"Hello, Maester Marwyn. I am Mufasa Lannister. I have long admired your reputation," Mufasa said.
"I have long admired your reputation too, Ser Mufasa! I heard you can truly use magic. I wonder if you could light this candle."
Maester Marwyn took out a Black Obsidian Candle. It had no wick or oil; it was simply a candle shape carved from blackrock stone.
Mufasa knew that the Maesters of The Citadel would attempt to light this candle in a secret chamber the night before becoming a Maester.
If they failed to light it, they had to stay in the darkness for one whole night without coming out. This was to remind the Maesters not to forget the hardships of pursuing truth.
This is actually similar to how knights must pray all night in a chapel the night before being knighted; both serve as a warning.
Mufasa took the candle and used Fire Magic, but the flame only flickered in Mufasa's hand and could not ignite the blackrock stone.
After all, it was stone, an incombustible material.
"I failed, Doctor! I admit this is difficult. It seems no one can do it?" Mufasa said.
"No, someone once did it—Otto Seven of House Seven. He once lit the Black Obsidian Candle," Maester Marwyn said.
"Otto Seven is a legend. I've heard of him, but I never had a chance to meet him. What a pity," Mufasa sighed.
"But you can conjure fire in your hand. It seems you really are a sorcerer."
"I was once mocked by other doctors as a sorcerer. To meet a real sorcerer today truly feels like destiny. Why have you come to see me?" Marwyn asked.
"I came to talk to you about the Others, Dragons, and other mysterious entities."
"Mysterious entities. I am one of the few doctors in The Citadel who studies magic and mysticism. I think you will find me agreeable," Marwyn said.
"The two of you can go up to The Hightower. No one will disturb you there," Margaery said.
House Hightower is also researching mysterious things; they won't reject them.
So Maester Marwyn and Mufasa came together to The Hightower to attend the banquet here.
Lord Leyton Hightower is nearly eighty years old, but his body is still robust. He has many children, over ten of them.
His grandchildren, both paternal and maternal, number in the dozens. He has truly branched out and prospered.
He greatly respected Mufasa because he was someone who truly mastered magic.
Mufasa was also curious about Lord Leyton Hightower and Maester Marwyn. He couldn't help but check their stats.
"Name: Leyton Hightower"
"Identity: Noble"
"Occupation: Knight"
"Strength: 5"
"Speed: 6"
"Intelligence: 23"
"Spirit: 24"
"Magic Power: 20"
"Name: Marwyn Duke"
"Identity: Commoner"
"Occupation: Maester/Doctor"
"Strength: 6"
"Speed: 4"
"Intelligence: 34"
"Spirit: 35"
"Magic Power: 28"
Both of them were people who had researched magic, so their Magic Power values were much higher than ordinary people's, but Mufasa wasn't sure if they could actually use magic.
Perhaps their Magic Power values were purely theoretical, and they couldn't even cast a simple spell to light a cigarette, Mufasa thought.
During the dinner, Leyton Hightower's eldest son, a man named Baelor Hightower, asked Mufasa.
"Ser Mufasa, how are things at The Wall now, and are the Seven Kingdoms safe?"
Mufasa wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Everything is well at The Wall. We are repairing some castles that are still habitable, and the Seven Kingdoms allied forces are spread out among the various castles. Neither the Others nor the Wildlings will easily break into the homes of the Seven Kingdoms."
"In that case, let us toast them!" Baelor raised his glass.
Others followed suit.
"To the warriors fighting in the North! They protect the Seven Kingdoms without fear of death—they are all heroes."
At this moment, far in the North, Beyond the Wall, where snow covered everything, Crasters Keep had been occupied by the large army led by Lü Bu.
They requisitioned this place as a stronghold. Craster was currently squatting obediently on the ground, awaiting instructions.
He had to submit, because the fellow named Lü Bu could single-handedly lift a five-hundred-jin pig in each hand; lifting a thousand jin was effortless for him.
Craster immediately knew he couldn't resist forcefully. He invited them inside, treated them well, and even had his wives and daughters serve them.
Lü Bu was sitting imposingly on a chair with a backrest. His massive body sat there for less than fifteen minutes when a creaking sound was heard.
The chair broke.
Lü Bu had no choice but to switch to a sturdy bench. He looked down at Craster below.
"We came because we heard you can find information about the Wildlings here. Do you have anything to report?"
"Mance Rayder did send someone to invite me!" Craster said.
Aggo immediately sneered.
"Invite you? When I came, he sent someone to give you orders! Would he really be that polite to you, Craster?"
Craster glanced at Aggo and continued.
"In short, he sent someone to find me and asked me to go with them, but I refused, because I can protect myself and my family."
"With just you?" Lü Bu looked at the man with disdain. In his view, although the old man was still robust and short-tempered, he was ultimately alone. Two fists cannot defeat four hands, so how could he deal with multiple enemies by himself?
"Don't underestimate me. I've lived Beyond the Wall my whole life. Wives, daughters, a whole bunch—who else has this ability besides me?"
Ygritte looked at Craster's wives, feeling somewhat confused.
"How did you manage to survive in this Haunted Forest? After all, that kind of thing frequently appears here."
"They are my gods. I believe in them, I serve them. When they come, I offer sacrifices: pork, mutton, and even my newborn children."
"As long as I can live, I don't care," Craster said indifferently.
"You... no wonder, no wonder everyone here besides you is a woman. Were your sons all offered as sacrifices to that entity?" Ygritte asked.
"What if they were?" He said righteously, feeling no guilt whatsoever.
"Only by doing this can I survive here."
"They will come tonight too. They are coming more and more frequently. But I still have many pregnant wives—enough for my sacrifices, hahaha!" Craster laughed like a madman.
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