Viserys carefully observed and recorded in his mind Daenerys's condition after waking up: her temperature, expression, physique, appetite, and water intake.
Aside from being suspicious and unnerved by Viserys's sudden show of concern, displaying obvious unease and acting unnatural when he touched her forehead, she seemed unchanged. She was still that timid little girl.
That strange, fearful, and resistant attitude seemed to have vanished along with the fever.
It seemed there were no after-effects, nor had she gained anything.
Viserys could be said to be slightly disappointed by this, but mostly relieved.
He had suspected that Daenerys's unusual behavior yesterday might have drawn the attention of a 'god'. However, the mysterious event of last night, coupled with the observations of today, seemed to indicate that the risk wasn't very high.
If there was indeed a god behind Daenerys, then it seemed to condone Viserys's actions, or perhaps it was unaware. At least, that was how things appeared at the moment.
But he couldn't guarantee that the gods of this world would ignore his actions, unlike the Goddess of the Sea.
He dared not be careless.
Yet, the extraordinary abilities Daenerys had displayed now made her exceptionally important.
Daenerys cautiously glanced at Viserys, who was sitting at the head of her bed, trying to figure out what was hidden behind his expressionless face. However, since Viserys had been struck by lightning, Daenerys could no longer easily discern his emotions from his face.
After eating, Viserys only told her to rest in bed and then sat quietly to the side, seemingly with no intention of leaving her room at all.
Is he worried about me?
Daenerys didn't know.
Just like how her brother had inexplicably drunk her blood twice without explanation, Daenerys didn't know why.
Despite all his actions now showing concern, Daenerys always felt a strange sensation, as if her brother had other motives.
She didn't even know if what she was feeling right now was real.
Just like yesterday, when she had been so unusually afraid, she still didn't know where that fear had come from, or why it had returned to normal today.
Viserys might know the answers to all her questions.
She thought this, but dared not ask.
While Daenerys was lost in thought, Viserys broke the deepening silence in the room. He said softly, "Daenerys, I know your heart is full of doubts. Someday, I will give you the answers, but not now."
One could easily see the thoughts on Daenerys's face. Viserys already had a plan. He would keep her guessing, but make her feel like his attitude had changed.
Daenerys was the most important card he held. Whether it was using her, or coaxing her, he had to bind her firmly to his side.
Daenerys was very important to him.
This attitude needed to be conveyed to Daenerys, and also to Illyrio.
Daenerys was still a little girl, easily manipulated and heavily reliant on her brother Viserys. Although smart, she wasn't difficult to handle.
As for Illyrio, while this approach meant exposing a weakness to him, as a pawn, recognizing the situation and adapting was the correct course of action.
Taking the initiative to show his attitude before Illyrio could make any suggestions might even be a form of probing.
How determined were they in their plans, and how would they respond to this situation?
Daenerys, of course, didn't know what Viserys was thinking. She widened her eyes in surprise, taken aback by this unprecedented show of goodwill.
She wasn't stupid. With her sensitive mind, she immediately sensed the shift in Viserys's tone and instinctively probed it. She stammered, whispering, "I don't want to know anything. I want to go home."
This probing didn't bring scolding or beatings, but a response that surprised Daenerys.
Viserys asked, "The 'home' you're talking about, is it Ser Darry's house in Braavos? I remember a red lacquered gate and lemon trees?"
A trace of melancholy crossed his face.
Hearing this, Daenerys' heart surged, and a complex mix of emotions welled up within her: "You know?"
"You grew up there," Viserys said, gesturing, "From so small to as tall as a table, I watched you grow up day by day."
Daenerys ventured to ask, "Can we... go back?"
"We will, Daenerys," Viserys replied easily, as if it were a casual answer.
Daenerys realized it was a lie and her heart sank.
Viserys continued, ".But, Daenerys, that is not 'home'."
Daenerys' expression darkened further.
"You'll understand one day, Dany." Viserys reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. "Where family is, that's 'home'."
Daenerys held her breath for a moment, her eyes, which had been on the verge of tears, lit up. Tears still shimmered, but her heart was filled with joy.
She grew a little bolder. "You've never said things like this to me before."
"Before today, my sister," Viserys said, "I never thought I would lose you."
Daenerys's heart fluttered. She took a deep breath and looked up at Viserys, studying his expression.
He looked gentle, his eyes full of concern.
"...I..." Daenerys couldn't get a word out.
"Rest well, Dany, and don't overthink things." Viserys tucked her in and covered her with a thin blanket. "Your illness is just starting to improve, you need to rest."
"Hmm." Daenerys burrowed half her face into the covers, looking dazed and at a loss. She wanted to tell her brother that her body was actually very healthy, just like always, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.
Viserys collected his thoughts, sighing inwardly. His bottom line could be lower than he imagined.
He was, of course, perfectly aware that the original Viserys had often instilled in Daenerys the importance of maintaining the purity of their bloodline through inbreeding, to the point that Daenerys had always believed she would one day marry Viserys.
In fact, the original Viserys's vicious violence towards Daenerys also stemmed from this. From a young age, he had regarded his sister Daenerys as his future queen, convinced that he would marry her.
And from the moment he sold their mother Queen Rhaella's crown, he realized that he would one day sell his own sister as well. His feelings for his sister became twisted, morphing into a perverted possessiveness.
Viserys knew very well that his show of affection would mislead Daenerys, perhaps causing her to develop feelings for him that were different from those of a sibling.
But this would also make Daenerys more dependent on him, trusting in his actions, which would facilitate his subsequent plans.
Everything would have to wait until he had truly become a dragon.
At the very least, the current Viserys would not sell her, leaving her to suffer endless hardships with no guarantee of a good outcome.
Illyrio squinted his eyes. "You heard it with your own ears?"
Annie replied, "Yes, Master."
Illyrio's expression tightened. "Did you hear him with your own ears say to Daenerys, 'I never thought the day would come when I would lose you'?"
"Yes, Master."
Illyrio asked, "Do you think he meant it?"
"…I think it's a lie, Master," Annie hesitated for a moment but still gave her judgment. "I know how men deceive women."
Illyrio hesitated. "Given all he did for his sister today, you still think so? What's your basis for this?"
Regardless of his heart, just look at his actions. Viserys's care for Daenerys while she was unconscious during the day was meticulous. For two hours, every fifteen minutes, he wiped down Daenerys's body to cool her down. He was clearly very concerned about her condition.
Annie frowned. "Uh, intuition, Master."
"Why?" Illyrio didn't say he believed it, nor did he disbelieve it, he just asked, "What do you think he did it for?"
"...I don't know yet."
Illyrio closed his eyes. He didn't ask again: "Annie, go find something other than 'intuition'."
"Yes, Master."
A knock on the door sounded.
Viserys stopped swinging the dagger and walked towards the door.
Outside the door was a butler, holding a lamp: "Honored guest, the Master requests your presence."
"Oh," Viserys pointed at his pajamas, "Wait a moment."
The butler nodded, motioning for him to wait outside the door.
Viserys closed the door, walked calmly to the table, poured himself a glass of wine, and drank it to quench his thirst. Only then did he leisurely change into his usual clothes. He straightened his collar and hair in the mirror and then walked out of the room gracefully. "Lead the way, steward."
He only acted as though he was going to an appointment, neither asking the location nor the reason.
The steward silently led the way. Before long, they passed through the living room, walked through the courtyard corridor, and arrived at a room filled with bookshelves. This was likely Illyrio's study.
The study was brightly lit with oil lamps with lampshades.
Viserys glanced around and quickly realized that the lack of fire safety awareness in the decorations was intentional. The study's decor was very vulgar. Many of the books in the cabinets had gold edges, and the paintings and ornaments on the walls gleamed under the lamplight.
Whether it was real or not, at least Illyrio's appearance truly made him seem like a nouveau riche.
Illyrio was very enthusiastic. As soon as Viserys arrived, he got up from his desk and walked toward the door with his plump body. "Your Majesty, please forgive me for disturbing you so late at night. I've been so busy these past few days that I only have time to see you again today."
Viserys only exchanged pleasantries. "Your Excellency, a busy career is a good thing. May your wealth increase and your business flourish." He only spoke auspicious words and didn't intend to initiate a topic.
"Here's the situation," Illyrio said directly. "Does Your Grace recall the Dothraki I mentioned a few days ago?"
"Of course," Viserys replied, then fell silent, looking expectantly at Illyrio.
Despite Viserys's vague response, Illyrio had a plan: "Would Your Grace be free tomorrow to observe the Dothraki warriors with me?"
Viserys asked curiously, "Have Pentos and the Dothraki gone to war?"
"...Of course not," Illyrio said, a smirk playing on his lips, and simply asked, "Doesn't Your Grace want to go?"
Of course not.
Viserys replied, "Of course I do. I've long heard of the Dothraki's bravery and invincibility. Since there's an opportunity, I'd naturally like to see them. But would my appearance cause any inconvenience for the Governor?"
Illyrio pretended not to notice his reluctance, looking at Viserys with sincerity: "Rest assured, Your Grace. I have made arrangements. You will only need to disguise yourself as my attendant."
Viserys agreed, "Since the esteemed Magister has made the arrangements, I have no objections."
Illyrio paused, momentarily caught off guard. Viserys's immediate agreement was unexpected, especially compared to a refusal.
The very act of asking a "king" to dress as a mere attendant was a test. Yet, Viserys seemed unfazed.
Illyrio had prepared other remarks, but ultimately said nothing. "Then, Your Grace, please be up early tomorrow."
After these few days of interaction with this "beggar king," Illyrio began to doubt Varys's intelligence reports.