Todd trembled, his lips quivering as he asked Marco, "Lord Marco! This... is this really a Valyrian Steel Sword? But why does it feel as heavy as a regular steel sword?"
"This is Dragonsteel! Not Valyrian Steel. It's a magic sword forged by the Children of the Forest. Naturally, it's not as light as Valyrian Steel, but in terms of sharpness, this sword is no worse."
Marco's tone was full of pride. This was an enchanted longsword he had created using his "Magic Control" skill. The longsword itself was originally just a very ordinary one. After Marco's skill had leveled up, he wanted to test out his super synthesis ability, so he used it for the experiment.
Marco had added a defense-breaking effect to it. Although it cost him 5 units of ore and sulfur, the effect was extremely powerful. Cutting through straw mats and copper plates was as easy as slicing through butter with a knife.
Finally, Marco even found an identical steel sword. Although sword-on-sword combat would cause varying degrees of damage to the weapons, Marco was very confident in his "Magic Control" skill.
The result was as he expected; the steel sword was also easily sliced through. This was also the reason why Marco dared to let Todd use a dagger against this sword.
Although Todd was a spy, he was still a merchant at heart. He instantly saw the value of the longsword, so he said to Marco:
"Lord Marco! Would you be willing to sell this longsword?"
Marco then discussed the handling of the sword with Todd. Marco suggested that Todd handle the sale, and the price didn't matter. The main goal was to publicize the sword's reputation in Seagull Town.
For over a week afterward, Marco stayed in the inn with Moonshadow and the others, waiting for Todd to hype up the sword.
This matter caused quite a stir throughout the Vale. The Cobrey Family of Heart's Home also possessed a family heirloom, a Valyrian Steel Sword called Lady Silence. The current holder was Ser Lyn Cobrey. Upon hearing that Seagull Town had a Dragonsteel sword comparable to a Valyrian Steel Sword, he also had the idea of a comparison.
So, at Marco's suggestion, Todd held a sword competition in Seagull Town in advance. Chopping straw mats, copper coins, cow bones, and even chest armor. After the comparisons, everyone found that this Dragonsteel longsword was basically indistinguishable from a Valyrian Steel Sword, except it was a bit heavier. Its toughness and durability were also excellent.
On the second day after the sword competition, Todd struck while the iron was hot and held a grand auction at the "Golden Oak" inn, with the Dragonsteel sword as the auction's centerpiece.
At Marco's suggestion, Todd also stated that if the auction succeeded, he could engrave an inscription on the sword for the holder, and it would never be erased.
This matter made Marco even more mysterious in Todd's eyes. After spending time together, Todd suspected that Marco might be a magician from Asshai, who had learned new magical forging techniques after contact with the Children of the Forest in the North.
On the night of the auction, almost all the nobles, large and small, around Seagull Town came. Moreover, Todd also contacted several trustworthy merchant friends to cooperate and add more than 20 auction items, making the auction very lively.
That evening, Marco's longsword fetched a high price of 5,000 gold dragons. The final bidder was a wealthy merchant from Lannister Port, who had just arrived in port that day. Upon hearing of the weapon's marvels, he immediately rushed to the auction.
At the end of the auction, Marco, cloaked, appeared on the stage and inscribed an inscription on the weapon. Those miraculous abilities instantly ignited the atmosphere.
The merchant wanted to name the sword "Lionfang" and also intended to present the longsword to Duke Tywin. Through his senses, Marco perceived that this fellow seemed to owe the Lannister Family over 8,000 gold dragons. He planned to use the longsword to offset his debt.
Everyone in the Westerlands knew that the Lannister Family's heirloom Valyrian Steel Sword, "Lightsong," had been missing for several hundred years. Duke Tywin's youngest brother, Jeyne Lannister, had disappeared in the Summer Sea while searching for the sword.
Marco wasn't particularly interested in this. His main objective had already been achieved. The legend of his magic and mysterious Dragonsteel weapon would certainly spread across the Westeros Continent at an incredible speed, which would allow him to proceed with his later plans.
Sure enough, the morning after the auction, Marco received many invitations. The most eye-catching was the Grafton Family's emblem: a red field with a black triangle and a yellow burning tower.
After some simple preparations, Marco, along with Moonshadow and her companions, and four guards, went to the Grafton Family's Keep. This was Marco's initial goal: to meet with Lord Jeyne Grafton of the Grafton Family.
The concept of social hierarchy was deeply ingrained in this world. Commoners and merchants were always considered insignificant by the nobility, and the nobles of the North and South were different from each other.
For the Northern Lords, their harsh environment had fostered a strong sense of unity and straightforwardness. A generous gift would usually secure a meeting.
However, the nobles south of the Neck were a different breed. They were arrogant, and unless presented with a substantial incentive, they wouldn't give you the time of day. The Grafton Family, despite being suppressed in many ways, hadn't yet reached the point of being completely driven by money.
And so, when Marco met Todd, he devised a plan. Setting aside Todd's identity as a spy, he knew that with sufficient profit, anything could be negotiated. Besides, Todd was merely curious about Marco's background.
The knightly culture of Westeros was dominant across the continent, and knights cherished their weapons, warhorses, and armor as much as they did beautiful women.
Furthermore, many ancient noble houses on Westeros Continent possessed Valyrian Steel Swords, passed down through generations. These were more than just symbols of power and heritage; in a way, they represented a family's history and bloodline.
Marco's Dragonsteel sword's sudden appearance offered many families a chance at glory. Upstart families, in particular, were desperate to find Marco and buy a Dragonsteel blade from him.
On Westeros Continent, wealth, power, and an army weren't everything. Often, the nobility valued history and bloodline. The Tyrell Family of Highgarden had wealth, power, and soldiers, yet many families in their own lands looked down on them. Ever since they were the first to submit to the Targaryen Family and were granted Highgarden over 200 years ago, this passive and awkward situation has been obvious, due to their family's lack of bloodline and history.
The Grafton Family faced the same dilemma. Their family was only a little over 200 years old. While they had been marrying into Vale noble families, many still viewed them as nouveau riche.
Especially their northern "good neighbors," the Royce Family of Runestone. Seagull Town had always been the Royce Family's fief during Yggyr the First's conquest of Westeros Continent.
However, due to choosing the wrong side, the Grafton Family took precedence during Queen Visenya's conquest of the Vale, seizing Seagull Town's ownership. For over 200 years, the two families had been secretly vying for power, with constant conflicts, both large and small.
Therefore, the Grafton Family was now eager to obtain a Dragonsteel weapon from Marco. This would allow them to publicize their family's reputation and gain an advantage over their old rivals in terms of family legacy.
Grafton Family's Keep was a composite castle, shaped like a heptagon, with a defensive tower at each corner. In the center stood a tall main tower, giving it a very imposing appearance.
After the crew's guards presented their invitation, Marco and his companions were greeted by Luce Grafton, the Grafton Family's steward, who had been waiting for them.
Along the way, the noble men and women around them cast curious glances at Marco and his group. It was because their attire was too unique: the combination of cloaks and hoods made them look like the wizards described in some novels.
After arriving at the banquet hall, Marco and his companions were accompanied by Steward Luce Grafton. He was a very talkative person, always finding topics to discuss with Marco, while Yinyue and the others enjoyed the delicious food.
About ten minutes later, the banquet began. During this time, nobles occasionally came over to invite Marco and his companions to dance, but they were all turned down by Marco.
Seeing that he couldn't glean any useful information, Luce Grafton gestured subtly behind him to Marco. After that, those noble men and women didn't approach again.
More than ten minutes passed. After they had their fill of food and drink, Marco and his companions were led by Luce Grafton to a room next to the banquet hall, where a middle-aged man was already waiting for them.
Lord Jeyne Grafton looked to be around 40 years old. He was tall and burly, and it seemed he had been a powerful knight in his younger days.
The Vale was the birthplace of knightly culture, possessing the greatest variety and highest quality warhorses on the Westeros Continent. The Vale also had the most knightly orders on the Westeros Continent.
Their heavy cavalry, in particular, was a renowned and formidable force. Early in Robert's Rebellion, Robert had relied on their support to win one battle after another.
Lord Jeyne Grafton said with a smile, "Hello, Sir Marco! It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Jeyne Grafton, the lord of Seagull Town."
Marco replied with a smile, "Thank you very much for your hospitality, my lord! I never expected that a commoner like myself would have the honor of meeting you!"
The two chatted pleasantly, and before long, the topic turned to Dragonsteel. Marco directly told Lord Jeyne that it was a magical weapon created by the Children of the Forest.
He had two more of these weapons. With that, Marco produced a longsword from beneath his cloak, causing Luce Grafton's eyes to nearly pop out of his head.
When Marco and his companions entered the city, male and female guards had conducted thorough searches, but they hadn't found anything unusual. Yet, Marco had suddenly produced a longsword. The steward, realizing what had happened, immediately began to shout, but Lord Jeyne stopped him.
Marco looked at the exceptionally calm Lord Jeyne, and was very satisfied with his demeanor. Regardless of his abilities, this composure alone made Marco feel that this trip had not been in vain.
So, Marco spoke, "Lord Jeyne! Are you tired of these humiliating days? Have you ever thought about changing things?"
"What do you mean..."
Before the steward, Luce, could finish, Lord Jeyne stopped him. He looked deeply at Marco, then said with a touch of helplessness:
"It seems you've heard some things. But what can I do? Although..."
Lord Jeyne was about to say something, but seemed to suddenly realize something, and quickly shut his mouth.
"Even though Jon Arryn, that old coot, is gone, his son is still around. The Vale won't fall into chaos, and the King is still in power. The chaos Littlefinger spoke of hasn't happened yet, right?"
Marco's words seemed to possess a special magic. With each sentence, Lord Jeyne took a step back, though in truth, he was simply frightened.
After speaking, Marco casually lowered his hood, revealing his true face. His purple eyes gazed at Lord Jeyne and his servant, and he said softly:
"Chaos is a ladder, and also the beginning of change, the dawn of a new era. My dear Lord Jeyne, an opportunity now lies before you. Are you willing to give it a try?"
Lord Jeyne stared at Marco, completely losing his initial composure. He stammered, "Who...who exactly are you? Are you from Lys, or Volantis? What is your purpose here?"
Marco smiled upon hearing this, then said, "Who I am doesn't matter, Lord Jeyne. What matters is, do you want to change things? The Lannister family's power is growing, and this is already affecting the interests of certain people. Your good friend, Littlefinger, saw this and that's why he chose to ally with you."
"But have you considered this? Even if he becomes the Duke of the Eyrie, a man of such low birth can only command so many families. Things gained through conspiracy and deceit will never earn true respect!"
Lord Jeyne swallowed hard and asked, "What must I give? And what will I receive in return?"
Marco chuckled. "Excellent, excellent! It seems you learn quickly. I need you to continue assisting Littlefinger and Luce Bolton. The division and chaos in the Vale and the North are precisely what I require. And your reward... is this Dragonsteel sword."
Lord Jeyne looked at Marco, then at the Dragonsteel sword in his hand. Remembering the humiliation of the past decade since he took power, and his brother's tragic death, he gritted his teeth and said:
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