The screen froze on the moment the slave changed faces again.
He put his phone, Little White, aside.
Joffrey pressed the Red Priestess's head down further.
Soft pleasure and serious thoughts rapidly intertwined and collided in his mind.
Is it "Crow's Eye" Euron?
He dares to make a move this early? What conspiracy and trump cards does he have?
Has his warship, the black-sailed, red-hulled Silence, returned to the Seven Kingdoms from Essos? Where is it now?
Did he get the Dragonbinder?
Perhaps because of lust, perhaps because of surprise and unexpectedness, Joffrey's face held a relaxed and comfortable smile.
"Crow's Eye", Euron Greyjoy.
The Security Bureau forwarded this urgent message from Pyke. To be honest, Joffrey hadn't really considered that this event would happen early.
Balon Greyjoy is dead.
Died in his study, buried beneath the waves of the sea.
The killer was a Faceless Man.
The outcome was no different from the original plot, except the timing was much earlier.
A Faceless Man hired by "Crow's Eye" Euron?
This conjecture, which was not clear in the original work, seems to have been confirmed here.
After all, Faceless Men do not kill without reason.
Unless they accept an assassination mission, Faceless Men will not interfere with the life and death of others.
Joffrey considered himself to be quite knowledgeable about the Faceless Men.
This is a religious assassin group that worships the God of Many Faces. Its base is the House of Black and White, located in Braavos, a Free City across the Narrow Sea.
Religion makes people crazy.
Followers of the God of Many Faces can be considered reserve members of the Faceless Men.
The House of Black and White will select people from among the followers and train them strictly in assassination, disguise, poisoning, and stealth, until the trainee successfully gains the ability to change their appearance, thus being promoted to a "Faceless Man".
Faceless Men are widely distributed, but they claim to originate from the Valyrian Freehold.
Valar morghulis, all men must die.
Valar dohaeris, all Men Must Serve.
Faceless Men accept and complete assassination missions, serving the God of Many Faces by granting death.
Death is not free.
The price of killing for the Faceless Men is very expensive, and the harder to kill, the more important the target, the more expensive it is.
Of course, the Faceless Men do not think they are making money. Instead, they are making the petitioner pay a price to test their sincerity.
By paying the price, they will take the life of a person in the world as a sacrifice to the god.
What a high-sounding argument.
If he were in an ordinary world, Joffrey would only think this was brainwashing.
But in A Song of Ice and Fire...
How does the power of assassins come about? What is the secret of the God of Many Faces?
Joffrey was puzzled and curious.
In order to find the answer, he had specifically checked the Red Keep's dungeon before, but unfortunately, he did not find the Faceless Man disguised as Jaqen H'ghar in the dungeon.
It seems the Faceless Men will not come to him on their own.
Fortunately.
Joffrey breathed a sigh of relief.
At this moment, "Crow's Eye" Euron and the Faceless Men appeared in his sight simultaneously.
He would not let any prey escape.
"Osha, stay in Pyke, observe the situation, and wait for orders."
Through magic, information was instantly transmitted from the east coast of the Westeros Continent to the Iron Islands on the west coast.
As the Commander of the Royal Guard's assault team, Osha had already changed into her armor and equipment, and her nineteen subordinates were also standing by, evidently well-prepared.
Joffrey then contacted Minister of Security Elin.
"Search the sea around the Iron Islands within one to two days' sailing distance with all your might and find the Silence."
Euron's ship is very recognizable.
"It has a dark red hull, black sails, and one mast. The bow is a black iron maiden statue with mother-of-pearl eyes and no mouth."
"All the crew are mute. Except for the captain, 'Crow's Eye' Euron Greyjoy."
"Yes, Your Majesty. The mission is guaranteed to be completed."
Elin immediately accepted the order, not only assigning this critical task to everyone in the Security Bureau but also personally taking an "eye" to participate.
Joffrey ended the communication.
The Red Priestess had already stood up, licking her lips, and devoutly stroking her obviously bulging belly.
It seemed as if she was four or five months pregnant.
"Your Majesty, you see, this is the crystallization bestowed upon us by the great Lord of Light."
Melisandre's tone was gentle yet firm, "It contains vast and great power, warm, serene, vibrant, and ethereal."
"It will grow up soon, in two or three days."
The Red Priestess's expression was like a mother, joyful and anticipating the birth of the baby in her womb, but her eyes were like a servant, fanatical and reverent towards the arrival of divine power.
"At that time, the Shadow of Light that is born will bring victory to Your Majesty and carry out the will of the Lord of Light."
Joffrey's expression was one of sincere agreement.
"Praise the Lord of Light."
He knew that Stannis seemed to be able to feel the actions of the shadow assassin in his dreams.
What about himself?
Joffrey witnessed the entire gestation process of the shadow assassin. The pattern that appeared out of thin air was only one kind, like an advanced version of a mind rune.
He had an optimistic guess.
Perhaps with his vast mental power and magic, he could control this shadow assassin, and even gain more knowledge or insight.
"Meli." Joffrey picked up the red robe from the ground and draped it over her.
"The divine power of the Lord of Light will be the best explanation. The lords and people of the Seven Kingdoms will not refuse the true god. Both our wishes will be fulfilled."
Joffrey smiled gently, "Go and rest well, and come back tomorrow to solidify the crystallization."
"Someone."
The two maids outside the tent immediately walked in and helped Melisandre leave.
Only Joffrey remained in the large tent.
He paced and pondered.
Balon Greyjoy is dead, what about the Iron Islands?
Support Theon to take the throne?
How to deal with Asha, Victarion, Euron, and others?
And Euron.
Joffrey picked up "Little White" again and examined the Driftwood Crown.
The crown Balon carefully prepared was not driftwood, but forged from black iron. It had been completed days earlier and reported to him by the Security Bureau.
It wasn't difficult to understand.
Balon was crazy to want to restore the tradition of kingmoot.
As for this Driftwood Crown, based on the intelligence gathered in Pyke, it should have been brought in by the Faceless Men from outside the city.
In other words, this was Euron's intention?
He wants to ascend to the throne through the kingmoot, just like in the original story, relying on the Dragonbinder? The dragons haven't even revived yet.
Similarly, the plans issued by the Faceless Men in Balon's name were also instructed by Euron, right?
Attacking the Shield Islands and plundering the Reach.
Luring the Arbor fleet to provoke a decisive battle between the three major fleets, and seizing the opportunity to betray and strike.
How much does Euron know about the Royal Fleet?
Did he return so early because the war started earlier, or because of some prophecy, or the guidance of some mysterious power?
At this moment, the Security Bureau reported that a warship suspected to be the "Silence" was found in the distant sea west of the Iron Islands.
The image was transferred. It was indeed an evil black and red warship. The captain wore an eye patch, the crew was silent, and the warship sailed at high speed with a perfectly favorable wind.
Joffrey was lost in thought.
The Drowned God.
The Storm God.
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Read 777+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский at: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Join our Discord: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------