Robert had not yet returned to King’s Landing, but his royal decrees had already been delivered to the capital of the Seven Kingdoms by his men. Just as it had been when Aegor was appointed to the Night’s Watch two months prior, the king himself might forget what he said or ordered, but the one who heard it, the one charged with issuing it, and especially the one receiving the order none of them could afford to forget.

Robert’s decision regarding how to deal with the Pyromancers’ Guild had, through various channels, already reached the “wise men” of the Alchemists’ Guild.

Two elderly men entered the office, one of whom Aegor already knew. The other was even older, frail, and unsteady on his feet.

“Good afternoon, wise men.” Aegor set aside his worries and greeted them with a bright smile. “If you hadn’t come to see me, I was just about to visit you. Please, take a seat.”

“Hmph!” The older pyromancer pulled a chair over and sat with a sour expression.

“Lord Aegor, this is Wisdom Hallyne, whom you can consider my superior,” Dak said, far more courteous than his companion. He quietly took a seat and offered the introduction, then remained silent.

“What a capable Chief Logistics Officer.” Hallyne lips trembled as he spat out the words. “Our Alchemists’ Guild has already fallen to such a pitiful state, and you still think it’s not miserable enough. Now you want to send us to the Wall? Are you trying to kill off us old men?”

“The Wisdoms gathered and reached a consensus, going to the Wall is absolutely unacceptable. After all, we are old men. At worst, we’ll be beheaded…” Dak, having met Aegor before, remained calm and composed as he spoke. “Lord Aegor, if you want wildfire, there’s plenty in the vaults. You can use it freely. Why report it to His Majesty and make things difficult for us?”

…

So that was the root of it. Aegor had wondered why the two had arrived with such aggression. He spoke at once. “Where is this coming from? When did I ever say I was sending you to the Wall?”

“Don’t play dumb! Today, King Robert’s men sent word, ordering that the wildfire be sealed and disposed of immediately, with only assistants left behind to manage it. All those capable of producing wildfire are to go north and serve the Night’s Watch. The pretty boy delivering the message told us—’Ask Aegor for the details. Everything is up to him.’ Are you really going to deny this is your doing?!”

“Fine. That part is indeed my doing,” Aegor admitted with a wave of his hand. “But wait—what do you mean by doing? I did request His Majesty’s assistance from the Alchemists’ Guild. But—who ever said that serving the Night’s Watch meant going to the Wall? I have no intention of killing you. I want you to regain your dignity and respect, to let your knowledge and abilities shine, and contribute to the realm.”

Hallyne scowled. “Spare us the lofty words! The man Robert sent said we are to follow your command. Once we leave King’s Landing, our lives are in your hands. I just want to ask: if we’re not going to the Wall, then where are we going, and how exactly are we supposed to serve the Night’s Watch?”

—

Aegor smiled. “Nina, bring me the map of the North.”

“Yes, ser.”

The girl quickly hurried to the cabinet by the wall and began searching. Watching her focused movements, Aegor sighed inwardly. It felt like a waste of talent to keep such a capable girl by his side as a secretary. But after she had become so familiar with the work, he simply couldn’t find a suitable replacement. In Westeros today, where could one find so many smart, diligent, and capable young women? Arya barely qualified, if not for being too young and far too unruly. Margaery had a mind sharper than most men, but would a noble lady be willing—or allowed—to spend her days working in the Night’s Watch office?

As the thought passed, Nina returned with the map. “Ser, should I open it?”

“Yes. Open it.”

He brushed the clutter from his desk, and the A2-sized map of the North was spread out. The curled edges were weighed down with heavy objects. The entire northern region, including the Wall, was laid bare atop the Night’s Watch office desk.

…

“Please relay what I’m about to say to the rest of the guild.” Aegor pointed to the edge of the map and traced a line along the dotted border. “Disregarding the lands Beyond the Wall, this here is the northernmost boundary of the Seven Kingdoms—the Wall. The Night’s Watch’s three strongholds, its nineteen castles, and nearly a thousand sworn brothers are spread along this stretch. Most of our manpower and assets are concentrated along the Wall that much is true. So, when you heard you were to serve the Night’s Watch and assumed you’d be sent to the Wall, that was understandable. I fully understand your concern. But that is not my plan.”

Hearing that they wouldn’t be sent to the Wall, the two old men visibly relaxed. Wisdom Hallyne no longer trembled, nor did his lips quiver. “Then where are we going, and what exactly do you want us to do? Please speak plainly, Chief Logistics Officer.”

“South of the Wall,” Aegor began, gesturing again to the map, “from the western mountains to the endless coastal plains along the Bay of Seals, lies a vast expanse known as the Gifted Lands. It spans hundreds of miles. Long ago, to support the defense of the Wall, the rulers of the North and the Iron Throne gifted this land, permanently to the Night’s Watch.”

He pointed to the territory in question. “Everything on this land, from the crops above to the resources buried beneath, belongs to the Night’s Watch. The residents who live there pay taxes to us, in goods or labor to help us survive.”

“My lord, what you said is already well known.” Hallyne rapped his knuckles on the table, cutting him off. “I understand what you mean, serving the Night’s Watch doesn’t necessarily mean going to the Wall. We could go to the Gifted Lands. But what’s the difference? The Gifted Lands are cold and desolate. You could ride all day without seeing a soul. And there are wildlings roaming about, pillaging and murdering! How long do you think a bunch of old men in their fifties and sixties could survive in a place like that?”

Aegor straightened up. “There’s a big difference. It’s true the Gifted Lands are vast and sparsely populated, but that’s mostly due to frequent wildling raids. The climate, however, is far better than what lies beyond the Wall. The Wall blocks the bitter winds from the Lands of Always Winter, making the temperature on the southern side far more tolerable than the north. It snows occasionally, yes, but it won’t freeze a man to death.”

Claiming that a 700-foot-high Wall could block arctic winds was absurd—but it was true that the Gifted Lands were warmer than Beyond the Wall. And since the pyromancers didn’t know much about geography or weather, it was easy enough to sell the idea. “There are mountains, rivers, and fertile soil. You can plant crops, raise livestock. There are even scattered settlements. What I want from the Wisdoms is to choose a place in the Gifted Lands to establish a base and provide the Night’s Watch with a stable supply of wildfire to help repel wildling attacks. The Night’s Watch needs your knowledge. Do you think we’d leave our own elders out in the cold, or let wildlings cut them down?”

“Choose a place to settle?” Hallyne huffed. “I’m an old man who’s never even been to the North. How am I supposed to pick a place? Stop dodging the question, tell us your plan clearly! Unless we are properly settled and treated with dignity, we’re not going anywhere!”

“Fine!” Aegor didn’t want to waste more time debating with them. With gold in hand, he spoke with confidence. He pointed to a spot on the map. “The site I’ve chosen for the Alchemists’ Guild is Queen’s Crown.”

“Queen’s Crown?” The name sounded grand—but unfamiliar.

“It’s a location in the central heart of Night’s Watch territory, not far from the Kingsroad,” Aegor began. “Queen Alysanne Targaryen once spent the night in the tower there. The locals painted the top of the tower gold in her honor, so it looked like it wore a crown hence the name.”

“How many people live there? Is it developed? Are there supplies, food, warm housing?”

“Because of repeated wildling raids, the residents fled long ago. The village is abandoned, only empty homes remain.” Aegor explained calmly, then added, “But I intend to rebuild it. I’ll send teams north to recruit stonemasons and other craftsmen from the North. We’ll renovate the houses and towers, raise walls, and establish Queen’s Crown as the first logistics base for the Night’s Watch—complete with warm, safe lodging, and dedicated space for configuring and producing wildfire.”

He swept his hand across the map. “Once that’s complete, the Wisdoms of the Alchemists’ Guild will be the first to move in. In time, Queen’s Crown will become the only place in all of Westeros, perhaps the world capable of producing wildfire. This weapon, long ignored and dismissed by King Robert and the South, will once again blaze on the frontlines of the war for the Wall. And the Wisdoms of the Alchemists’ Guild will regain the honor and purpose that was long denied them in King’s Landing.”

(To be continued.)

***

For every 200 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 30+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep