The watchtower was not very tall, but fortunately, the surrounding terrain was flat, and there were no taller buildings nearby, leaving their line of sight mostly unobstructed. Even from here, the far end of the fence stretching westward appeared blurry, barely visible as a faint line.
"How much land did you enclose?"
"As much as the Hand of the King approved, until people start living there. You can't just fence off someone's home." Tyrion shrugged. "The area already enclosed is probably the size of five or six Red Keeps. Don't underestimate it. If all goes well, it still might not be enough."
Aegor glanced around before looking at the first factory, which had already begun operations. If the buildings didn't require partitions, he reckoned dozens of factories of similar size could fit within the enclosed area.
Tyrion continued, "When the armies of the six kingdoms gathered at the Bloody Gate recently, book sales hit their peak. Workers toiled from dawn until dusk, yet they still couldn't keep up with the rising demand. Now that the war has ended, the growth rate of orders has begun to slow. Once the second factory is built, the pressure on papermaking and book printing will ease considerably..."
"The nobles and soldiers who took part in quelling the rebellion in the Vale also saw the books we printed. When they return home with the cheap books they purchased in the barracks, shrewd merchants will soon seek us out to buy books in bulk for resale beyond the royal domain."
"I've considered that issue, but long-distance transport costs are too high—it won't become our primary sales channel." The dwarf, too short to lean over the railing comfortably, draped himself against it instead. He pointed toward a plot of land on the riverside, west of the factory under construction. "Once the investment is secured, the last papermaking and printing facility will be built there, and then this industry will be complete. I've calculated that even factoring in the external sales you mentioned, three factories will be sufficient. Any further expansion will require tapping into the markets of the other Seven Kingdoms."
Indeed, the market was reaching its limit. In this era of low productivity, the wealth gap was not as extreme. Aside from the noble lords, most people had little money. Even if the cost of paper decreased and book prices dropped, the majority still couldn't afford them. Literacy rates among the poor were even lower. The Night's Watch industry couldn't actively lower prices just to attract customers who "seemed numerous but mostly wouldn't buy anything..."
"If we want to expand, our only option is to partner with the great houses of the Seven Kingdoms. We provide the technology, manpower, and initial funds, while they offer us access and trade privileges." Aegor nodded, though his expression was troubled. "But I fear these nobles will covet the profits and refuse to cooperate. Instead, they'll try to seize the technology and go at it alone. Leaving everything else aside—Lady Margaery of House Tyrell has already tried to pry information about papermaking and printing from me."
"Really? I recall she's just a young girl, about Nina's age, yet she already has such ambitions? If that's the case, there's little we can do. We're not the only ones with intelligence, and papermaking and printing aren't exactly complex. You can't expect to monopolize this forever. That's why I established entrepreneurial loans and invested in new inventions..." Tyrion gestured toward another section of land. "Look, the fenced area has been leveled. You and I have the final say on how to use it. That row of vacant lots along the river will be reserved for industries requiring water power, while the ones farther inland are yours to decide. Right now, there aren't enough workers in the industrial park to attract merchants and vendors, but after another phase of development, we can persuade some laborers to move their families here, settling within our perimeter... The situation will change soon."
Aegor was startled by Tyrion's vision. "Are you planning to turn this into a satellite town of King's Landing?"
"Why not? Have you seen how many people live outside the city walls of King's Landing? They're a ready supply of cheap labor. Once they get steady jobs and wages, they'll quickly form a new class, one far wealthier than ordinary farmers. Why shouldn't we profit from their gold dragons and silver stags?" Tyrion withdrew his hand and continued, "Of course, this is just an ideal plan. Reality will never go so smoothly. We'll have to adapt as things unfold. For now, I want to discuss people with you."
Aegor nodded. The people Tyrion had introduced earlier were just ordinary individuals by modern standards, but in this world, which was worse than "worse," they were more than qualified to be grassroots leaders. As for promotions, their abilities would be assessed accordingly.
"That Jellos we just confronted—he was once a gold cloak officer. He left the City Watch due to his frustration with its corruption. I recruited him through an acquaintance, spoke with him for a while, and got to know him a bit. He may not be as sharp as you, but he's skilled enough to manage a team of dozens..."
"No need to sing his praises. Do I seem like a petty man?"
"Just bringing it up for your awareness. I recruit workers randomly, as long as they can do the job but when it comes to management, I'd rather leave a position vacant than settle for someone incompetent. Rest assured, anyone I introduce to you is trustworthy." Tyrion leaned against the railing, looking down from the watchtower at the ground more than a hundred feet below. Since the Night's Watch disbandment was announced, more than a dozen minor leaders had left, leaving only Arya, Nina, and Casey waiting for the two main leaders to finish their conversation. The two girls—one older, one younger—were chatting animatedly, while Casey, Aegor's young follower, stood solemnly a few paces away.
…
"Aegor, what do you think of that girl, Nina?"
Aegor had expected Tyrion to continue discussing other grassroots leaders—why mention her? "I was about to ask you the same. Why did you assign her to my office instead of keeping her in the workshop, working on processes?"
"When you left, I took over your role, and I realized I needed an assistant. So, I had her help me for a couple of days. After working with her, I found she picked things up incredibly fast, so I decided to train her. Her brother is more than capable of leading the workers in refining production, so I took her as my apprentice. She worked in the office for a while, and her performance exceeded my expectations. When the forged note incident happened, I was so spooked I fled the city, yet she handled everything independently. And you're still not convinced?"
"You? Took her as your apprentice?"
"What, you can take a female apprentice, but I can't?" Tyrion rolled his eyes at Aegor's questioning tone. "It's no exaggeration, she's smarter than anyone in the Night's Watch, except for you and me. If not for being a woman, she'd be recognized for what she is, a rare gem in a pile of gravel."
Aegor hadn't realized Nina was this capable. But Tyrion had risked his life by staying in King's Landing to support the Night's Watch, arguing with him felt unnecessary. "An office manager needs more than literacy, accounting skills, and intelligence. They have to handle visitors. She blushes and stammers just talking to me—how will she deal with outsiders?"
"Blushes and stammers?" Tyrion looked surprised. "She was never like that with me. She's cheerful, assertive, and meticulous, utterly intolerant of mistakes. When she gets angry, she even dares to talk back to me. Ask any of the new office staff—every single one of them both respects and fears her."
Tyrion was fond of joking, but he never lied. Aegor stroked his chin. Had he startled her with his sudden return? But if she lacked the composure for this, how had she earned such high praise?
"Tsk, the answer's obvious. You're her weakness. She turns foolish around you. Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that she's faking it." Tyrion studied Aegor for a moment. "She likes you. Don't tell me you haven't noticed. While you were in the Vale, she asked me every day when you'd be back. And earlier, during your lecture… you didn't notice the way she was secretly watching you? Her eyes were full of stars and tenderness. So, what are you going to do about it? Keep stringing her along for amusement? That's dull, isn't it? Doesn't it make you sad?"
It was disheartening, but I held it in with self-control. Aegor shrugged. "That's not what I meant. It's just that subordinates are subordinates, and women are women. If the relationship becomes entangled, it could cause trouble."
"Is that really a conflict? I'm a straightforward man. I'm good at seducing women, but terrible at matchmaking. I won't beat around the bush with you—I'll be blunt. My apprentice likes you, and as her mentor, I hope you can acknowledge that. There's a lot of selfishness in this, but also some serious considerations."
Tyrion spread his hands and got to the point. "If I were to return to Casterly Rock today, Nina is the only one who could somewhat fill my role in the Night's Watch and help ease your burdens. We've expanded too quickly, and our personnel structure has weaknesses. The biggest issue is the lack of strong middle and senior management.
Men sometimes stay loyal to a person or a cause out of belief or sworn oaths. But women? Women want their emotions reciprocated. Right now, she likes you and goes to great lengths to meet your expectations but that passion won't last forever.
And there's something else you can't ignore. I don't know what the customs of marriage are in your homeland, but in Westeros, once a woman weds, her priority shifts to bearing children, raising them, and serving the interests of her husband and his family. Do you understand?"
"I see. You should have just said so earlier."
Aegor suddenly realized what Tyrion was implying, he was warning him not to assume that Nina was a fully devoted subordinate. He couldn't be overly confident in relying on her, as a woman like her could be "claimed" at any time.
"I imagine you see yourself as a member of the Night's Watch, but I must remind you, Nina still likes you despite knowing you belong to the Watch." Tyrion rolled his eyes. "A commoner girl like her never had a chance to marry into a noble family. But now? She was part of the Night's Watch industry from the very beginning. Her knowledge and experience have grown tremendously. Do you think she'd still be content to marry an ordinary man?"
---
Tyrion had thought that after uncovering the source of the rumors, he'd be able to relax for a while. But Aegor knew that Eddard Stark might already be investigating the lineage of the princes…
The thought weighed on him like a massive stone, making it hard to breathe. How could he spare time to worry about a girl's affections?
The little lion failed to notice Aegor's unease and continued rambling. "Either find someone capable enough to replace my apprentice soon, or make her yours quickly. The longer you hesitate, the worse it will be. Nina is too beautiful when she's properly dressed, which isn't entirely a good thing for a common girl like her. You need to keep an eye on her. King's Landing isn't as safe as it seems."
Aegor sighed. "I get it. I know what to do. You don't need to worry."
"Of course, I trust you." Tyrion let out a helpless sigh. "Enough about this. Let's talk about your trip to the Vale. Besides Margaery Tyrell trying to fish for business secrets, was there anything else worth mentioning?"
(To be continued.)
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