"Hasn't It Always Been This Way?"
"I will do my best in this role, my lords."
The words fell calmly from Karl's lips, yet they struck the room like a hammer.
For a brief moment, silence dominated the Small Council chamber.
Everyone present had expected refusal.
After all, the position Karl had just accepted—the Grand Chancellor, effectively the overseer of the royal finances—was nothing short of a trap. The treasury was empty, debts were piling up, and the kingdom's economy teetered on collapse.
Even Prime Minister Eddard Stark had been prepared to refuse the appointment on Karl's behalf.
And yet—
Karl accepted it.
Without hesitation.
Eddard Stark frowned deeply, his gaze fixed on the young man seated across from him. Karl sat comfortably in the Grand Chancellor's chair, casually placing aside the very letter of appointment that seemed destined to ruin him.
"Karl… this is not a joke."
This time, Eddard dropped the formal address of Ser Karl. Instead, he spoke as an elder—firm, concerned, and sincere.
Karl understood that tone.
"Lord Eddard," he replied calmly, "I know exactly what I'm doing."
He leaned back slightly, his expression composed.
"During my time in King's Landing, I've familiarized myself with state affairs and the condition of the royal finances."
"And I believe… I can solve this."
His confidence was unmistakable.
Eddard stared at him, searching his eyes for even the slightest hint of doubt.
There was none.
After a long pause, the Prime Minister let out a breath and nodded.
"…Very well."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Welcome, Grand Chancellor Ser Karl Stone."
He raised his hand and began to clap.
The first to do so.
A gesture of acceptance.
Varys followed, smiling as always, his applause light and polite.
Ser Barristan Selmy, standing tall in his white armor, nodded approvingly and joined in.
With that, Karl's appointment was complete.
The First Council Meeting
Eddard straightened slightly.
"Let us begin."
His voice regained its authority, though there was still a trace of tension beneath it.
"Due to the recent war, Lord Renly Baratheon and Lord Stannis Baratheon are unable to attend this meeting."
He paused briefly.
"As for His Grace…"
A faint twitch crossed his face.
"…he has urgent matters to attend to."
Karl almost smiled.
The meaning was obvious.
King Robert Baratheon had once again abandoned his duties.
Eddard continued stiffly.
"We will proceed with the meeting and report our conclusions to the king afterward."
Behind those words lingered the memory of the previous day.
Robert, half-dressed and impatient, had tossed the Hand's badge to Eddard and dismissed him without ceremony.
[You're the Hand—handle it yourself!]
The silver hand-shaped brooch now rested on Eddard's chest, gleaming faintly.
A symbol of authority.
And burden.
Varys, ever the diplomat, stepped in smoothly.
"Our gracious king shoulders many responsibilities," he said with a pleasant smile. "Naturally, he entrusts these lesser matters to us."
Eddard shot him a look but said nothing.
Barristan remained silent, as steady as ever.
As for Karl—
He had already accepted this reality.
A kingdom where the king did not rule.
A Moment of Mourning
"There is one more matter," Eddard continued.
"Grand Maester Pycelle… is dead."
His voice lowered slightly.
"He served the crown for forty years. His loss is… regrettable."
Varys glanced at Karl.
Karl did not return the look.
Instead, he spoke plainly.
"Gregor Clegane was a monster. I am only glad I could bring him to justice."
Eddard nodded.
Barristan inclined his head.
"May the Seven bless his soul," Eddard said.
"May the Seven bless him," the others echoed.
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"We will send word to the Citadel for a replacement," Eddard concluded.
"And now… to the matter at hand."
The Empty Treasury
Eddard turned to Karl.
"Ser Karl… you mentioned earlier that you had ideas regarding the royal finances."
His expression grew serious.
"But let me be clear—we cannot continue borrowing."
"Our debts have already grown too large."
Karl nodded.
"I understand."
And he truly did.
For weeks, he had reviewed the kingdom's accounts.
The numbers were disastrous.
But—
To Karl, they were not unsolvable.
In fact…
They were simple.
Compared to the economic systems of his previous life, this medieval financial structure was almost primitive.
"I do have a solution," Karl said.
"Not just to manage the debt—but to transform it."
The room grew quiet.
"I intend to make the debt… circulate."
Varys blinked.
Eddard frowned.
Barristan looked puzzled.
"Circulate?" Varys asked. "Debt is not something that can simply move on its own."
Karl smiled faintly.
"It exists, does it not?"
"Then it has value."
"And if it has value—it can be used."
He leaned forward slightly.
"The simplest way to solve the problem… is to stimulate it."
"Let money flow."
"Let it grow."
The silence that followed was… awkward.
Eddard stared at him.
"…What?"
Karl blinked.
Only then did he realize—
He had gone too far.
Too advanced.
These ideas belonged to another world.
Another era.
"…Right," Karl muttered, rubbing his forehead.
"Let's set that aside for now."
A More Practical Approach
"Let's discuss something simpler."
Eddard nodded immediately.
"Yes. Something practical."
Karl thought for a moment.
Then spoke.
"The fastest way to resolve our financial crisis…"
"…is through the spoils of war."
Understanding dawned instantly.
"The Lannisters," Eddard said.
Karl nodded.
"They are the defeated party."
"And their wealth… is immense."
Varys's eyes flickered.
Barristan remained thoughtful.
It was true.
The Lannisters were one of the richest houses in the realm.
If their wealth were seized…
The crown's debts could be erased overnight.
But—
Eddard shook his head.
"That may solve the problem eventually," he said. "But not immediately."
"And more importantly…"
His voice grew firm.
"That is not a sustainable solution."
Karl understood.
War could not become a financial strategy.
"That's fair," Karl admitted.
"I only meant to illustrate that our situation is not as dire as it appears."
He shrugged slightly.
"The Iron Bank isn't going to demand repayment tomorrow."
A small joke.
But the tension remained.
The Real Problem
Karl's tone grew more serious.
"The real issue is not debt."
"It's spending."
He looked directly at Eddard.
"If we don't control the king's expenditures… nothing we do will matter."
The room fell silent.
Everyone knew it.
Robert Baratheon's spending habits were legendary.
Lavish feasts.
Endless tournaments.
Extravagant gifts.
It was unsustainable.
"I will speak to the king," Eddard said firmly.
Karl nodded.
"That's the first step."
The Debate Over the Tournament
Barristan spoke up.
"Then perhaps… we should reduce expenses."
"Austerity."
"No tournament. No unnecessary spending."
It was a logical suggestion.
Eddard considered it.
But before he could respond—
"No."
Karl's voice was sharp.
"The tournament must be held."
All eyes turned to him.
Karl stood slightly straighter.
"This is not just an expense."
"It is a symbol."
"A symbol of victory. Of unity. Of strength."
His voice carried conviction.
"We have just won a war."
"If we appear weak now… we invite new enemies."
Eddard's expression changed.
He understood.
This was no longer just about money.
It was about power.
"Very well," Eddard said slowly. "The tournament will proceed."
Barristan and Varys exchanged glances.
Karl… was not what they had expected.
A Radical Idea
Varys leaned forward.
"Even so… we still lack funds."
"How do you propose we pay for it?"
Karl smiled.
"Let me ask you something."
He looked at each of them in turn.
"What makes you believe… that hosting a tournament must cost money?"
Eddard frowned.
"…Because it always has."
Karl's smile widened.
"And because it has always been done that way…"
"Does that make it correct?"
Silence.
Then—
Understanding began to dawn.
Karl leaned back slightly.
"What if…"
"…the tournament made money instead?"
A New Way Forward
For the first time since the meeting began—
Hope flickered in the room.
Not certainty.
Not yet.
But possibility.
Karl Stone had accepted a doomed position.
And in doing so…
He had begun to change the way they thought.
Not just about money.
But about power itself.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)