Today, the laughter and clinking of plates in the Hall of the Sea King converged into a river, echoing throughout the hall.
This night not only featured splendid performances by Courtesans and renowned theater troupes, but also exquisite banquets with appealing colors, aromas, and flavors, along with expensive wines from both sides of the Narrow Sea.
Attending such a banquet was, naturally, also a symbol of status and position.
It was difficult for anyone who wasn't an old noble, a great merchant, an official, or a celebrity from Braavos to obtain an invitation to the Sea King's banquet.
Viserys also got a firsthand glimpse into the court operations of Braavos; trade was the core of the Free Cities' operations, while land was the pillar of Westeros's operations.
In the Free Cities, merchants and Courtesan celebrities also held high status, considered part of the upper class.
This also highlighted the difference in power structures between Essos and the Sunset Continent; Westeros was governed by feudal military lords.
The noble lords of Westeros would despise these parvenus from the trade cities, calling them upstarts and cheese-mongers.
Viserys's room was also quite peculiar, with Courtesans and the exiled king.
"Today isn't the liveliest," Black Pearl explained. "The liveliest is the annual Ten-Day Grand Revelry, commemorating Uthero unveiling his cloak. At midnight on the tenth day, the titan will let out a roar, and at that moment, all banqueters and revelers will uniformly remove their masks."
"Truly mesmerizing," Viserys replied, skillfully picking out snow-white crab meat.
This ten-day masquerade carnival must be lively, but the liveliness belonged to others; Viserys was already contemplating escape.
"Is it that delicious?" the cold and alluring Daughter of Darkness watched Viserys devour his food, wielding his knife and fork.
The shells of the eaten snails and crabs were piled to one side.
She truly seemed to be connected to darkness, possessing a sense of aloofness and coldness.
The Daughter of Darkness wasn't infatuated; she was simply struck by the huge contrast of such a handsome and respectable person eating so freely and heartily, without much of a noble aura.
And this was a descendant of the ancient and proud dragonlords; he couldn't possibly be so down-and-out.
"It is indeed quite delicious," Viserys cared little for others' gazes; it was pointless to suffer for the sake of appearances.
The best state for a king was to be indifferent to all things.
When traveling, appearances were merely given; now, the dignity of a fallen royal family was nothing but an empty facade.
These sea snails, lobsters, Sea King crabs, and lampreys were all extremely expensive, with high labor costs.
If one were to buy them at the Braavos fish market, they would be priceless and fresh ones would be hard to come by.
"You can eat my share too, Silver Traveler, Viserys. A good knight must have a good appetite." Moonshadow smiled, offering her sea snail soup to Viserys. She had a pair of fair and delicate hands. "I don't like sea snails."
"I am deeply honored by Lady Moonshadow's gift," Viserys thanked her.
Moonshadow likely wasn't interested in Viserys's status; it could only be said that Viserys was handsome and talented, which made this Courtesan somewhat smitten.
"Just don't get fat," Black Pearl and Nightingale chuckled.
"Don't worry, I won't," Viserys assured.
Joking aside, his "Glutton" talent ensured that the food he consumed was converted into attribute energy.
Without this talent, Viserys would have long suffered from gout or obesity, or iron poisoning.
"You can eat my share too," the Daughter of Darkness also pushed her small bowl of creamed snail soup.
Viserys looked at the Daughter of Darkness in the black dress; she seemed to possess a misty aura, like an iceberg, a mysterious Courtesan.
The Daughter of Darkness wore a black dress; her figure was exceptionally well-proportioned, and the form-fitting dress showcased her alluring curves, enough to attract any man's gaze.
It was just that her face always seemed to have an off-putting habit of keeping people at a distance.
"You're really lucky; the Daughter of Darkness is always a woman of few words, even I haven't received such treatment," Black Pearl joked.
"If you wish, you may come to me," the Daughter of Darkness coldly snorted.
"Braavos has beautiful scenery and delicious food, but the local wine is a bit lacking," Viserys said after eating his fill and taking a sip of the watered-down local Braavosi wine, which was truly subpar.
"Braavosi wine indeed isn't presentable; everyone agrees the best wines come from Dorne and the Arbor," Black Pearl nodded; she was also a connoisseur.
"You can come to my place; I have excellent wine," Moonshadow said, looking at Viserys. As a Courtesan, she naturally possessed a captivating charm.
"His Majesty Viserys possesses three excellences," Black Pearl introduced to everyone. "The first is his writing, his beautiful words renowned throughout Braavos. The second is his tongue, this kingly tongue can savor many delicacies. The third is his keen blade, a talented swordsman."
"It's nothing to speak of," Viserys waved his hand.
Moderate humility further enhanced Viserys's image; besides being an exiled descendant of the dragonlords, he was also multi-talented.
Moonshadow's gaze felt like it had the lethality of a heart-hunting predator, but Viserys showed no reaction.
Currently, Viserys was planning a major undertaking and wasn't in the mood to engage in romantic dalliances in Braavos.
Moreover, in terms of connections and intelligence networks, Black Pearl utterly outmatched Moonshadow.
The dinner party largely concluded amidst laughter and cheer; after the long tables on the first floor were moved, the remaining aisle was used for men and women to dance.
By now, many men and women had begun to seek out their dance partners, preparing to shine on the dance floor.
"Let's go, Knight," Black Pearl said to Viserys, putting on her mask. "My first dance."
"My pleasure, beautiful maiden," Viserys said, then took Black Pearl's hand.
Viserys had learned some court dances as a child; while not particularly graceful, at least he wouldn't make a fool of himself.
The most dazzling Courtesan maiden in the entire hall dancing her first dance with Viserys would surely raise eyebrows.
Moonshadow's gaze was like she wanted to devour someone; it seemed that on this food chain, she was completely suppressed by Black Pearl.
Black Pearl and Viserys walked ahead, followed by the Daughter of Darkness, Nightingale, and Moonshadow.
These women also seemed to be a small clique; Black Pearl had complex connections, the Daughter of Darkness maintained her mystery, while Nightingale and Moonshadow both had ties to the Moonsingers priests.
As Viserys led Black Pearl out of the room, he saw several other Courtesans on the spiral staircase.
The Mermaid Queen and her four Mermaids, the Veiled Lady who only allowed her lovers to see her face, and the Poetess who always held a book in her hands.
The top Courtesans of Braavos were all present here.
"Miss Black Pearl, who is this?" asked the Mermaid Queen, wearing a silver mask.
She only saw silver hair and beautiful purple eyes, which exuded an extraordinary feeling, but the mask obscured his face.
"The one who writes songs for me, the Silver Traveler," Black Pearl introduced. "And my first dance partner."
The Mermaid Queen and the Poetess, though they had intentions of recruiting Viserys, knew it wasn't the right time.
The Mermaid Queen, the Poetess, and the Veiled Lady were all stunned, not expecting Black Pearl to be so casual.
While a good lyricist was indeed very rare, it wasn't to the extent of giving him such deference.
The first dance, how many princes and noblemen were waiting to be her partner? This was the big draw of the night.
But Black Pearl surprisingly had other plans.
"That will certainly be a beautiful dance," the Mermaid Queen praised.
"I hope so," Black Pearl said, her expression neither warm nor cold, then went downstairs with Viserys.
"You don't like her?" Viserys asked.
"Of course," Black Pearl whispered. "Did you see her four Mermaids? When the Mermaid Queen is unwell or not in the mood, it's the Mermaids who socialize on her behalf. The noble Courtesan remains pure, while the Mermaids are pitiful playthings."
"This..." Viserys could only say, "That's quite a strategy." This was equivalent to a buy-one-get-four deal.
"This is the Mermaids' rule; they've always been this way," Black Pearl said with a raised eyebrow.
"Then these Mermaids..."
"Poor Mermaids; when one leaves, a new one replaces her," Black Pearl said calmly.
"Doesn't Braavos reject slavery?"
"This isn't slavery; these are maids from good families, or young women hoping to make a name for themselves through the Courtesan path. They want to succeed, but in reality, they are always the Mermaids' servants, their tools."
"Where there is light, there will inevitably be ugliness," Viserys thought to himself.
This was Braavos, also a place of power struggles.
There was light, and there was darkness. There was glamour, and there was ugliness.
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