Seeing the exquisite wooden box presented to her, Daenerys's smile froze for a fraction of a second before she casually asked, "Does Xaro like the yellow robe?"
"His Lordship was very pleased," the steward replied respectfully. "He also feels deeply guilty that you had to leave so soon—we didn't host you properly!"
"Heh, if we meet again, I'll give him a Three-Eyed Peacock Feather hat to go with it. That combination will surely give him an extraordinary experience."
She waved away Whitebeard, who had stepped forward to assist with the box, and took it herself before opening it.
Inside lay a necklace: a delicate chain of fine gold threads encircling a shimmering green beetle. The carving was clearly made from the finest jade.
"It's beautiful. I love it," Daenerys said, her smile blooming like a flower as she reached for it.
"Princess—" Whitebeard seemed about to intervene, but his gaze sharpened, and he stood frozen in place.
The No. 8 steward lowered his eyes and murmured, "I am sorry."
His voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, as if he hadn't intended anyone else to hear.
Daenerys turned the green beetle over in her hand, casually asking, "Sorry for what?"
"Uh—" The Quarth Steward's head snapped up, his eyes bulging in disbelief at the sight before him. The Scorpiontail Beast, intended to poison Daenerys, lay rigid in her hand, as if it had truly turned to jade.
"You Regretful Guests are so verbose. You can't even kill someone without droning on about 'I regret it'."
Daenerys shrugged, her expression one of weary resignation. "It's one thing to deal with people who can't hear or see properly. But now, with my sharp ears and clear eyes, I can hear your voice and watch your lips move.
The famous Qarth Assassin Guild motto: 'I regret it'. Well, I regret it too!"
"Why is this happening?" The Regretful Guest nearly collapsed. Had the placed Scorpiontail Beast died? That shouldn't have happened. With his extensive experience, he had assassinated hundreds using similar methods.
"Khaleesi, he's an assassin?!" Aggo and Jhogo finally reacted. They drew their curved blades, their faces contorted with fury, and moved to strike him down.
"Blood of My Blood, stand down!" Daenerys halted them. Turning to the Regretful Guest, she said, "Consider this a gift. I like this little creature. You may leave."
"You... you're not going to kill me?" Regretful Guest asked, his voice tinged with suspicion. He kept his eyes locked on Daenerys's face as he cautiously backed away toward the gangplank.
"Why would I kill you? Pia hired you, didn't he?" Seeing his pupils suddenly contract, Daenerys knew she was right. "You probably didn't notice earlier, did you? My Whitebeard guard here has already seen through your disguise. The price of killing me is far too high. Next time you take a job, think carefully. At the very least, consider whether offending the Mother of Dragons or refusing the Warlock would have worse consequences. Hmm, if the Warlock's magic were truly so extraordinary, why would he have sent you here instead?"
*Thud, thud, thud!* Regretful Guest reached the gangplank. Without a word, he turned and fled, vanishing into the crowd in seconds.
"I'm sorry!" Ser Jorah's face flushed crimson. He hadn't spotted Regretful Guest's flaw, falling far short of the vigilant and seasoned Whitebeard.
"Ah, Bevos should apologize too. He didn't see it either," the portly eunuch added, his own face reddening as he awkwardly rubbed his hands together.
"You're warriors, not bodyguards yet," Daenerys said calmly. "You'll get the hang of it with experience."
"Why didn't the Scorpiontail Beast harm you? Was it dead?" Whitebeard asked, puzzled.
*Clatter!* Daenerys dropped the jade-like beetle onto the ground.
*Screech!* The beetle transformed like a Transformer, its body unfolding with a screech. Claws shot out from beneath its body, and its tail shot upright, revealing a human-like face at the tip.
The face at the end of the tail was larger than the beetle's torso, grotesque and terrifying, with perfectly rendered eyes, nose, and mouth.
A dark purple, cold-glowing stinger flickered rapidly at the center of the face, emitting a chilling *hissing* sound that sent shivers down the spine.
"The Scorpiontail Beast's venom directly targets the heart—it's incredibly vicious. This one has been specially bred, its colors so vibrant it's almost indistinguishable from real jade," Whitebeard murmured.
Daenerys rose and walked over to Big Black. "Where the True Dragon gazes, all beasts shall bow!"
The black dragon had sensed the danger almost simultaneously with Whitebeard. Without needing Daenerys's command, he had already locked onto the Scorpiontail Beast with his mental power, allowing her to treat it like a jade pendant.
When Daenerys threw away the insect, Big Black withdrew his mental pressure, allowing the Scorpiontail Beast to move freely again as he continued to suck marrow from the bones.
Jorah stepped forward, crushing the venomous insect underfoot. His face was grim. "We must leave as soon as possible."
Blackbeard Grolai shook his head. "The ships can only depart after high tide tonight. We won't need to entertain the Dragon Visitors this afternoon, will we?"
Daenerys considered this and agreed.
However, just as the ships were preparing to set sail at dusk, a guest arrived. Zharo, riding in an ox-cart and surrounded by servants, rushed over in a hurry.
Daenerys received him.
"That Regretful Guest wasn't my man," he said urgently.
"I know."
Zharo froze for a moment before exclaiming in frustration, "Those damned Regretful Guests! If they want to assassinate someone, fine, but why are they acting in my name? You're the guest I swore to protect! If outsiders think I've broken my oath and harmed my own guest, then..."
"My kind, good sir! My beloved Heavenly Star!" Tears streamed down his cheeks in a torrent, flowing past the brightly colored jewel on his nose, creating a comical sight.
He suddenly threw himself beside Daenerys, clutching her hand and wailing in despair, "Help me, please, you *must* help me!"
"Help with what?" Daenerys asked, feeling as if a slug were crawling up her spine, so disgusted she nearly vomited.
"Announce to the world that I didn't send the Regretful Guest, that I haven't broken my oath!" He suddenly shouted, "Oh! Damn it! I should have stationed a squad of guards near this wretched ship until you'd completely left Qarth."
"What are you talking about, you bastard? My darling *Saedurion* is as beautiful as ever!" Captain Groleo protested angrily.
Zharo ignored him, still wallowing in frustration. "Such a blunder on the final day! I should have known. Those warlocks have been plotting in secret all along. Damn it all, once we're away from Qarth, you can assassinate, poison, curse me all you want—"
"Ahem!" Daenerys coughed loudly, reminding the scumbag that she was still present.
"Oh, my sweet, what do you think?" Zharo pleaded, looking at her with pathetic eyes.
"I'd love to help you, but the ship is leaving immediately," Daenerys said, shrugging. "How about I write you a promissory note?"
"No need for notes," Zharo shook his head. "Those things are useless. True justice and reputation lie in the hearts of men."
*Hmm, this shameless bastard actually has some sense!*
Daenerys gave Zharo an internal nod and asked, "Then what should I do?"
Zharo launched into a confident explanation. "The news of your assassination attempt is still confined to a small circle. We must first make it clear to everyone what kind of man I am.
"So, at every port you visit, tell stories of how I hospitably entertained you and your barbarians. Sing my praises. When any rumors unfavorable to me spread, people won't believe them."
He then sighed dramatically, beating his chest. "It's a pity you have to return to the Sunset Sea. Most of my trade partners are in the Jade Sea."
*Make it clear what kind of man I am?*
*Shameless!*
At that moment, the crew on deck glared at him with contempt.
"Very well," Daenerys said, struggling to suppress a smile. "In every city-state, I'll mention your generosity and wealth to those who host me."
"Thank you so much, my Heavenly Star!" the fat man said, tears streaming down his face again.
"Right, I must remind you of something else," Zharo said, noticing the looks on Jorah and the others' faces. "Pia also swore an oath to you on the Red Waste, remember?
In Qarth, he couldn't harm you directly, so he resorted to a trick—hiring Regretful Guests.
But once you leave here, he and those warlocks will be free to openly use their magic and curses against you."
"So that's it," Daenerys said, suddenly understanding.
Zharo glanced around and lowered his voice. "When the warlocks learned you'd be sailing back to Pentos, they already prepared a fast ship bound for Pentos on the Western Continent.
You've seen the Nightwalkers' methods. The warlocks' power is rapidly recovering. Once you return to Pentos, you must be extremely cautious."
"Pentos isn't the warlocks' domain!" Groleo protested.
"The warlocks only kill in the shadows. They won't try to seize Pentos itself," Zharo said with a dismissive smile.
Before Daenerys stepped onto the gangway, Zharo presented her with a gift: a silver collar inlaid with a magical amethyst.
As night draped the land, a string of hazy yellow lights glimmered on the distant sea—lighthouses guiding the ships.
Amidst the rhythmic crash of waves against the embankment, Blackbeard Grolai bellowed at the sailors to weigh anchor. The first mate personally joined several burly men in hauling the sails aloft with rhythmic shouts.
The massive white canvas billowed like a pregnant belly in the night wind as the *Saedurion* slowly pulled away from the dock.
Daenerys and the Dothraki stood at the stern, watching the dazzling lights of the dockside night market shrink before their eyes until it vanished completely.
She herself found the sailing ship agonizingly slow. Despite the Bloodguard Alliance's days of beach training, the sight of the dark, endless sea still filled her with dread, her almond-shaped eyes wide and white.
But their pride kept them from showing fear. They stiffened their bodies, their faces impassive, neither moving nor showing any expression.
Doria, the daughter of a sea island, felt more at home on a ship than a horse. But the Dothraki attendants Iri and Jhiqui were different; they hadn't even been to the beach for training.
They gripped the ship's railing with all their might, as if drowning people clinging to life preservers.
Daenerys quickly sent them to her cabin, but she soon regretted it.
Guided by the lighthouse, the *Saedurion* left the calm bay and entered the turbulent strait. A wave struck, and the large ship gently pitched, then pitched again.
"Ugh—" The two Dothraki girls turned pale and immediately vomited.
On the first night, Daenerys couldn't sleep peacefully until Groleo reluctantly offered them two orange-flavored sugar cubes. The girls only settled down after they dissolved the candy in their mouths.
"This is a secret potion made by the apothecary from Northern hawthorn and Dornish blood oranges. It contains many mysterious ingredients I don't know about. Besides preventing seasickness, it can also treat fevers and colds. It's very precious—only twenty pieces can be bought with a silver moon," he said, wincing at the cost.
It was indeed expensive. A copper coin had the purchasing power of about five yuan, and a silver moon was worth 800 copper coins. Each sugar cube cost 200 yuan.
"Sigh, distribute them all. There are still many women and children below deck. Have someone give each of them one," Daenerys said with a sigh, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"But..." Blackbeard hesitated. "If the sailors catch a headache or fever, we might not have enough!"
"We'll buy more at the next port. There must be similar remedies there, right?"
Besides, we're not even going to Pentos.
-----------------------
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