Chapter 19:
Several months later.
Winter had finally arrived.
The first snow fell over King's Landing. Grey snowflakes landed on the filthy streets and quickly turned into black slush.
But on Visenya's Hill, Pompey Castle was bustling with activity.
The massive glass greenhouse glowed with a warm yellow light amidst the wind and snow, like a lighthouse in the darkness.
"Ah—!"
A painful, suppressed scream came from the master bedroom, breaking the manor's silence.
In the corridor.
Victor Pompey paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. Even when facing the Mountain's greatsword, he had never been this nervous.
This was his first child.
It was the first nail House Pompey was driving into this world.
Sansa Stark stood beside him, tightly clutching a handkerchief. After months of living together, she had completely integrated into the family. She wore a thick wool dress and watched Victor's anxious pacing with both envy and a subtle, hard-to-detect anticipation — If I can have Lord Victor's child one day, will he be this nervous for me too?
"It's been three hours already…" Sansa said softly. "Will Sister Alice be alright?"
"She will."
Victor stopped pacing, his eyes firm. "My seed isn't that fragile. Neither is Alice."
Even so, he was frantically calling the system in his mind:
"System! Scan the mother's condition! Is there any danger?"
[System Scan in Progress…] [Mother: Alice. Status: Final stage of labor, slightly exhausted, but vital signs stable.] [The physique enhanced by the Marrow Cleansing Pill is taking effect. Delivery expected within ten minutes.] [Warning: Extremely strong energy fluctuations detected from the fetus. Minor heavenly phenomena may occur.]
Heavenly phenomena?
Victor was stunned.
At that exact moment—
"Waaa—!!!"
A cry rang out — loud and powerful, more like the roar of a young lion than a newborn baby. It pierced through the thick oak door and even shook the snow off the corridor windows!
Immediately after, the sky outside suddenly brightened for a moment.
It wasn't lightning.
It was a blood-red light, like a bleeding sword, slicing through the gloomy snow clouds and hanging high in the sky!
A red comet!
The legendary comet said to herald the return of dragons and magic!
"It's born! It's born!"
Steward Morsen pushed open the door, tears streaming down his face as he rushed out. "My lord! It's a boy! A son with everything in place!"
Victor didn't spare a glance for the comet. He rushed into the delivery room like a gust of wind.
The room was filled with the scent of blood and warmth.
Alice lay on the bed, drenched in sweat, her face pale but filled with happiness. Beside her, wrapped in silk swaddling clothes, the little one was waving his chubby little fists. His skin wasn't the usual wrinkled newborn texture — it was crystal clear. Though his eyes were still closed, there was already a hint of Victor's domineering aura between his brows.
[Ding! Congratulations, host! The family's eldest son has been born!] [Offspring evaluation in progress…] [Name: To be determined (Please name the child).] [Aptitude: S-rank (Heaven-defying genius).] [Special Talents: ① Innate Divine Strength (Strength stat will automatically max upon adulthood); ② Business Acumen (Extremely sensitive to money); ③ Leadership Halo (Family members' loyalty +20).] [Now issuing the "Firstborn Birth" Super Gift Package!]
A series of golden system notifications flooded Victor's vision.
[Reward 1: Host All Attributes +5! (Your body has surpassed mortal limits).] [Reward 2: Lifespan +20 years! (The beginning of longevity).] [Reward 3: Family Building Blueprint — [Deepwater Port] and [Galleon Ship] construction technology!] [Reward 4: Special Troop Type — [Teutonic Knights × 100] (The pinnacle of heavy infantry, steel fortresses for ground advancement).]
Victor took a deep breath, suppressing the wild joy in his heart.
Galleon ship technology!
In an era that still relied on oar-powered ships and crude square sails, possessing galleon technology meant gaining control of the seas! It meant… he could cross the Narrow Sea to claim the woman who was raising dragons!
He walked to the bedside and carefully picked up the baby.
The blood-connected feeling made his heart tremble.
"Husband… give him a name," Alice said weakly.
Victor looked out the window at the still-shining red comet and said solemnly:
"He was born as a red star streaked across the sky — a sign of the old order's destruction and the rise of new imperial power."
"His name shall be — Augustus."
"Augustus Pompey. The future Supreme One."
…
That same night, a grand feast was held at Pompey Castle.
The Hound Sandor got roaring drunk and shouted that he wanted to teach the little young master how to use a sword.
Sansa held little Augustus with endless affection, the desire of "I want to have one too" clearly visible in her eyes.
Victor, however, quietly left the banquet hall and went to the highest terrace of the castle.
The cold wind howled.
A bald, fat man wearing a hooded robe and carrying the faint scent of perfume stood quietly there, gazing up at the red comet.
Varys (the Spider).
The Master of Whisperers in King's Landing.
"Lord Pompey," Varys didn't turn around, his voice soft and effeminate. "Congratulations on the birth of your son. Augustus… what an ambitious name."
"In this chaotic world, those without ambition won't survive the winter."
Victor walked to his side and looked at the comet together. "Lord Varys, if you came visiting late at night, it can't just be to ask for a cup of celebratory wine, can it?"
"Of course not."
Varys turned around, hands tucked in his sleeves. His seemingly kind eyes flashed with sharpness. "I merely came to tell you an… interesting piece of news. About this comet."
"Oh?"
"Across the Narrow Sea, in the distant red wasteland…" Varys lowered his voice, "some say this comet is the tail of a dragon. True dragons… have hatched."
Victor's face remained calm, his heart showing no ripples (after all, he had read the script).
But he had to feign surprise: "Dragons? That little Targaryen princess?"
"Daenerys Targaryen." Varys sighed. "Three dragons. They are still small, but a dragon is a dragon. Lord Pompey, your power is now at its peak. You hold a strong army and have gained a claim to the North (through Sansa). When the true dragon returns, which side will you stand on?"
This was a probe.
Varys was secretly a "True Dragon supporter" (though at this point he was still betting on Illyrio's side). He wanted to see what kind of piece Victor was on the board.
Victor smiled.
He reached out as if trying to grasp the red comet.
"Lord Varys, what do you think dragons eat?"
Varys was stunned. "Meat? Or fire?"
"No."
Victor turned his head. His purple eyes burned with desire hotter than dragonflame.
"Dragons also need a home."
"If she returns with rage, I will greet her with my sword."
"But if she returns with loneliness…"
Victor patted Varys on the shoulder. "I will give her a warmer home than the Iron Throne."
"After all, the Pompey family's greenhouse is very large. If it can raise wolves, it can naturally raise dragons too."
Varys looked at the man before him and, for the first time, felt a deep sense of incomprehension.
He had originally thought Victor was just a warlord who rose during chaos. But now it seemed this man's ambitions were far greater than anyone imagined.
He didn't want to be Hand of the King. He wanted to… tame dragons.
"I understand."
Varys bowed slightly. "It seems I need to re-evaluate your position on the board."
"Go ahead, Varys."
Victor watched his retreating back. "And while you're at it, pass a message to Illyrio for me. If they encounter difficulties in the east, the Pompey family's fleet is always willing to provide 'assistance'."
…
After sending Varys away, Victor opened the system panel.
[Current Quest: Prelude to Expedition.] [Step 1: Shipbuilding. Use the reward blueprints to secretly establish a shipyard downstream on the Blackwater Rush.] [Step 2: Army Expansion. Use the "Teutonic Knight" training manual to expand your forces to 2,000 men.] [Step 3: Find new conquest targets.]
Victor looked at the system map.
In the central part of Westeros lay a place called Harrenhal.
It was currently occupied by Tywin Lannister's large army.
And there, a key person — Arya Stark (the second daughter) — was hiding disguised as a commoner.
"Sansa has already been won over. It's time to bring the other little wolf home too."
Victor murmured to himself.
Moreover, it was said that a priestess called the Red Woman, Melisandre, was passing through Harrenhal on her way to join Stannis Baratheon.
The Red Woman…
The woman who could give birth to "shadow assassins."
The woman who possessed the mysterious magic of the Lord of Light.
Victor licked his lips.
If he could make her bear his child… would that child come with innate magical talent?
That would be god-tier genes for fighting the Others!
"Hound!"
Victor called down the stairs.
"Boss, I was just getting nicely drunk!" The Hound poked his head out, clearly intoxicated.
"Stop drinking."
Victor's eyes gleamed with a hunter's light.
"Pack your things. We're going on a trip."
"Where to?"
"Harrenhal. To catch another wolf… and while we're at it, witness real magic."
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