, she has turned her back not only on Malcon, but on all three other children who followed him as their esteemed leader. While Liza thought that now all four of them would suffer a terrible fate by being left behind, any sign of giving up and disobeying her mother was something that didn't even cross her mind.

"We'll go, or we'll be late for the meeting."

I started following Zaya to an old, abandoned house with a partially collapsed roof. We waited inside it for about 30 minutes until a hunchbacked old man appeared, he observed us for a moment, especially Zaya and asked if she was Lord Esmer's apprentice and she confirmed with a nod.

"Here, divide the powder evenly between the 4 containers."

After he said that, he handed over a cloth bag with the supposed mysterious powder to Zaya, after delivering it he quickly left without saying goodbye. Zaya and I went back to the port and this time we went to a dark and poorly lit warehouse where there were four 100-liter barrels in the center. There was a liquid with a strong smell of something that resembled alcohol inside, Zaya opened them and then divided the powder into four glass containers before carefully pouring it into the four barrels. It didn't even take 3 minutes before the liquid changed color to a bright emerald green, it was so beautiful that it even brightened up the dark warehouse a little. Zaya then glued some items to the four lids and capped the four barrels as if they were the most delicate thing in the world. She then sighed deeply and said something about her father not teaching her powder even though she was his daughter. She then turned to me:

"Now it's your turn, do your part."

We left there and I led us to a man at the port who was responsible for making deliveries, I gave him the key to the warehouse and exchanged code words, then told him to include the four barrels in Saturday's delivery without anyone realizing there were more four. The man nodded respectfully and left, I look at Zaya and confirm that everything is ready.

"We're done then, we're going to the Sleeping Dragon to have lunch and look for tickets for the first ship that goes towards Asshai, that's where our mother told us to move. She invested a lot in this trip."

I was surprised by our destination, it wasn't the place I wanted to go, but since it was arranged by our mother I agreed and obeyed her arrangements.

"Don't be discouraged, mother wants you to become an apprentice like me, during the trip I will teach you everything I can so you can prepare."

Surprise shone in Liza's eyes along with a new expectation for the uncertain future full of mysteries

***

 A man was sitting in a room filled with valuable paintings, swords, statues, and other works of art. The place had so many valuable items that it barely looked like a workplace, but more like a museum. But no one dared to tell him that. On his back was a red cape with a coat of arms of nobility of the 39 families, on the side of his shoulder carved into the metal of his armor was another coat of arms, this one representing the 5 Fingers, the largest organization within the 39 families. He was a Dragon Lord and also the leader of the entire Defense Force of the eastern district of the Valyrian city. His position was the same as Lord Ronny Belaerys of the northern district, so in this district his word was law. While he was sitting and reading some reports, he heard a knock on his door:

"Knock knock"

"Come in!" the dragon lord replied in a calm tone.

His assistant and second-in-command entered, she was a young Valyrian woman also of noble origins. In her hand she held a paper and began to speak:

"Sir, report."

—Continue.

"At one of our posts, a slave trader made a complaint that someone stole his shadow bag and broke the bond between them."

—Did you confirm that he is not lying?

"He brought his wife and servants who said that he had fevers for almost 2 days and was unconscious, he claims that he was poisoned by the thief who stole his bag. He also claimed to be one of the associates of the triarchy and sells slaves directly to the families that are part of the 5 fingers. And he asked that this case be forwarded directly to the Lord."

THUD!

I slam my hand on the table in anger, "a mere trader dares to bother the Dragons with his petty matters!"

—This idiot probably broke the bond himself and gave the bag to someone!

"This is certainly our suspicion, sir, but we can't rule out the possibility of theft. I've sent an alert to other districts and we're waiting. But for now, we should ask one of the Blood Mages to check the situation just to be sure. Here, I've already filled out the documents, just sign them."

As I read and finish signing, I see the assistant leave the room for a moment and return with a white owl. She attaches the message to the support on her back and releases the owl through the window, then bows and leaves the room. I go back to looking at my documents to get rid of the paperwork and have a little rest tonight.

Meanwhile, in the central district of the city, a servant receives a white owl in a luxurious mansion and takes it to the laboratory of his master, one of the rare Blood Mages of Valyria. When the wizard who was reading sees the servant with another owl, he yells in frustration at him because of the inconvenience the Defense Force was causing, since this was the third case they had asked him to investigate this week and he hadn't even seen the other two yet, "Don't these bastards investigate anything? They're always relying on magic for everything"...

—Put this case behind the other two, I don't have time to look at it this week.

The servant obeys and leaves the laboratory, sending the owl back with the message: (Investigation in progress)

***

On Goulen Street where Rafael began his second life, two men were having a conversation while only one of them was eating a sandwich for lunch:

—I'm serious, I still have the paper at home, it says that the Red Sage predicted the end of Valyria and is trying to save the commoners because he despises the nobles.

"Are you planning to leave just because of that? It's just empty words on a paper, how could such a thing happen? Dragons are Gods who protect us, you don't need to be afraid of that."

As the man finished his sandwich he said:

—But my children and my wife were terrified by the words on that paper, I'm going to ask for a month off and then leave the island for a few days just to be safe. You should do the same. Oh yeah, after you eat lunch bring me some cigarettes when you get back from the tavern.

The second man took the cigarette coins and headed to the familiar simple tavern where he had lunch every day, but before he could enter it he heard the words Red Sage again, he turned and saw a man talking to three other people while having a drink:

"I'm telling you, my sister spoke to a vegetable vendor in the smaller shopping streets and she was talking about the end of the city... It will come in the form of flames and that we must leave Valyria."

I soon approached hearing the end of the sentence so I joined the conversation too, talking about the mysterious Red Sage and how my friend from work was already leaving the city this afternoon.

One of the three men who was nicknamed the Worm, due to his short stature, finished his cigarette and left the tavern, still thinking about the rumor that was spreading quickly among the poor. He thought that even if he wanted to leave, he barely had enough to go to the nearest islands and he wasn't sure if it was safe or not.

When he returned to the fabric store where he worked, he saw someone familiar sitting at a table being treated extremely politely by his boss, who was a kind of demon and never treated anyone well. He even saw his boss bow a few times while serving tea to a fat man. When he went to the warehouse, he saw that it was a former employee of the store! Fat Zhang! He had only left the work at this fabric store because he inherited some small store from his grandfather that he didn't even know existed. Now the former boss who had previously treated him like trash was serving him tea all politely and treating him like someone of high value. I couldn't understand what was happening until a fellow employee pulled me aside and said:

"Worm, did you see how amazing Zhang is? He's become a very famous merchant with excellent connections and is even going to be part of the construction of a new city for the Velaryon. All the merchants on the street are talking to him about investments!"

Finally understanding what had happened, he couldn't believe how lucky his former colleague was. Until yesterday he was a nobody like him, but now he was rich and successful. When he saw Fatty leaving the store, putting a bag of coins in his bag, he approached him:

—Hey, Fatty Zhang!

Fatty looked at him and replied:

"Worm, you still work here, how are you?"

—Same as always, Fatty, but you look really good, just look at you all dressed up and making that old devil serve you tea, the world goes round, doesn't it? Haha…

I'd like to ask you, if it's not too much trouble, to accept my investment too, I only have about 6 bucks saved at home, but it should be enough to help me get out of this place one day. When I finished speaking, Fatty looked at me with a complicated face, he grabbed me and got close to my ear:

"Worm, there's no investment, I just tricked that old devil and I'm leaving town soon, something bad is about to happen and you should go too before the ticket prices go up too much, save your silver coins and take it as a help and thanks for the hard times we went through at the hands of that old man."

He held my hand and put a coin in it before walking away wishing me good luck. When I looked down I saw a familiar but golden shape...

A GOLD COIN!

I quickly put it away as if I were an accomplice to the crime he had just committed. At the same time, I remembered the rumors I had heard a little while ago at the tavern. I went to my boss inside the store and vented about all the frustrations I had experienced in this hellish job. I called him terrible names, cursed his ancestors, accused him of being a heartless demon, and mentioned all the mistreatment I had suffered in this place before telling him I was quitting. I spit on the floor of the store and ran to the port to buy a ticket. All the employees were open-mouthed in admiration, astonishment, and concern for me, but I didn't see their reactions because I was already running out of the store. I felt my heart beat faster and my legs felt lighter as I ran like a slave escaping from slavery, finally feeling true freedom in a long time.