GOT/ASOIAF: Ruler Beyond The Ice

Arya had no idea that she had inadvertently become the greatest benefactor of the Night's Watch enterprise. Thanks to the girl's timely revelation, worth its weight in gold, quite literally, Aegor had managed to survive the most significant financial crisis since arriving in the world of ice and fire.

This entire operation had relied heavily on luck. There was no shame in admitting that. But as the saying goes, luck is a part of one's strength as well. Through the combined forces of fortune and strategy, the Night's Watch enterprise not only weathered the crisis but also saw a dramatic increase in available funds. In theory, all of the Night's Watch's financial resources, though now effectively managed by Tyrion, had not only covered their outstanding debts but also reached a level where they could withstand full withdrawals and redemptions without breaking the capital chain.

On the very day the orders were finalized, more than half of the initial deposits miraculously returned to the Night's Watch office—now doubled. The remaining portion was reluctantly handed over after Aegor personally led his men to press the merchants for payment, backed by signed agreements.

It was worth noting that Tyrion had advised Aegor to take careful note of the order in which these merchants paid their penalties. The faster they had access to inside information, the stronger their connections and backing. Creating a record of these dealings could prove invaluable in forming future alliances and navigating the city's power structures.

Aegor readily accepted this wise counsel.

---

What followed was the inevitable wave of bond redemptions.

King Robert, the most powerful and hot-tempered man in Westeros, wasted no time negotiating with the so-called Alliance of the Righteous. Instead, he issued an ultimatum. When the rebels failed to respond within a few days, he promptly called for full mobilization, summoning the lords of the realm and preparing to assemble the entire royal army to crush the rebellion.

Under these circumstances, it was only natural that bondholders would seek to reclaim their gold dragons in order to purchase supplies and equipment for themselves, their knights, and their retainers. This was not an act of financial sabotage but a practical necessity, and Aegor and Tyrion, recognizing this, chose to act accordingly.

Rather than enforcing early withdrawal penalties, they "graciously" waived them. Any bondholder who presented their bonds at the office could redeem their full principal plus a minimum of one month's interest. The earliest investors, those who had held their bonds for more than a month, even received returns equivalent to two months' interest.

This decision meant an additional expenditure of several dozen gold dragons, but it was far from an impulsive giveaway. The goal was to establish goodwill. By ensuring a smooth and amicable settlement, they were betting on future opportunities. If these nobles and wealthy investors found themselves in need of profitable ventures after the war, they would remember the Night's Watch enterprise as a reliable place to reinvest their wealth.

While the remaining net assets controlled solely by the Night's Watch enterprise were already substantial, further expansion and development would always require more capital. No one ever complained about having too much money.

---

Under the bright summer sun, the royal host began to assemble more than ten miles north of King's Landing. Similar gatherings were taking place across Westeros, in the Westerlands, the Reach, the Stormlands, the North, and even in Dorne.

The Iron Throne was a monarchy in name, but in reality, the king's power was only as strong as the noble houses that supported him. His control over the Seven Kingdoms depended entirely on his ability to command and enforce loyalty.

Fortunately for Robert, his military prowess and history of victories made him a formidable force. After more than a decade of careful governance by Jon Arryn, the old alliances that had carried Robert to the throne remained largely intact. Meanwhile, Littlefinger, who had originally sought to provoke discord between House Stark and House Lannister had been removed from play. In this relatively stable political landscape, the so-called Alliance of the Righteous had emerged as an unwelcome disruption.

For the four great houses tied by blood and marriage—Lannister, Stark, Baratheon, and Tully—there was no question of their support. They were determined to break the Vale's uprising and rescue the besieged Eyrie. Even the two houses that had once stood against Robert, House Tyrell of the Reach and House Martell of Dorne, both former Targaryen loyalists dared not openly defy the king's summons.

Tyrion was quick to predict that the Tyrells and Martells would each send important representatives, along with just enough troops to fulfill their obligations without fully committing to Robert's cause.

Westeros now projected an image of unity, preparing for war. The last time such widespread cooperation had been seen was during the Greyjoy Rebellion. Even the Ironborn, notorious for their defiance, had answered the call, sending a fleet in token support. Though their ships were of little use in an inland campaign against the Vale, their gesture sent the right message.

---

None of this had much to do with Aegor or at least, that was what he told himself.

As an outsider with no real roots in this world, he had no intention of profiting from war. His focus remained on his business. His priority was to complete the first factory, fulfill orders from the church and smaller clients, and secure the final payments. Strengthening the financial foundation would allow him to reinvest in further expansion.

One advantage of living in a pre-industrial society was that things were relatively straightforward. Just two weeks after narrowly surviving the initial financial hurdle, the first production line was already operational despite the factory itself not yet being fully built.

Hundreds of kilograms of raw materials for papermaking were fed into a massive stone mortar. A wooden pestle, thicker than a man's arm, crushed the materials under the steady motion of a waterwheel. The resulting pulp was treated with alkaline powder before being sent to the next stage of processing.

The secret to a successful assembly line was simple: as long as raw materials were continuously fed into the system, production would never stop, regardless of how long individual processes took.

The printing plates for the Seven Pointed Star Bible, calendars, and other texts were already prepared, awaiting the first sheets of paper from the production line. Meanwhile, hired bards and writers had begun transforming oral stories into written works. Since Aegor had promised them full authorship rights, they worked diligently.

Among all these projects, one story held Aegor's particular interest—a novel based on "his" adventures.

Titled The Fantastical Adventures of the Night Watchman, the tale followed the journey of a young traveler setting out into the world for the first time. It chronicled his adventures across distant lands, his struggles and triumphs, and ultimately, his growing curiosity about the shape of the world itself.

In the final volume, the protagonist, having explored every known land, made the fateful decision to set sail on a daring voyage to circumnavigate the world. But fate had other plans. Shipwrecked on a foreign shore, he found himself in Westeros, where circumstances forced him to join the Night's Watch.

By sheer chance, he rose through the ranks, eventually arriving in King's Landing to secure provisions, supplies, and recruits for the Wall's defenders.

There were no professional storytellers in this world, and the works penned by bards tended to be rough and disjointed. However, the story itself was fresh and engaging enough to capture interest. The name Aegor West never appeared in the novel, but anyone with a bit of insight would recognize that it was about the "Chief Logistics Officer" of the Night's Watch office in King's Landing.

---

This was a bold public relations experiment. The more copies sold, the more people would come to know of his "experiences." When the day came for him to leave the Night's Watch, the backlash and opposition would be far less severe.

Aegor glanced at drafts of several other novels. Compared to the one he had personally outlined and authorized, the knightly tales passed down by the bards felt stale and formulaic. He had a strong hunch: even from a purely financial perspective, his story would be the most profitable.

Meanwhile, preparations were also underway for the material Tyrion had referred to as "unsuitable for polite company." Since no experts in the field could be found, Tyrion took a more direct approach, he invited painters and bards to move into his favorite brothel, where they could collaborate in an "atmosphere best suited for inspiration." Their goal was to create an illustrated book that combined vivid imagery with suggestive storytelling.

The dwarf proudly presented the draft of this risqué book to Aegor. To be honest, compared to the famous erotic works from Aegor's previous world, this was absolute garbage. In his opinion, it was barely better than crude street performances.

Still, it was a novelty. How well it would perform in the market remained to be seen.

True to his promise to his apprentice, Aegor handed the book to Arya, who had been waiting beside him with eager eyes. He expected her to take one look, turn red, and throw it back at him. Instead, she became utterly engrossed in reading, her face flushing as she muttered, "Master, you are awful."

Tyrion barely managed to reclaim the manuscript from her.

---

Everything was progressing smoothly. The experimental workshop's paper production was, for now, solely reserved for printing the Seven Star Bible and calendars. Once the factory outside the city reached full production capacity, all the groundwork they had laid would finally come into play.

Aegor looked forward to that day.

Instead, he received an unexpected visitor.

A royal servant from the Red Keep arrived at the Night's Watch office, announcing that King Robert required the presence of a "true brother of the Night's Watch"—someone who had sworn the oath, to accompany the royal army.

Unfortunately, Aegor was the only one in King's Landing who met the requirement.

"Why does the army need a Night's Watchman?" Aegor asked, eyes widening. He immediately reached for the most reliable and time-honored defense: "The Night's Watch swears to take no part in the conflicts of the Seven Kingdoms."

"His Majesty has decreed that, once the Bloody Gate is taken, the nobles responsible for the rebellion will be given the option to take the black," the servant replied, nose held high. "A sworn brother is required to receive them and escort them to the Wall."

"But that falls under the jurisdiction of the Raven's Shadow. That's the Chief Steward's responsibility. I am the Chief Logistics Officer!"

The servant gave him a blank stare, clearly incapable of distinguishing between the various Night's Watch titles. He frowned. "You can either come with me and explain that to the king yourself, or I'll return and inform His Majesty that you refused his request. Either way, it's your problem. Now, come along."

***

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