Wearing her pearl-encrusted mask, the Black Pearl began to sing, her beauty stunning under the soft lighting.
Her smoke-yellow gown was the perfect complement to her burnished brown skin.
The songs Viserys had chosen for her weren't filled with tongue-twisting lyrics; their power lay in their sincerity and classic appeal.
The Black Pearl began, her voice rich and emotive: "When you are old and grey and full of sleep, / And nodding by the fire, take down this book..."
For a girl in the bloom of her youth and beauty to sing such a melancholic, reflective song created a powerful contrast.
Her handmaidens and the musicians joined in the chorus, accompanied by the gentle strains of flutes, wooden harps, and violins.
Beautiful music filled the great hall, the notes flowing like water.
"Black Pearl!"
"Black Pearl!"
The masked guests chanted the courtesan's name, utterly enchanted.
Frankly speaking, while the Black Pearl had a lovely voice, she wasn't quite on the Nightingale's level vocally. But the rarity of her singing publicly, combined with the profound lyrics, made the performance exceptional.
On the third-floor balcony of the Sealord's Great Hall, Sealord Ferrego Antaryon leaned against the railing, watching the Black Pearl perform below.
"This song... it reminds me of my own youth. For a young man in his teens to write lyrics that penetrate time with such profound life philosophy... he truly is a genius," Ferrego mused.
"Could it be written by someone in his retinue?" asked Qarro, the First Sword.
"Impossible. The Black Pearl isn't blind. If the silver-haired boy were truly a fool, he would have been exposed long ago."
"After today, the name of the Silver Traveler will spread throughout Braavos. The courtesans are singing his songs. This young man... he certainly knows how to create a spectacle," Ferrego praised.
"Do you wish to meet him?" Qarro asked. "He is right here, on the second floor."
"Not yet," Sealord Ferrego shook his head, lowering his voice. "He is certainly impressive, but I haven't seen his limits yet. Offending the Iron Throne for an uncertain future is not a smart wager. Let's wait and see."
Following the Black Pearl's graceful song came a dance performance by the Mermaid Queen and her Mermaids.
To melodious music, the Mermaid Queen and four of her Mermaids appeared on stage, beginning a graceful dance.
They wore white skirts that flared like fishtails, adorned with shimmering silver scales. All the Mermaids wore silver-patterned half-masks.
Their movements were light and airy, their figures graceful. Even without seeing their faces, it was clear they were all beautiful young women.
As the Mermaids' tempo increased, their skirts swaying like lotus flowers in the wind, applause erupted from the crowd in waves.
"Playing hard to get," Viserys critiqued the top courtesans' tactics.
It was precisely this affectation of contrast that made the guests feel like playthings in their palms.
Seeing no other particularly unique performances, Viserys returned to his private booth.
Moments later, the Black Pearl entered the room, accompanied by several other masked courtesans.
There was the Nightingale, whom he had met before, wearing a yellow dress. There was Moonshadow, dressed in a gown split between white and silver—she only wore those colors.
And there was an exceptionally beautiful girl in a black dress. Viserys recognized her as the Daughter of the Dusk, who seemed to have some connection to the House of Black and White.
The courtesans weren't particularly surprised to see Viserys sitting in the booth. Given how highly the Black Pearl regarded him, his presence was to be expected.
"This is the man who wrote the lyrics for me, for the Nightingale, and for the Lady Blade—the Silver Traveler," the Black Pearl introduced him with a wave of her hand.
"Nightingale."
"Daughter of the Dusk."
"Moonshadow."
Viserys offered an elegant bow.
The Nightingale, who looked somewhat Lysene, had the best voice. The Daughter of the Dusk was a tall, cool beauty. Moonshadow was vibrant and cheerful.
As for the Black Pearl, she was youthful and cute, with the best figure of the lot—curves in all the right places.
The Daughter of the Dusk and Moonshadow stared at Viserys. Silver-gold hair and violet eyes—an unusual combination.
Moonshadow's eyes lit up immediately. "Beautiful lyrics. I would give you a kiss for that song."
"I am honored."
Viserys looked at the four courtesans. Their backgrounds were complex.
Aside from the biggest star, the Black Pearl, the Daughter of the Dusk had ties to the House of Black and White, while Moonshadow and the Nightingale were connected to the Temple of the Moonsingers.
As the performances wound down, the main course began to arrive.
First came angel shark and crab soup, followed by a cold egg and lime soup. Then came lamprey, clam meat, honeyed quail, roasted lamb chops, foie gras poached in red wine, buttered turnips, stewed sea snails, and more.
Alongside the food came a variety of fine wines and beverages.
Viserys spotted Arbor Gold, Dornish Summer Red, and Tyroshi Pear Brandy among the mainstream options. There was even green nectar from Myr, white amber wine from Pentos, and an unknown golden liquor.
The courtesans rarely touched the strong stuff, sticking to light ale, cider, or lemon water.
"May this fortune be endless, and may the Sealord's will be done."
"May this fortune be endless."
Amidst the hum of conversation and the clinking of glass, the banquet officially began.
Masks could be removed for eating, to be donned again for the dancing later.
Viserys took off his silver mask and began to eat and drink without standing on ceremony. Frankly, after watching the show for so long, he was starving.
No excessive pleasantries—just straight to feasting.
While these courtesans were stunning, Viserys was only interested in the elite of the elite, and these few were a notch below the Black Pearl.
The meal provided by the Sealord was luxurious and grand, featuring the sea snails Viserys often consumed for stats.
Moonshadow saw Viserys's face—young, yet handsome with a razor-sharp, refined beauty.
"The Silver Traveler is so young?" Moonshadow was surprised. "I thought he would be thirty or forty."
This was the contrast between the product and the person. They had assumed the Silver Traveler was a world-weary old man who had seen it all, not a teenager.
"He's only fourteen or fifteen, but he has the heart of a forty or fifty-year-old. You've heard the songs," the Black Pearl explained.
"An exiled dragon." The Daughter of the Dusk stared intently at Viserys's face—violet eyes, silver-white hair, inhuman beauty, and that age. "I should have guessed. The Black Pearl has dragon blood and is very interested in the Sunset Lands."
The answer could only be one thing.
"Why didn't you tell me?" the Daughter of the Dusk asked the Black Pearl.
"Everyone has secrets. His Grace Viserys does not wish for this secret to be leaked," the Black Pearl said nonchalantly.
Regardless of the Daughter of the Dusk's status, the Black Pearl held her own ground.
"Is this your new... patron?" Moonshadow asked curiously.
When a courtesan prepared to retire or wanted to raise an heir, she would often look for a handsome partner. But given the Black Pearl's age, that time was far off.
"My friend, not my patron," the Black Pearl corrected.
"If you come to see me, I can give you some surprises," Moonshadow said, her interest in Viserys growing stronger.
An extraordinary exiled noble, a man of mystery. Leaving aside his creative talent, his looks alone were lethal.
"Let's talk after I'm full," Viserys ignored the Daughter of the Dusk and Moonshadow, calmly continuing to eat.
Angel shark soup, sea snails, lamprey—he devoured it all.
Moonshadow and the Daughter of the Dusk were shocked by Viserys's appetite. How long had this boy been starving? Or was he born with a bottomless pit for a stomach?
He looked like a tall, handsome, ethereal dragon, yet he ate like a horse.
Viserys felt that the excess food he consumed was likely being converted into attributes, placing no burden on his digestion.
Besides the sea snails, Viserys discovered that a new dish featuring large blue lobsters seemed to offer some stat bonuses as well, so he focused his attack on those.
A servant placed a covered dish before them and leaned over the table to remove the lid.
It was the prized Sealord's Crab, sprinkled with hot spices, looking absolutely delicious.
"Eat up. I'm not interested in crab," Moonshadow said with a smile.
These courtesans worked hard to maintain their figures. Only Viserys was gorging himself, eating and drinking with abandon.
The Daughter of the Dusk watched Viserys's figure with curiosity. It was truly strange that he didn't lose his shape after eating so much.
This didn't look like a performance; he was genuinely enjoying the food.
"Slow down a bit. You have to dance with me later," the Black Pearl said.
"You never told me about that," Viserys asked, surprised.
"I'm telling you now," the Black Pearl looked at him.
"Can I refuse?" Viserys took a breath.
"Probably not," the Black Pearl shook her head. "Relax, I won't eat you."