Chapter 124

"Get ready, we're going to the factory."

Nina froze. "Right now?"

"Yes." Aegor wasn’t one to fight unprepared battles. He had secured many deals in the allied army's camp, and with nobles like Margaery and others from the Six Kingdoms potentially visiting the office to discuss investments, they might request a tour of the industrial park. As the boss, if he were caught off guard by his own factory’s rapid development, it would be embarrassing. He liked having everything firmly under control.

"Understood… I'll get ready right away." Nina quickly got up and walked to the door leading to the office's backyard. Opening it, she called out, "Miss Arya, Lord Aegor has returned!"

Wait, Arya’s here? No one knew he was coming back; could it be that she’d been coming every day while he was gone?

As the upgraded, soundproof door swung open, clear laughter and the rhythmic clanging of practice swords filled the air, followed by an excited scream. Aegor hadn’t noticed anyone in the backyard during his entire conversation with Nina, thanks to the thick door’s insulation.

Arya was still training here? Oh, right—before he left King’s Landing, Tyrion had mentioned he would take over keeping the Stark girl occupied. But who was she sparring with?

A sense of foreboding crept over him as Aegor realized why he hadn’t recognized anyone when he first arrived.

Before he could think further, a small, agile figure dashed through the back door. "Master, master, master!" Arya’s joyous cries echoed as she bolted straight toward him, training sword still in hand. Aegor barely had time to stand before the girl threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist and rubbing her head against him. "You’re finally back! Without your stories, all I’ve done is train, and it’s so boring!"

"Didn’t I leave you plenty of stories in books? Read them yourself. And what’s this? You’ve learned to act coy now? You’re a young lady—mind your manners!" Aegor sighed, ruffling Arya’s hair. In the two months since he’d last seen her, the little girl seemed to have grown taller. When they finally separated, he noticed something that left him speechless: "Why are you wearing lipstick?"

"You said girls should learn to dress up." Arya stuck out her tongue and explained sheepishly, "When I saw how good it looked on Nina, I just wanted to try it myself!"

She wasn’t wrong—it did look good. The once-tomboyish Arya, with her lively demeanor and rosy lips, now exuded a charm reminiscent of Lyanna Stark reborn. Aegor quickly suppressed his stray thoughts and remembered something important. Arya’s bodyguard always dropped her off at the office and waited on the benches outside, but Aegor hadn’t seen anyone when he arrived. A noble girl like Arya, wandering the streets alone—what if she ran into trouble?

"Where’s your guard?" Aegor’s face grew stern. Children might not know better, but as an adult, he was responsible for those under his care.

"He’s outside the city teaching swordsmanship to your recruits!" Arya chirped.

"Lord Hayward drops Miss Arya off here every morning, then heads outside the city to train our newly recruited guards," Nina added smoothly, her words flowing much more naturally now that there were others present. "He returns in the evening to escort her back to the Red Keep."

"Teaching swordsmanship? That’s fine, but he’s still one of Lord Eddard Stark’s men. Isn’t it a bit much to have him working like this…?"

Nina quickly clarified, "Lord Tyrion is paying him… or rather, giving him a generous stipend."

Ah, that explained it. With a Lannister footing the bill, the stipend was likely substantial. A Stark guard earning extra income on the side would probably be the envy of his peers. Aegor’s earlier concern had been unwarranted. With Tyrion’s meticulous planning, how could he let anyone work for free?

It seemed Eddard Stark had treated the Night’s Watch office like a free daycare. Thankfully, Arya had already done the Night’s Watch industries a great service, effectively pre-paying her "daycare fees" for the next century.

Aegor considered telling Arya not to treat makeup like a toy, but then reconsidered. The Hand of the King’s daughter using Night’s Watch products—and looking good while doing so—was free advertising. If the lipstick’s production proved safe and non-toxic, he might as well encourage her: "I’m heading to the industrial park outside the city. Want to come?"

"Of course!" Arya cheered, her enthusiasm boundless. "I’ll ride my own horse!"

...

In the backyard, Arya’s personal sword instructor walked in to greet Aegor. "Lord Aegor."

"…Hmm." Aegor nodded in acknowledgment. While the day had been full of good news, this man’s presence was less a surprise and more a shock.

Why was Jaqen H’ghar still here? As one of Braavos’ top spies and assassins, if his original mission had been to infiltrate the royal library for intelligence, he should have left long ago. Three or four months had passed—what was he still doing here?

Aegor suspected that Jaqen remained to monitor the development of the Night’s Watch industries, perhaps even to steal trade secrets. If this man, leveraging his position as one of the office’s first employees, somehow embedded himself as an elder within the enterprise, it would be a disaster.

What’s more, with Tyrion now starting to offer loans, were the Night’s Watch industries and the Iron Bank entering a competitive relationship? Would they face retaliation from the Faceless Men?

...

Unaware of Aegor’s concerns, Nina turned to Jaqen and instructed, "Akun, ride ahead to the industrial park and inform Lord Tyrion and the others that Lord Aegor is coming for an inspection."

"Understood." Jaqen nodded and left without a word.

Wait—Nina could order Jaqen around? Was she particularly persuasive, or was Jaqen so committed to his disguise as an employee that he played along too well?

...

After some thought, Aegor dismissed his worries about Jaqen or the Iron Bank. As the legal manager and de facto leader of the Night’s Watch industries, he simply needed to ensure that Jaqen never entered the core management circle. If Braavos sought intelligence, expelling one spy wouldn’t stop them. And as for competition, it didn’t exist. The Iron Bank couldn’t legally offer loans in Westeros.

Since the Targaryen dynasty, Westerosi rulers had upheld the policy of "blocking foreign financial influence." While the Baratheons borrowed money from the Iron Bank, they still officially rejected Braavosi political and financial interference. In short, even without Tyrion’s loan system, the Iron Bank couldn’t enter the market.

The Iron Throne’s failure to establish its own financial institutions left a vast, untapped market that seemed tailor-made for Aegor’s schemes. With no competitors, setting up a financial system in Westeros was like playing a single-player game—an opportunity too good to miss.

As for the Iron Bank’s response… commercial dealings were rarely a zero-sum game. If anything, Braavos’ leaders might quietly support and assist Aegor to gain a share of the profits. As long as Aegor ensured the core management team remained loyal, there was no chance of the Night’s Watch industries falling into enemy hands. Without a prize to seize, his life wouldn’t be at risk. The Iron Bank’s fearsome reputation aside, it was, at its heart, a business. And businessmen always preferred negotiation to outright conflict.

...

With his thoughts settled, Aegor felt much lighter. Leading his two companions, Nina and Arya, as well as his ever-proud "senior employee" Kacey, he mounted his horse and headed for the Night’s Watch industrial park outside King’s Landing.

The weather was cooler now, and the reduced heat made the city’s infamous stench far less pungent. Once outside the gates, the breeze from the open fields was crisp and refreshing. As they rode, Arya chattered nonstop, recounting Jaqen’s impressive skills, boasting about her rapid progress in swordsmanship, and even sharing how she’d hidden a forbidden book from Septa Mordane, refusing to betray Tyrion even under threat of punishment. Her lively tales filled the journey with cheer.

One thing was clear from Arya’s stories: while Jaqen might not have taught her everything, he was giving her proper training. Aegor found himself genuinely looking forward to seeing Arya grow into a skilled swordswoman.

Of course, it was only a passing thought. As a transmigrator familiar with the story and equipped with extensive knowledge, it was Aegor’s duty to protect the people loyal to him—his friends, apprentices, and subordinates. Expecting Arya to suffer and grow into a deadly assassin just to shield him would be the height of cowardice.

After about half an hour, Aegor reached the southwestern edge of King’s Landing, by the banks of the Blackwater Rush, where the industrial park he’d helped select was located. Two months of "AFK time" had ended—he was back online.