The nobles had departed, but Tyrosh still flourished. Merchant ships came and went in an endless stream, and traders boasted in the taverns about how great their products were.
The newly appointed ministers couldn't yet feel much change, but the military mobilizations were something the people could truly sense.
The former Tyroshian navy had two divisions—one internal and one external—with a small coastal defense force and relatively small ships. All the fine equipment had been allocated to the navy. Now that Wright had money, he elevated the coastal defense force to the same status as the regular army. There was still a disparity in scale compared to the northern army, but it was sufficient to assist Lys and Volantis in clearing out pirates.
The biggest change had come to the Tyroshian city defense forces, which had been renamed the army. The 1,000-strong force had lost over two hundred men during the Dorne War. After the baptism of war, nearly 800 veterans remained, with an extensive battle experience in this peaceful age.
Tyrosh left behind 100 men to serve as officers, leading and training the expanded city defense force. These men had either been disabled or settled with families during the Dorne War, making long journeys impractical, and so they stayed in Tyrosh as part of a pleasant assignment.
The remaining 700 men accompanied Ashara by ship to the Eastern Coast Port, where Wright instructed Ashara to form an army of 2,000 soldiers. Eastern Coast Port would be their permanent station.
The contested land wasn't peaceful; for centuries, no fixed power had held it. Only a few local farmers lived here, while many wanderers and fugitives moved about. As the port and small town developed, many turned into mountain bandits. Tyroshians had money, so some areas thick with forests gradually gave rise to large bandit groups.
Maintaining a 2,000-man standing army, along with the personal armies of local lords and conscripted militias, was enough to deal with the bandits.
The northern navy had also brought Tyrion to Myr, and until the chaos there was resolved, it would sooner or later become a den of bandits.
In Tyrosh, soldiers in uniforms were everywhere, hurriedly walking through the streets with their standard waterproof packs. After orders were issued, the soldiers would be setting off once their leave was over.
In the southern orchard, a farmer carried water buckets, making repeated trips from the reservoir to water the pear orchard. Another farmer sat in the shade, lazily chewing on a piece of grass.
"Hurry up, Hopper! Finish the work here, and we'll head to the city!" the farmer sitting under the tree ordered.
"Got it!" Hopper replied with a smile. As he turned, a vicious gleam appeared in his eyes. Once I gain my master's power, the first one I kill will be you!
The working farmer's name was Hopper—he didn't have a surname, as his ancestors had all been straightforward farmers. The one sitting in the shade was named Jos Har, and both came from a small village outside Karhold in the North. They had known each other since childhood, though Har had added his surname after following his master.
Karhold was a castle in House Karstark's domain. When winter came, the lands controlled by Karhold would be covered in snow, leaving them unable to be cultivated.
In past long winters, according to Northern tradition, the elderly would become mercenaries to save food and hoped to die in battle to avoid being a burden on their families. In the last decade, advances in agricultural science allowed Northern farmers to grow hardy crops and raise fodder, providing large amounts of supplies to their lords, so they could eat their fill. Yet, another harsh winter had arrived.
Luckily, the Lord of Tyrosh had signed an agreement with the Lord of Winterfell allowing the Northern lords to lease land in the contested region at very low prices. The farmers from Karhold were among those who had come south in large groups by boat. Upon arriving in Tyrosh, they were hired by an orchard owner to tend to his pear orchard.
By the afternoon, the sun in Tyrosh was no longer scorching, and the gentle sea breeze made the sunlight feel quite comfortable. Jos, sitting in the shade, felt listless, leaving Hopper to do all the work.
It wasn't until sunset, at dinnertime, that Jos jumped up from the ground and rushed over to Hopper. "You go eat first; I'll find us some good clothes."
Jos quickly ran out of the pear orchard after speaking.
"Think you can order me around? I'll kill you sooner or later!" Hopper glared at his retreating figure, throwing the bucket onto the ground as he cursed.
Covered in dirt, Hopper didn't bother to put away his tools. He kicked the bucket and thought, Once I finish this task, my master will grant me immortality. I'll wear the finest leather armor, have a gold belt, and ten women!
"Hahahaha!" Hopper laughed heartily as he returned to the manor for dinner.
That night, Dickon Tarly and Jojen Reed sat together at a tavern drinking.
Jojen, like Qyburn, was skilled in Conjuring magic, though he favored Conjuring weapons. Wright had focused his training on martial skills, but Jojen also had a dream mentor who frequently guided him in natural magic while he slept.
At fifteen years old, Jojen's body had filled out significantly. The muscles in his arms were apparent, even when he drank.
Dickon, as Commander of the Dragon Guard, led Tyrosh's most mysterious team. To join, one had to pass a strict selection process, and once selected, members became as silent as mutes. They kept their work secret even when out drinking with friends. As a result, Tyroshians still believed they were just dragon keepers.
Like Jojen's training, the Dragon Guard were skilled in all sorts of weapons, and the two often trained together. Over time, the serious Dickon and Jojen became close friends.
"Can you use a Dothraki curved sword? I've heard that weapon is very powerful!" After taking a large gulp of his drink, Jojen asked.
Dickon, who had a small mustache, gently sipped his drink and then put the cup down. "The Dothraki curved sword is only good for slashing. The curved blade doesn't get caught on armor or bone easily, so it has some advantage in close combat. But it can break when used to thrust, and it's useless against Westerosi plate armor."
Jojen, noticing the silver-colored armor Dickon was wearing, asked, "Speaking of armor, don't you ever take off this silver-inlaid set? Or is it too expensive and you're worried about thieves?"
Dickon touched his small mustache, a style that was currently fashionable in Tyrosh. "I only take it off to sleep in the barracks. Otherwise, I wear it all the time."
"Aren't you worried it'll smell?" Jojen recalled how many soldiers' armor smelled unbearable when he was at Greywater Watch as a child.
Dickon laughed. "I have three identical sets!"
While they were chatting, a fully armored Dragon Guard ran into the tavern. He stood in front of Dickon, one hand gripping his longsword at his waist, the other holding the crossbow at his back, as if ready to kill at any moment.
"What's going on?" Seeing his comrade on night duty, Dickon set his cup down and asked.
The Dragon Guard, also wearing silver armor, trembled not from fear, but from excitement, before speaking. "Commander, it's dark now!"
Dickon immediately stood up and walked out with his comrade. As they reached the door, he flicked his fingers, sending a few silver stags flying into his cup.
"I can help, I'll go with you!" The smallest and most secretive unit had their own code, and Jojen was intrigued. As long as Dickon didn't refuse, he was determined to follow them tonight.
After leaving the tavern, Dickon saw that the street was calm, and it hadn't yet caused a panic. He nodded at Jojen, signaling him to follow. Everyone in the Dragon Guard knew Jojen had powerful connections, so having him along would be helpful.
"What happened? Tell me in detail!" Dickon asked his comrade as they jogged.
"Just now, the fruit orchard owner's family in the southern district of Tyrosh was killed! The city guard investigated the scene and found it strange, as it looked like an animal attack, but there are no wild animals on the island! So, they sent many people to check nearby. I know someone who just came back from the site, so I went to investigate too. Sure enough, the reagents reacted strongly!"
The two were in armor, carrying weapons, but their conversation didn't slow down.
"What kind of reagent?" Dickon asked.
His comrade didn't respond immediately but glanced back at Jojen.
Dickon said, "It's fine, Jojen can be involved."
In the military, even if soldiers were close to Jojen, they wouldn't speak out about official matters without permission. Now that Dickon had given his approval, the comrade immediately spoke. "Vampires!"
"Damn it! The worst kind of trouble," Dickon cursed. "Which breed?"
"We don't know yet. I came back to get more advanced reagents."
Dickon immediately ordered, "You go notify the Dragon Guard to assemble at the orchard. Jojen and I will head there first!"
"Understood!"
Jojen, who had been jogging behind them, thought they were dealing with some kind of magical beast.
When they arrived at the pear orchard, the place was swarming with city guards.
"Lord Dickon, Master Jojen, what brings you here?" A captain of the city guard approached and greeted them.
Dickon nodded. "This is the deadliest case in Tyrosh since the city was founded. We have to pay attention to it. What's the situation now?"
"The owner and his family are all dead. This is where the husband and wife were killed." The captain led them to the manor's hall, pointing at the scattered debris. "This is all them!"
Dickon bent down to examine the pieces of human remains. Normally, such a scene would be soaked in blood, but here there was almost no blood, except for a few red stains on the carpet in the center of the hall.
Dickon pulled a small glass vial from his belt. The vial was only as long as a little finger and contained an unknown milky-white alchemical substance.
He opened the vial, and a strong, pungent odor immediately wafted out. Dickon dripped a drop of the substance onto the debris.
Ssss~~~
The potion on the debris started to bubble as if it were boiling, emitting a hissing sound as it quickly evaporated, releasing a large amount of white smoke.
The reagent's intense reaction made even those who didn't understand alchemy realize something was wrong. Jojen leaned toward Dickon and whispered, "Is this really bad?"
Dickon spoke softly, "Vampires, Coldharbour breed! This is very troublesome."
"A type of magical beast?" Jojen had never heard of such a thing.
Dickon explained, "Vampires have two forms. In their normal state, they look exactly like humans, capable of speech and reasoning. Their true form is a monstrous creature resembling a hairless bat. They don't eat anything but sustain themselves on human blood. They're incredibly strong, have magic, and can reproduce rapidly. Advanced vampires can bite people, and those bitten will soon turn into vampires themselves."
Jojen was shocked, thinking how difficult it must be to deal with such creatures hiding among humans and capable of spreading the infection. "So what's the Coldharbour breed?"
Dickon continued, "There are many types of vampires, but they all share a common weakness: they fear sunlight. Some can even be killed by the sun. The Coldharbour breed, however, isn't affected by sunlight. While sunlight slows their magical abilities and healing, they can still function like humans, making them very hard to spot."
"There must be some distinctive feature about them, right?" Jojen wondered. "Every creature has its own unique traits."
Dickon nodded. "When in human form, vampires only have pale skin, two sharp fangs, and special eyes. But they're not stupid—they know how to hide themselves."
"What should we do now? I'll follow your lead!" Jojen, from House Reed, known for their hunting traditions, felt his mind start to race. If they caught such a monster, he'd have a great story to boast about when he returned to his father and sister.
Dickon walked up to the captain of the city guard and took out a red dragon-shaped emblem from his pocket. "In the name of the Commander of the Tyrosh Dragon Guard, under the regulations of Article 82 of the City Guard's rules, I hereby temporarily take command of the City Guard."
"Understood! Please give your orders, Commander Dickon!" The captain became serious, realizing that this rule, which had often been seen as a joke among officers, was now being enforced for the first time.
Dickon said, "Send a raven immediately to Eastport. Lord Wright must know about this by dawn tomorrow."
"Understood!"
Dickon added, "This time we're dealing with a powerful creature that looks human but can lift at least four or five people with ease. You'll need to search the city with torches, and shout to lure the vampire out. It has incredibly high defense, and blades will hardly work on it. Make sure to instruct the City Guard to use fire—it's the only way to deal with it."
"Understood! City Guard, gather and follow me into the city!"
After the captain led the guards away, only Jojen and Dickon were left in the manor.
"Dickon, won't this cause panic throughout Tyrosh? Is it really okay?" Jojen voiced his concern.
Dickon took the Valyrian steel greatsword, Shattered Heart, from his back and held it in his hands. "Leaving it in the city would cause real panic. One family is dead today; in a while, when it gets hungry, another family will die. We'll find it tonight, and no matter how chaotic it gets, it'll only be for one night. Tomorrow, we can just hang some animal carcasses in the square and say that was the vampire. Besides, Lord Wright already gave me the authority to handle this. If we don't eliminate the vampire today, Lord Wright will make a bigger fuss when he returns. As long as we capture it, Lord Wright will accept even if half of Tyrosh is destroyed."
"Alright, I'll stay behind you to provide support." Hearing this, Jojen's worries were eased.
Jojen preferred wearing leather armor and wasn't carrying a wand or weapons. If it were a regular fight, he could summon various weapons capable of easily killing a small squad of soldiers. But this was a vampire of the Coldharbour breed, something he'd never encountered before—powerful and not easily dealt with. So, he obediently followed behind Dickon, who had no magical power, and acted as backup.