Aegon and Visenya stepped out of the laboratory and headed straight to the bath together.
Though they had just been indulging in indecent acts in the lab, Visenya's proposal was actually quite feasible. But how to put it into practice—that was the real challenge.
The dozens of Septons on the Council of the Seven were no fools. Why would they easily allow a king who aimed to weaken the power of the church to become their leader? Even with the High Septon's support, the odds were slim.
The leader of the Faith of the Seven was elected by vote within the Council, and right now, almost none of the Septons supported the High Septon.
Aegon felt a dull ache building in his head, already dreading the difficult negotiations he would no doubt have to face with those zealots.
He had another passionate bout with Visenya in the bath.
...
The moment he stepped out, he went directly to his study and summoned Grand Maester Gawen.
"Your Grace, are you really planning to establish an official organization to manage religion?!"
Gawen's eyes went wide as he stared at Aegon, utterly shocked, unable to stop himself from exclaiming.
Once again, Gawen was stunned by King Aegon's boundless imagination.
A secular kingdom trying to create a department to regulate divine authority—this was madness. Never in history had any secular nation dared such a thing, nor had any mortal dared to even imagine it.
Aegon leaned back in his chair, hands resting behind his head, calm and unhurried as he replied,
"That's right. Why not?
Right now, the church and the nobility are constantly at odds. Their autonomous judicial powers often shield criminals within noble lands, and this easily sparks conflict between the realm's nobility and the Faith of the Seven. Establishing this organization is a righteous act—meant to prevent and reduce clashes between the Crown and the Church across Westeros."
Gawen gave a bitter smile and spoke softly,
"Since Your Grace has entrusted me with this task, perhaps it's time you shared your true intentions."
Aegon smiled faintly and gestured for Gawen to sit across from him at the desk.
His expression grew serious as he spoke solemnly,
"Of course. What I just said was only to fool the Church. The real goal is to manage religion. That's all."
He gently pushed a cup of tea toward Gawen.
With a slightly trembling hand, Gawen picked up the cup and said,
"This won't be easy."
He knew full well—his own father was the High Septon. Although their relationship hadn't been publicly acknowledged, Gawen was intimately familiar with the domineering ways of the Faith of the Seven. If the Crown dared to enslave the Church, the fanatics within it would surely go berserk.
"If it were easy, I wouldn't have called you here alone to explain it in detail."
Aegon nodded at him, then placed his hands on the desk.
"Your father's condition has been worsening lately. The Faith of the Seven is beginning to spiral out of control. If the 'beasts' within the realm go rabid, this kingdom we've only just stabilized will fall back into chaos.
I want you to take his place as High Septon once his tenure ends. That's why I allocated funds to create this department.
The Kingdom's Religious Affairs Bureau must help devise a plan for me to ascend smoothly to the position of the Church's leader. Once I become the head of the Seven Gods, I'll have full control over all religious matters in the realm, and the Religious Affairs Bureau will no longer be a mere fantasy."
Gawen looked at Aegon and, deep in thought, took a sip of tea.
He had also received letters about his father's declining health. His father had even warned him to beware of the radical fanatics within the local churches. Still, he hadn't expected King Aegon to come up with such a bold solution.
"This plan... does seem somewhat viable."
Gawen gave another bitter smile, then added with slight hesitation,
"Perhaps Your Grace should first become the Septon of the Crownlands. During the wars, the Crownlands were at the heart of the conflict, and the Church never appointed a Septon there…"
Upon hearing this, Aegon also took a sip of tea and raised his hand in a gesture of encouragement, signaling Gawen to go on.
Gawen gently rubbed the teacup with his fingers as he thought aloud,
"First, we'll need to build momentum.
You'll need to change your usual behavior—take on the role of a devout believer. I'll arrange for bards to spread word of Your Grace's piety.
If that's done well, securing the bishopric shouldn't be too difficult.
In fact, the Crownlands are now large enough to justify multiple Septon appointments. If Your Grace can take control of these positions, you'll gain a foothold in the Council of the Seven. From there, you can slowly expand your influence, gradually winning over other Septons—until eventually, it's possible to sway the Council's vote."
After listening, Aegon smiled and applauded, saying, "I have indeed chosen the right person. Gawen, you are truly a pillar of the kingdom."
"Your Grace, it is only my duty," Gawen said, bowing from his seat. Now that he and Aegon were in the same boat, he would naturally do his utmost to serve Aegon.
Aegon nodded slightly and said encouragingly, "Very good, your thoughts are good, Gawen. Your loyalty to the kingdom deserves a better, higher, and more glorious reward.
Harrenhal's new Citadel has just been established, so I cannot make too radical changes to Westeros' traditional Maester system.
In the future, I plan to allow the Maesters serving in the new Citadel to have their own surnames, to marry and have children, and to own their own legal lands and become nobles. You only need to do your job well, and I will take note of your achievements. When the time is right, you can choose a good piece of land that you like."
Gawen was once again stunned into silence, his lips trembling but unable to utter a complete sentence. Only the slight tremor in his voice betrayed his inner turmoil.
"Your Grace... this... this is truly... I admire Your Grace's wise decision."
Aegon smiled slightly and said in a calm tone, "Dorne and the Free Cities of the continent of Essos still have vast lands that have not yet been conquered by us, and these lands need the Targaryen Kingdom's trusted men to go and manage them.
My descendants will also go to the continent of Essos to establish a branch of the Targaryen family.
I sincerely hope that those who can be called fair lords will be those of you who have steadfastly supported the kingdom's prosperity from the beginning.
I have high hopes for you."
Gawen's voice trembled slightly with excitement as he said loudly, "Your Grace, rest assured, I will do my best and will not disappoint you!"
Aegon laughed heartily, then stood up, patted Gawen heavily on the shoulder, and said boldly, "The Kingdom's Religious Affairs Bureau is officially established as of today, and you are its first director. However, you must not reveal a single word of this to anyone.
We must wait until I ascend to the position of head of the church before the Kingdom's Religious Affairs Bureau can appear before the public."
Gawen hurriedly bowed, looking respectful, and solemnly accepted the order.
Aegon immediately ordered the attendant outside the study to quickly summon Crispian, the Master of Coin.
Before long, Crispian, who was slightly overweight, knocked lightly on the study door and slowly walked in.
When he heard about Aegon's plan to establish a religious affairs bureau for the kingdom, he was so shocked that he stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning.
Grand Maester Gawen began to ask Crispian for funding. With Gawen's detailed analysis, the costs of training informants, spies, and assassins, as well as organizing bards and bribing the church, amounted to a considerable sum.
Crispian looked troubled and did not dare to agree easily. He only complained to Aegon,
"Your Grace, the kingdom's finances are almost exhausted.
Your Grace's plans for King's Landing are too grand and ambitious. Although Lord Aerion has provided slave labor for free, the stone and other building materials needed to construct King's Landing are a heavy burden on the kingdom's finances.
The Maesters and Archmaesters in the new Citadel at Harrenhal also need to be paid.
It is now the end of the third year of the conquest, and the battle to conquer the Iron Islands is about to begin. I am afraid that I will have no choice but to borrow money from the Iron Bank in Braavos."
Aegon looked at Crispian, who was almost crying, and was at a loss for words. He tapped his fingers rhythmically on the desk, thinking of a countermeasure.
After a moment, Aegon looked up at Crispian and said, "Go immediately to the Westerlands and inform Lord Loren of Harrenhal that I have important matters to discuss with him. Grand Maester Gawen's Bureau of Religious Affairs is of the utmost importance, and all of his reasonable requests must be fully funded."
Crispian couldn't hold back his doubts and asked softly, "Your Grace, did you summon Lord Loren to borrow money from the Westerlands?"
"Not to borrow money, but to make money and mint coins!" Aegon tapped the desk lightly with his fingertip and explained, "Now that the Targaryen dynasty rules the continent of Westeros, it is only natural that we issue our own currency.
I plan to establish a Dragon Treasury, similar to the Iron Bank, alongside the launch of our kingdom's universal coinage.
Although the gold mines in Golden Tooth are still being worked, the output is far too slow.
House Lannister has been mining gold for thousands of years—they lack nothing in that regard.
I want to bring them in.
The initial capital for the Dragon Treasury will be raised from the great lords of the realm.
For now, I'm simply bringing Loren, one of the major stakeholders, into the discussion, and asking him to send over a shipment of gold to ease our current financial strain."
Crispian, who had managed finances and coinage for many years, immediately grasped the enormous implications of Aegon's plan and the vast wealth it could generate. If the Dragon Treasury could be successfully funded as Aegon described, House Targaryen would soon be free from its financial troubles.
"Your Grace, I understand," Crispian nodded slightly and replied respectfully.
Gawen listened intently, full of admiration. He couldn't help but wonder how King Aegon always came up with such remarkable ideas.
After everything had been discussed, the two Small Council members bowed and quietly took their leave.
...
Aegon raised his right hand and gently rubbed his forehead, a trace of fatigue showing on his face.
The new kingdom had just been founded, and a flood of urgent matters demanded his attention—building King's Landing, mediating disputes among the lords, organizing winter survival in the Crownlands, rebuilding the navy... the weight of it all bore down heavily on him.
If not for Visenya sharing much of the governance, he would have already collapsed from exhaustion.
Because of this, Aegon felt a deep sense of guilt toward his sister.
She could have lived a life of comfort and grace as queen, enjoying her status and wealth. Yet she had chosen, without hesitation, to help him rule the kingdom and manage its affairs. Thankfully, Visenya's firm nature made her thrive in this demanding role—she even enjoyed the steady stream of challenges.
Among the four women in Aegon's life, Visenya was the one he was least intimate with physically, but in his heart, she held the greatest weight, and his feelings for her were unique.
Aegon sat quietly in reflection, taking a brief moment to rest.
At that moment, he began considering whether he should establish a secretariat to assist with the kingdom's daily affairs.
The current ministers on the Small Council had overly narrow responsibilities, and their understanding was limited—they needed his constant guidance in everything.
But even if he did create a secretariat, he faced the same old problem: there was no one suitable to staff it.
The Maesters and Archmaesters at the new Citadel had no experience in administration. A secretariat thrown together in haste would still require his direct oversight, simply creating yet another department he'd need to manage—one that would only add to his burden.
This was the dilemma of ruling a medieval kingdom: there was no developed system for training bureaucrats. In fact, "official" wasn't even a full-time role—Small Council members were all part-time, their real duties tied to their own territories as lords.
Aegon couldn't help but sigh silently to himself: The road is long and the burden heavy.
...
As night fell, Aegon sent for Rhaenys and Visenya, summoning them both to his chambers.
The king's bedroom was, of course, lavishly decorated—fine tapestries adorned the walls, thick plush carpets covered the floor, and the room was filled with elegant furniture in the Valyrian style. Images of dragons and intricate reliefs completed the extravagant aesthetic of a true Valyrian Dragonlord.
"Long time no see, sister," Rhaenys said gently, one hand resting on her slightly rounded belly, her smile soft and warm as she greeted Visenya.
Visenya looked indifferent. She glanced briefly at Rhaenys's belly and gave a faint snort in reply.
Seeing this, Aegon smiled and stepped forward, wrapping one arm around Rhaenys's waist and the other around Visenya's.
"It's been a long time since the three of us enjoyed any closeness together," he said cheerfully. "I called you both here tonight because I have something very important to give you."
Visenya had initially assumed Aegon wanted the sisters to serve him together again—something she firmly opposed, given her constant friction with Rhaenys. But to her surprise, Aegon had something entirely different in mind.
Then she thought better of it. Rhaenys was pregnant now—she really shouldn't be engaging in such things.
"What is it? Let me see, let me see!" Rhaenys's face lit up with delight as she reached out playfully, tickling him.
Aegon burst into laughter, squirming under her touch. He quickly caught Rhaenys's hands and pinned them behind her back, smiling as he said, "Stop squirming. It's not something physical."
"Hmph, you're always bullying me—and always siding with my sister. You're so biased," Rhaenys pouted, her face full of mock annoyance. She pulled her wrists free from Aegon's grasp and began gently rubbing them.
Visenya raised her long, arched brows, ready to snap back, but Aegon gave her a look, signaling her not to argue.
Aegon stepped over to his desk, picked up two scrolls, and handed one to each of his sisters. Once they had begun reading them carefully, he explained, "What's written here is a technique passed down from Bloodsource Peak in Valyria—the Resonance Meditation Method.
Resonance is the foundation of Blood Sorcery practiced by Valyrian Bloodmages.
Only dragon tamers can learn it, and performing resonance requires the cooperation of a dragon. The stronger the tamer's dragon, the greater the effect of the technique."
If Aegon had only one lifetime, he might have kept resonance to himself, never teaching it to anyone else. But since he was building a dynasty, his priority was strengthening the family. Besides, the practice of resonance was limited—only Targaryen Dragonlords could use it—so there was little risk of it spreading beyond the family.
"What does it actually do?" Visenya asked softly, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.
Aegon replied, "It steadily increases your mental power.
Have you noticed I don't need to use High Valyrian to make Balerion understand my commands?
That's the benefit of strong mental power. It's a side effect of resonance. Regularly resonating with your dragon creates a connection of understanding between you and the beast. It massively boosts your ability to command them."
Rhaenys looked surprised. "It's that powerful? Where did you get this from? I don't think our family ever had anything like this."
"Don't worry about where it came from. It's a good thing, that's all you need to know," Aegon said gravely. "This resonance technique is connected to other forms of Blood Sorcery in Valyria. It's the foundation for learning more advanced techniques.
But Blood Sorcery is forbidden knowledge in this world. If it gets out, the true gods could join forces to destroy us.
You must remember—if you ever come across any knowledge of Blood Sorcery, seal it away in the Dragonstone vault.
It's not yet time for our family to master Blood Sorcery."
"Got it, got it," Rhaenys replied offhandedly, still focused on the parchment in front of her.
"I feel like I've already started," Visenya said with sudden excitement. "I built a model in my mind, and then... I resonated with a blurry star."
Unnoticed until now, her pupils shimmered faintly with starlight, a soft violet glow radiating from within.
Aegon noticed Visenya's state and instinctively followed her gaze to the bedroom window. Tonight's sky was clear and cloudless, the stars outside sparkling brilliantly.
His expression changed in an instant, and he rushed to shut the window.
The connection from the resonance technique was severed in that moment. Visenya faltered, a sudden dizziness washing over her. Her body swayed as she staggered back and collapsed into the nearby chair.
Aegon hurried to check on her. Once he was sure she was unharmed, he let out a long breath, then turned to both sisters with a serious warning.
"When practicing the Resonance Meditation Method, never look up at the stars."
"Why?" Rhaenys asked.
Aegon's face was grim, his voice solemn.
"Because there are gods in the stars."
Visenya shook her head forcefully, still disoriented. She had the eerie sensation that something unknown from the stars had entered her eyes—and now everything she saw seemed doubled.
"Are you alright?" Aegon brought over a cup of water and handed it to her gently, concern in his voice.
Visenya gave a small shake of her head and offered Aegon a faint smile.
...
[Upto 20 chapters ahead for now]
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