Chapter 147

Aegor finally understood the saying, "It’s easier to deal with the Devil himself than with his minions." His original plan was simple: once Neil was released, he would visit the City Watch, offer an apology, admit some fault, and perhaps provide some benefits to smooth things over. But Janos Slynt showed no intention of resolving the conflict—instead, he escalated it without hesitation.

Reclaiming the property? Technically, as the Commander of the City Watch, Slynt did have the authority to reclaim the space if he had legitimate reasons. But did Aegor fear such a move?

The building may have belonged to the City Watch, but the Watch itself operated under the Crown. Ultimately, the property belonged to the King. And Aegor? He happened to know both the King and the Hand of the King.
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"Keep an eye on the office today," Aegor instructed. "I’m heading to the Red Keep to negotiate. I’ll buy the building outright at a price higher than the market value. Let’s see what Slynt does next."

Nina looked concerned. "My lord, while that might resolve the issue temporarily, going head-to-head with the City Watch like this... it’s not ideal, is it?"

It wasn’t ideal, Aegor admitted to himself. Slynt might be a nobody in the grand scheme of things, but as the commander of the City Watch, he held real power. The Night’s Watch business, despite its royal connections, was fundamentally a commercial operation; the City Watch was an official force with the Crown’s backing. One existed to make money, the other lived off the Crown’s coffers. A drawn-out back-and-forth would inevitably favor Slynt, leaving Aegor and his ventures at a disadvantage.

But that was a problem for later. With Robert now back in King’s Landing, Aegor’s priority was ensuring the Night’s Watch business could continue operating peacefully in the coming weeks. He didn’t have time to worry about appeasing Slynt.

"Do you really think moving out will make him stop?" Aegor sighed, overwhelmed by the mounting issues. "More importantly, do you know how much trouble it would cause for clients and job seekers if we relocate now? Ask anyone on the streets of King’s Landing where the Night’s Watch office is, and they’ll say, ‘Opposite the City Watch’s East Barracks.’ Moving now would only cause confusion."

Nina, ever loyal, couldn’t argue with his reasoning. She looked dejected. "It’s all my fault..."

"Enough. What did you do wrong?" Aegor cut her off with a wave. "If dressing up and looking good is a crime, then the whole world’s to blame." He quickly changed the subject. "Has Tyrion responded? What’s his advice?"

"Not yet—"

Before Nina could finish, the door slammed open, startling them both. For a moment, Aegor thought the City Watch had come to arrest him. But as he focused, he saw who it was: Tyrion himself.

"What’s going on with Slynt? Why hasn’t this been resolved yet?" Aegor had never seen his partner so furious. Tyrion marched up to the desk, pulled out a chair, and climbed into it. "This morning, dozens of City Watch soldiers barged into the workshop, claiming they were searching for contraband. I had to step in personally to prevent a direct clash between them and the security team!"

"They went to the workshop? And nearly clashed with the security team?" Aegor’s heart sank. Personal vendettas were one thing, but if the security team had engaged the City Watch, it would have escalated to a full-blown crisis. Charges of resisting law enforcement or inciting rebellion would have been impossible to shake off. Even if he avoided execution, exile back to the Wall would be inevitable.

Just moments ago, he’d laughed off Slynt’s petty attempt to reclaim the office. Now, he realized how close he’d come to disaster. What a venomous ploy!

"And that’s not all," Tyrion continued. "Now, every wagon carrying goods for the Night’s Watch business is being stopped at the King’s Gate. The Gold Cloaks are claiming our printed books are dodging taxes and need to be investigated. Gods know how long this ‘investigation’ will take. Every day’s delay costs us dozens of gold dragons—and worse, it makes us a laughingstock in front of our clients."

"Tax evasion?" Aegor frowned and opened a drawer, pulling out a freshly arrived tax exemption certificate. He placed it on the table.

"Hmm... well, this certainly came at the right time." Tyrion examined the document, his mood improving slightly. "Jack! Take this to the King’s Gate and get our wagons moving!"

"Yes, my lord," Jack replied, taking the certificate and hurrying off.

Tyrion turned back to Aegor, his expression sour. "I’ve been out of the city lately, so I’m not fully caught up. Explain what’s been going on."
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Aegor recounted the events of the past two days: Neil’s arrest by the City Watch, his release thanks to Renly’s intervention, Slynt’s demand for the office’s relocation, and Aegor’s plan to buy the property outright.

"I’ll admit, your responses have been effective," Tyrion said after listening. "But don’t you see where you’ve gone wrong?" He fixed Aegor with a sharp look. "Do you think this is a duel? He makes a move, and you counter it? Sure, you haven’t suffered any losses so far, but do you think he’ll let it go? The more you humiliate him, the harder he’ll try to retaliate."

"Then what should I do?"

"If a mad dog is chasing you, what’s the best way to deal with it?" Tyrion’s eyes glinted dangerously. "Surely not this tit-for-tat nonsense."

Aegor felt a sudden clarity, as though a bolt of lightning had struck his mind. He’d been so preoccupied with handling Littlefinger’s rumors and responding to Slynt’s provocations that he’d fallen into a trap. Trying to counter every move was futile—he was only giving his enemy more opportunities. The right solution wasn’t to deal with Slynt’s schemes—it was to deal with Slynt himself.

"The best way to deal with a mad dog," Aegor said slowly, "is to beat it to death with one stroke."

"Exactly," Tyrion said with a grim smile. "If he keeps causing trouble, eliminate him."

"Eliminate him?" Nina’s eyes widened in alarm.

"What, do you think I’m suggesting we hire an assassin?" Tyrion rolled his eyes. "I told you, we’re merchants. Merchants have their own methods. The Night’s Watch business has extensive connections and resources in King’s Landing. When I say ‘eliminate,’ I mean we use our influence to have Slynt removed from his position as Commander of the City Watch. Surely even the two of you can figure that out?"

Aegor said nothing. He’d been so focused on surviving as a Night’s Watch officer that he hadn’t fully adjusted to his new role as a major player in King’s Landing’s commerce. Nina, a commoner with no experience in politics, couldn’t be expected to think this way either. It wasn’t a matter of intelligence—it was a matter of perspective.
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As Aegor looked at Tyrion, he noticed a shift in his old friend’s demeanor. This wasn’t the witty, carefree Tyrion he’d first met—a bored nobleman with no responsibilities. This was Tyrion Lannister, a newly minted capitalist with a vested interest in the success of the Night’s Watch industries. And as Aegor now understood, capitalists had two defining traits: greed and ruthlessness.

The first trait, Aegor had already witnessed during Tyrion’s tour of the industrial park. The second was now on full display.

In this world, the most dangerous people to cross were those with resources. And when that person was also a highborn noble like Tyrion, they became even more untouchable. Cross someone like that, and even a King’s Commander could find themselves ruined. Aegor was glad Tyrion was on his side.

"Of course," Tyrion continued, "removing Slynt from his position won’t be easy. If possible, it’s best to avoid escalating things that far." He tapped his fingers on the desk, deep in thought. Finally, he looked up. "Aegor, write a promissory note for one hundred gold dragons. I’ll personally go speak with Slynt. If he’s smart, he’ll take the money and back off. If not... well, he can’t say we didn’t try."