Chapter 14: Each With His Own Thoughts.

Watching Viserys trying to win him over and awaiting a response, Illyrio finally followed his lead, saying,

"Forgive my bluntness, Your Grace. Your views on the political situation in the Seven Kingdoms are quite peculiar, unlike anything I've ever heard. You claim that the death of the old Hand of the King will plunge the Seven Kingdoms into chaos. But from what I've seen and heard, King Robert, though surrounded by rumors, has been a strong and capable ruler. He has maintained a firm grip on the Seven Kingdoms since his usurpation, and at his age, he is still in his prime. I find it hard to believe that the death of a Hand of the King would cause much upheaval in Westeros."

"Though it's unfortunate," Viserys responded with a look of disappointment, yet he remained calm and without anger.

He turned to Illyrio, "I understand your concerns, Illyrio. I have nothing at the moment, and I know that mere words won't convince you. It's alright, Magister, as we discussed on our first day in your courtyard, 'You are funding me, not pledging loyalty to me.' I want to know, after I have refuted your schemes and shared my thoughts, are you still willing to support my cause to reclaim the throne?"

Compared to Viserys's words, it was his demeanor that left Illyrio most astonished during the entire conversation.

Viserys seemed to trust him, openly sharing his thoughts and attempting to draw him in, yet he was clearly holding something back.

This behavior suggested that he truly had some confidence—whether genuine or feigned, it revealed a lot.

This beggar king showed signs of foolishness but was not necessarily as foolish as rumored.

He also displayed a degree of cunning.

Illyrio hesitated, opening and closing his mouth several times before finally asking nervously, "Your Grace, earlier you said that I need to do nothing and you would still make me your first Master of Coin. Is that true?"

"I am Viserys Targaryen the Third," Viserys looked at him solemnly and said, "A king's word is his bond."

"Simply providing a shelter for you to wait for the Seven Kingdoms to fall into chaos, that is all?" Illyrio appeared skeptical, chewing over Viserys's words.

Viserys nodded. "Yes. It just needs some time. When the old Hand of the King dies, you will see that I am not bluffing. And when the Seven Kingdoms descend into chaos, you will understand the true value of supporting a Targaryen heir."

Illyrio's expression shifted from imagination to a brief flash of greed, then to hesitation. "But what if the Seven Kingdoms do not fall into chaos after the old Hand dies?"

"They will," Viserys did not elaborate, simply giving a confident response, "The Seven Kingdoms will fall into chaos, Illyrio."

Seeing Viserys's confidence, Illyrio could not help but probe further. "Forgive my ignorance, Your Grace, but are you so certain because you have some sort of plan?"

Viserys did not expect Illyrio, such an old fox, to ask such a direct question.

It was unclear whether Illyrio was overly confident in his intelligence sources, firmly believing Viserys had nothing, or if he was so unsettled by Viserys's assurance that he lost his composure.

Viserys maintained his inscrutable demeanor, cryptically asking, "Can you keep a secret, Magister?"

Illyrio hesitated internally, then nodded tentatively. "Of course, Your Grace."

"So can I, Magister," Viserys replied.

Illyrio was momentarily speechless.

Viserys found it amusing internally but kept a composed facade.

He turned to look across the road, watching the Dothraki cavalry laden with "gifts" receding into the distance, and said, "Magister, we have observed the Dothraki cavalry. Shall we return to the city?"

Illyrio responded blankly, "Yes, Your Grace."

...

On the way back to the city, Illyrio sat inside the carriage as usual, his face showing no significant emotional fluctuation.

Viserys rode alongside the carriage on horseback, his expression equally blank.

The two did not speak during the journey, their minds preoccupied with thoughts about each other.

This time, the secret conversation led by Viserys had a considerable impact on Illyrio.

The scheme to link Viserys with the Dothraki Khal was thoroughly shattered.

The beggar king, whom Illyrio thought could be easily manipulated, had become elusive and unpredictable.

Illyrio speculated that Viserys had acquired a restoration plan from somewhere, which he was secretly implementing.

But he couldn't convince himself. If that were true, why would the beggar king Viserys still wander around with his sister, seeking refuge everywhere?

Waiting for the right moment?

Why not wait somewhere secure? If there was truly someone behind the scenes, why allow the last Targaryens to drift among the Free Cities' elites instead of keeping them under direct control?

While pondering these details, Illyrio had a vague suspicion in his heart. He attributed Viserys's seemingly unfounded confidence to certain forces, but he couldn't be sure.

He needed concrete intelligence to support his speculation.

Halfway back to the city, Illyrio had already made up his mind: he needed to go to King's Landing.

Although Viserys had, with just a few words, undermined Illyrio and his backers' sinister plan to sell Daenerys for Dothraki support, he had also placed himself in the spotlight.

He and his nonexistent backers and schemes were now under the watchful eyes of Illyrio's forces.

Two possible outcomes could be expected.

First, Illyrio and his associates might identify a plausible power behind Viserys, leading to a covert game of wits between them and "Viserys and his supposed backers."

Second, they might discover that Viserys was actually a fraud spouting nonsense, and his schemes were merely a ploy to buy time for his true objective.

Viserys's real goal, the ability to transform into a dragon, would remain unknown until he revealed it.

But this did not mean there was no risk. If his bluff failed, others might see that Viserys didn't need to be a king with choices; he could be a puppet without thoughts.

The players could lose patience and smash the board over his head.

However, Viserys believed this wasn't a desperate gamble with only a slim chance of success. He thought Illyrio and Varys would surely identify some "backers" for him. Despite the vague hints he provided, with some thought, various plausible speculations could arise.

Conspirators never fully trust anyone, and the possibility of two conspirators sharing their hearts completely is unlikely.

Even if Illyrio had detailed intelligence sources confirming Viserys had nothing behind him, Viserys was prepared with an explanation for when Illyrio came to confront him.

As a transmigrator, his butterfly effect had only just begun. His source of information was the original series.

The "Three Princes" theory was something he had come up with based on his knowledge of the original series and his own memories, tailored to fit his position. It was highly implausible and differed greatly from reality, but it had a conspiratorial feel. Those who knew the truth would find it absurd, but those who didn't might believe it.

By displaying unwavering belief, some might think him foolish, while others might sense hidden depths.

And none of that mattered.

What he needed to present wasn't a flawless theory but a plausible narrative that aligned with his position, to muddy the waters without revealing his true intentions.

Still, scheming was ultimately a secondary path; Viserys understood this well.

He hoped Illyrio would respond quickly so he could try to leverage the magister's wealth to gather dragon bones and eggs.

He knew: Only with unassailable strength backing his efforts would his schemes stand fearless in the light of day.

...

When they returned to Illyrio's mansion, it was already afternoon.

Viserys had mentioned he had something to attend to today, so Daenerys, understanding this, had already had lunch by herself.

Thus, at Illyrio's invitation, only Viserys joined him for a meal in the dining room.

Illyrio, unable to hold back, tried probing once more: "I must confess, Your Grace, I've been pondering over our conversation on the way back, and I still have some concerns."

Viserys remained calm: "I understand, Magister."

"No, Your Grace, my concerns are not about your words, but your terms." Illyrio's expression was serious.

"As you can see, I am a businessman. Forgive me for thinking like one. Your terms are too generous. You ask for only some shelter but promise me the position of Master of Coin."

"Magister, have you merely provided me with a house, a place to stay, and a meal?"

Viserys answered his own question.

"It's not that simple. The usurper's spies and assassins lurk in the shadows. You've also given me a stable environment. You even risked your own safety to devise a grand plan for me—if your plan were put into action, it certainly wouldn't be as easy to conceal as hiding two people. That's why I trust you and have shared these things with you."

'If you truly trusted me, you wouldn't keep saying 'I trust you'.'

Of course, Illyrio wasn't a fool; his words were merely a prelude to further probing. "Your Grace, forgive my bluntness, but as a businessman, I cannot comprehend such generosity."

Viserys smoothly launched into his increasingly polished rhetoric: "I see, Magister. Have you heard of House Tyrell?"

Illyrio replied, "House Tyrell of Highgarden, yes, Your Grace."

Viserys continued, "And are you familiar with House Gardener of the Reach?"

Illyrio answered, "A little." He already knew where Viserys was going with this.

Sure enough, Viserys said, "Before Aegon's Conquest, House Gardener ruled the Reach, and House Tyrell served them as stewards. But now, everyone knows that Highgarden and the Reach belong to House Tyrell. Why? Because Harlen Tyrell surrendered Highgarden to Aegon the Conqueror. Magister Illyrio, you must understand, I have nothing right now. I don't need you to surrender anything to me. But for the first person who truly acts to restore my kingdom, I will remember their contribution."

Illyrio was momentarily taken aback.

He was finally impressed by Viserys' sharp words. If he were truly sincere, he might have already been swayed by Viserys' persuasive tactics.

Illyrio's face showed a hint of an enigmatic expression, as if he wanted to confess something. "Your Grace, there is something I believe I must tell you."

Viserys nodded, "Please, Magister."

Illyrio confessed, "I plan to travel to the Seven Kingdoms."

"Oh?" Viserys squinted, his expression showing a hint of tension. He didn't quite understand the reason behind this probing.

Illyrio found it hard to discern the authenticity of Viserys' emotions from his exaggerated expressions, so he explained, "I intend to go to the Seven Kingdoms myself, observe the situation, gather information on the political climate, and verify your statements."

"I see," Viserys relaxed, a bit smugly. "Magister, I think you still don't understand. The significance of the 'Three Heirs' theory doesn't lie in its truthfulness."

"Hmm?"

"Ah," Viserys didn't elaborate. He simply smiled with satisfaction.

"Magister, forgive my bad habit, but this theory is my proud creation. I hope you'll ponder it during your journey. I believe you'll understand its implications."

Illyrio's eyes narrowed. With the hint given, he didn't need long to grasp its meaning: this seemingly flawed theory could be used as a rumor to destabilize the Seven Kingdoms.

'Would they spread this theory upon Jon Arryn's death?'

'Did they believe this theory alone could incite civil strife in the Seven Kingdoms?'

'Were there other strategies and conspiracies to support it?'

These questions swirled in Illyrio's mind, almost betraying his astonishment.

Fortunately, he managed to collect himself and responded to Viserys with a playful tone, "Then let's consider this your test for me, Your Grace."

"In fact, Magister," Viserys, having planted the seed of thought, didn't linger on whether it had taken root in Illyrio's mind. Nor did he dwell on Illyrio's probing. He immediately took the opportunity to steer the conversation, saying, "If you're worried about the imbalance between your contributions and my promises, I do have a task for you. This is something I mentioned on your ship. Dragonbone and dragon eggs, Magister. The time waiting for Jon Arryn's death won't be too long, but it won't be short either."

Viserys's face lit up with abnormal enthusiasm when he spoke of dragons.

If I can hatch dragons in the meantime, why would I need to scheme to restore my kingdom?

____

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