As time passed, the atmosphere of the meal became increasingly harmonious and ambiguous.
At least, that was what Shae thought.
Corleone spoke eloquently, engaging her in constant conversation that ranged from music and poetry to the grand strategies of war, and from the lands across the Narrow Sea to the origins of Valyria; he seemed to know everything.
He even had some knowledge of apple cultivation and harvesting!
This erudite, witty, and elegant image caused Shae to long since cast that wretched dwarf to the back of her mind; she had even started thinking about how many children she would have with Corleone in the future.
"Speaking of which..."
Under Shae's moist gaze, Corleone wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin and met her eyes gently. "For such an elegant lady to end up serving people at Starkworth Castle is truly a joke of fate, Miss Shae."
"I hear your accent; it seems to have a bit of a Westerlands style?"
As soon as he spoke, Shae immediately straightened her back, a faint professional sorrow appearing on her face as she repeated the same story she had told Tyrion when they first met.
"Yes, my lord. My father... he was a merchant in the Westerlands, in the cloth trade. Life was quite prosperous, but after I had my first flowering, he actually tried to force himself on me once..."
"I wounded him and ran away from home. To make a living, I had to work for wealthy people. Later, there was war everywhere, so I fled to King's Landing with the refugees."
"Fortunately, Lady Falyse took me in."
She deliberately concealed the fact that she had been a camp follower in the army, sighing softly with downcast eyes, appearing pitiable and lovely.
After listening quietly, Corleone nodded in understanding. "The world is fickle; we cannot change our birth or what we encounter."
"But to be able to preserve yourself in these chaotic times, as a woman, you have a strong heart, Miss Shae."
This tenderness made Shae even more infatuated. She couldn't help but lick her lips slightly and take a sip from her wine glass.
But then, Corleone naturally shifted the topic: "Lord Tywin Lannister is recognized throughout the Seven Kingdoms as a master of governance; the Westerlands are in perfect order under his rule."
"Speaking of which, his thick golden hair truly exudes majesty. I wonder if Miss Shae ever saw him while in the Westerlands?"
Hearing this, Shae's expression didn't change at all. She still replied with a smile, "Lord Tywin Lannister's name is known to everyone in the Seven Kingdoms, but as a commoner, how would I have the chance to see such a lion?"
"Regarding Lord Tywin's majesty, I have only heard of it occasionally."
She added this in a natural tone.
The answer was perfectly normal; even the muscles on her face didn't twitch noticeably. Under the gaze of Insight Lv2, Corleone could judge that she was not Tywin's person—at least, not yet.
Perhaps Tywin likely knew of her existence, but he hadn't made contact with her yet.
Perhaps... he simply viewed her as a chess piece that could be used to restrain Tyrion at a critical moment.
Corleone seemed to accept this answer and didn't press further.
Dinner drew to a close in a nearly perfect and pleasant atmosphere. The servants cleared the plates, while Corleone slowly sipped the wine in his glass, his gaze falling on Shae once more.
His gaze slid over her simple dress and finally rested at her neckline.
Feeling Corleone's gaze and thinking he was staring at her feminine charms, Shae lowered her head in feigned shyness.
"Miss Shae, your necklace is very unique."
"Was it given to you by someone special?"
Shae's heart gave a sudden leap, and blood rushed to her cheeks instantly.
She subconsciously raised her hand, a flash of panic appearing in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. She covered it with a tone of slight loneliness and detachment: "It's just... a gift of no great importance."
Corleone didn't seem to notice her embarrassment or concealment. He nodded and didn't ask further.
He set down his wine glass and slowly stood up, the shadow cast by the candlelight enveloping Shae within it.
Shae's heart began to beat in time with his footsteps, and her mind went blank. She, who had once boasted she could handle any man, was now as flustered as an inexperienced young girl.
They were both adults; she knew very well what would happen next.
Accept?
Would he think she was too easy?
Refuse?
No... she might miss the best opportunity of her life!
Just as Shae was agonizing internally, cold fingertips brushed across her cheek. He was so close she could even smell the faint scent on him—a mix of wine, disinfectant, and... apples?
She hesitated no longer and tilted her head back slightly, exposing the fragile and beautiful line of her neck.
She had been treated roughly by countless men, but never for a moment had she looked forward to being ravished, conquered, and possessed like this!
Closing her eyes slightly, she could feel the outline of his fingers, feel his fingertips moving down her skin, and finally...
Resting upon that fragile neck.
The Master of Coin's manor was filled with an oppressive atmosphere even late at night, as if the very air was stained by the iron throne's countless debts and had become heavy.
Tyrion Lannister lay on his large bed, sleeping fitfully.
Lately, he had truly exhausted his mental energy trying to fill the massive hole in the royal finances. He rarely even touched his favorite wine and hadn't been able to sneak off to see Shae for several weeks.
His longing and guilt for that dark-haired girl, intertwined with his fear of his father, turned into a chaotic dream that left him tossing and turning.
While half-awake, a very slight sound startled him awake.
He snapped his eyes open, his heart rate accelerating, and sat up to look toward the window.
In the shadows stood a tall figure!
"Who are you!"
Tyrion barked in a low voice, instinctively reaching for the dagger under his pillow.
The figure didn't answer but simply tossed something. A small object traced a blurred glint in the air, heading straight for Tyrion's face.
Thinking it was some kind of hidden weapon, he immediately raised his hand to block it, but the object landed lightly on his chest with no force at all.
Then, a deep voice with a heavy exotic accent spoke.
"Lord Corleone sends his regards."
Corleone?
The little dwarf was startled, and before he could react, the door was suddenly burst open!
"My lord!"
Bronn, sword in hand, rushed in with a torch, the firelight instantly dispelling much of the room's darkness.
With a low growl, he immediately charged toward the uninvited guest.
However, the moment Bronn rushed in, the figure vaulted out the window with one hand on the sill, moving with incredible agility.
Bronn leaned out to look down, only to see that the figure had already blended into the deep night outside, vanishing without a trace.
"I heard a noise. Are you alright?"
Knowing he couldn't catch up, Bronn simply turned back to ask.
"You're late."
Tyrion gritted his teeth and punched the blanket in anger.
He reached out and picked up the object beside him. Under the light of Bronn's torch, it reflected a soft luster.
It was a necklace. The chain itself was ordinary silver, but hanging from it was a small, perfectly shaped freshwater pearl.
The moment he saw it clearly, Tyrion felt as if his heart were being squeezed hard by a giant hand.
Shae!
This was a gift he had given her. It cost over a hundred gold dragons—not particularly valuable, but she had said she loved it because it was from him, symbolizing the beginning of her escape from misery.
She always wore it, never taking it off even when they were making love!
"Lord Corleone sends his regards..."
The voice echoed in Tyrion's head like a curse. That heavy accent...
It was that Dothraki!
It was Corleone!
For a moment, fear and anger consumed Tyrion.
The relationship between him and Shae had always been very secret; he had even kept it from his father. So how did that guy know?
Moreover, not only did he know of Shae's existence and their relationship, but he had even obtained her personal necklace!
What did this mean?
Was Shae in his hands?
What had he done to her?
Kidnapping? Harm? Or... "The next time we meet, I believe you will no longer say no to me"...
Recalling the last words Corleone had left him with, Tyrion's heart tightened suddenly.
This was clearly a blatant warning!
"I told you to keep an eye on that fellow named Vito Corleone. Have you found anything?"
He looked up and asked Bronn with a very serious expression.
"That guy is simply insane. He actually wants to clean up Flea Bottom and even plans to provide food for those little thieves who scavenge for scraps."
Seeing his serious look, Bronn answered honestly, "Honestly, I've never seen anyone as naive as him. Flea Bottom has existed since King's Landing was built."
"It hasn't changed for hundreds of years. I don't believe anyone can fix that place."
At this, Bronn's eyes shifted. "But I did bribe a street thug to cause some trouble for that Corleone fellow. It cost three gold dragons in total. When are you going to reimburse me..."
"Damnable fool!"
Tyrion ignored his request for reimbursement, instead clenching his fist and cursing. He ordered Bronn, "Go, find Lord Varys and invite him here."
But then, he immediately jumped off the bed. "No, I'll go see him personally."
This frantic behavior left Bronn very confused, but he followed Tyrion out anyway.
But just then, another figure holding a torch appeared deep in the corridor, walking toward them at a steady pace.
The two exchanged a look. Tyrion stepped back a few paces, while Bronn, sword in hand, stood in front of him in a defensive stance with practiced coordination.
However, as the light drew closer, a shiny, perfectly bald head gradually emerged before them.
Plump hands were folded in front of him. His gaze swept over the shaken Tyrion and finally landed on the pearl necklace tightly gripped in his hand.
"It seems I am late, my lord."
"I hope you weren't startled. Shall I notify the City Watch?"
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