Chapter 208: A Million Gold Coins Project

Archmage Wood was that old Black man from the last extraordinary gathering.

"We often perform at the docks together—we go way back," said the skinny man, Bogba, nodding.

"He's planning a big project recently. Do you know about it?" Dany asked.

"How big?" Bogba's tone was casual, clearly not believing that his old buddy could suddenly strike it rich.

"A massive project worth a million Gold Radiance coins," Dany whispered mysteriously.

Bogba momentarily forgot about his aching groin and jumped up in shock. "What?! What's he up to? What kind of fool would let him scam a million gold coins?"

Dany's fair face darkened slightly. Just for that remark, you're fined two hundred pounds of wildfire!

She cupped a hand over her lips and spoke in a hushed voice. "The Mother of Dragons! He's heading to Slaver's Bay to pledge allegiance to her. That woman has looted at least a billion gold coins from the slave masters—a mere million is just a drop in the ocean."

"A billion... how many millions is that?" Bogba asked in confusion.

"If there were a million people, each would get ten thousand gold coins."

Bogba's eyes bulged at first, but he quickly regained his senses and said skeptically, "That's impossible. Even the Iron Bank doesn't have that much gold."

Of course, Dany was exaggerating. Forget a billion—excluding silver coins and jewels, even a hundred million Gold Dragons didn't exist.

"Even if you cut that in half, it's still an insane amount!" Dany waved her hand dismissively.

"True," Bogba nodded, then curiously asked, "Isn't Wood afraid of dying? The Allied Forces won't spare him."

"Don't you understand the saying 'Fortune favors the bold'? We're talking about a million gold coins here! How much do you make performing at the docks?"

"Seven or eight hundred copper coins a day."

"Not bad. If you save every penny, you could scrape together two Gold Radiance coins in half a month. Work hard for twenty thousand years, and you might match Archmage Wood's big project."

"Twenty thousand years…" Bogba seemed dazed. After a long silence, he gritted his teeth and declared firmly, "I'm going to Slaver's Bay too! I'm no worse than Wood."

"Great, you can go with Archmage Wood. Better yet, find a group of wild mages to join you. Do you know about the Dragon Hatchling Mage Corps? I think you have the potential to be one of the Three Giants—yes, one of the Three Giants in the Mother of Dragons' mage corps." Dany encouraged him.

"Heh heh heh, I think so too. After all, I am an extraordinary individual—far better than those fake fire mages on the streets." Bogba grinned foolishly.

Excited, Bogba left.

Before leaving, he enthusiastically tried to recruit the fire mage apprentice, "Layla," to join their grand venture.

Hmm, with Wood included, the three of them could form their own version of the Three Giants.

Bogba was so eager that Dany had no choice but to tell him about Tamra joining as well.

Before heading upstairs, Dany suddenly remembered something. She went to the front desk in the lobby and asked the clerk behind the wooden counter, "Do you remember me? I'm staying in the No. 8 VIP suite on the second floor. Yesterday evening, you even—"

Before she could finish, the clerk, whose face was tattooed with book-like inscriptions, nodded and bowed respectfully. "Priestess Layla, of course I remember. How may I assist you?"

"Has anyone come looking for me?"

"Well… the Widow by the Water came by."

"I've already seen her. What about anyone else? Or any slaves?"

"No one."

Dany frowned in thought, then said, "If someone comes looking for me when I'm not around, make sure to take note of it and remind me later."

"Of course."

She was waiting for Cadillac, the elephant cart driver who had brought them into the city last evening—but she wasn't necessarily going to wait forever.

This was a test, a choice.

Yesterday, Dany had slipped a handful of shiny copper coins into Cadillac's pocket. No one had noticed at the time, but hidden among them were five Gold Radiance coins.

That clever young man had always longed for the Mother of Dragons, hoping she would bring him freedom.

So, the Mother of Dragons was offering him a golden opportunity.

Slaves had the chance to become free men—to buy their own freedom.

Five Gold Radiance coins could buy ten Cadillacs, even with his exceptional elephant-taming skills.

But slaves weren't allowed to own property. Saving money to buy his own freedom was nearly impossible.

Dany wanted to see how smart the young man really was.

As dusk approached, the red sun in the west looked like a painted backdrop behind the stage—rounder, larger, draped in golden-red hues.

The grayish plaza, dim in tone, seemed to glow under a fiery robe.

It was waking up, like a noisy giant beast stirring from slumber.

Fishmongers shouted loudly, women and young girls carrying baskets haggled shrilly, and wisps of white steam rising from roasting stalls were tinted crimson by the evening glow. The air was thick with the stench of fish, the musty odor of mercenaries, the savory aroma of grilled meat, the spicy tang of roasted peppers, and the sweet fragrance of mead, each scent hitting Dany in waves.

On any other day, she might have pulled out a silk scarf to cover her nose. But with a red lacquered wooden mask covering her face, she had to endure it.

The lacquered wood pressing against her cheeks was uncomfortable, but she also noticed something interesting—the flow of people seemed to part around her, like a river bending around a massive rock.

Within a three-foot radius, even the boldest and most unruly mercenaries dared not come close.

For instance, the Windblown.

Danzō was lazily reclining in a high-backed chair, his legs propped up on the table, strumming his guitar and singing idly as he watched the passing crowds—a perfect image of a carefree swordsman poet.

Dany stepped down the stone steps and stopped beside the Windblown purely out of boredom. Besides, Danzō was genuinely skilled.

The old mercenary glanced at the Shadowbinder standing beside him multiple times, hesitating as if he wanted to say something. But after several attempts, he only let out a sigh, put his guitar down, and started instructing his men to move their table.

Hmm, the Windblown shifted seven or eight meters away from Dany.

The Shadowbinder's "warding" effect was that strong.

Fortunately, the awkward moment didn't last long.

Soon, a massive white elephant stopped in front of Dany.

"Layla, come up!" Tam called from above.

A magnificent tower fortress stood tall, its golden railing glowing crimson under the setting sun.

At the same time, five slaves, each draped in thick red wool blankets, jogged forward and silently knelt in sequence beneath the elephant.

The first was a stout dwarf just over a meter tall. The second, a Summer Islander standing at 1.3 meters. The third, 1.6 meters tall. The fourth, 1.9 meters. The fifth, towering at 2.2 meters, resembling a small giant.

They knelt close together, pressing their bodies tightly as if forming a staircase. All Dany had to do was grasp the reins dangling from the white elephant's side, stepping effortlessly onto each "step" until she reached the lowest level of the fortress's metal hanging ladder.

"Move aside. I'll do it myself." Dany frowned, waving the slaves away. She grabbed the rope ladder hanging from the elephant's side and climbed up with the agility of a seasoned elephant charioteer.

The fortress was spacious, covering a full five square meters. Unfastening the longsword from her waist, Dany imitated Tam's posture, sitting cross-legged by the small round table in the center.

As she sat, the faint clinking of metal echoed from her clothes. Tam frowned and said, "You're carrying a knight's sword, and you have armor under your robes?"

Dany lifted her sky-blue robe, revealing the silver chainmail draped over her leather armor. "It's just chainmail, not plate armor."

"You are a mage now, a Shadowbinder," Tam reminded her.

"So what?"

"A graceful sage should not dress like a savage knight," Tam declared, his voice firm, as if stating an undeniable truth.

"Lisbon thought the same way… and got stabbed to death," Dany shrugged, her tone indifferent.

"..."

The giant elephant began to move slowly, causing the fortress to sway slightly.

Just when Dany thought the discussion about armor was over, Tam sighed and said, "Metal disrupts a mage's magic flow. Wearing armor prevents the casting of spells, even if it's Valyrian steel."

Nonsense. Back when I was just a rookie, I wore thick iron armor and still used my imperfect 'Soul Strike' to take down a Faceless Man.

The process was smooth—flawless.

"Really?" she asked, doubtful.

The Shadowbinder replied, "If armor didn't interfere with spellcasting, every Valyrian mage would be clad in Valyrian steel armor.

"But the reality is, they would rather forge Valyrian steel into sphinx statues than waste it on extra swords or a set of armor."

"Why would they be so stingy? Even if mages can't use it, warriors could still wear it," Dany said, puzzled.

"Would you let warriors clad in anti-magic Valyrian steel armor, wielding Valyrian steel swords, slaughter mages at will?" Tam sneered.

"This…"

Thinking about the terrifying anti-magic properties of Valyrian steel, particularly during their last journey to Oros—where even the fire-resistant 'fireworms' were easily slain by Barristan's blade—Dany suddenly understood.

"I see!"

"Hey, Westerosi knight!"

A loud voice near the elephant startled Dany from her thoughts. She turned her head in confusion, realizing that the elephant was still circling in front of the Merchant's House and had stopped at a mercenary recruitment stand.

A black banner with a snarling cat hung nearby—Bloodbeard's infamous Company of the Cat.

"Waiting for someone?" Dany asked.

Tam nodded. "Moon Singer Kaza is staying in the upper courtyard."

The upper courtyard of the Merchant's House was reserved for wealthy traders, featuring private courtyards, scenic views, and peaceful surroundings. Dany could have stayed there, but she preferred the middle courtyard—it was busier and better for gathering intelligence.

"I'm from Dorne, the son of a wine merchant, traveling along the Summer Sea. Of course, I'm also checking wine prices for my family," a familiar voice spoke.

A familiar person.

A Dornishman she had met twice before.

"Traveling along the Summer Sea? Idiot!" one of the Company of the Cat mercenaries muttered. Then he called out loudly, "You have a two-handed sword at your waist. You must be a skilled swordsman!"

The dark-haired, honest-looking young man nodded. "I've trained in swordsmanship for a few years."

"Then what are you waiting for? The next stop on your Summer Sea tour is Slaver's Bay! Come sign your name and become one of Bloodbeard's brave little kittens!"

The mercenary waved a stack of parchment contracts, his voice filled with temptation.

"Not only will you get a free ship ride to see the sights of Slaver's Bay, but you'll also earn endless gold and have countless beautiful girls and boys at your feet. Who knows? Maybe you'll even kill the Dragon Queen and become a dragonslayer!"

After finishing his pitch, the mercenary started singing:

"We are the Company of the Cat,

Marching all the way to Slaver's Bay,

Slaver's Bay,

First, we kill the Count of Broken Chains,

Then we slay the true Dragon Queen—"

Two other mercenaries joined in, their voices loud and full of pride.

Dany's mouth twitched, but she made sure to etch Bloodbeard and the Company of the Cat firmly into her memory.

"Kid, if you want to die without a corpse, go ahead and sign," a few steps away, Danzho strummed his guitar, the sharp notes disrupting the mercenaries' song.

"You old bastard! Trying to steal our recruits again?" one of the Company of the Cat mercenaries shouted in anger.

Danzho replied calmly, "I simply don't want a young man who seeks honor to die without it."

The Dornishman picked up on the hidden meaning in his words. He immediately set down his quill, took a few steps back, and asked suspiciously, "Old man, what do you mean?"

(End of Chapter)

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