"Chief Logistics Officer, I have something to say. I wonder if you'll agree." Renly Baratheon looked at Aegor with a warm smile. "I have always believed that talent is the foundation of governing a realm. If you use the right people, managing a kingdom is as easy as eating. Unfortunately, my brother Robert never understood that. His Small Council is filled with flatterers, incompetents, or schemers with ulterior motives. The only Kingsguard knight who could be considered loyal, brave, and wise is called 'Barristan the Spoiler' by him… When I take power, the Small Council and the Kingsguard will be completely reshaped. A full transfusion is necessary."
He turned to the flower of Highgarden beside him and looked at her tenderly. "My dear Queen Margaery, I have no doubt you possess the talent to rule. The Guard is still not complete, and when I sit the Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms, there will be a vacant seat in the Small Council. At that time, I can issue a royal decree to relieve you of your status as a brother of the Night's Watch. As long as you are willing to serve me, you may choose among three positions: Kingsguard, Master of Coin, or Master of Laws. What do you think, Chief Logistics Officer?"
…
What the hell? He had come here to plead for leniency, but why had the conversation suddenly taken such a strange turn? Aegor opened his mouth, quickly realizing that his reputation had probably spread far beyond the garrison and the common folk. It now seemed even high lords like Renly and Margaery had taken notice.
---
The offer of Kingsguard was clearly based on the fame of the "White Walker Slayer" title. Due to Robert's negligence, the quality of the Kingsguard had declined sharply in recent years. Apart from Barristan and Jaime, the remaining five knights barely had recognizable names… The Warrior King failed to grasp that, as the King's personal guard, deterrence and martial prowess were equally important.
Renly clearly understood this. That was why he had organized a tournament to select guards and actively sought out famed warriors.
Ever since Aegor let Slynt off in front of the soldiers during the rebellion in the Vale to preserve face, rumors of his martial prowess had begun to circulate. When he openly named Slynt and was then targeted for assassination, he managed to kill several men and survive. The timely arrival of the wights, which proved the legends beyond the Wall were real, cemented his image as a Night's Watch officer with "unfathomable skills" in the minds of many well-informed nobles.
As for the offer of Master of Coin, it wasn't hard to understand—Renly and Margaery must have reasoned: since he was capable of building the vast Night's Watch Industry from nothing, then managing the even larger economy of the Seven Kingdoms should be no issue. After all, both required money management, so handing him the kingdom's coffers seemed only natural.
But what on earth made Renly think he was fit to be Master of Laws? Aegor raised his eyes to the handsome man wearing a slim golden crown on the platform. A guess gradually formed in his mind: Pfft—could it be that this guy still hadn't realized he'd been fooled by me back in court?
That day, Aegor had used the phrase "what is not prohibited by law is permitted" to make a legalistic argument. Could it be that the former Master of Laws, now the self-proclaimed King, thought that meant he had true political and legal ability?
...
...
In this backward world, the cost of bluffing was truly low.
It was undeniable that Renly's offer was tempting. If the one making the offer had been Stannis Baratheon, Aegor might have truly considered it.
He had never been an official before. Business and governance were not the same thing. But if he chose the "Master of Laws" position and slowly became familiar with the role, given his influence over the garrison, his exceptional learning ability, and his "seriousness," he wouldn't do any worse than a figurehead like Renly. If he could go a step further and retain control of the Night's Watch Industry while shedding the black cloak, he would be thrilled.
Unfortunately, even a child would understand this: if you're going to abandon neutrality and pick a side, you must choose the one with the best chance of winning… and Aegor, who had seen Melisandre's powers with his own eyes, would never rashly oppose a Red Priestess whose strength he didn't fully understand. Even if the Iron Throne were laid out before him, he would still hesitate.
Amid the murmuring of the Riverlands and Reach lords in the tent, Aegor carefully considered his words and responded to Renly's olive branch. "Lord Renly, Lady Margaery, thank you both for your high regard. However… I truly don't deserve the compliment of being 'fit to govern a realm.' I'm fairly capable of managing Night's Watch logistics, but I'm afraid I don't have what it takes to sit on the Small Council and govern the Seven Kingdoms… Besides, even wearing black, I can still be of service to you. After all, no matter who claims the Iron Throne, they'll still need the Night's Watch to guard the northern frontier and defend against those ghosts beyond the Wall, won't they?"
…
"That's truly ungrateful."
"His Grace personally offered him a post, yet this lowly Night's Watchman is still playing hard to get?"
"I have the qualifications, unlike you who only knows how to drink, eat, and swing a sword!"
The murmuring among the gathered lords suddenly grew louder. If Renly's attempt to recruit a Night's Watch officer was merely surprising, then the officer's actual refusal was downright shocking. Renly had only just crowned himself king days ago. This was a time when he valued his dignity and reputation more than ever. And now, someone had the gall to publicly reject him… Was this man fearless, or just reckless?
Renly's expression didn't change at all. It was impossible to tell what he thought about the rejection. Perhaps he was displeased, but Aegor couldn't read anything from his face. That was the terrifying thing about a smiling tiger. When Robert roared or threw things, Aegor never truly feared him. But Renly, always smiling, sent a chill down his spine.
"It's too early to talk about governing the Seven Kingdoms. Let's discuss it after we enter the capital and settle into the Red Keep." Seeing the tense atmosphere, Margaery stepped in at just the right moment to ease it. "After all, the Chief Logistics Officer still has a large business in King's Landing. If he agrees here in front of everyone, he might lose everything once he returns… Your Grace, why not give him some time? Perhaps once you've taken King's Landing, he'll change his mind."
Aegor looked up and met Margaery's gaze, unsure of what to feel. It was flattering that such a beautiful young rose would think highly of him and speak up for him at such a critical moment. But her words were sharp beneath their sweetness. She seemed to be helping him, but in truth, she left him no room to maneuver…
Fame was truly a double-edged sword. Along with influence and convenience came no small amount of trouble.
"Your words make sense," Renly said, his friendliness returning in an instant. "At present, I've yet to take King's Landing. It's natural for the Chief Logistics Officer to have concerns. Go back and give it some thought… I've agreed to your request. If there's nothing else, you may return. My army will depart after breakfast and reach the city in three days. When I sit the Iron Throne, I hope you'll have an answer ready."
"Thank you, Lord Renly." Aegor bowed, then glanced at Margaery. "I'll take my leave."
---
After leaving Renly's camp, Aegor mounted his horse and rode nonstop back toward the city. Could Eddard Stark defend King's Landing against Renly's attack? Where was Stannis now? Would Melisandre use shadowbinding again to assassinate Renly as in the original story? There was no point speculating on "how to deal with Renly's second attempt at recruiting him" without answers to those questions. What he needed to do now was return to his own industry and prepare it for war.
After another day's journey, Aegor arrived at the industrial park on the morning of the third day after leaving King's Landing and quickly called a short meeting with the mid-level management.
"Build a wall around the industrial park?" Enoch scratched his head. "Two days isn't enough for such a large perimeter."
"It's not a defensive wall. It just needs to be taller than me so that people can't climb over it easily." Unless it was built as high and thick as the Wall, no construction could withstand the force of tens of thousands of soldiers. Aegor could only place his hopes in Renly's promise. "Once it's done, paint the outside black. If possible, hang some banners with black cloth. In short, it must be obvious at a glance that this is Night's Watch territory!"
"I understand. That should be doable."
"Security team, suspend training for the next two days and help with construction! Also, once Renly's army arrives, if any stragglers try to loot or steal and they're not flying a house sigil or banner, drive them off. But if they are carrying a banner… don't resist. Survival comes first!"
Jellos hesitated but then stood straight and replied, "Yes, sir!"
It was said that it takes a thousand days to train an army and only a moment to deploy one. The Night's Watch Industrial Security Team had trained for over a hundred days. Yet, when provoked by the garrison or faced with Renly's army, they could only hide like turtles… It was a humiliating and frustrating feeling.
"The warehouse should have enough food and fodder stockpiled. If anyone from the surrounding area seeks refuge, let them in." Renly was a man who cared about his reputation, so he likely wouldn't let his troops openly harm civilians in broad daylight… "All right. If I remember anything else, I'll have someone notify you. But the city gates will probably be sealed soon. Everyone, take care."
Access in and out of King's Landing was growing more restricted, but to the garrison soldiers, Aegor was still a big figure. Naturally, he could come and go freely. After hurrying back to the office, he told Nina all about the trip and what he had achieved. Soon, he received the latest news from her.
"What? The Red Keep announced Robert's death last night, and Stannis was crowned in the throne room this morning?"
(To be continued.)
***
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