Chapter 278: Dream of the Smoking Sea

The exploration mission concluded, and the knowledge of the [Enchantment Magic Spell] quietly seeped into Rhaegar's mind.

"Haha~~"

Each infusion of knowledge sent shivers down his spine, eliciting a moan of pleasure. His hands fell naturally by his sides as he drifted deeper into sleep.

Gradually, Rhaegar entered a peculiar dream.

The dreamscape was shrouded in mist, with fine dust floating in the air, making visibility extremely poor. In this misty environment, a lone boat floated on a calm sea.

Rhaegar found himself on a narrow wooden boat, his hands gripping the oars as he drifted slowly down a winding tributary. Lush bushes lined the shore on either side, adding a splash of color to the dull surroundings.

"Where is this?" Rhaegar wondered aloud, paddling in a daze. He was unaware that he was dreaming, his consciousness confused.

Suddenly, a massive, partially collapsed stone bridge loomed before him. Rhaegar was startled, but remained calm. The bridge, once arched, now stood as a mere frame on either side, its center reduced to ancient ruins.

As the wooden boat slid beneath the remains of the arched bridge, Rhaegar looked around in wonder.

Crack...

A bolt of lightning pierced the dark sky, illuminating the scene for a fleeting moment.

Rain...

Almost immediately, a downpour began, drenching Rhaegar within moments.

He sighed helplessly, paddling on as the rainsoaked him through.

Then the scene changed dramatically.

The air grew thick with smoke, rolling like a torrent. Rhaegar wiped the rainwater from his face, only to find himself sweating profusely. The oppressive heat made it hard to breathe.

Looking back, he saw volcanoes lining the shore, spewing rivers of reddish magma.

"No wonder it's so hot," he thought inamazement.

But the chaos didn't stop there.

The heavy rain, smoke, and volcanic eruptions were followed by another change. The sky,swirling with smoke, revealed a strange red light that pierced the haze and cast an eerie glow.

Rhaegar lifted his head and muttered, "What is that?"

Boom...

A red meteorite pierced the haze, slicing through the dark sky before crashing into the sea.

Rhaegar's eyes widened in horror as he watched the densely packed points of red light resembling a chaotic display of fireworks.

Within moments, one meteorite after another began to fall, transforming into balls of fire as they plummeted toward the sea.

Realizing that he felt no pain when he pinched his face, Rhaegar understood that he was in a dream world. This realization caused the dream space to waver and crack slightly.

He reached out his hand reluctantly and muttered, "I still don't understand what this dream means!"

As the meteorites continued to fall, the searippled violently and the wooden boat rockedviolently. The dream began to fade.

Rhaegar closed his eyes, quietly awaiting the moment he would wake.

"Roar!"

At the last second before the dream shattered completely, a loud and rough dragon's roar echoed through the sky, filled with a sense of ominous danger.

"A dragon?" Rhaegar's heart tightened. He tried to open his eyes to see.

Suddenly, a massive wave surged, instantly sinking the wooden boat.

Rhaegar woke abruptly, water splashing as his long hair slapped against his face.

"Hooooo~~" he exhaled heavily, heart pounding. "There's a dragon..." he murmured in a trance.

The dragon's roar from his dream lingered in his mind. "This isn't normal," he muttered, rubbing his face.

As he calmed down, his gaze fell on the brokenstone tablet, an artifact from the Smoking Sea ruins, potentially linked to the Belaerys family. "Daydreaming and nightdreaming," he shook his head, still puzzled.

Rhaegar had interrogated the smugglers. They had found the relic in the fog-shrouded Smoking Sea, likely part of the ancient Lands of the Long Summer. Navigation was treacherous there, but the old sailor managed with ancient charts.

The real danger was the stone men—irrational, cruel, and bloodthirsty beings who knew the terrain intimately, hunting any who strayed into their domain. Their attack had decimated thesmuggling crew.

"The site of the Belaerys family is too tempting," Rhaegar mused. The Dragonlord families were powerful, especially one like the Belaerys. The ancient knowledge he had from other sources was invaluable, but finding dragon-taming lore could significantly strengthen House Targaryen.

"I have to plan well," he thought. "Valyrian ruins are dangerous, and the Smoking Sea even more so."

He recalled the tragic tale of Aerea Targaryen, niece of his great-grandfather Jaehaerys. Aerea, daughter of Rhaena Targaryen, was the third rider of Balerion, the Black Dread. After mounting Balerion, she disappeared for a year. When Balerion returned to King's Landing, Aerea was barely alive, her body ravaged.

Balerion bore terrible wounds, and Aerea was even worse off, with her bones visible and skin red and bloody. She died that night, her bodyburned from within by a creature known as the Firewyrms.

It was theorized that Aerea, unable to controlBalerion, was taken to Valyria, the dragon's homeland, and fell victim to its cursed creatures.

The ruins of Valyria.

There, a man and a dragon faced peril—one was killed, the other severely injured.

As a result, King's Landing forbade any ship that had ventured near the Valyrian ruins from docking for a long time.

Rhaegar was silent, weighing the benefits against the risks.

The legends of Aerea and Balerion were horrific. But according to Rhaegar's speculation, they must have ventured deeper into danger, leading to the tragedy.

The empire of the Freehold is in ruins, and the land of the Long Summer has become the Smoking Sea. But that doesn't mean no one lives there.

At least a few fringe city-states still exist on Valyrian soil. There are also many fishermen around the Smoking Sea, and occasional expeditions.

The ruins of the Belaerys family were located in the Smoking Sea—not an inaccessible place.

As he pondered, Rhaegar ruffled the water, revealing a glass candle.

He recalled the disturbances he had experienced in his sleep.

With a thought, he called up his personal status.

Rhaegar Targaryen

Talents: Dreamer (Gold), Pyromancer (Purple), Longevity (Green) 

Bloodline: Ancient Valyrian Dragonlord (47%)

Rune: Serpent (Blue), Bronze (Green) 

Blood Sorcery: Enchantment Spell (Blue), Dragonstone (Blue) 

Relics: Blood and Fire, True Dragon's Blood, Dreamscape

Evaluation: "Ancient bloodline at the threshold, perhaps more fire and magic can enhance it."

Rhaegar checked his status and whispered, "One more enchantment spell."

He scanned the trigger conditions for [Bloodmage's Treasure]. It only required the ability to light a glass candle.

This had triggered the Explorer System  in his sleep, granting him the Blood Sorcery: Enchantment Spell.

"A rather useful sorcery," Rhaegar's eyes lit up as he held the glass candle and secretly activated his Pyromancer talent.

Boom...

The glass candle in Rhaegar's left hand glowed softly, while flames erupted from his right hand, growing more intense.

"Let's try this."

As the flame crackled, Rhaegar aimed at the broken stone tablet and flung the fire. The flames shot smoothly from his hand, hitting the tablet with a muffled thud and leaving a charred patch on its surface.

Rhaegar clicked his tongue, pondering, "The flames are indeed stronger, but it's just a rudimentary fireball."

Throwing fireballs was the stuff of legends, something he'd only dreamed of.

Previously, he possessed the talent of a Pyromancer but lacked the means to fully utilize it.

Examining the marks on the stone tablet, Rhaegar felt a twinge of dissatisfaction. "Impressive, but the power is lacking."

One fireball drained a tenth of his magic power, enough to potentially kill an ordinary person. Yet, he assessed it wasn't as effective as drawing a sword and striking directly.

Turning the glass candle in his hand, Rhaegar's curiosity got the better of him. He decided to try a few more "fireball spells."

Aiming at the broken stone tablet, he launched a series of fireballs with loud thuds. Before long, his head pounded, and dizziness set in. His legs weakened, and he sank into the pool.

He had experienced this before. Enduring the dizziness, he muttered, "Insufficient mental power."

Casting magic required not only magical power but also strong mental strength. Excessive use of enhanced fire spells had depleted his mentalenergy.

Crunch-

The bathroom door creaked open, and Daella hurried in, looking around nervously. "My lord, I heard strange noises. Is everything alright?"

The loud fireballs had startled the girls downstairs.

Embarrassed by the sudden intrusion, Rhaegar turned his back, saying, "It's nothing, you can leave now."

He shook his head, the dizziness intensifying.

"My lord, you seem to be in pain," Daella said worriedly, moving closer. She closed thebathroom door behind her.

Rhaegar covered his forehead, vigorously rubbing his temples.

"Let me help you," Daella offered.

Rhaegar's headache was severe, his agitationgrowing. The faint scent of green flowers filled the room as Daella approached.

The fragrance soothed him, his brow relaxing as he inhaled deeply. The headache seemed to ease.

Realizing the floral scent might be aiding hisrecovery, he wanted to ask her about it. Just then, a pair of cool hands touched his head, gently massaging his temples.

(Word count: 1,497)