Chapter 6: Leaving the House"Royal Hunting!"

Aemon was surprised—and quite pleased.

Did this mean he was finally going back to King's Landing?

"Yes," Gonsor confirmed. "I heard that they're celebrating the king's son's second birthday and inviting nobles from all over the realm to attend."

Gonsor rolled his eyes, his voice tinged with indignation. "The royal family has such deep pockets. Our king seems to have an endless supply of gold."

A royal tournament, a grand hunt—was all this really necessary? Even a child's birthday had to be turned into a grand spectacle, announced to the entire kingdom and celebrated with the people.

What a farce. Was this really how a king should rule?

Aemon, however, paid no attention to Gonsor's complaints. His mind was fixated on one thing—the royal hunt.

His father was unreliable, and his mother had a rather hands-off approach to parenting.

For as long as he could remember, his life had been confined to Old Runestone City, severed from the world beyond.

In King's Landing, there were royal family members who shared his blood, powerful dragons descended from ancient Valyria… and good friends waiting for him.

His heart pounded with excitement.

"Hey, little one! Stop pulling weeds!" Gonsor barked.

The older man had a sullen look on his face, shoving something into the sheep's trough—something they clearly had no interest in eating.

Aemon reacted swiftly. Without hesitation, he grabbed William's hand and bolted toward the castle.

He had to confirm this with his mother.

William barely had time to react before Aemon's small hand pulled him along with surprising strength.

After sprinting nearly ten meters, Aemon suddenly skidded to a halt. He turned sharply, pointing his tiny finger at the towering, two-meter-tall man standing behind them.

"You!" Aemon declared with an air of authority. "Supervise them. Make sure they collect Ula grass properly!"

Gonsor blinked in confusion.

Was he really being ordered around by a child?

Aemon, however, was unbothered. He straightened his back, put on his most serious expression, and added, "Also, you should address me properly. Call me 'Prince.' Show some respect."

With that, he gave a self-important huff and took off again, dragging William along.

Gonsor, left standing in the wind, could only stare after them in disbelief.

Upon returning to Old Runestone City, Aemon ran straight to his mother's chambers.

"Is it true?" he asked breathlessly.

Rhea Royce, who had been sipping her wine, nodded.

"Yes," she confirmed. "King Viserys himself announced it. He has invited all the noble families to the royal forest to celebrate Prince Aegon's second birthday."

She took another slow sip, then added, "And in the letter sent by raven, you were specifically named to attend."

Aemon's heart skipped a beat.

This was real.

Lady Rhea continued, "I meant to tell you last night, but you were exhausted. I didn't want you too excited to sleep."

"Oh, this is amazing!"

Aemon whooped with joy, turned on his heels, and dashed back to his room like a madman.

Finally—finally—he was leaving Old Runestone City.

Three days later, the preparations were complete.

A royal forest hunt was a grand event, and noble families needed to make proper arrangements to ensure a smooth journey.

The Royce family was no exception.

"Move quickly!"

Lady Rhea, clad in full riding gear, sat atop her brown warhorse, leading a group of Vale knights with a calm and commanding presence.

The procession consisted of no fewer than fifty armed men, accompanied by several carriages carrying supplies.

Aemon, meanwhile, sat inside one of the carriages, watching his mother ride at the front. His eyes shone with admiration.

The Royce family's signature bronze armor was striking. Though called "bronze," it was, in truth, polished brass—unoxidized and gleaming in the light.

For formal occasions, Royce warriors wore bronze chest plates over calfskin tunics, the burnished orange plates standing out against the dark leather.

And with a team of fully armored knights in tow, they cut an imposing figure.

Looking at them, Aemon couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement.

"When I become a knight, I want to look that majestic, too," he murmured.

William, riding a pony beside the carriage, scoffed.

"Then you should start by pulling grass properly," he teased.

Aemon shot him a look.

It had taken this guy three whole days to collect only two clumps of Ula grass.

Pathetic.

William scowled. "What's the point of collecting grass anyway? It's not nearly as important as bronze armor."

"Then do you have any bronze armor?" Aemon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course!" William puffed out his chest. "My family has an old bronze set. And I heard Gunthor's family has one, too. I can ask around and get them for you."

Aemon's eyes sparkled.

The Royce family had plenty of armor, but those "family heirlooms" hidden away in side branches of the lineage?

Well, those were fair game.

"Heh, cousin, that's a great idea," Aemon grinned, giving William an approving thumbs-up.

His tone was warm, full of praise—just enough to make young William feel proud of himself.

William beamed. "It's nothing! Consider it my duty!"

He had no idea what Aemon was plotting, but their bond was strong. If Aemon needed something, he would gladly help.

Satisfied, Aemon leaned back inside the carriage, a smirk tugging at his lips.

The "family" collection, huh?

Once he returned from King's Landing, he would have plenty of opportunities to expand his inventory.

Suppressing his amusement, he turned his attention to the two items resting neatly beside him—a backpack filled with Ula grass and a special furnace designed to hold a black dragon egg.

Aemon's eyes gleamed as he reached out, running his fingers across the woven bundle of grass.

"So much Ula grass… this should be enough to weave a proper mat," he murmured in satisfaction.

In the past three days, they had gathered a total of 24 clumps.

There was no time to search for more—not that there seemed to be any left in the pastures.

With that task completed, he turned his attention to something even more important.

He opened his Magic Essence Panel.

Three cards hovered in the vast white space—one green, two blue.

He couldn't afford any of them.

His eyes lingered on the third blue card, [Strong and Sturdy]—a talent that would grant him incredible physical resilience.

With it, his starting point would be miles ahead of others.

But the price? 200 Magic Essence.

Way beyond his reach.

With a sigh, he glanced at the golden hourglass at the bottom of the panel.

[Magic Essence: 31]

A small number—but it still warmed his heart.

Closing the panel, he turned his attention to the furnace, its frame forged from black steel.

He lifted the lid.

A wave of heat burst forth, filling the carriage.

Inside, the black dragon egg sat motionless. Still no signs of hatching.

Aemon sighed, reaching out to touch the smooth shell.

Suddenly—

[A magical item has been detected. +3 Magic Essence earned.]

A small smile curled at the corner of his lips.

Dragon eggs truly were alive. The magic essence they provided was rich.

Every three days, another 3 points of essence.

The future was bright indeed.

Carefully replacing the lid, Aemon settled back into his seat.

Soon, the team officially set off.

Their path led them south, through Seagull Town, the Royce family's long-time ally.

With its prime location and well-maintained port, the town would allow them to cut travel time significantly by taking a ship.

As they rode on, Aemon peeked out the window, watching the scenery blur past.

The world outside Old Runestone City was vast.

And he was finally stepping into it.

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