Chapter 163: The Great Sept of Baelor

The nobles arriving in King's Landing were busy with non-stop events: attending a wedding, then a funeral, and next, a tournament. For the funeral of the elderly prime minister, Jon Arryn, the Red Keep had made ample preparations.

On the morning of the funeral, the nobles, hungover and groggy, climbed out of bed, yawning as they made their way to the Great Sept of Baelor for the ceremony.

Wright returned to the magic school, changed his clothes, and even cut his long hair, adopting a short hairstyle similar to that of Renly.

Heading out to join the new nobles of the Stepstones, they slowly walked toward the Great Sept, each holding pastries and water bags, eating as they went. Wright had assigned many tasks to the new nobles of the Stepstones during this time, and they were quite busy, now accustomed to the hustle, which made them feel out of place compared to the nobles of King's Landing.

The Great Sept of Baelor sat atop the Visenya Hills, with the plaza at the entrance paved entirely with white marble. In the center of the plaza stood a towering statue of the founder of the Great Sept: King Baelor I Targaryen, the sculptor of the faith.

Many nobles, visiting the Great Sept for the first time, stopped at the entrance, marveling at the grandeur of the structure.

The people from the Stepstones were no exception, circling the statue in awe, nLordy as if they had cameras in hand.

Inside the Sept, many nobles had come. Most walked around, paid their respects to the deceased, and took a glance at the body before leaving. Many merchants from King's Landing and wealthy knights were also present. The entrance was bustling with people, and Wright didn't rush—he decided to wait until it calmed down before going in.

Having read many history books, Wright began explaining to them: "The Targaryens has seen all kinds of people, but this one... he's a charlatan king! He never touched a woman in his life, locked his two sisters and his mother in the Red Keep as virgin captives."

The Lord of Seagull Island, once a bastard turned legitimate, looked at the statue: "He looks quite handsome. Too bad he has no heirs. So, what happened to his wife after that?"

Wright: "He did something even worse. He annulled his marriage in the church, and his ex-wife then had an affair with her cousin, giving birth to a man named Daemon. This led to a rebellion that lasted for over a hundred years after this charlatan's death."

Aurane Velaryon, with his flowing platinum hair, nodded in agreement: "Indeed, any man named Daemon in the Targaryen family has been formidable. I've seen the family tree. It traces back to about 140 years ago with Beaela Velaryon. Her father was also a man named Daemon."

"Hehehe!" Ashara Dayne overheard their conversation, and, with a silly grin, touched the hilt of her Dark Sister sword.

Wright reached out and ruffled her short hair: "Stop grinning. Why don't you change your name too? Call yourself Daemon Dayne?"

At that moment, people from Stormlands also walked up the steps to the plaza.

"Wright!"

At the front of the crowd was the ever-smiling Renly Baratheon, with Margaery Tyrell, who had already styled her hair into an updo, signaling that she was no longer a maiden but a woman. Also with them was Renly's captain of the guard, the Knight of Flowers, Loras Tyrell, dressed in fine attire.

"Renly, Lady Margaery, Ser Loras, greetings!" Wright said, munching on his pastry.

"Hehe, aren't you going to wipe your mouth after eating?" Margaery laughed, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons.

Wright wiped his mouth, realizing there was still some sesame stuck to it: "Haha, I rushed out this morning."

"Your Grace!" Ser Loras Tyrell respectfully bowed to Wright.

Wright: "We've known each other for so long, don't call me 'Your Grace,' it feels too formal."

"Understood," Ser Loras replied, still maintaining a solemn expression.

Wright studied his face—he was indeed handsome—and then turned to Renly, who wore his usual cheerful expression. "How come you two are here so early?"

Renly grabbed Wright's arm and secretly slipped a set of keys into Wright's palm, whispering, "My neighbor, Lord Rick, came to me today, saying my house is haunted! You'd better start using the front door."

The nobles' door locks were of high quality, and Wright's mage hand couldn't open them, but with the keys, things would be much easier.

Nymeria, Tyene, Renly, the Knight of Flowers Loras, and little Margaery Tyrell all laughed and watched Wright, who blushed and said, "Let's go in."

He turned and walked away.

"Hehehe." The three women behind him laughed the loudest.

He looked up at the towering and pristine statue of King Baelor Targaryen, the blessed by the gods king. The king stood serenely on the pedestal, wearing a compassionate expression on his face. In his left hand, he held a book of the Faith, while his right hand was outstretched in front of him, with two fingers curled and three fingers standing up.

Wright: "A charlatan, even in his statue you're trying to hint at me?"

Conqueror Aegon had named the three hills in King's Landing after himself and his two queens, with the city's three largest structures built on these hills. The Red Keep sat atop Aegon's Hill, the Great Sept of Baelor stood at the top of Visenya's Hill, and the third hill, once home to the Dragonpit, was now the site of the Magic School.

Entering the Sept, they passed through a long corridor called the Hall of Lamp. Renly followed them, and the sunlight shining through the colored glass of the ceiling made the two almost identical brothers appear even taller.

Wright and Renly chatted as they walked.

Renly: "Every time I come here, I'm in awe of the grandeur. I can't imagine how much it cost to build this place!"

Wright: "The Faith wants people to feel the power of the gods the moment they enter, but to me, it just seems like an unnecessary showoff, constantly flaunting their wealth!"

They reached the main hall, where many people had gathered, circling the body of the Prime Minister to pay their respects. The glass, gold, and crystal in the dome above refracted the sunlight, making the body appear almost sacred.

Wright and Renly joined the line. Wright said, "The Church doesn't just have this much wealth. I've heard there are golden-threaded robes, gemstone rings, and crystal crowns in the tombs beneath the Sept."

When Wright was younger and in King's Landing, he had often considered helping himself to some of those treasures, though his sense of justice had always held him back.

Renly: "Aren't the tombs below for the Targaryen kings? Do they hide money down there?"

Wright whispered, "Keep it down. There really are a lot of valuable things down there."

They approached the body of the Prime Minister, bowed in respect, and walked around it. The seven-pointed star, the symbol of the Seven, was embedded in the marble platform beneath the body, symbolizing the gods' blessing over the deceased.

Renly: "Such a fine man, and now he's gone. Life and death are unpredictable. Wright, which king do you think deserves the most respect?"

Wright: "Everyone has their own idea of who they admire, so it's hard to say. But I did remember one thing. There was a Queen down there named Rhaenyra Targaryen, the only woman from House Targaryen to sit on the Iron Throne."

People were moving slowly, so Wright and Renly continued circling the body.

Renly: "I know her. Only one of her legs is buried there."

Wright chuckled: "What I wanted to mention was her husband. I noticed that he had a lot in common with Jaime Lannister."

Renly immediately leaned closer, eager for gossip: "Tell me more!"

Wright: "Rhaenyra Targaryen got involved with Harwin Strong, a man from Harrenhal. She had three children with this man."

Renly: "I know that, it's written in the history books in the library of Storm's End. Then what happened?"

Wright: "The strong e and Jaime Lannister share many similarities. Both were skilled swordsmen and handsome men, popular with the ladies. Their fathers both served as Hand of the King, and they both had a disabled brother. They fell in love with powerful women, and both had three illegitimate children. One of them even has the name Joffrey!"

"Heh."

Renly stifled a laugh, and Wright quickly covered his mouth.