With the arrival of autumn, under clear moonlight and gentle winds, the recent weather had made the increase in rainfall plainly noticeable.
Outside Casterly Rock after the clouds and rain had dispersed, a rainbow arched like a long bridge, stretching from the Sunset Sea and spanning across to connect with the sky above distant Lannisport.
Yet no matter how beautiful the scenery outside might be, it could not affect the mood of the troubled dwarf inside the castle of Casterly Rock.
Sitting before a desk piled high with documents, tugging at his hair as he complained, Tyrion heard Kossi's report and immediately leaned back in his chair, collapsing into it as if he had lost his soul.
"Lord Tyrion?" Seeing that Tyrion showed no reaction, Kossi called out cautiously.
The chipped front tooth he once had had already been filled with a piece of gold back when he was in King's Landing, and this had given him the bad habit of occasionally baring that tooth when he spoke.
As the capital of the Westerlands, Casterly Rock of course had a sept built here by the Faith. For wealthy Casterly Rock, this was nothing worth being surprised about.
And within this Sept of the Seven, it was administered by a septon of the Most Devout. This position was considered the highest-ranking clerical office within the Faith of the Seven, under the authority of the High Septon who resided in the Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing.
As for the High Septon himself, he was usually elected from among the Most Devout and served as the supreme leader of the Faith.
In practice, however, the Faith was governed by a council composed of the septons of the Most Devout, all of whom were the highest-ranking septons and septas within the Faith.
Tyrion came back to himself and, with a headache, turned his face toward Kossi. "All right, Steward of the Golden Tooth—did this Septon tell you what he wants with me?"
"I think you can see it yourself. My lord leaving me here has nearly worked me to death. I've been busy from last night until now without even having time to sleep, so if possible, I believe that unless it's absolutely necessary, you should understand enough to give me a bit of breathing room."
However, in response to Tyrion's complaints, Kossi could only curl his lips. He stepped forward and placed the calling card onto the desk in front of Tyrion.
"The reason this Septon came is because of my lord, His Majesty the noble King Kal Baratheon I. But Lord Tyrion, I'm actually not much more idle than you are. Would you like to take a whiff of the smell of horse manure on me? It might help wake you up."
Kossi set down the items he had brought, shrugged his shoulders, and followed it up with a dissatisfied complaint of his own.
Ever since the war began, people like them had practically been forced to do the work of two men each.
Manpower had already been scarce, yet they still had to deal with so many problems. Now, in the entirety of Casterly Rock, there were scarcely more than a handful of people who were both usable and capable of handling affairs. Every single day, they were so busy their feet barely touched the ground.
Tyrion did not believe for a moment that this bastard still carried the smell of horse manure on him, but he also knew that this novice steward truly had not been any more at ease than he himself.
After all, every order he issued concerning supplies and administration had to pass through Kossi's hands before being sent out and put into effect.
So in the face of Kossi's jibes, he could only rub his brow, then pick up the calling card. The first thing that met his eyes was a striking seven-pointed star emblazoned upon it.
This made Tyrion frown at once.
Because this counted as an extremely formal visit, and one made in the name of the Faith, rather than in the name of that Septon personally.
"Is this because of Kal?"
"Strange. I don't recall Kal ever having had much dealings with the Faith, nor have I ever seen him offer his devotion to any god."
"When the tourney was held in King's Landing, there were some monetary dealings between Kal and the Faith due to funding issues, but that was discussed as an investment matter in his capacity as Master of Coin."
"So that raises the question—what does this Septon want?"
Looking at the sigil on the calling card, Tyrion frowned instinctively.
He immediately began to recall what connections there might have been between Kal and the Faith. As he thought it over, his brows suddenly lifted.
"Wait. Could it be that this has made the Faith uneasy?"
After giving it serious thought, this was the only possibility Tyrion could come up with. After all, given Kal's current status as king, if he truly harbored any thoughts out of the ordinary toward the Faith, that would indeed be a serious matter.
But if that were the reason, then at the very least it ought to have been the High Septon himself who came to visit the king. What did it mean to send a mere Septon instead?
An insult to the king?
Tyrion did not recall that fat High Septon in King's Landing being so foolish.
And there was no reason to come looking for him, either.
Hearing Tyrion's analysis, Kossi was puzzled as well.
"He didn't tell me why. But from what I saw, he seemed very angry—almost as if he had come to question something."
Unfortunately, the contents of the calling card itself had not been seen. That was Tyrion's concern to deal with.
Moreover, he had once been a commoner—one could even say he had not truly counted as one.
Now that he had suddenly leapt up to become half a noble, he still had not fully adapted to his own status, and so when it came to these matters of the upper strata, his understanding was likewise only superficial.
But his reply had already given Tyrion a signal.
"Angry? Still because of Kal?"
"In other words, the visitor comes with ill intent?"
"At a time like this, what is the Faith trying to do by conveying such a message?"
Tyrion raised an eyebrow, fanning the calling card lightly in his hand while the fingers of his left hand tapped the tabletop unconsciously.
There was a hint of sharpness creeping into his tone.
Then he lifted his head to look at Kossi, his brows lifting once more.
"Take him to the reception hall. And have Hall and Timett summoned as well—tell them to bring weapons."
Hearing the two names and Tyrion's pointed instructions, Kossi immediately understood Tyrion's thinking. He grinned broadly, flashing his gold tooth.
"It will be my honor to serve you, my lord."
Although he did not understand certain tricks of the upper ranks, that did not mean Kossi was foolish.
After Kossi left, Tyrion finally opened the calling card and began to read it. But as he read on, his brow furrowed once again.
"Damn it. I knew it."
...
Inside the reception hall of Casterly Rock, the Septon of the Casterly Rock sept was accompanied by a septon and a septa. The three of them were seated in their places, their expressions displeased.
As several crisp footsteps sounded, their gazes turned toward the entrance of the reception hall.
Then a dwarf led two men with fierce expressions inside.
"Good morning, Septon Isaac. I have quite forgotten how long it has been since I last saw you. I did not expect to receive your visit today."
The dwarf entered with a courteous expression and took the initiative to greet those inside.
Seeing that the visitor was Tyrion Lannister, although they had come with displeasure and the intent to call him to account, propriety still required the three of them to rise and offer a salute.
And although the two were acquainted—back when Tyrion was still in Casterly Rock, he had even encountered Septon Isaac from time to time in brothels—at a moment like this, both of them were perfectly clear on what needed to be done.
"Lord Tyrion Lannister, I apologize for disturbing your affairs, but because of certain rumors circulating in Old Oak, I had no choice but to come in person."
The Septon of Casterly Rock, Isaac, was not at all polite as he stated his purpose outright.
In the face of Septon Isaac's questioning, Tyrion continued to look at him with an unchanging smile.
"Forgive me, Septon Isaac. I do not know where you heard these rumors concerning His Majesty King Kal, but I believe this may simply be a misunderstanding—and if it is not a misunderstanding, then it is certainly an absurd accusation."
"An act of blasphemy against the king."
Tyrion had never been the sort of man to be easily bullied or pushed around.
He knew very well how to handle matters like this.
So although he spoke with a smiling face, there was not the slightest intention of concealing the threat woven into his words.
As for Hall and Timett standing behind him, they fixed the three before them with openly menacing stares.
Timett's single eye swept over Isaac's neck, the corner of his mouth splitting into a thin, crooked grin.
As for Hall, after casting a glance at the nun's chest beneath her thick robes, he spat with undisguised contempt and turned his head to look out the window.
An old crone—dry, shriveled, and tasteless.
Aside from Tyrion, the two of them clearly had no intention of taking the three before them seriously at all.
Isaac saw all of this, yet he dared not give voice to his anger.
For Tyrion's words were plain enough—he was only a step away from saying outright that if anyone continued to spread such talk, then it would have to be suspected as a malicious accusation leveled against the king.
The moment he entered the room, Tyrion had delivered a display of both softness and steel.
It instantly shattered the trio's momentum, making them keenly aware of who truly held authority here.
"This, I—" Isaac subconsciously glanced at the two who had come with him.
But aside from the nun, whose face still showed indignation, the remaining septon merely shook his head at him.
Faced with the pressure and Tyrion's uncompromising stance, the words he had prepared in advance would not come out.
And after noticing the weapons at Hall's and Timett's waists, Isaac could only make the prudent choice to yield.
"My apologies, Lord Tyrion Lannister. The Faith heard some unfounded words of blasphemy directed at the Faith and the Seven, and so we had no choice but to come—" he coughed lightly, correcting himself, "—to verify the matter. But now it seems it was nothing more than baseless rumors and a misunderstanding."
The firmness he had intended to show was forced back by the slightly drawn blades, and the anger on his face shifted into an awkward smile.
"Oh? So that is how it is. Then it seems, Septon Isaac, that you can see for yourself—there will be no blasphemy against the Seven here. Perhaps this truly was nothing more than a misunderstanding."
Tyrion smiled amiably, and he even stepped forward to pat Isaac on the arm.
Seeing how tactful he was, Tyrion did not wish to offend the men of the Faith too deeply.
But that did not mean Tyrion was happy to indulge them here in a game of make-believe.
"So, the three of you—do you still have any important matters to discuss? After all, you know it as well: His Majesty has taken the army to put down rebels, and I still have to summon the nobles of the Westerlands. I truly have no extra time to entertain you—."
Tyrion, too, was not polite as he issued an order to see them out.
The three who had come to demand answers in burning anger could only rise helplessly.
"Since that is the case, we will not trouble you further."
They had come in a fury, only to do nothing at all. Although Septon Isaac was furious in his heart, he could only force a smile onto his face.
Even if his fists were clenched to the point of breaking, before Tyrion he could not stir up even the slightest wave.
When Tyrion had entered, he had pressed Kal's status upon them before this plainly ill-intentioned Septon could even speak—was it not precisely for this?
Yet Tyrion still maintained a bright surface.
"My sincerest apologies, Septon Isaac. I will have someone see you out. When I have the time, I will personally pay you a visit."
After Tyrion spoke, he waved his hand, and Hall immediately stepped out, raising his arm to gesture toward the door.
But just as Tyrion had dealt with the men from the Faith, Kossi—whom they had only just seen—suddenly burst in from outside.
"Something's wrong, Tyrion—quick, look outside!"
The few who had not yet left were all startled by Kossi's words. But seeing that the steward of Casterly Rock looked anxious and did not seem to be pretending, Tyrion did not ask anything. He rose at once and went straight to the window.
Hall shifted his position, quietly placing himself between Tyrion and Isaac's trio, watching the three with a guarded expression.
Timett reacted a beat slower, but he too hurried to the doorway to block it. The weapons at the two men's waists slid slightly from their sheaths.
At once, the faces of the three of the Faith—who had been about to leave—turned deathly pale.
"Lo—Lord Tyrion, this, this—"
At this moment, Tyrion, leaning against the window, did not notice what was happening in the room at all.
The instant he looked outside, he saw that on the sea's horizon beyond the window, a long black line was spreading toward them.
"Fleet?"
"This direction—could it be the Arbor fleet?!"
"Damn it!"
With a single glance, Tyrion understood at once.
Without sparing a word, he immediately turned to Kossi.
"Sound the alarm at once. Order the entire city to take shelter. And immediately summon those nobles who have already arrived at Casterly Rock—"
"Have them muster their own forces and press them to every stretch of coastline where a landing is possible!"
"Especially Lannisport—dispatch troops and secure our territory!"
"Bloody hell! How did they get here so fast?!"
The instant he sensed something amiss at sea, Tyrion reacted without hesitation and issued his orders in rapid succession.
When he had discussed matters earlier with Kal, the two of them had already talked about the possibility that another blow might come from the Iron Islands in the near future.
After all, those reavers had already come once before, back when House Lannister and the Iron Throne were at war.
And after Kal departed, Tyrion had used this period to make preparations against enemies coming from the sea.
However, these conjectures were known only to Tyrion and Kal. Tyrion had merely informed a small number of people within their inner circle, while none of the nobles who had come as reinforcements had been told.
As for this assault by the Redwyne fleet of the Arbor, to be honest, Tyrion himself had only just received word of it.
He had never imagined that the Arbor fleet would arrive so quickly.
Upon hearing that it was the Arbor fleet of the Reach, the three members of the Faith still in the room all turned pale with shock. Coupled with the killing intent filling the chamber, they were nearly unable to stand.
"Lord Tyrion, since you have urgent matters to attend to, please do not concern yourself with us."
As the words fell, Isaac no longer cared about the humiliation he had suffered at Tyrion's hands. Lifting his robes, he hurried out in a half-stumble, half-run, afraid that lingering even a moment longer would bring unearned disaster upon him.
More importantly, he now had to return to the sept at once to gather manpower and protect the sept's property, lest it be affected by the coming war.
Although it was generally understood that neither side would deliberately move against the Faith during a conflict, in the chaos of war, how could such things ever be guaranteed?
Not to mention the refugees—once fighting broke out, if even a handful of people rushed in to loot them, there would be nothing they could do about it.
Tyrion had no time to concern himself further with the departure of the three.
As soon as his orders were given, Kossi turned and hurried away.
Tyrion then turned his gaze to Hall and Timett.
"Lord Hall, it is still unclear where the Arbor fleet will strike, but that does not matter. The nobles have already suffered heavy losses, and many of them are not worthy of trust. Therefore, the defense of Casterly Rock must be handled by us alone."
"At present, we have fewer than three thousand men we can fully deploy, and of those I can give you no more than three hundred. It may sound excessive, but I must demand that you protect Casterly Rock at all costs."
"Casterly Rock is easy to defend and hard to take. Even with this number of men, holding it will not be a problem. Tell me—can you do it?"
At such a critical moment, Hall knew very well what mattered most.
Although Tyrion was giving him only three hundred men and yet demanding that he defend all of Casterly Rock, this was not a situation where he could refuse by simply saying it could not be done.
"I know what I must do. Rest assured, Tyrion—if Casterly Rock falls, it will be over my dead body."
Hall did not refuse. Instead, he nodded firmly.
Having received his answer, Tyrion had no time left for polite words.
He immediately turned to Timett.
"As for you, Timett, I am placing all of our remaining forces under your command. Notify Chella and the others at once. Take the troops and leave the city immediately to reinforce Lannisport."
"At present, we cannot keep our men in Casterly Rock alone. Lannisport is just as important to us. If the Arbor fleet merely blockades the outer sea, that is manageable—we have enough buffer and time to think of countermeasures."
"But if they choose to attack Lannisport directly, then once we lose it and our supply line to Kal is cut off, we are finished."
"And when that happens, the entire course of the war will be affected. That is a loss we cannot afford to bear."
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