Although the visit from the Iron Bank's envoy was poorly timed, and despite the unpleasant conversation that ended without any agreement after a lengthy discussion, Aegor maintained his composure throughout. Out of respect for the Iron Bank's past cooperation and support for the Night's Watch, he did not show much displeasure.
But the envoy's final words lit the fuse.
After a tense silence that lasted three or four seconds, he finally spoke again.
"Lord Tycho, I can pretend I didn't hear that. But please remember, and pass this along to your superiors. I may be a military man, but my loyalty to the Queen is not something that can be bought with golden dragons." Aegor was truly angry. This time, reason didn't suppress his emotions, it only intensified them. "Whether or not I persuade the Queen to take on the usurper's debt will be based on what I believe is in her best interest. If I do eventually advocate for accepting and repaying that debt, it will be because I have judged it to be beneficial for Her Grace's rule, after weighing the pros and cons. It will absolutely not be because anyone promised me riches." He lifted his head slightly, his gaze sharp. "I am a reasonable man. If the Iron Bank is willing to forgive the Night's Watch's debt, that is a noble gesture, and I will applaud it and show my respect. If you choose not to forgive it, that is also your right in protecting your own interests, and I will not complain or hold any resentment. Do you understand?"
...
Perhaps it was the heat of the stove in the office, or perhaps it was the sudden change in the Lord Commander's expression, but a bead of sweat slid down Tycho Nestoris's forehead, and his composed demeanor was gone. As Aegor's expression darkened and he delivered his speech in a calm but firm tone, an oppressive pressure radiated from him, one so intense that Tycho felt suffocated.
As an envoy of the Iron Bank, backed by the institution's immense power and influence, he had spoken freely and confidently with kings, nobles, and powerful lords. Even King Robert's drunken shouting had never unsettled him. But today, in front of the enraged Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Tycho felt genuine fear for the first time in years.
Was this the unique aura of the Prophet, a man who wielded vast military power and had carved his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood?
Overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the True Dragon up close, Tycho forgot the lines he had prepared, and had to summon all his willpower to avoid stammering. "I... understand."
"Good," Aegor replied, face still grim. Having already lost patience, he could no longer be bothered to keep up appearances. "I have matters to attend to. Please, make yourself at home. I won't be seeing you out."
The terrifying pressure that had been enough to trigger a heart attack vanished as suddenly as it appeared. Once Aegor lowered his head and broke eye contact, it dissipated completely. However, once a man's momentum is broken, it is difficult to recover it immediately. And so, Tycho Nestoris, the prestigious envoy of the Iron Bank, who was treated as an honored guest everywhere else, now acted like a student scolded by a teacher. He obediently agreed, stood up, gave a brief farewell, and even straightened the chair he had been sitting on before quietly retreating from the room.
---
Aegor's anger did not stem from some lofty ideal that viewed gold as filth, nor did he feel personally insulted by the offer of a bribe. It was because he realized that the other party was digging a pit, trying to lure him into it.
The two million golden dragons in debt left by King Robert, whether Daenerys inherited it or not, came with both advantages and disadvantages. Both sides of the argument had merit, and no outcome could be deemed definitively right or wrong. But if he accepted that so-called "fee" of a hundred thousand golden dragons, his future would be over. The one who eats from another's hand can't speak freely, and the one who takes from another's hand can't act freely. The moment the Night's Watch's loan repayment circled into his personal account, he would no longer be the clean and upright warlord or powerful official, but a comprador. A hidden agent of the Iron Bank buried next to Daenerys. From then on, he would have to serve another master for the rest of his life.
Thanks to his experiences in the information age before transmigrating, he had already seen through the Iron Bank's follow-up plan: in the beginning, they would only ask him to casually mention some gossip or put in a few good words before the Queen. But as the repayments continued to be funneled into his account, and their "mutually beneficial" cooperation deepened, the demands would grow more and more excessive... Until one day, he would be forced to leak military secrets or even damage the Queen's interests just to serve a foreign power.
If that were all, then at worst he would be a traitor to Westeros, a corrupt official. But every person has enemies and rivals. If someday those dark secrets were seized by an opponent and used against him, he could be disgraced, overthrown, or even executed for economic crimes. That would be a humiliation for the ages.
His experience taught him that while power and money can be exchanged, one must be careful about the means and timing. As long as he advanced step by step through the thorns, following the Grand Plan for King's Landing, he was destined to become one of the top power brokers in the new Westeros. Once he reached the pinnacle, as a core figure of the empire, there would be countless legal and justified ways to improve his life without giving anyone grounds for criticism.
On the other hand, if he were short-sighted and handed over leverage to others for a mere hundred thousand golden dragons—not even paid in one lump sum—before the grand plan was even completed, that would be pure foolishness.
Being treated like a fool was the thing he hated most.
That said, while he firmly rejected the hundred thousand golden dragons bribe, Aegor didn't shut the door completely. He couldn't yet determine all the pros and cons of such a major issue. But if, after consulting his allies and advisors, he concluded that inheriting the usurper's debt was cost-effective, then the Iron Bank's promised reward shouldn't be refused. His final words to Tycho had conveyed that message clearly: I won't accept a direct bribe, but if the Queen agrees to take on King Robert's debt, then don't back out on your promise to forgive the Night's Watch's debt.
The hundred thousand golden dragons belonged to the Night's Watch's account. It wasn't like he had to pay anything from his own pocket. But as the Lord Commander and actual controller and biggest beneficiary of the Night's Watch Industry, he would definitely profit from this debt forgiveness. Even if the actual gain wasn't as high as a hundred thousand golden dragons, even one-tenth of that would still be a staggering amount.
Most importantly, accounting within his own organization was far safer than receiving money from someone else's hands.
---
After sending off the envoy, Aegor tried to return to his work, but quickly realized that until the various delegations sent to pacify the Northern Lords returned with news, there wasn't much he could do. Since he couldn't focus anyway, he pushed aside the letters and documents, put on his coat, and went out with his guards, intending to find Littlefinger for a talk.
Coincidentally, Petyr was also on his way to see him, and the two met halfway.
"It seems those loan-sharking bastards have found you too?" The Queen's Hand spoke first, his expression one of knowing amusement. Though phrased as a question, it was more of a statement.
"Yes, they want me to persuade the Queen to inherit the usurper's debt, and they tried to buy me off," Aegor said frankly. As allies, a certain level of honesty was harmless and even beneficial. "They offered to secretly forgive the Night's Watch's debt, with the repayment funneled into my personal account. Hmph. What about you? As the Queen's Hand, I assume they offered you a higher price?"
"It's hard to say how many golden dragons it was worth, but it was high enough to make my heart pound," Petyr smiled and nodded, but didn't reveal the exact terms. "But I resisted the temptation by firmly remembering two lessons. First, every coin the Iron Bank lends must be repaid double. Second, beyond money, it's best not to owe them anything else."
Aegor nodded in agreement, though a faint gloom crossed his heart. Since you resisted, why not tell me the details? Anyone would feel uneasy if their own honesty wasn't reciprocated.
He concealed his displeasure and asked, "So, you ultimately refused their demands?"
"Not exactly. A matter this significant shouldn't be decided hastily. My plan is to delay the decision, then assess things after we take King's Landing. If funds are tight, we can acknowledge the debt and borrow more to get through. If we're not short on money..." Littlefinger shrugged. "Let's not talk about that. What I wanted to bring up were the two alternative proposals the Iron Bank mentioned afterward. Did you notice the information hidden in them?"
Aegor was puzzled. "What alternative proposals?"
"The envoy didn't mention them to you?" Littlefinger frowned, looking surprised. "That's strange. The Braavosi may offer us different terms of temptation, but if their conditions are different too, that's very odd. I mean the part where the envoy said that, as long as we achieve any one of them, the Iron Bank would forgive the Iron Throne's entire two million golden dragon debt while still acknowledging the Queen's rule over Westeros. You're sure you didn't hear that?"
Aegor shook his head, but hesitated inside. Could it be that his outburst was too intense, and he dismissed Tycho too quickly, cutting him off before he could finish?
Littlefinger didn't think Aegor was playing dumb, so he shrugged and said, "The alternative terms are: the Queen marries Aegon Targaryen, or she allows the Iron Bank to establish branches in Westeros. As long as either of these is fulfilled, not only will the debt be wiped clean, but the benefits promised to me will also be honored. What did you make of that?"
So that was it. The Iron Bank was actually offering Daenerys three choices: repay the debt, marry, or open the financial market.
The last two might not seem worth two million golden dragons, but in truth, one was more dangerous than the other. Marriage would hand Aegon the fruits of victory. As a man, he would be seen as the true king. This young prince might have already agreed to inherit the Iron Bank's debt or even accept more extreme conditions. As for opening the financial market—R'hllor above—with Westeros's backward and undeveloped financial system, this would be handing over control of the entire realm's economy. These loan-sharking bastards really dared to dream.
Littlefinger had asked him what he thought. He thought of many things, but what answer did Littlefinger actually want?
(To be continued.)
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