As the annual Harvest Feast and Masquerade approached, all of Braavos bustled with excitement.
People from all over the world, drawn by its fame, sailed past the Titan and entered Braavos.
The Ragman's Harbor was long packed with ships of all kinds: big-bellied whaling ships from Ibben, swan ships from the Summer Islands, flat-bottomed barges from Pentos, trading galleys from Lys and Tyrosh, and cogs and great galleys from Westeros flying banners with various sigils.
Taverns, brothels, and temples were crowded day and night, the flow of people ceaseless.
Even the usually quiet "Warren," dedicated to forgotten gods, saw many visitors these days.
Men and women from different corners of the world sat shoulder to shoulder, acting like old friends, eating and drinking together, chatting about everything under the sun.
The boisterous Tyroshi had loud voices and dyed their beards and hair in various colors.
The blonde Lyseni always dressed splendidly but haggled over every copper when buying goods.
The Ibbenese were short, hairy, and often muttered curses in low, raspy voices.
And the Summer Islanders, with skin smooth and black as teak, wore cloaks of red, green, or yellow feathers.
As the saying went, Braavos, the Secret City, welcomed everyone—except slavers.
Now, Braavosi guards maintaining order could be seen everywhere on the streets, bridges, and canals.
It was said the Sealord had hired three mercenary companies, each a thousand strong, to maintain security inside and outside the city during the festival.
"The Sealord invited me to the Sealord's Palace for the Harvest Feast and Masquerade?" Arthur held the invitation, asking the First Sword of Braavos who had been teaching him Water Dancing.
"But I've only been in Braavos for a little over a year. Is this appropriate?"
"You know it's only been a little over a year." Syrio watched his apprentice, 'Shorty' Weiss, drilling some Peach-mark swordsmen in the courtyard, a smile in his eyes.
"In this year and a bit, you've stirred up quite a storm in Braavos. The Sealord said he's wanted to meet you for a long time."
"That's great then." Arthur put away the invitation. "I've actually wanted to visit the Menagerie for a while. I heard they have every kind of animal there?"
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Syrio, Arthur left the master and apprentice and went to Pate's office to inquire about the auction of the Valyrian steel dagger.
Pate rummaged through a categorized cabinet for a moment and pulled out a list full of records. "This is the list of recent bids from all buyers. As the dagger's fame grows, almost everyone has increased their offer."
"The auction house manager who brought the list asked if we could keep the dagger unsold indefinitely. He said he wouldn't charge commission and would even pay us a substantial fee for it."
Arthur didn't respond, just quietly scanned the list. His original intention in forging this [Wu's Six Swords] infused Valyrian steel dagger and consigning it to the auction was to connect with the Faceless Men and use [Snatch] to acquire their face-changing ability.
Unexpectedly, the Faceless Men hadn't shown up, but the shapeshifting dagger had accidentally generated massive traffic in Braavos.
Arthur searched the list carefully but still found no identity or item related to the Faceless Men of the House of Black and White.
It shouldn't be. They have no reason not to be tempted. Arthur sifted through the list again, finding nothing.
The shapeshifting ability this dagger displayed would remind anyone of the Faceless Men. As Kojja Mo said, if he claimed it was a holy relic of the House of Black and White, people would believe it.
The benefits of a holy relic for a religion were obvious. Otherwise, why would churches in his past life enshrine things like the Holy Prepuce and boast about their miraculous powers?
Arthur sighed. "Forget it. If I get it, I'm lucky; if not, it's fate."
Given the dagger's huge fame in Braavos now, the Faceless Men couldn't be unaware of its existence. Since they knew and remained indifferent, they clearly weren't interested.
Faceless Men preferred to make kills look like plausible accidents, not using blades or daggers.
Thinking about it now, apart from religious symbolism, this dagger probably didn't have much practical use for them.
"Tell the auction house I'm not waiting for other buyers." Arthur pointed to a name on the paper and instructed Pate, "This is the buyer for the Valyrian steel dagger."
"The Black Pearl, Bellegere Otherys? An unforgettable experience of a lifetime?" Pate looked at the name, startled at first, then put on a knowing, ambiguous expression.
"Yes, my Lord. I'll handle it immediately."
Ignoring Pate's winks as he left, Arthur smacked his lips and muttered to himself:
"A refined man may refuse to wallow in filth out of high-mindedness, but he will never refuse elegance out of high-mindedness."
Although Arthur's two general skills, [Naked Duel] and [Assault], were inherited from rough men, Arthur considered himself a refined person, always promoting the virtue of winning people over with virtue.
Compared to the gold, silver, rare treasures, and mundane objects on the list, it was better to fulfill the Black Pearl's elegance.
Giving this massive traffic to the Black Pearl would also boost the reputation of the 'Snow & Peach' smithy among Braavos's upper class.
Forget it, no more pretending.
Let me see what this unforgettable experience of a lifetime is all about.
---
However, heaven didn't grant his wish immediately. Before the experience of a lifetime came the annual Harvest Feast Masquerade of Braavos.
Before heading to the Sealord's Palace, Arthur dressed up for the occasion. Over his inner tunic, he wore a specially made [Rattan Armor] woven from dark green vines.
This armor was improved by the 'Snow & Peach' smithy based on feedback from the swordsmen returning from the pirate suppression campaign on Sweetsister.
Now, every suit of vine armor produced by the smithy was custom-fitted to the user. Kojja Mo specifically used a type of rattan from his homeland in the Summer Islands.
This rattan, after drying and oil-soaking, became incredibly tough yet resilient. It not only protected against cuts but also absorbed the impact of blows.
Arthur's armor, besides being practical, was aesthetically pleasing, unlike the rustic feel of other vine armors.
The texture was carefully polished to look ancient and profound, with a pigment-dyed Snow & Peach sigil on the chest.
Most importantly, this armor was successfully infused with the [Rattan Armor] equipment card, gaining its effect and greatly enhancing defense.
Arthur tried hacking at it with an ordinary Black Mamba sword, leaving only shallow marks on the [Rattan Armor].
Besides the armor, Arthur chose a purple cloak fastened at the shoulder with two purple running wolf clasps.
He wore a half-mask made of colorful feathers, covering only the upper half of his face.
The dark-skinned Kojja Mo praised Arthur's attire highly: "Your outfit has a very Summer Islander style, especially the mask. I like it."
Leaving the mansion, Arthur and Weiss squeezed through the crowded streets, heading for a ferry to the Sealord's Palace.
Everyone on the street wore masks of all kinds—wood, iron, grotesque and bizarre.
Many people were distributing sweets and food. Children, with cloth bags over their heads with eyeholes cut out, chased them playfully.
"I'm a child, give me some!"
"Give me! I wet the bed just today, look, there's still a stain on my pants!"
"Give me, I'm going to shit my pants!"
Arthur used Water Dancer steps to dodge the children, especially the one threatening to soil himself. He looked back at Weiss, who wore an iron mask, and joked, "Weiss, with your height, you could probably get some too."
Surprisingly, the usually wooden Weiss cracked a joke back: "Thanks to your blessing, my Lord, Sabel Kaffi could get some too."
"Fear cuts deeper than swords. Your master Syrio told me that," Arthur quibbled. "Sabel Kaffi's blessing is shared equally among the three of us."
After bantering with Weiss, Arthur arrived at the ferry. The river was packed with dazzling boats.
One boat stood out—a courtesan's pleasure barge, decorated with ornate drapes and gauzy veils, exuding a hazy beauty.
"My Lord, someone is approaching us," Weiss warned in Arthur's ear.
Just as Weiss finished speaking, a familiar tall woman appeared in Arthur's view.
She wore a pure black mask adorned with white pearls at the corners of the eyes, looking like teardrops.
"Hello." After checking his eyes to confirm, the woman spoke in Braavosi. "My lady invites you to her barge. Could you come with me for a moment?"
Arthur pursed his lips and asked knowingly, "Who is your lady?"
The woman chuckled, leaning close to his ear to whisper, "The Black Pearl."