The Temple Square in Casterly Rock was bustling with activity.
Long tables filled the vast square, piled high with freshly baked bread, sizzling roasted meat, glistening fruit, steaming bacon soup, flavored golden honey, various tender green lettuce, pork ham, and smoked game...
"Hey, Sir Fool," Gregor said, patting Ador Salot on the shoulder affectionately with his wine glass. "What's with your eyes fixed on Jenny Westerling?"
The family knights surrounding Ador Saloth abruptly stood up, two knights separating Ador and Gregor, glaring angrily at Gregor. Five other knights flanked Ador.
Ador Salloot glanced at Duke Tywin Lannister, who was seated high above him, and said calmly, "The Mountain, I have proposed to Lord Gavin and received a gift in return."
"The Mountain" was a derogatory nickname people used for Gregor in private. No knight or nobleman would call Gregor that to his face, as it was disrespectful, a provocative insult, and would provoke Gregor's rage.
But in this situation, Yado assessed the circumstances and was not afraid of the Demon Mountain.
Since the Mountain, reeking of alcohol, came up to provoke him by calling him "Sir Fool," Gregor naturally retorted by calling him "The Mountain."
Adu addressed the Mountain directly, without adding any suffixes indicating his knighthood, which was even more impolite.
Because Ador was proudly boasting that he had proposed to Earl Gavin, Gregor noticed that Ador wore a breast ornament on his left breast. Breast ornaments were common; well-dressed nobles usually had hat ornaments, breast ornaments, belt ornaments, and boot ornaments. But this breast ornament was different; it was embroidered with the coat of arms of the Westerling family: six small white seashells.
"Duke Gavin agreed?" Gregor asked with a smile.
"Lord Gavin has agreed, and Miss Jenny knows this; she has not objected." Ador looked at Jenny Westerling, who radiated light like the moon. She sat upright beside Duke Tywin, her gaze also falling in their direction. Their eyes met, and she turned away.
Gregor saw the affection in their eyes. They were a perfect match; Adorno's handsome appearance was also a good match for Jenny.
"Foolish Sir, I remember that Earl Gavin once proposed to your father, Earl Tiger, but your father and mother refused. Her family was too poor, and her mother was the daughter of a merchant, not a noblewoman. Do you think your parents will agree to your proposal this time?"
"The Mountain, the former Jane wasn't Lord Tywin's daughter, but she is now. Once I marry Lord Tywin's daughter, hehe, I'll be Lord Tywin's son-in-law. The Mountain, you're nothing but a dog of Lord Tywin's house. Do you think the Saloth family will let you go?" Ador Saloth smiled. He was pleased to see the emotion in Gregor's eyes.
"Oh, since you're so confident, let's make a bet." Gregor downed his drink in one gulp, his breathing unsteady.
Ador knew that his words had pierced Gregor's heart like a knife.
"I'll bet with you? You're not worthy!" Ador said calmly. He hoped to provoke Gregor and make his move at this banquet. He had already figured out that Gregor only had one dog here, and that was the fellow named Sweetmouth Ralph. That bastard only had the right to sit at the outermost table and feast because Gregor had bestowed upon him a knighthood.
Ador was accompanied by seven family knights, all of them very strong, and each carried a dagger. Their sole purpose was to prevent any provocation from Gregor, with whom they had a grudge.
The Mountain at the banquet was unarmored and was so drunk that he was unsteady on his feet.
As long as Gregor makes the first move, it will be done.
At Miss Jenny's celebration party, if Gregor gets into a fight, he is responsible for the outcome if he makes the first move.
Even the fiercest person cannot withstand the sharpness of a sword with their flesh and blood.
Of course, this was also very dangerous; a furious Gregor could kill him with a single punch. So as soon as Gregor arrived, Ador's knights protected Ador, with two strong knights standing between the two.
Knights of the House of Saloth swear an oath to serve the House of Saloth to the death!
In this world, knights are the warriors you should avoid. They are highly skilled in martial arts and, most importantly, fearless. Many fear the Mountain, but for true knights, there are also many who are not afraid of him.
"Adu, do you want to avenge your brother Alva?"
"We will!"
"Then let's make a bet. I'll also propose to Earl Gavin, and see who Jenny Westerling chooses in the end."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Adu's eyebrows furrowed, his eyes sharp and provocative.
"I'm also going to propose to Earl Gavin. I'm betting that Jenny will marry me instead of you. Do you dare to bet?"
As Adu looked at the Mountain, his mouth gradually formed a large "O" shape, and a loud laugh burst from his mouth. His seven family knights were already laughing together.
The banquet was filled with hundreds of people, and laughter echoed everywhere. The loud laughter here was not surprising, but it still caught the attention of the high and mighty Duke Tywin.
Among the great nobles of the Westerlands, only the heir Ador Salleur did not receive the honor of dining with Lord Tywin Lannister. The other Earls—Marble of Branded City, Lyford of Goldtooth City, Farman of Fairy Isle, Kreeher of Rall's Hall, Lannister of Lannisport, and Swiffer of Corn City—all shared the table with Lord Tywin and received gifts of chopsticks, snow salt, and military whistles. These items will be promoted by administrative order the day after the banquet. Chopsticks are reserved for the nobility, military whistles are a military secret, and snow salt will be the representative product of the Westerlands, distributed throughout the continent. The salt mining business, which had been delegated to the various families, will be taken back by Lord Tywin.
The Silverhall family's status is high enough to warrant them sitting at the same table as Lord Tywin Lannister, but not this time. There are two reasons for this. First, Ador Saloth is not the Earl of Silverhall, but merely the heir, lacking the proper rank. Second, Tywin was displeased by the Saloth brothers' disregard for their master's feelings during the previous conflict with Gregor.
Tywin's sharp, piercing gaze swept over them before he looked away. He remembered what Gregor had said when he borrowed money from him: Gregor would find a way to earn it. Lord Tywin took those words to heart. He knew all too well that Gregor couldn't afford the pay for sixty-three cavalrymen. Of all the military branches, cavalry was the most expensive, and in times of peace, Gregor paid them three times the pay of ordinary cavalrymen from other families.
Gregg spends money like that, he could squander a mountain of gold.
Lord Tywin Lannister sensed that Gregor wouldn't step forward and stand laughing with Ador Saloor for no reason.
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"What's the stake? The Mountain?" Ador laughed, almost choking on his own breath.
"Does he have any bets?" one of the knights asked, unable to stop laughing.
"You name the stakes," Gregor laughed, looking like a complete fool. His breath reeked of alcohol, his shifting emotions in his eyes, his provocative words—every detail was calculated. Calculated tactics, the result of being steeped in Earth's civilization.
Both sides felt extremely happy.
"I won. I want your cavalry, the Clegane estate and castle, and your adopted daughter Julie Clegane. Most importantly, the Clegane family will never again use the maxim 'Invincible.'" Ador laughed. "The Mountain, do you dare to bet?"
In reality, the Mountain wasn't driven to desperation by losing these things; he simply had to return to Tywin's cavalry and become a true family hound.
"Okay. I'll bet."
"Swear it!"
"In the name of what god do you want me to swear an oath?"
"Heavenly Father!"
The Heavenly Father is in charge of judgment and the scales.
"Very well, I, Gregor Clegane, swear in the name of the Father and the honor of the Clegane family that I and Ador Saloth have made a bet that if Jenny does not marry me, Gregor, my cavalry, the Clegane estate and castle, and my adopted daughter Julie Clegane, the family motto, will all be lost to Ador Saloth."
Ador Salleh laughed and poured Gregor a glass of Green Pavilion wine: "Mountain, bottoms up, I salute you for being a fool."
Gregor was unfazed by the humiliation and downed his drink in one gulp: "Foolish Sir, it's your turn to swear an oath. If I win, I want nothing but a small place on the western edge of the Silver Mountain Range, Golden Leaf Bay."