Should he bow his head in respect? How should he address her? Thoughts raced through William's mind, but he said firmly, "You are Lady Malora. Ghosts and such are just stories to scare children. I don't believe a word of it."
Malora smiled and turned to the window, leaving William with an enticing silhouette. Her voice was calm. "I'm glad you think so, William. But you may continue cooperating with my good brother. Whatever they ask, answer truthfully. Whatever they ask you to do, do it—even if it's against me. You may go for now. Come to me when there's progress."
Becoming a double agent just like that? Seeing that Malora seemed uninterested in him, William quickly took his leave.
Baelor and Garth were waiting not far from the lift. Seeing William, the three of them moved to a secluded corner. Garth asked first, "Are you alright?" while Baelor urgently inquired about the meeting.
William shook his head at Garth and then described the encounter truthfully, omitting some details.
"It seems the situation is fairly stable," Baelor said without surprise, handing over a slip of paper.
"Garth and I are too conspicuous to go there personally," Baelor continued with a serious expression. "You'll go to a place and find someone named Mafalda. In three days, he will take the goods coming from the East to Skyreach. Don't talk too much and make sure no one notices you."
William sneered at the obviousness of the secret message but took the slip, nodding. "Anyway, she said I could do anything."
Like all Westerosi docks, Oldtown's harbor was chaotic. People of every race and origin mingled freely—sailors, mercenaries, prostitutes, performers, thieves, beggars, and those whose business was impossible to tell. The streets and alleys were alive with shouting, arguing, and the clamor of countless activities, like a boiling cauldron.
Dressed in a black hooded robe, resembling the Watchers on the Wall, William carefully weaved through the crowd, holding off anyone who tried to approach. After facing the battles with the Ronan and the Darkstar, he realized that without proper armor, his combat effectiveness dropped significantly, especially his defense. Though he wore a finely crafted chain shirt beneath, the crowded, chaotic environment still made him uneasy.
Fortunately, he completed Baelor's task successfully. Now, he only needed to wait and see Baelor and Malora duel. He felt conflicted about the whole affair—wanting to recover the real Malora while also resolving the Harrenhal curse—but since both sides required his cooperation, he went along obediently.
Suddenly, chaos erupted ahead: a few people were fighting in the street. William intended to pass by, but a glance revealed a familiar short, stocky figure. Bull-like Marwyn was knocking a thug to the ground with a single punch and deftly dodging attacks behind him. He clearly had plenty of experience in street fighting—if the Citadel offered a course on brawling, he would be a perfect instructor.
But two fists could not fend off four hands, and more opponents kept coming. Seeing the Archmaester Marwyn about to get beaten up, William sighed inwardly, "I'm always too soft-hearted…" He pulled down his hood, charged in, and swung his sword along with the scabbard. One by one, he knocked down seven or eight people surrounding or about to surround Marwyn, then disappeared into the crowd like a gust of wind, leaving behind only a dazed Marwyn and groaning, unlucky thugs.
Having completed both Baelor's and Malora's tasks, William returned to the Citadel after changing his clothes.
He didn't go directly to research Aelon and Wallis, unsure of Malora's ultimate goal and wary that others might guess it. Instead, he borrowed over ten books from the library—mostly on mysticism, two on dragons, and others on medicine and history. Among them was Wallis's Difficult Settlement: Three Years Beyond the Frontier with Barbarians, Raiders, and the Forest Witch.
The next day, William returned to continue his research, again borrowing many books as a cover while focusing on a book by Aelon. After days of studying, he began to form a rough understanding.
Around three to four hundred years before Aegon's conquest, the Citadel experienced a sudden archaeological craze. Many Maesters traveled far from Oldtown to investigate. One team journeyed north, reaching beyond the Wall's edge.
Besides the books by these two Maesters, William found three others from the same period by northern-bound Maesters: Archmaester Marget's The Shivering Sea and the Untold Stories of Ice Dragons, Archmaester Laurent's The Lands of Three Rivers, and Archmaester Arnel's Valley Chronicles. These books mentioned the Children of the Forest, portraying them as legends. But careful reading revealed unnatural gaps, as if references to the Children of the Forest had been deliberately removed.
"This year, it seems the Citadel's steward is Archmaester Cardos. He seems to dislike mysticism, so if I approach him, it probably won't have much effect. Could I perhaps use Ser Baelor's name?"
While pondering the connection and where to find the deleted content, William suddenly noticed someone approaching. Looking up, he saw none other than the unconventional Marwyn, always in leather rather than a gray robe.
William casually swapped the book he was holding and, when Marwyn reached the table, greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Archmaester."
Marwyn nodded and picked up the book William had just pushed aside: The Green Marsh by Archmaester Aemon.
He kept his head down and flipped through a few pages. "What are you looking for?"
"Uh, just browsing," William said, nudging the tall stack of mysticism books on the table. "I'm planning to make a Valyrian steel chain link. After all, I am a magic knight."
"Anyone with eyes would know what you're looking for just by browsing like that." Marwyn tossed the book onto the table and stared at William. "Do you really want the Valyrian steel chain link? Tell me what you're after. I don't like owing favors."
William was about to reflexively deny it, but catching Marwyn's sharp gaze, he gave a sheepish smile, then switched tactics and asked a question he had long wanted to know: "Archmaester, the Citadel seems very averse to magic and mystical forces. Why do you study mysticism and still hold a high position here?"
"Because, more than disliking magic, the Citadel's higher principle is the pursuit of truth. As long as traces of magic exist, someone must study them." Marwyn's gaze was firm, yet William still couldn't be sure of his stance. If all traces of magic were erased, would he still acknowledge its existence?
"I've seen many books mention the Children of the Forest," William said, picking up The Green Marsh and showing the cover to Marwyn. "But many parts have clearly been deliberately removed. If the Citadel wants to hide the Children of the Forest, then fine, don't publish the books—but why remove only the important sections? This misleads readers who aren't paying close attention."
"The Citadel claims it's to protect the Children of the Forest, so they aren't disturbed," Marwyn said, pulling a chair to sit across from William. "Believe it or not, I believe it."
Hesitating for a moment, William asked, "I'm very interested in the Children of the Forest. May I borrow the deleted content?"
Marwyn pushed the stack of mysticism books toward William. "You can borrow those secret materials once you obtain the Valyrian steel chain link."
William estimated the height of the stack. "Is there a faster way, Archmaester?"
"The Red Viper of Dorne got the Valyrian steel chain link in just three months. Your foundation is much better than his, so it should be quick," Marwyn shrugged. "Or find a way to ignite the glass candle or something. Mysticism values both theory and practice."
William leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.
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