Chapter 158: Mysterious Scroll

After retrieving Dragon Claw, Rhaegar and Rhaenyra left the forging room and returned to their respective chambers.

Walking through the dimly lit corridor, Rhaegar occasionally stroked the hilt of Dragon Claw, savoring the texture of the dragon's horn.

Suddenly, a system notification sounded.

"Congratulations, the Sword of the Nameless has been activated. You have obtained..."

Rhaegar's spirits lifted as he summoned the Explorer's System Interface.

[Mysterious Scroll 

Grade: Excellent (Blue) 

Function: A mysterious scroll from old Valyria that brings you the treasures of your homeland. 

Evaluation: "A scroll of mystical magic, you'll love it."]

With a soft pop, a parchment scroll about the length of a small arm materialized out of thin air. Rhaegar caught it immediately, opening it with great anticipation.

The scroll was yellowish, depicting a magnificent building complex.

"The Red Keep?" Rhaegar recognized the drawing instantly.

Besides organizing banquets and tournaments, his father's hobby was stone carving, and his bedchamber was filled with ornaments from old Valyria. It was said that Alicent had captured his father's heart through stone carving.

Examining the scroll closely, Rhaegar frowned. "This looks like a quest-like relic. Could it be a treasure map?"

Relics bestowed by the Explorer's Interface often had mysterious powers, becoming more enigmatic with each exploration.

Buzz—

As if sensing his doubts, the scroll glowed faintly, and the lines of the painting gradually morphed into coordinates.

Accustomed to magical occurrences, Rhaegar wasn't surprised. He studied the coordinates, which slowly aligned with the map of the Red Keep in his memory.

"This seems to be... Father's room?" Rhaegar said, realization dawning on him. The scroll was pointing to Blackfyre's location.

Rhaegar shook his head and smiled. "The scroll can help me find relics with the conditions for exploration?"

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

"Might as well try to explore Blackfyre again," he mused. With his imminent departure for the Vale, this could be a fortuitous opportunity.

He went to a nearby window and looked out into the night. It was just after dark, and a crescent moon shone brightly. His father probably hadn't gone to bed yet.

...

Rhaegar left the kitchen and made his way to his father's room. Just as he was about to knock, the door opened from the inside.

Alicent, dressed in a green gown, stepped out and bumped into him.

"Ah! Rhaegar?" Alicent exclaimed. Recognizing him, she took a few steps back.

"Queen," Rhaegar greeted simply, stepping aside with his hands behind his back.

Alicent, covering her chest with one hand, nodded lightly and quickly left. Rhaegar noticed her red eyes and teardrops.

Frowning slightly, Rhaegar wondered, "Could this be about Aegon's participation in the Battle of Stepstones?"

"Ahem..." Viserys's hoarse voice came from inside the room. "Rhaegar, is that you at the door?"

"It's me, Father," Rhaegar responded, walking into the room.

Viserys, in his pajamas, was leaning against a round table in the living room. He beckoned his eldest son over and sighed, "Come, sit here."

Rhaegar obediently sat down opposite him and asked with concern, "What is it, Father?"

"A woman's kindness," Viserys replied, looking ill. "You wanted to see me at this late hour?"

"Yes, to share godd news with you," Rhaegar said, removing the scabbard from his belt and handing over Dragon Claw.

"Oh, your Valyrian steel sword is finished," Viserys noted, knowing his son had recast a heavy Valyrian steel sword.

He drew Dragon Claw, its cold aura shimmering in the dim light. Examining it, Viserys smiled. "Valyrian steel is very rare. This is a fine sword."

"The blacksmiths of Qohor are indeed skilled," Rhaegar said with a smile, glancing around the room until his gaze fixed on Blackfyre hanging on the wall.

Standing up, he reached out to take down Blackfyre.

"Want to compare the two swords?" Viserys asked with a smirk, noticing Rhaegar's movements.

Rhaegar laughed, resuming his seat with Blackfyre in hand.

A system beep sounded in Rhaegar's ears.

"The quest mission has begun. The target is the Valyrian Steel Sword, Blackfyre."

[Blackfyre

Exploration Progress: 0.3%

Exploration mission triggered. Please wait for the exploration progress to complete.]

Viserys chuckled. "You've been interested in Blackfyre since you were a child. Are you looking to trade it for Dragon Claw?"

Rhaegar shook his head firmly. "Blackfyre symbolizes kingship. I'm more suited to wield Dragon Claw right now."

Viserys, twirling Dragon Claw in his hands, asked, "A sword forged in battle—what do you think it symbolizes?"

"It was made for battle so, to me, it symbolizes fearlessness," Rhaegar replied thoughtfully.

He had actually wanted to say "war." The Targaryens had two ancestral swords. Blackfyre symbolized kingship. Dark Sister embodied bravery, loyalty, and protection, qualities attributed by Queen Visenya. The one thing missing was a symbol of war and conquest. Rhaegar hoped Dragon Claw would represent that, helping him defend the kingdom's glory.

"Not a bad idea. Fearless courage is rare," Viserys mused, unaware of Rhaegar's deeper thoughts. He sighed, feeling his own lack of such courage.

Both father and son fell silent, the room heavy with contemplation.

After a long pause, Viserys glanced at Rhaegar, surprised he hadn't gone to bed. Rhaegar was waiting for the quest to progress, having woken up from a nap and not feeling sleepy.

Searching for a topic, Viserys asked, "Rhaegar, you're thirteen now—old enough to be engaged."

"Huh?" Rhaegar looked up, puzzled by the sudden shift to his marriage prospects.

Viserys continued, "Do you have someone you favor?"

"No, I haven't thought about it," Rhaegar quickly replied. He rarely ventured outside the king's domain, and the noble ladies he met always seemed eager to devour him with their eyes. None of them truly interested him.

"What about following the family tradition?" Viserys pressed.

Rhaegar paused, understanding his father's implication. He had considered it, but his feelings for Rhaenyra were complicated, and their relationship had always been platonic.

"You're good at many things, but slow in matters of the heart," Viserys observed. "Look at Aegon. He understood love at eleven. What about you?"

"I haven't," Rhaegar mumbled, his head drooping as he fidgeted. It wasn't that he was slow to develop; he was just preoccupied with remodeling the Dragonpit, practicing martial arts, and mastering dragon-riding. He had too many responsibilities.

Viserys rubbed his forehead, worried about his eldest son's emotional intelligence.

(Word count: 1,057)