GOT/ASOIAF: Ruler Beyond The Ice

A gasp of disbelief echoed in the room, and even Tyrion turned to Aegor with a look of despair: Hey, we agreed in advance there would be rewards, but shouldn't such an important decision at least be discussed beforehand?

Tyrion restrained himself from objecting outright and waited until they had left the house to confront Aegor. "Brother, that's one-tenth! I don't mind using some tricks to retain talent, but have you thought about how much we'll need to invest to expand that factory? You made no agreements, and yet you promised them one-tenth right away. Gods know how much that one-tenth could be worth in the future! Even if Nina is a charming girl, there's no need for this. If you want a girl, I'll find you one tonight. Did you see how she looks at you with admiration? If you're willing to put in a little effort, she'll be yours in no time. No need to promise one-tenth of the profits on impulse."

"Nina is going to be my master's wife?" Arya, who had only caught the second half of the conversation, looked utterly confused. "But didn't the Night's Watch swear never to marry?"

"What nonsense are you spouting now?" Aegor snapped out of his self-congratulatory mood, realizing he may have gone a little overboard in his excitement. But the words had already been spoken, and there was no taking them back. He repeatedly apologized to Tyrion and quickly explained, "Don't be so alarmed. It's just something I said, I haven't signed anything, so there's still room to negotiate. How about this: we'll amend what I said to apply only to the profits from this specific paper mill, the one we just saw. Any future expansions or related industrial chains won't be included. Also, the paper they produce will only be sold to our own printing factory for a set period, and we'll control the pricing and profit margins. Does that work?"

"You plan to deliberately lower the price, but they aren't fools. They'll eventually look for another way to sell it," Tyrion said, though he begrudgingly accepted the compromise. "Fine… if it's limited to just this workshop, then even giving them half the profits wouldn't be too much. Let's settle it that way."

"Actually… what's the harm in being a bit more generous? We're playing a financial game, and the best way to succeed is to share profits with the key participants. When the paper mill grows, we can issue bonds to distribute dividends to the siblings. They'll get their rewards, but most of the money will still stay in our hands. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

"And what if people cash in those bonds for actual money?"

"Of course, we'll pay them. The most important thing in finance is maintaining credit. Don't worry about the occasional payout. As long as we keep enough capital in reserve, it'll be fine. Once our credit is solid, anyone who takes money out will eventually deposit it back," Aegor said. "When the first batch of usable paper is ready, we'll start planning the factory's expansion. During that process, remember to involve wealthy families and merchants from King's Landing and the Crownlands. Don't try to hoard all the benefits. The Lannister name carries weight, sure, but even a strong dragon can't suppress a local snake. If you want to prevent others from stealing our business, the best way is to turn potential rivals into partners."

"A 'community of interests'—isn't this the hundredth time you've said that? Do I look that stupid?" Tyrion smirked, clearly in a good mood. "To be honest, 'borrowing money' and attracting investments for cooperative ventures are much more enticing than Night's Watch bonds, which have no backing. I'm starting to think we should launch another investment-based debt project."

…

For Tyrion, a core member of House Lannister, this "community of interests" was just a matter of how much profit he could make. But for Aegor, it represented an opportunity to gradually integrate himself into the upper echelons of Westerosi society, claim a seat at their table, and earn influence and a voice in critical decisions.

With Arya and her Stark guards present, Aegor and Tyrion were careful to change the subject whenever their conversation veered too close to sensitive matters.

"The small room over there is the printing facility I set up. Want to take a look?"

"Let's go."

The group visited Tyrion's so-called "printing factory." Since the papermaking issue hadn't been resolved yet, the space was currently little more than a residence and workshop for two engravers. There, Aegor saw the printing plates for the Night's Watch bonds, as well as an engraving project for the Seven-Pointed Star in progress.

"Have you contacted the church yet?" Aegor asked.

"Not yet. If they refuse, I'll sell the books myself. Do you really think there's no market for cheap Seven-Pointed Stars? That's absurd."

"Maybe, but what if the church declares that printed Seven-Pointed Stars are sacrilegious and blasphemous?"

"Pah!" Tyrion spat on the ground. "To hell with their piety. Worst-case scenario, I'll give the High Septon a statue of the Seven made entirely of gold. I guarantee he'll change his tune. And if that doesn't work, well, if they cut off Tyrion Lannister's financial resources, they won't live to regret it."

"Yes! Kill them, and we can all go worship the old gods together!" Arya cheered.

"You're a sly little rascal!"

"Don't corrupt the child," Aegor scolded, rolling his eyes at Tyrion's mock ferocity. "Just go ahead with the printing. I'll back you all the way."

…

Joking aside, Aegor's concerns weren't unfounded. Flooding the market with printed copies of the Seven-Pointed Star would likely increase the church's influence in the short term. But in the long run, it would undermine the church's control over the people. The logic was simple: currently, only middle- and high-ranking clergy had access to the Seven-Pointed Star, while common missionaries and ordinary believers had to rely entirely on priests' interpretations. Once the printed version became widespread, literate individuals could read and interpret the text themselves, weakening the church's monopoly on doctrine.

Still, Aegor kept these thoughts to himself. This wasn't because he was particularly clever but because history offered clear examples. The leaders of the Faith of the Seven likely lacked the foresight to see this, and even if they did, it wouldn't affect Aegor directly. His immediate goal was to make money for the Night's Watch and himself. Let King's Landing and the Seven Kingdoms deal with the fallout.

…

Woodblock printing wasn't technically difficult, and Aegor didn't find an opportunity to impress anyone with another "groundbreaking" idea. He explained the principles of movable type printing to Tyrion and the engravers, but after some discussion, they decided against it for now.

Movable type required extensive material selection, skill, and expertise. Without advanced industrial tools, it was inefficient and prone to errors, like uneven letters or misaligned prints. For now, they decided to focus on reliability and stability, rather than chasing vague notions of "progress."

…

Tyrion sighed, lamenting that such an advanced technology couldn't be implemented immediately.

"Don't worry," Aegor reassured him. "When we've got more funds, you'll be able to print all the science and literature books you've ever dreamed of. Movable type will have its moment."

"Fine. For now, let's focus on making money."

…

While the adults worked all day, Arya had a great time running around and broadening her horizons. As night fell, her guards urged her to return to the Red Keep. Reluctantly, Arya bid farewell to her master and Tyrion and followed her escort home.

Aegor and Tyrion returned to the inn, handed their reins to the stablehands, and prepared to end the busy day.

Inside, Jack was waiting for them in the lobby. "Aegor, someone from the Red Keep delivered this for you. It's from the Black Castle."

A letter from Castle Black? Frowning, Aegor accepted the parchment sealed with black wax. The agreed date for the next batch of supplies was still far off. What could this letter be about?

***

For every 100 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 30+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.