Game of Thrones: The Witcher System

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As the most efficient means of communication between noble houses, ravens carried messages of great significance. But as Catelyn stood before her husband, watching him lean against his greatsword under the heart tree with a look of disbelief and grief, she couldn't help but wish that the raven's message had never reached them.

Jon Arryn, Lord Paramount of the Seven Kingdoms, had passed away suddenly from illness—news that hit her husband, Eddard Stark, harder than she had anticipated.

While she understood how much Jon's death meant to him, there was no time to mourn. King Robert I Baratheon, the realm's ruler, was already on his way to Winterfell, and Catelyn knew the weight of what that meant.

When the news reached Clay, however, he was hardly surprised. In truth, his official mission in Winterfell had already been completed.

According to the suggestion of Ser Rodrik, as a guest of Winterfell, he was free to leave whenever he wished, as long as he paid a final visit to Lord Eddard Stark before his departure.

This was perfect for Clay because, as a member of the Mandrell family, who did not follow the Old Gods worshipped in the North, it was not wise for him to openly suggest visiting the godswood.

"Young master, we've brought the materials you requested," the captain of the guards reported, arriving in the second-floor corridor with an update.

"Oh? Excellent. Let's have a look," Clay nodded, following the captain toward the carriage.

"Mm... well done. Here's your reward. Make sure to divide it up among the men. And remember, don't spend it all on women's bellies. Be a little more restrained," Clay said with a slight frown, offering a reminder to the guard captain, whose face was full of strange smiles.

The rough man chuckled, pocketed the coin pouch, and quickly disappeared, humming a crude tune.

Once the captain was gone, Clay turned his attention to the pile of Heart Tree bark before him, and the corner of his mouth twitched. As expected, the actions of these brutes perfectly reflected the image of the wealthy men of White Harbor, as seen through the eyes of the Northern nobility.

Clay clearly remembered instructing them to bring only a small bag, yet these three ruffians had gone above and beyond, delivering an entire cart.

While their overzealousness could be seen as a sign of loyalty, it also meant he couldn't reprimand them without undermining their goodwill. With a resigned sigh, Clay climbed into the cart, sifted through the pile, and selected the best piece, dragging it into his room.

He had already asked the guards—his younger sister, Wylla, was busy enjoying herself with the Stark girls, leaving no time for her nearly-forgotten older brother.

Now that the final materials were ready, it was time to prepare the grass decoction.

With a thought, the Witcher system activated. Clay placed the Heart Tree bark he had just processed into his backpack slot. He checked the potion section, and the grass decoction, previously unavailable, was now selectable.

Upon selecting it with his mind, an illusionary sound of bubbles popping and water flowing echoed softly in his ears. In the next moment, all the materials, except for the dragonbone—which remained usable—disappeared.

In his inventory, Clay noticed a new item—three small bottles stacked together. He focused on them, and the following information naturally appeared in his mind:

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◇◆────────────────◆◇

Name: Grass Decoction

Version: 1.0

Effect: Triggers the Witcher mutation in ordinary humans.

Side Effects: Significant nerve damage (can be offset), drastically reduced fertility (can be offset), pupil splitting (can be offset)…

Base Success Rate: 30% (can be improved)

Remark: Drink it, and if you miraculously survive, you will become an invincible warrior. By the way, a friendly reminder: if you succeed, the damage dealt by grassforks will increase significantly…

◇◆────────────────◆◇

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Clay automatically disregarded the remark. His gaze lingered on the bottle of grass decoction, the culmination of so much effort. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, considering the implications.

There was no way he would let his little brother drink this all at once—if seven out of ten died, the risk was far too great. He wasn't sure how much he could improve the success rate using his magic pool, but one thing was certain: this was a gamble, and not one he was willing to take lightly.

And those side effects were utterly unacceptable. Even if he gambled on his luck and succeeded, he would be left with a face frozen in paralysis, the fate of a eunuch, and eyes like a cat's. Forget about becoming the heir of White Harbor—if he didn't end up burned alive as a heretic in the Seven Gods' church, it would be a stroke of good fortune.

"Sigh, it seems that visiting the godswood is unavoidable," Clay muttered under his breath.

He closed the system, and the Heart Tree bark he had dragged in earlier vanished completely. Fortunately, he had plenty in stock, so there was no risk of drawing suspicion.

With his decision made, Clay sat at his desk and picked up his pen. He began writing a letter to Lord Wyman in White Harbor.

In the letter, he informed the old man of the sudden death of the Hand of the King and the king's impending arrival in Winterfell. He also mentioned his decision to stay in Winterfell, hoping to meet with key figures from King's Landing if the opportunity arose.

Unlike the traditional Northern nobles, the Manderly family, which controlled White Harbor, was not exclusionary. For centuries, they had served as the North's gateway to the outside world, and that role continued even now.

Clay knew that his father had frequently exchanged letters with powerful Houses from the Riverlands and the Vale of Arryn, suggesting a network of camaraderie and influence beyond the North.

Given this, he was certain his father would approve of his decision to stay in Winterfell. Meeting the important figures of King's Landing fit perfectly with Lord Wyman's strategy for managing the House.

The letter was written quickly. After drying the ink, Clay folded it carefully. He knew such letters should never pass through the hands of the guards. Standing up, he pushed open the door and stepped outside, where the raven cage was placed nearby.

It was something his father had insisted he bring before leaving—ensuring they could stay in contact at all times.

Clay reached into the cage and pulled out a fat-looking raven, ignoring its struggles. He stuffed the folded letter into the small pouch attached to its leg. With a final release of his grip, the gray creature flapped its wings and soared into the sky. After a quick circle, it flew southeast, disappearing into the distance.

After the raven vanished from sight, Clay suddenly realized he had nothing left to do.

He had already decided that he would sneak into the godswood the night King Robert arrived, during the grand banquet held by the Starks. At that time, most of the Stark family's forces would be concentrated in the hall to the southeast.

The king's safety was of paramount importance, and Clay had no duties to fulfill in welcoming him. He wasn't part of the Stark family, who were the hosts. In a sense, he was just like King Robert—merely a guest in Winterfell.

Since he knew he would inevitably become involved in this game of power, Clay wanted to observe the key players in it beforehand.

After all, as long as that boy—often mockingly called "the Great King"—didn't flip the table and break all the rules, the game would still be played under relatively less bloody terms.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Clay drew his sword from his waist and began practicing the Wolf School swordsmanship displayed in the system. The blade whistled through the air, cutting past the drifting snowflakes that fell from the late summer sky.

What he didn't know was that, within the godswood, a cold, indifferent gaze was fixated on his figure.

This gaze ignored all obstacles, simply following Clay's movements as his blade grew faster and faster. A faint whisper echoed softly, barely audible:

"An interesting person…"

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[Author's Note]

Dear Readers,

I wanted to inform you all that due to my exams and studies, I will only be able to upload one chapter for the time being, instead of two. I truly appreciate your understanding and support during this time. Thank you for your patience!

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[Chapter End's]

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