After taking the dragon claw, Rhaegar and Rhaenyra left the forge room and returned to their respective chambers.
As he walked through the dimly lit corridor, Rhaegar occasionally ran his fingers over the hilt of the dragon claw. The texture of the dragon horn was exceptionally smooth and comfortable.
Suddenly, a system notification rang out.
**"Congratulations! The Nameless Sword has been activated. You have obtained..."**
Rhaegar's spirits lifted as he pulled up the Explorer's panel.
**[Mysterious Scroll]**
- **Grade:** Excellent (Blue)
- **Effect:** A mysterious scroll from Old Valyria that can lead you to the treasures of your homeland.
- **Evaluation:** *"A scroll imbued with mystical magic—you will love it."*
With a crisp pop, a parchment scroll about the length of a forearm materialized out of thin air.
Rhaegar caught it immediately, his heart brimming with anticipation as he unrolled it.
The scroll was aged and yellowed, its surface depicting an illustration of a grand architectural complex.
**"The Freehold Fortress?"**
Rhaegar instantly recognized the drawing on the scroll.
Aside from hosting feasts and tournaments, his father had a deep passion for stone carvings.
His chamber housed an entire table filled with miniature stone sculptures of Old Valyria.
It was said that Alicent had won his father's heart through her talent for stone carving.
Studying the scroll closely, Rhaegar frowned and murmured, **"Judging by the description, this seems to be an exploration-related artifact... Could it be a treasure map?"**
The relics granted by the Explorer's system always carried mysterious powers.
With each new discovery, they grew increasingly enigmatic.
**Buzz—**
As if responding to his doubts, the scroll emitted a faint glow. The lines of the illustration twisted and morphed into a set of coordinates.
Having encountered magical phenomena many times before, Rhaegar was unfazed.
He examined the coordinates carefully, gradually realizing they overlapped with his mental map of the Red Keep.
After comparing the locations, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. **"Wait a second… isn't this… my father's room?"**
Suddenly, he smacked his forehead as realization struck.
The scroll's coordinates pointed to **Blackfyre!**
Rhaegar chuckled and mused with interest, **"So the scroll can guide me to relics that meet exploration conditions?"**
The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
**"Might as well explore Blackfyre."**
With his departure for the Vale imminent, this idea intrigued him.
He walked over to a glass window and gazed at the night outside.
The evening had just begun, and a crescent moon shone brightly. His father was likely still awake.
---
After hastily eating a small meal, Rhaegar left the kitchen and arrived at his father's chamber door.
Just as he raised his hand to knock, the door opened from within.
Alicent, dressed in a green gown, stepped out with her head lowered, accidentally bumping into him.
**"Ah! Rhaegar?"**
She gasped in surprise, and upon recognizing his face, she quickly took several steps back.
Rhaegar: **…**
**"Your Grace."**
He greeted her with a simple nod, clasped his hands behind his back, and stepped aside to clear the way.
Alicent placed a hand over her chest, nodded slightly, and hurried away.
Watching her retreating figure, Rhaegar frowned slightly.
Even though she had kept her head down, she couldn't fully conceal her red-rimmed eyes and lingering tears.
After a brief contemplation, he muttered inwardly, **"Could this be about Aegon joining the Stepstones war?"**
**"Cough, cough…"**
A weak coughing sound came from inside the room, followed by a hoarse voice.
**"Rhaegar, is that you at the door?"**
**"It's me, Father."**
Hearing how frail his father's voice sounded, Rhaegar responded and stepped into the room.
Viserys, dressed in sleepwear, was seated at a round table in the lounge area.
He beckoned his eldest son over with a sigh.
**"Come, sit here."**
Obediently, Rhaegar took a seat across from him and asked with concern, **"What's wrong, Father?"**
Viserys let out a weary sigh.
**"Nothing more than the mercy of a woman."**
Viserys looked displeased and asked, "It's so late—what do you need?"
"I wanted to share some good news with you."
Rhaegar removed the scabbard from his waist and handed over *Dragonclaw*.
"Oh, your Valyrian steel sword is finally reforged."
Viserys knew that his eldest son had acquired a heavy Valyrian steel sword and had arranged for it to be reforged.
As he spoke, he drew *Dragonclaw* from its sheath, and its cold gleam illuminated the dimly lit room.
Examining the sword, Viserys smiled. "Valyrian steel is incredibly rare—this is truly a fine blade."
"The smiths of Qohor are equally skilled."
Rhaegar smiled as his gaze swept around the room.
His eyes settled on *Blackfyre*, hanging on the wall.
Standing up, Rhaegar walked over, reached out, and took *Blackfyre* down.
"Do you want to compare the two swords?"
Viserys noticed his movements and chuckled.
Rhaegar smiled, then sat back down with *Blackfyre* in hand.
A system notification rang in his ears.
**"Exploration mission activated. Target: Valyrian steel sword, Blackfyre."**
**[Blackfyre]**
Exploration progress: 0.3%
Mission triggered—just wait for progress to complete.
Viserys chuckled. "You've been interested in *Blackfyre* since you were little. Do you want to trade *Dragonclaw* for it?"
Rhaegar quickly shook his head and said seriously, "*Blackfyre* symbolizes kingship. Right now, *Dragonclaw* suits me better."
"A sword forged for battle—what do you think it symbolizes?"
Viserys toyed with *Dragonclaw* as he asked.
He could tell his eldest son had high expectations for this sword.
"It was created for war. The best symbol for it would be fearlessness!" Rhaegar pondered aloud.
In truth, he wanted to say "war."
House Targaryen had two ancestral swords.
*Blackfyre* symbolized kingship.
*Dark Sister*, because of Queen Visenya, embodied valor, loyalty, and protection.
But neither represented war and bloodshed.
With the arrival of *Dragonclaw*, Rhaegar hoped to wield it in battle, to defend the kingdom's honor.
"A good thought. Not everyone possesses fearless courage."
Viserys didn't fully understand his son's true intentions, but he made a heartfelt remark nonetheless.
He himself lacked fearless courage.
After his reflection, Viserys fell silent in thought, and Rhaegar also quieted down.
A heavy silence filled the room.
After a long time, Viserys glanced at his son in surprise, wondering why he hadn't returned to his chambers yet.
Rhaegar remained unaware, simply waiting for the exploration progress to advance.
He had just woken up—he wasn't tired!
Viserys thought for a moment, then found a new topic. "Rhaegar, you're already thirteen. It's time to consider an engagement."
"Huh?"
Rhaegar immediately looked up, confused as to why his father had suddenly brought up marriage.
Viserys continued, "Do you have anyone you like?"
"No, I haven't thought about that at all," Rhaegar quickly denied.
He spent most of his time within the royal domain, and the noble ladies there practically devoured him with their eyes whenever they saw him.
It made it difficult for him to feel any real interest.
"What about following family tradition?"
Viserys pressed on.
Rhaegar hesitated, falling silent.
He understood what his father meant.
He had thought about this before.
But his feelings toward Rhaenyra were complicated; they had always just interacted normally.
"Sigh, you're excellent in every way—except when it comes to emotions!"
Seeing his reaction, Viserys immediately understood the issue.
Shaking his head in exasperation, he said, "Look at Aegon—he understood love and passion at eleven. And you?"
"I… I haven't," Rhaegar muttered, lowering his head, feeling somewhat restless.
He wasn't developing slowly—he just spent most of his energy on rebuilding the Dragonpit, training, and riding dragons…
And dealing with a whole list of other troublesome matters.
Hearing this, Viserys held his forehead, worried about his son's emotional intelligence.
---
(*Sidenote from the author:*
Everyone says the name *Dragonclaw* sounds lame—I feel helpless about it too.
I first considered *Long Night*, then *Dragon Horde*.
In the end, I hesitated and went with *Dragonclaw*.)
**(End of Chapter)**