The crimson banners of the Golden Lion had all been lowered. Now, flying above Casterly Rock was Jon's banner: a white wolf on a black field.
The castle, dominated by bright yellow hues, looked even more majestic when paired with the stark black flags.
Of course, to show gratitude, the Golden Rose on green of House Tyrell and the Purple Grapes on blue of House Redwyne were also flown alongside.
The garrison within the city had been screened. Officers and those with significant ties or blood relations to the Lannisters were placed under strict guard, while the common soldiers who surrendered were questioned.
Those willing to return home were allowed to leave; those willing to stay were reorganized on the spot into Jon's army.
Jon believed the West would need a standing army of at least twenty thousand men in the future. Leaving aside other threats, Euron Greyjoy was likely about to reach the Iron Islands.
In the original timeline, Paxter Redwyne had moved his fleet away from the Arbor to attack Dragonstone, allowing Euron to exploit the opening.
Euron had led the Iron Fleet to attack the Arbor first, then the Shield Islands, which were perilously close to Highgarden.
But now, with the Redwyne fleet guarding the Reach, Euron's choice of target might very well change. It would be either the Westerlands or the North.
Given how dangerously unpredictable Euron was—having visited the ruins of Valyria, possessing Valyrian steel armor, and using blood magic without hesitation—Jon had to treat him with extreme caution.
It wasn't just Euron; Jon had even considered a complete "regime change" for the Iron Islands to ensure they could no longer threaten the shipping lanes of the Sunset Sea.
Currently, the Redwyne fleet was docked in the harbor below Casterly Rock, and preparations for a victory feast were in full swing.
Laughter and shouting from the soldiers could be heard throughout the castle, though looting and rape were still strictly forbidden.
The maids and artisans within the city were immediately placed under protection. If the men wanted women, that was fine—Jon promised to organize a "matchmaking event" for them later.
But anyone who dared to commit violence on the spot would face only one punishment: beheading. The soldiers knew Jon's past record, and with his "sorcery" of stopping the rain deeply impressed upon their minds, no one dared to disobey his orders.
At this moment, Jon was touring Casterly Rock under the guidance of Addam Marbrand. Not long ago, Addam had presented Jon with the heads of Tywin, Damion, and Damon, wrapped in a Lannister banner.
His first words had been: "My Lord, Casterly Rock is yours."
After some discussion, Addam had returned to the Rock and brought back the fulfillment of his promise—the unconditional surrender of all soldiers within the city, with Jon guaranteeing their safety.
Soon after, over ten thousand Casterly Rock soldiers vacated the fortress, and Jon sent Martin Rivers up to take control.
Once the Rock was securely under control, Jon, Paxter, Garlan, Loras, Brynden, Black Walder, and the others entered Casterly Rock as victors.
But the deeper they ventured into the castle, the more lingering fear they felt.
First were the scorpions and trebuchets, not only positioned on their platforms but stocked with spare parts nearby.
Jon personally test-fired a scorpion; the twang of the bowstring left everyone's ears ringing.
As they passed through the layers of fortifications—trapdoors, arrow towers, and defensive points—even knowing these were now occupied by their own men, they still felt a sense of dread.
It felt like walking through a jungle teeming with vipers and tigers lurking on all sides.
Against such terrifying defenses, one could only imagine the cost in human lives a direct assault would have demanded.
Faced with such a fortress, Brynden Tully felt truly helpless. If not for Jon's "rain-stopping spell," Casterly Rock really would have been "impregnable."
Although Jon had shown the world how he conquered the Rock, replicating it would be incredibly difficult for anyone else.
First, one had to breach the Westerlands—and do it quickly. Then, one needed a significant naval fleet; otherwise, intercepting the rain would be impossible.
"Jon, you grew up in the North, but I advise you to build a fleet strong enough to defend this place," Brynden said, walking beside Jon.
After this campaign, he realized the fleet was Casterly Rock's last vulnerability. Plug that gap, and the Rock would truly be unassailable.
"Yes, I will. But building a fleet is a long process, and we have more pressing matters," Jon replied. He naturally had such plans.
Whether for attacking the Iron Islands or facing the White Walkers, a capable fleet would be essential.
However, just seasoning the timber for a ship took five years. If Jon wanted to build a fleet comparable to the Redwynes' before winter arrived, perhaps only Braavos, with its legendary "one ship a day" production, could meet his needs.
And that would require an astronomical amount of gold.
"My Lord, the Twins have a group of excellent shipwrights. If you need them, they can come to the West to serve you," Black Walder offered from the side.
"Thank you for your kindness, Ser Walder. If needed, I will prioritize the Twins."
Hearing this, the usually stern Black Walder smiled. House Frey had lost the chance to marry Roslin to Jon due to hesitation; this time, they couldn't afford to hesitate. They had to show sincerity early.
Addam led Jon and the others on a climb that took nearly half an hour before they officially arrived at the main gate of Casterly Rock.
There was a plaza before the gate, and the road leading to it was lined with stone statues of fully armored knights.
These statues were all over three meters tall, standing with hands on their sword hilts. The Lannisters even had the wealth to paint them all in vivid colors.
Jon noticed the paint was still vibrant. It just went to show they had more money than they knew what to do with.
Seeing these statues, everyone realized why the Lannisters were called the wealthiest house in Westeros.
The statues even used a significant amount of purple dye—expensive goods clearly imported from Braavos.
From this statue-lined avenue, they walked toward the gate, which was preceded by sixteen-foot-high steps numbering in the hundreds.
Above the gate was a relief of a rearing lion.
For thousands of years, the Lannisters had meticulously crafted every part of this castle. A relief here, a statue there—they had practically polished Casterly Rock into a work of art.
There was a view to admire at almost every turn.
Upon entering the gate, they finally saw the full interior of Casterly Rock. Towers large and small stood in rows; the entire castle was like a palace.
"My Lords, do you see that stone tower in the center? That tower—or rather, that section—is the original form of Casterly Rock. For a time, it was called the 'Palace of the Rock'."
"Palace of the Rock," Jon muttered. It made sense; the Lannister ancestors called themselves Kings of the Rock, so having a palace was only logical.
Addam tirelessly introduced the sights of the Rock to the group, though his main focus was on Jon, fawning over him so much he looked ready to scrub the ground under Jon's feet with his face.
Jon was a bit overwhelmed—fountains, running water, gardens... he could even hear peacocks calling.
Of course, what interested him most was the sewage system. The drains on either side of the road reminded him of the world before his transmigration. Small gutters covered with stone slabs, completely unobtrusive.
It was said that Tyrion was the one who last renovated the sewers of Casterly Rock.
"This place... is indeed nice, but Highgarden remains the most beautiful castle in the world," a voice muttered from a corner, laced with a hint of jealousy.
It was Loras. Though he had fully acknowledged Jon's ability, his competitive nature wouldn't let him admit Highgarden was inferior to any castle.
Most people didn't hear his grumbling anyway.
"My Lord, let us visit the Hall of Heroes first."
"The Hall of Heroes? Is that where the Lannisters commemorate their ancestors?"
"My Lord is learned indeed," Addam said, slipping in a compliment that even made Sandor Clegane a little jealous.
Sandor lacked the education to come up with such fancy words.
They arrived at the Hall of Heroes, where the Lannisters kept their ancestors' armor. Hundreds of suits of armor stood like a forest.
They were roughly divided into two sections along the sides of the hall, leaving the center empty.
The gold used to repair dents in the armor scattered golden light under the setting sun.
The men accompanying Jon were all warriors; looking at these luxurious and imposing suits of armor, they couldn't look away.
"My Lord, this is the Hall of Heroes. It is not only where the Lannisters pay respects to their ancestors, but also where they often discuss matters," Addam explained, casually picking up a helmet sculpted like a lion's head and bowing to present it to Jon.
Jon took the helmet, turned to Brynden, Black Walder, and the others, and spoke: "My Lords, taking Casterly Rock was only possible thanks to your help. Although this will be my home from now on, I am new here and don't know what all lies within. Why don't you each pick a suit of armor for yourselves first? We'll see what else there is later and continue dividing the spoils. As for those statues we saw earlier, if anyone is interested, feel free to carry one back to sleep with."
Jon joked with the group, his hearty laughter echoing in the great hall.
Jon knew this was not the time to be stingy. Standing before him were representatives of the Twins, the Tyrell brothers of Highgarden, Brynden of the Riverlands, and Rickard Karstark of the North, who was still guarding the Golden Tooth for him.
These people were part of his future foundation.
Why was the Targaryen dynasty overthrown? Wasn't it because of the combined alliance of the Stag, the Falcon, the Wolf, and the Fish?
Politics, after all, is about making many friends and few enemies.
Although everyone initially declined out of politeness, under Jon's insistence, each man chose a suit of armor.
Jon looked at Sandor standing nearby. Feeling his status wasn't high enough, Sandor hadn't moved. Jon compared the helmet in his hand to Sandor's head and found it seemed to fit perfectly.
"This armor is yours from now on." Jon smiled and shoved the helmet into Sandor's arms. Sandor hurriedly bowed in thanks.
Then Jon looked at Addam. He hadn't moved either.