Meanwhile, at the Gold Cloaks Headquarters, the commander's Office.
Sven Rosby had been standing here for nearly an hour, his legs aching severely.
He irritably shifted his weight, his gaze sweeping over the extremely familiar office once more.
The City Watch banner hung on the wall, Ser Adam's armor stand was in the corner—everything was as usual, only the master's presence was missing.
He had been left hanging here for far too long.
Ralf had initially called some top courtesans from Silk Street, and Sven was having a good time in Flea Bottom when Humphrey Viwater abruptly summoned him back, claiming it was the commander's order. After that, no one paid him any mind.
Several colleagues entered and exited during that time, and he tried to inquire with them, but only received evasive glances and retreating figures hurrying away.
Moreover, Sven vaguely noticed that every time a colleague passed the doorway, they would whisper amongst themselves, or even flash meaningful smiles.
His intuition told Sven that something was terribly wrong; perhaps the issue stemmed from the few people he had arrested during the day.
But he had confirmed with Ralf multiple times that those fellows had absolutely no background whatsoever.
Damn it... Why on earth!
Just as he was racking his brain trying to figure out the reason, hurried footsteps sounded from behind him, and immediately after, Ser Adam Marbrand strode in and sat down in his own seat.
"Sir!" Sven jolted, immediately straightening his aching back as much as possible.
However, Adam didn't even glance at him, as if he were mere air, his expression extremely gloomy.
Adam picked up a document, the paper rustling loudly as he flipped through it. The oppressive atmosphere spread throughout the room, suffocating even more than the long wait before.
After a long while, until Sven felt his calf was about to cramp, Adam finally looked up.
"I heard you arrested some people today, and one of their names is Vito Corleone."
Just as expected!
Hearing this, Sven's heart dropped.
But he still tried his best to maintain a calm exterior: "Yes, Sir!"
"That person has suspicious movements and is closely connected to the wanted criminal Rorger. I believe he must be an escaped convict!"
"Escaped convict?"
Adam glared: "Since you say he is an escaped convict, where is the evidence!"
Sven swallowed, forcing himself to say: "I haven't had a chance to interrogate him yet, Sir. Once we interrogate him, the evidence will naturally appear!"
"Idiot! Dog shit! You maggot whose brain is full of feces!"
Seeing the man still stubbornly arguing, Adam was furious enough to burst his lungs. He pointed at Sven and launched into a harsh tirade: "Who do you think he is? You still want to interrogate him?"
"In your eyes, does wearing this gold cloak mean you can arrest anyone you want and interrogate anyone you want?"
"No matter who they are, you can arrest them without distinguishing right from wrong, and then tell me that interrogation will yield evidence?"
Sven, who still hadn't grasped the situation, felt dizzy from the barrage of questions, and cold sweat instantly soaked his undershirt.
"Sir... Who does that fellow belong to..."
"Shut up!"
Adam sharply stopped him, grabbed the document he had been flipping through on the desk, and threw it directly into Sven's arms.
Sven looked at it and saw it was a transfer order.
"Starting tomorrow, you will be stationed at Mud Gate, responsible for night patrols. You are forbidden from stepping foot in headquarters without my command!"
Night patrol at Mud Gate!
At these words, Sven's face immediately turned deathly pale.
That was one of the hardest, least profitable, and most dangerous posts among the Gold Cloaks!
This was practically destroying his future!
"I refuse to accept this!"
Seeing Adam show no mercy, Sven felt a surge of hot blood rush to his head.
The other party was clearly using this as an excuse to kick him out of Flea Bottom so he could swallow the profits from that territory himself!
"I am the nephew of Count Gales Rosby, his closest living descendant!"
"Once he dies, I, Sven Rosby, will be the next Count of Rosby City!"
He puffed out his chest, attempting to use his family lineage to threaten Adam into revoking the order: "During the Battle of the Blackwater River, my family protected the royal house, and I myself fought bloody battles on the city walls, still bearing scars!"
"Ser Adam, you cannot use such an unreasonable excuse to kick away a veteran of sieges and a future Count like trash. If you insist on this course of action, disregarding facts and law, I will personally go to The Red Keep and meet Lord Kevan Lannister, the master of laws!"
Looking at Sven's indignant appearance, Adam felt even more furious.
This idiot, even now he dares to threaten to report me to the master of laws. Are you seriously unaware that the person you offended is a Lannister?!
If it weren't for Duke Tywin personally instructing him at the beginning of his tenure to "maintain the existing order of the City Watch and stabilize the emotions of the King's Landing nobility," he wouldn't bother caring about this brainless fool's fate!
"You..."
Bang!
Just as he was about to curse Sven out, the door was violently pushed open.
The imposing Kingsguard strode in with long strides, the white cloak behind him billowing high due to the rapid pace.
"Jaime?"
Adam was stunned to see his friend return, and seeing the murderous look on his face, a sense of foreboding flashed through his heart.
"Weren't you accompanying Corleone to see the hand of the king?"
Jaime did not answer, only stating coldly: "How did things turn out?"
Hearing this, Adam couldn't help but glance at Sven.
But he still prepared to smooth things over, as he had already confirmed that the fellow named Vito Corleone didn't even possess a noble title; he was entirely a commoner.
To heavily punish a noble for mistakenly arresting a commoner, in Adam's opinion, was going too far.
"Regarding this matter, I have already conducted a preliminary investigation."
Adam cleared his throat: "Captain Sven was indeed at fault in this matter, but after all, that fellow named Rorger was indeed an escaped convict."
"Considering various factors, I have decided to demote Captain Sven..."
"You are Sven Rosby?"
Hearing this, Jaime coldly interrupted Adam, turned, and stared fiercely at Sven, startling him.
Sven instantly understood that the person before him was Vito Corleone's greatest backer!
Damn it... Who knew how a commoner got involved with the kingslayer, this was utterly surreal!
Just as he was about to explain, Jaime kicked him hard in the abdomen without saying a word.
Bang!
With a swift and powerful left front kick, Sven was caught completely off guard, cried out in pain, and fell heavily to the ground.
"You..."
Sweating coldly from the pain, he raised his head and pointed at Jaime to accuse him: "This is the City Watch headquarters! Even if you are Kingsguard, you have no right to strike me; this completely violates the kingdom's laws!"
However, Jaime completely ignored Sven's accusation, stepped forward, and looked down at him from a superior position, like a majestic lion overlooking a struggling hyena.
"You claim Corleone is an escaped convict."
"Where is the evidence?"
His voice was terrifyingly steady, but it felt like a naked insult to Sven.
By what right!
"I defended during the Battle of the Blackwater River..."
"
Thump!
Another kick landed on Sven's face.
"Where is the evidence," Jaime repeated.
This arrogant posture combined with the physical pain made Sven's mind buzz, and he instantly lost his reason.
"The Gold Cloaks don't need evidence to make an arrest!"
As soon as he said this, Adam immediately closed his eyes, cursing inwardly: "This idiot!"
Indeed, Jaime let out a light laugh.
Shing!
The Valyrian steel sword unsheathed without warning, piercing Sven's windpipe. His eyes widened suddenly, and his hands reached futilely for his neck.
"Hrr..."
No matter how he struggled, the wound could not be healed. The light in Sven's eyes rapidly dimmed, and he finally lost all signs of life, collapsing limply on the ground.
"You were too impulsive, Jaime."
Only after he finished his actions did Adam step forward, his tone carrying a hint of regret, but more so, relief.
He had wanted to get rid of that fool Sven a long time ago, but refrained due to broader considerations; now, Jaime had conveniently solved a problem for him.
"Now, that old man Gales Rosby will probably go to the Small Council to complain for a long time again."
"The master of laws might be very angry..."
"
"Hmph!"
Hearing this, Jaime merely sheathed his longsword with indifference and scoffed disdainfully.
"Issue him a death gratuity."
"You write the report, and I'll have Uncle Kevan approve the paperwork."
With that, he turned and left, his white cloak sweeping a proud arc behind him.
Adam stood in place, looking at his friend's retreating back, then at the corpse of Sven Rosby on the ground. He shook his head helplessly and murmured,
"Vito Corleone..."
"What kind of person is this man, to make Jaime Lannister do this much for you?"
"Hey..."
"
"Jaime told me you are a very intelligent person."
At The Tower of the Hand, after Corleone was seated, Tywin skipped any pleasantries and spoke first.
"My son is very proud—no, rather than proud, he is stubborn, just like the sword in his hand: obstinate and discerning."
"It is rare to hear such an assessment from his mouth."
"You flatter me, master of laws."
Corleone bowed slightly, meeting Tywin's gaze frankly: "I do not consider myself wiser than anyone else; I am simply accustomed to observing and thinking, and better at grasping details that are easily overlooked."
"As you know, for someone of my background to secure a foothold, one must learn to seize every opportunity. This cannot be called wisdom; at most, it is... the instinct for survival."
"The instinct for survival?"
This peculiar phrasing piqued Tywin's interest in the person before him.
However, he accurately seized upon another, more crucial point in the other's words.
"You seem... not to complain about your origins."
"I have seen too many people blame their failures on bloodline or lineage."
Seeing the probing look in Tywin's eyes, Corleone smiled casually: "In this world, there are many things we are powerless to change, my lord."
"When I was young, I used to resent why a Farmer's son must be a Farmer, a blacksmith's son must be a blacksmith, and a noble's son is born a noble. It seemed quite unfair."
"But later I realized that whether one is a Farmer, a knight, or even a king, one must learn to accept the reality that cannot be changed."
"The difference is that some people accept reality and then sink into it, while others constantly search for paths within the rules of reality and dare to challenge them."
These sincere words were somewhat unexpected even to Tywin.
He had met countless people eager to cling to the Lannisters; they were either fawning, greedy, or foolishly displaying their ridiculous loyalty.
But this person before him was different.
He did not complain about fate being unfair, nor did he hastily express loyalty, nor did he deliberately showcase his personal abilities.
He simply stated his philosophy of survival calmly, as if chatting with an old friend he hadn't seen in years.
This relaxed demeanor caused Tywin to lean back slightly as well, the scrutinizing look in his eyes fading, revealing a trace of genuine admiration.
"I must say, Corleone."
Tywin's address had lost its previous distance, instead showing a hint of closeness: "I originally thought you were just another opportunist drawn by the smell of gold dragons, solely aiming to cling to the powerful."
"Now it seems you are somewhat different."
"But everyone has desires. You risked so much to escort Jaime all the way back to King's Landing; it couldn't have been entirely for the gold dragons, could it?"
Corleone caught this subtle shift, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.
He knew the groundwork was laid; it was time to get to the main point.
"You truly have eyes like torches, my Lord."
The carefree smile on his face retracted slightly, becoming more serious: "Everyone has desires, and I am no exception."
"But I am very clear that the fulfillment of desire should depend on the value one can create..."
"Value?"
Tywin pondered the word, raising a hand to signal him to continue.
"Yes, value."
Corleone straightened his back, looking directly at the man who could currently be called the pinnacle of power in the Seven Kingdoms, his tone calm yet full of strength: "Take this city, King's Landing, for instance."
"It operates under your law and the King's law, governed by the Master of Laws, guarded by the Gold Cloaks—this is the side of order, the world under the sun."
Then, he shifted his tone, his voice dropping slightly: "But any great city has its shadows."
"The brighter the sun, the deeper the shadow. Those winding, narrow alleys are the corners untouched by the law and the radiance of the Seven Gods, filled with chaos, violence..."
"Such as... the recent riot in King's Landing!"
Hearing Corleone mention the riot, Tywin's pale green eyes narrowed slightly.
However, he did not interrupt, instead listening with interest to hear what unique insights the other party had.
"I heard about it, my Lord."
Seeing Tywin interested in continuing, Corleone also spoke on, his tone becoming serious: "During that riot, several knights died, and many noble ladies were raped."
"Even... your nephew, Lord Tyrion Lannister, lost track of during the unrest."
.
"We have the City Watch." Hearing this, Tywin tapped his fingers lightly on the table, as if certain: "The Gold Cloaks suppressed all the rioting, didn't they?"
"Yes, my Lord," Corleone bowed slightly: "But no one can guarantee it won't happen again next time."
"The Gold Cloaks can maintain order on the main streets, but they cannot eradicate the sores in the shadows. On the contrary, overly harsh crackdowns can sometimes break the fragile balance and trigger greater chaos!"
"Like a balloon; if people press down on it too hard, the result will only be... BOOM!"
Corleone spread his five fingers, making a very vivid analogy.
This reasoning was simple and easy to understand, and Tywin had a very deep personal experience with it.
Back when the "Mad King" Aerys II Targaryen was on the throne, he governed the Crownlands quite well as the hand of the king.
However, the King began to be suspicious of and even suppress Tywin, opposing him at every turn. Later, he ignored Tywin's advice and went to Twilight Valley Town to meet the rebellious Lord Darry with only one Kingsguard.
The result? The Kingsguard was killed, and King Aerys himself was actually imprisoned by a mere Lord for a full six months!
Therefore, when Corleone stated this simple and easy-to-understand principle, Tywin felt a strong sense of empathy.
Especially with the current King... "So?"
Seeing Corleone pause, Tywin finally spoke, with a hint of subtle guidance.
At this moment, Corleone finally met his gaze and spoke the carefully prepared words: "So, the order under the sun needs to be established and maintained by a ruler like you, my Lord."
"And the order in the shadows needs a matching will to sort out and guide it."
"You want to seize power?" Tywin sneered dismissively, dissatisfied with Corleone's ambiguous statement.
"No, my Lord."
Hearing this, Corleone slowly raised his head, looking sincerely at Tywin, explaining clearly and slowly: "You possess the Seven Kingdoms' most powerful army, the fullest treasury, and countless nobles sworn to loyalty; you control all the power in the light."
"But some matters, some people... those problems that are inconvenient for the Lannister or the King to handle directly, need to be resolved in the shadows."
"After all, you can't order the Gold Cloaks to slaughter all the commoners in King's Landing. What you need is a stable reign, not to take over a city-state where only corpses remain."
Under Tywin's slightly surprised gaze, the fireplace flames flickered, seeming to reflect a unique power in Corleone's dark eyes.
After a slight pause, Corleone grinned sincerely: "So, you need someone who can carry out your will
even in the shadows, master of laws."
"You need a pair of... hands in the darkness!"
"You need a pair of... hands in the darkness!"