Aegor was indeed making things up, but his lies weren’t entirely baseless. The original Author once mentioned that the world of Westeros is situated on a spherical planet, slightly larger than Earth, with a greater landmass. Aegor had personally verified this after arriving here. Based on the air pressure and gravity he could feel, the planetary environment of this world was strikingly similar to Earth’s. If Martin’s original setting held true in this reality—namely that “the land area of the world is larger than Earth’s”—then it was entirely plausible that there might be land or significant islands in the vast ocean west of Westeros.

Of course, no one would believe him if he claimed to be a transmigrator. Instead, his greatest assets for survival were his knowledge of the plot and understanding of the key players. These two secrets, however, could never be shared. Therefore, the mysterious “Sunset Sea” to the west of Westeros, an expanse unknown to most of its inhabitants, became a perfect fabrication for his supposed homeland.

It’s worth noting that Aegor’s claim of coming from across the ocean wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment invention. It was a story he’d already used when introducing himself to the brothers of the Night’s Watch. Its biggest advantage? No one could ever disprove it. And whenever he needed to add more details to his backstory, he could chalk it up to cultural or linguistic differences, leaving plenty of room to improvise.

The idea of being part of a globe-spanning voyage was something Aegor had come up with on the fly during the dinner party. Though improvised, it wasn’t entirely random, the inspiration behind it was obvious. The goal of spinning such a tale was also clear: by catering to Tyrion’s curiosity and interests, Aegor could make an impression on a core member of House Lannister. If all went well, he could use this as a stepping stone to escape the constraints of the Night’s Watch.

For a man like Tyrion, a noble dwarf with great ambitions and a thirst for knowledge about the wider world, how many people could be more intriguing than an alleged explorer from an undiscovered continent? By claiming to have funded his own daring journey, Aegor hoped to present himself as someone of substance rather than a mere commoner in black robes.

After over a year of adapting to this world, Aegor had come to understand one thing: in Westeros, your origins largely determined how others treated you. Slightly elevating his status when interacting with people was always a good strategy. Making subtle comments to imply that he was wealthy and free-spirited, rather than directly claiming noble birth, made the lie more believable.

This disguise not only helped reduce the distance created by social class but also provided a plausible explanation for his appearance and the breadth of his knowledge, which far exceeded that of the average person around him. It was, in essence, a two-for-one solution.

Aegor didn’t particularly enjoy lying, boasting, or pretending to be something he wasn’t. But for the sake of his survival, he was willing to deceive the world if it meant staying alive.

—

While Aegor schemed to present himself in the best possible light, the bastard Jon Snow was busy piecing together the broken sword fragments and had already noticed something peculiar.

“This break is strange,” Jon muttered as he tried to reassemble the shattered blade. He frowned, struggling to articulate what felt wrong. “If a steel weapon breaks, it shouldn’t look like this.”

“Exactly,” Aegor interjected, finishing the thought Jon was trying to express. “Normally, you’d see some deformation or bending at the break. But here, the fracture occurred precisely where the sword collided with the White Walker’s weapon. Under the effects of ice magic, the steel lost its toughness, becoming brittle, more fragile than cast iron. It couldn’t withstand the impact and broke cleanly in two.”

Jon stared at the two broken swords laid out before him, his expression darkening as he finally grasped the weight of his uncle Benjen’s warnings.

“This is absurd!” Tyrion scoffed. He wasn’t interested in broken swords or their mysteries, and he certainly didn’t care how steel behaved under ice magic. What truly captured his attention was Aegor’s supposed origin. While Tyrion wasn’t entirely convinced by the tale, something about Aegor’s explanation felt genuine enough to him. He couldn’t help but voice his outrage: “You claim to hail from a continent unknown to us, which should make you one of the most important visitors to Westeros in a thousand years. And yet, the moment you arrived, a bunch of northerners arrested you and sent you to the Wall? Are you really willing to stay in this frozen wasteland for the rest of your life?”

“Of course I’m not willing,” Aegor admitted with a self-deprecating smile. “But what choice do I have?”

“I’ll help you leave,” Tyrion said without hesitation.

Aegor nearly choked on his own saliva. This was exactly what he wanted, but the offer had come far more quickly and easily than he’d expected. Could it be that he was finally catching a break after all the hardships he’d endured?

“Uh… Thank you for your kindness, my lord, but as far as I know, has there ever been a case in Westeros of someone leaving the Night’s Watch and returning to a normal life?”

“Not officially,” Tyrion admitted, shrugging. “Once you take the oath, you either serve for life or you’re branded a deserter. There’s no third option. But I didn’t say I’d help you leave the Watch, I said I’d help you leave the Wall.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Let me tell you a story,” Tyrion began. “There was once a nobleman who backed the wrong side in a political struggle. After his faction lost power, he was forced to join the Night’s Watch. A few years later, the man he supported reclaimed the throne. That nobleman, now a sworn brother of the Night’s Watch, returned to his family’s castle under the pretense of collecting supplies for the Watch. He lived out his days in comfort, feasting, enjoying women, and never returning to the Wall until his death.”

“What are you talking about?” Jon finally looked up from the shattered sword, catching only part of their conversation. “A Night’s Watchman who doesn’t guard the Wall? How can someone just ignore their oath like that?”

“It’s not as simple as it sounds,” Tyrion explained. “If the Lord Commander declares a brother a deserter, every lord and noble on the continent is obligated to hunt him down. But this man wasn’t declared a deserter. Officially, he remained a ‘collector of supplies’ for the Watch. The arrangement was beneficial for both sides.”

“I see,” Aegor murmured, the pieces clicking into place. He hadn’t considered this approach before, but it made perfect sense. “I suppose this nobleman didn’t ‘collect’ supplies through donations, did he?”

“Of course not,” Tyrion smirked. “This kind of arrangement requires two things: thick skin and deep pockets. The man provided the Watch with enough resources to feed and supply its soldiers. Compared to that, one man’s service at the Wall was insignificant.”

Aegor fell silent, stroking his chin in thought. The first requirement—thick skin—was no problem for him. But as for deep pockets? He had nothing. Compared to even the lowliest servant in Winterfell, his financial situation was laughable. How could he afford to “buy” his way out of the Watch?

There was one man in Westeros who could afford such an expense: Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West. If Tyrion’s father was willing to help, Aegor’s problem could be solved in an instant. But this was only their first meeting. How could he possibly make such a request?

—

“Why haven’t I heard this story before?” Jon asked suspiciously. “Besides, the Night’s Watch is supposed to be independent of the Seven Kingdoms. Even the king has no authority to interfere in its affairs.”

“You haven’t heard of it because it’s not a Northern tale, and the man in question wasn’t anyone significant,” Tyrion replied. “As for the king’s authority… you’re still young. When you grow up, you’ll realize that anyone strong enough can interfere in anything they want.”

Jon flushed, struggling to find a retort, but the truth in Tyrion’s words left him silent.

“I can help you with the first ransom,” Tyrion said, turning back to Aegor. “But you’ll need to figure out the rest on your own. And I have one condition: you’ll need to tell me more about Tsena’s advanced technology and customs.”

“Thank you, my lord!” Aegor’s gratitude was genuine. Though the situation felt almost too good to be true, he had taken the right gamble after all.

“But he’s sworn to the Night’s Watch!” Jon protested, momentarily forgetting the broken sword on the table. “How can he just leave?”

“So tell me, boy,” Tyrion countered with a sharp grin, “does it seem fair that an explorer from the far side of the world, the first Tsenaar to set foot in Westeros, should spend the rest of his life freezing at the Wall because he took a few potatoes to survive a shipwreck?”

—

Jon sighed, looking conflicted. “Fine. Do what you want. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear this conversation.”

“Thank you, but this isn’t about desertion,” Tyrion said calmly. “Even if you told your father or the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch about this conversation, they couldn’t do anything to me. This isn’t some clandestine plot, it’s an open secret. When you’re older, you’ll understand.”

Jon looked frustrated at being dismissed as a child but didn’t respond. His attention drifted back to the broken swords on the table. After a moment of silence, he straightened his back and declared, “I’ve decided, I’m joining the Night’s Watch.”

“Before making life-altering decisions, it’s best to calm down and think,” Tyrion said, raising an eyebrow at Jon’s sudden declaration. “That said, I understand your reasoning. The wildlings are gathering under their King-Beyond-the-Wall, and the White Walkers lurk in the shadows with their ice magic. While everyone else runs from danger, the boldest among us walk straight toward it, seeking fame and glory.”

“I’m not doing this for fame and glory!” Jon shot back, his face reddening with emotion. His gaze hardened as he turned to the shattered weapons. “I just want to protect my family and the millions of people in the North from the threats that come from beyond the Wall.”

“Touching,” Tyrion said with a slight smirk, but his voice carried no sarcasm this time. He turned to Aegor. “It’s settled then. I’ve decided to visit the Wall myself. They call it one of the nine man-made wonders of the world, and I’d be a fool not to see it for myself. By the way, I’ll also be able to verify whether this story of yours holds any truth. Perhaps we’ll travel together.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep