"Hiss... Crackle..."
The Devourer couldn't hear Rhaegar's voice, but the bond between dragon and rider allowed it to understand his command instantly.
After releasing one last burst of dragonfire, incinerating a fleeing group of Mountain Clan warriors, the dragon turned and flew toward Runestone.
Syrax, having received no orders, continued chasing the Mountain Clan warriors within sight.
As an adolescent dragon, it was immune to all but the Scorpion crossbow; regular arrows couldn't harm it.
Rhaenyra felt assured, allowing Syrax to act on its own.
The Devourer soared above Runestone before landing in the courtyard.
On the city walls, Ser Gerold had already slain all the Mountain Clan warriors attempting to climb up. His gaze remained fixed on the two dragons.
All of Westeros knew dragons were symbols of power.
But few had ever truly witnessed their might.
Seeing two dragons burn thousands of Mountain Clan warriors to ashes left Ser Gerold utterly speechless.
This was nothing short of divine power.
"Hurry! The prince is injured—fetch the maester!"
Seeing Gerold still in a daze, Jeyne shouted, her voice cracking.
---
### Nightfall
Inside a bedchamber, Rhaegar lay bare-chested on the bed, his eyes closed.
His shoulder and abdomen were wrapped in bandages, covered with herbal poultices.
After a brutal battle, these were the only significant wounds he bore—aside from minor cuts and bruises.
The maester of Runestone had examined him and deemed the injuries non-fatal.
The arrow hadn't pierced the bone, and the abdominal wound, though deep, had not ruptured his intestines.
With proper rest and care to prevent infection, he would recover.
Creak—
The door opened gently.
Rhaenyra entered, carrying something in her arms, moving with careful, quiet steps.
"Rhaegar..."
She called softly, checking if he was awake.
Seeing no response, she lowered her gaze and walked silently to his bedside.
She carried two items.
One was a sheathed hand-and-a-half sword.
The other—a worn, ancient bronze breastplate.
Rhaenyra unsheathed the sword halfway, revealing Valyrian steel with rippling wave-like patterns along its blade.
This was **Lamentation**, the ancestral Valyrian steel sword of House Royce, passed down through generations.
She placed the sword beside Rhaegar, guiding his left hand to rest upon its hilt.
Then, she placed the bronze breastplate near his feet, ensuring one foot touched it.
The ancient breastplate was rusted and bore the marks of time.
Upon closer inspection, faded runes could still be seen, faintly carved along the chest and edges.
House Royce, founded in the Age of Heroes, was once known as the "Bronze Kings."
Renowned for their bronze craftsmanship, they continued to wear bronze armor and wield bronze weapons even now.
This was why Daemon had once insulted his late wife as the "Bronze Bitch."
But more importantly, House Royce worshipped the Old Gods and believed in a mysterious rune-based power.
Their warriors engraved runes into their armor, believing these ancient symbols would strengthen their protection in battle.
The breastplate Rhaenyra had brought was the oldest surviving relic of House Royce—said to be over a thousand years old.
Most of the armor had been lost to time, leaving only this chest piece.
"Rhaegar, wake up soon."
After placing the artifacts, Rhaenyra leaned down and kissed his forehead gently.
Retrieving *Lamentation* and the bronze breastplate had been Rhaegar's last request before losing consciousness.
He had said that ancient relics would grant him strength.
Rhaenyra did not fully understand his meaning but had followed his instructions carefully.
She knew of Rhaegar's fascination with ancient artifacts.
Many of the rare treasures he gifted her had been meticulously acquired at great expense.
With everything in place, Rhaenyra hesitated briefly before making a decision.
She removed her boots and climbed onto the bed, moving carefully.
Resting her head on one arm, she lay beside Rhaegar, watching over him.
She didn't want him to be alone.
Ser Gerold had reported that an underground passage had been discovered beneath Runestone—one that had allowed the Mountain Clans to infiltrate the feast and slaughter nearly all the Vale lords.
The passage had since been sealed, and guards now patrolled the fortress day and night.
Yet Rhaenyra still felt uneasy.
She didn't want Rhaegar to leave her sight.
As exhaustion set in, she drifted into a light sleep.
She had no idea what these two ancient artifacts would bring to Rhaegar.
Then, the system's voice echoed in his mind.
**"Exploration quest initiated. Target: Valyrian steel sword—Lamentation."**
**[Lament]**
**Exploration Progress: 0.3%**
Time passed, minute by minute, deep into the night.
The system notification sounded once again.
"This exploration is now complete. Please retrieve the lost treasure."
Then—
"A new exploration mission has begun. The target is the Rune Armor."
**[Rune Armor]**
**Exploration Progress: 0.3%**
Rega's eyelids twitched slightly, disturbed but not waking up.
He had long wanted to explore the "Lament" and bronze armor of the Royce family.
However, since they were having a grand wedding and their relationship was distant, he never brought it up.
Now that Reya had passed away and Rune Stone City had undergone drastic changes, everything was kept simple.
As soon as Rhaenyra spoke, Geralt generously lent it out.
*Creak—*
The door was pushed open once again.
A figure stood at the entrance, peeking through the narrow gap.
"Rhaenyra…"
Janie whispered softly, her chestnut-colored hair falling over her chest. She immediately spotted her friend lying on the bed.
A trace of disappointment flashed through her eyes. Janie gently closed the door and left in silence.
—
**The Next Morning**
Rega was awakened by the system notification.
"This exploration is now complete. Please retrieve the lost treasure."
He opened his eyes in confusion, stretched his neck, and looked around.
A soft, pale hand rested on his chest, along with a pair of fair, snow-white mounds.
"Rhaenyra?"
Rega blinked and turned his head to see Rhaenyra sleeping beside him, still fully clothed.
It was obvious—she had stayed by his side all night, worried about his safety.
His fingers twitched, gripping an iron sword hilt.
Something poked uncomfortably beneath him. Looking down, he saw a tattered bronze breastplate and a swirling purple glow.
At that moment, Rega realized—
Rhaenyra had retrieved the items he had requested.
Bringing up the system interface, he checked the exploration status.
**[Lament]**
**Exploration Progress: 100%**
**[Rune Armor]**
**Exploration Progress: 100%**
Turning his head, he saw a half-unsheathed Valyrian steel sword in his left hand.
Beside the scabbard, another cluster of purple light shimmered.
Rega struggled to move his fingers, reaching out to touch the glowing purple orb.
At the same time, he nudged the second one with his foot.
Like fireworks, two bursts of purple light scattered, and the system notification chimed.
"Lost relics successfully retrieved. Analyzing…"
"Analysis complete. Classified as Epic Relics: Rune Greatsword and Watcher's Armor."
Rega's heart leapt with joy—two epic relics!
Before he could check their effects, two flashes of light emerged.
"Congratulations! The Rune Greatsword has been activated. You have obtained—"
**[Rune: Ouroboros]**
- **Grade:** Excellent (Blue)
- **Effect:** Activates the power of the Ouroboros, rapidly healing injuries.
- **Evaluation:** "One of the high-tier runes, a rare find in the era of vanishing runes."
"Congratulations! The Watcher's Armor has been activated. You have obtained—"
**[Rune: Bronze]**
- **Grade:** Good (Green)
- **Effect:** Provides protection.
- **Evaluation:** "A basic rune, but a reliable life-saving measure."
As the two relics activated, knowledge about runes surged into Rega's mind.
A wave of pleasure washed over his soul, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Ahhh!!"
At the same time, a shrill scream echoed through Rune Stone City, its tone unmistakably young.
*(End of Chapter)*