Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 179 Image Shell

Tywin Lannister watched coldly as Euron so decisively rejected the king, even turning the tables on him. Suddenly, he inexplicably thought of his son Jaime, who, faced with a choice, "wasn't up to par" and resolutely chose the white robes. His face darkened even more.

King Aerys II, seated on his throne, gulped down a large mouthful of wine, then, as if enraged by the taste, smashed his exquisite silver cup to the ground, the crimson liquid splattering like blood! "Bah! What kind of rotten wine is this! Kraken wine? Just hearing the name makes me want to vomit! It tastes like cold octopus tentacles shoving into my throat, suffocating me!" he roared, his gaze sweeping wildly across the stands. "Where are the Redwyns?! Are all the people of Green Pavilion Island dead?!"

Earl Redwin of Green Pavilion Island had no choice but to stand up and say, "Your Majesty, I am here."

"Where is your wine?!" Iris demanded sharply. "Where is your wine that you claim is the best in the Seven Kingdoms?"

"Should I let this filthy water from the Iron Islands soil my throat?!"

Earl Redwin was momentarily speechless: "Your Majesty, this—"

Varys, standing nearby, interjected softly, his voice smooth yet clear to everyone: "Your Majesty, have you forgotten? Since that unfortunate conflict between the Iron Islands and Greentree—the Greyjoys not only emptied the Redwyn cellars and uprooted their vines, but they also claimed that all their winemakers had perished in the battle." Oh, right," he added as if just recalling, "they also recently composed a widely circulated piece, I think it's called 'The Flames of Greentree.'"

Earl Redwin stood silently, his cheek muscles twitching slightly, inwardly furious: Was this eunuch doing it on purpose?

Do you really have to tear open my wounds and slap me in the face in public?

"Look! Look, all of you!" Iris exclaimed, waving her arms as if she had found the perfect outlet for her anger. "The Ironborn's actions are so insane and barbaric! They dare to enslave the free people of the Seven Kingdoms and brew wine for them! Such crimes are unforgivable!"

Earl Redwin had learned his lesson the hard way and knew that arguing with the Mad King was pointless, so he simply kept his mouth shut and remained silent.

Aerys II, however, refused to let him off the hook and continued to proclaim loudly, "I will order the Iron Islands to immediately return every single brewer who has been abducted to Green Pavilion!"

Redwin finally couldn't help but cautiously ask, "Your Majesty, what if—they are unwilling to return it?"

"They dare!?" Iris II's voice suddenly rose, filled with a terrifying threat. "If they dare disobey orders, I will send the royal fleet to raze those cold, rocky islands to the ground! I will sink all their longships!"

He'd heard those words before! Earl Redwin fell silent again, a cold smile playing on his lips: Go ahead and fight, you can fight all you want. I'll just stand here and watch. If the royal fleet really clashes with the Iron Fleet, I'll applaud and cheer, enjoying this spectacle.

However, Iris leaned forward and pressed him in a highly inflammatory tone: "Don't you want revenge, Redwin? When the time comes, your Green Pavilion Island fleet, the Shield Islands fleet, and the Royal Fleet—the three fleets combined—will be enough to wipe those Ironborn and their ruined islands off the map completely!"

Earl Redwin's gaze swept almost imperceptibly across the dense crowd on either side, and he thought to himself: Is it really appropriate to announce such a sensitive strategic plan in such a public setting, in such a loud voice that it resonates throughout the entire hall? Is this mad king simply idiotic, or does he want to use Qingting Island as a pawn to stab at the Iron Islands again?

He suppressed his doubts and dissatisfaction, and finally, in an extremely cautious and considerate tone, replied in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, the Iron Islands are ultimately part of the Seven Kingdoms. They may be barbaric and unruly, but they should not simply disappear from the world. War is like wildfire; it is easy to start but extremely difficult to control its spread and extinguish. In the end, it will only burn everything down, and no one can truly benefit."

He paused slightly, as if carefully choosing his words, before offering a conclusion befitting a lord, yet clearly maintaining distance: "In my opinion, seeking a way to coexist peacefully is the best long-term solution than resorting to arms."

Iris II's face darkened, and he was quite displeased.

Euron returned to the Iron Islands camp, where the atmosphere was as heavy as the perennial sea fog of the Iron Islands.

King Coron was still furious, pacing irritably inside the tent, his deep voice like rolling thunder: "That madman! He just used the white robe to steal Tywin's heir yesterday, and today he dares to openly interfere in the succession affairs of my Iron Islands! Who does he think he is?"

Euron's expression remained relatively calm as he calmly analyzed, "His intentions are all too clear, Father."

His aim is to destroy any potential alliances one by one. Perhaps—he has already heard rumors and sensed a threat.

Euron entered the Iron Islands' main tent. Inside, besides the still furious King Coron, were Balon, Victalion, and several important Iron Islands lords. The atmosphere was oppressive and heavy.

Euron's gaze swept over the crowd, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable weight: "Please step down, everyone."

My father, my brother, and I still have some family matters to discuss.

The Iron Islands lords present immediately understood that Euron's words were undoubtedly related to the turmoil caused by the Mad King's open provocation of the succession in the stands. They exchanged glances, said nothing, and silently withdrew from the tent in turn.

The heavy curtains fell, shutting out the noise from the outside world. At this moment, only the core members of the Greyjoy family remained inside: Euron, King Coron, Balon, Victarion, and the red priestess Gwendolyn, who stood silently to one side, seemingly blending into the shadows.

Euron's gaze slowly swept over each of his closest relatives in the tent. His voice was deep yet clear, stirring invisible ripples in the silent tent: "Do you—believe in the existence of magic?"

A brief silence fell over the tent after the question was raised.

Magic, within the Seven Kingdoms, has long been regarded as a power that has vanished from the world, existing only in ancient legends and the books of scholars.

However, they were also well aware that Euron had always had an extraordinary interest in and exploration of such mysterious things. Moreover, there were two living witnesses standing beside him at this moment: Gwendolyn, a priestess in a red robe who could see the sacred fire, and Evelyn, the elusive shadowbinder who could manipulate shadows.

Before anyone could answer, Euron's expression suddenly turned extremely serious. He emphasized his words, each one carrying undeniable weight: "Nothing you have seen or heard in this tent today must be revealed to anyone."

Seeing Euron's seriousness, everyone nodded in agreement.

Euron then took out the strangely patterned image shell from his robes. Without another word, he slowly channeled a wisp of power into it. A faint glow appeared on the shell's surface, and the images he had recorded in the stone chamber were projected like a misty haze—

It clearly reveals how Iris II and his courtiers were plotting to completely split and dismantle the potential alliance through marriage, assassination, promises, and provocation. —See Chapter 173 for details.

"What a vicious scheme—" King Coron's voice was low and filled with barely suppressed anger. When the video revealed the inside story of Prince Rhaegar's possible forced divorce from his wife, Princess Ilya, everyone in the tent was filled with shock.

After a long silence, King Corinth raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as he looked at Euron: "Should we—show this—video—to others? Perhaps the Starks, perhaps Arryn?"

Euron slowly shook his head, his eyes deep: "Father, this kind of magic should not exist in the world, much less be believed by ordinary people. Even if we show it to them, their first question won't be about the Mad King's madness, but about the source and authenticity of this image—who would believe an illusion projected from a seashell about a secret conversation between the kings?"

He paused, then posed a more practical question: "And even if they believe it, what can they change? Besides allowing panic to spread prematurely, what else can they alter?"

King Coron frowned, trying to organize his thoughts: "At least—it will let all parties in the alliance know about the Mad King's conspiracy in advance, so they can be prepared—"

"Prepare for what's to come?" Euron's tone was calm, almost cold. "Some of what happened in the images has already happened, and we can't undo it; others haven't happened yet, but we can't stop them either. The Mad King is in King's Landing, and his will is carried out by the Kingsguard and the entire royal family. We're far away in the Iron Islands. What can we do to stop everything that happens in the Red Keep?"

Euron's gaze swept over each of his relatives present, finally settling on his father's face: "What good will it do to make the matter of magic public, except to make the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms fear us, ostracize us, and regard us as outsiders or even enemies? The Iron Islands need power, not isolation." He made his decision: "This matter must be kept strictly secret."

King Coron pondered for a long time, his anger gradually replaced by a heavy sense of reality. He finally nodded slowly, acknowledging his son's judgment.

Euron's gaze swept over each of his family members in the tent, his voice steady and firm: "For us, the most important thing right now is to make thorough preparations, sharpen our axes, fortify our longships, and unite the entire Iron Islands as one, ready to face any battle that may come. As for the intrigues of King's Landing and the changing fortunes of the Seven Kingdoms, we will simply observe and wait."

King Koren snorted heavily, his eyes flashing with insight and anger: "The Mad King thinks himself exceptionally clever, able to easily dismantle alliances with marriage and promises. He doesn't realize that this wanton manipulation of power, this trampling of tradition and dignity, will only make all the nobles hate him to the core! The accumulated hatred, like an undercurrent in the ocean, will one day roar and burst through the surface, swallowing him and his insane rule!"

"Father is right." Euron nodded in agreement, but then he changed the subject, drawing everyone's attention back to reality. "However, I still have a solo duel this afternoon, and especially the seven-team tournament tonight. This is the battlefield where we Iron Islands will prove our strength and fight for glory. Instead of worrying about those distant changes that haven't happened yet, let's focus on winning the battles in front of us."