At the signal from the new Lord of Winterfell, the guard turned and left, shutting the door behind him. The room was now silent, leaving Aegor alone with Robb Stark. This one-on-one situation eased some of Aegor’s nerves, if there had been any hostility or accusations, this wouldn’t be the way to handle it.

Robb gestured for Aegor to sit down. “Friend, were you the one who discovered my brother falling from the tower that day?”

The word friend was enough to make Aegor exhale in relief. The Starks were not known for subtlety when it came to their feelings about others; they wore their likes and dislikes openly. Aegor nodded and replied, “I’m ashamed to admit it, my lord. I could have stopped young Bran from attempting such a dangerous climb, but I failed.”

“As his brother, I know Bran’s stubbornness better than anyone,” Robb said, sighing like someone much older than his years. “When he sets his mind on something, no one can talk him down. It’s partly our fault, we’ve spoiled him too much.”

Robb’s tone carried the weight of responsibility, and Aegor silently agreed. Bran had been spoiled. From what Aegor had learned in conversations with the guards, the Stark family had tried various ways to dissuade Bran from climbing, but none of them worked. Eventually, even Eddard Stark had resigned himself to the boy’s reckless habit, allowing it to continue.

Bran’s fall was undeniably influenced by Jaime Lannister’s actions—and to a degree, Aegor’s own interference—but from a modern perspective, wasn’t there some accountability on the part of his parents? Poor education, lack of proper supervision, didn’t it all add up? To put it bluntly, if you never fall, that’s your luck, but if you do, then you’ve brought it on yourself. And for a child who can’t grasp the consequences, isn’t a firm hand sometimes necessary?

Aegor’s own childhood had been full of such lessons. He’d been beaten for sneaking off to swim in the river alone, for stealing money to buy snacks, and for skipping school to visit the arcade. As an adult, he felt gratitude rather than resentment toward his parents. As long as discipline was measured and accompanied by an explanation, it wasn’t something to be feared.

Such idle thoughts ran through Aegor’s mind, but he kept his expression neutral. As a sworn brother of the Night’s Watch, he had no right to lecture the heir of Winterfell. So, he simply waited for Robb to continue.

“Let’s not dwell on what’s already happened,” Robb said finally. “Thanks to your warning, my brother escaped danger a second time.”

“My warning?” Aegor’s expression turned serious. “The assassin… he acted?”

“Not long after you left Winterfell, one night, the library tower caught fire. Most of the castle was busy fighting the blaze, but the guards my father had stationed inside and outside Bran’s room didn’t abandon their posts.”

“And the assassin still made a move under those conditions?”

“No,” Robb said, shaking his head. “He approached, saw the guards at the door, and turned back. The guards suspected it was a trick and didn’t pursue him immediately. But Winterfell is a small place, and everyone here knows one another. It didn’t take long to track him down.”

Aegor felt a strange mix of emotions. The assassin had been caught. Despite all the time he had spent trying to alter the course of events—only to be thwarted at nearly every turn—it was ultimately a whispered warning to Benjen that had achieved the desired result. The threat to Tyrion, and by extension himself, had been neutralized.

All his effort had been outdone by a single lie. Was this irony, or just the absurd nature of reality?

“Was he interrogated?” Aegor asked cautiously.

“He resisted capture and was killed,” Robb said grimly. “We couldn’t risk taking him alive. Once we knew who sent him, his fate was sealed.”

“That’s… understandable,” Aegor said, nodding. A small wave of relief washed over him. If the assassin had been caught alive and his confession hadn’t implicated Joffrey, it would have caused more problems than it solved.

“Uncle Benjen says you’re a clever man,” Robb continued, his tone more solemn. “So I trust you understand that this assassin had to disappear, and this matter must remain a secret. Most people in Winterfell know nothing of what happened. Out of respect for your role in uncovering this threat, I’ve decided to share the truth with you, but I expect you to keep it to yourself.”

“Understood,” Aegor replied immediately.

In this world, there was no such thing as “equal justice under the law.” Even if the assassin had been sent by Joffrey, the Stark family had little recourse. Short of open war, any accusations against the crown prince would only result in denials and excuses. At most, Robert Baratheon might scold his son.

If this had been a time of peace, the Starks could have sought retribution. Given Eddard’s long friendship with Robert, they might have even had the upper hand. But with Eddard preparing to leave for King’s Landing and the family reeling from revelations about the Lannisters’ involvement in Jon Arryn’s death, the Starks couldn’t afford to alienate their Baratheon allies.

The Stark family could only swallow the matter in silence.

“Here, take this.” Robb pulled a leather pouch from behind the table and handed it to Aegor.

Aegor accepted the bag, its weight and the metallic sound within making its contents easy to guess. His brow furrowed as unease flickered across his face. “What is this?”

“What we found in the assassin’s hiding place. It should be the payment he received from his employer,” Robb replied, his expression dark with anger. “My brother’s life was worth only this pitiful amount of coin.”

“This might have just been the deposit,” Aegor murmured. “The rest would’ve been paid after the deed was done. But why give it to me?”

“You’re heading to King’s Landing on behalf of the Night’s Watch. That journey won’t be cheap,” Robb said plainly. “I added a gold dragon to the assassin’s bounty for my brother, and I hope you can use it.”

Holding the heavy pouch, Aegor hesitated. His first instinct was to refuse it outright, just as he had turned down red envelopes in the past before he’d found himself in this world. But this wasn’t the modern world he had once known. The customs and expectations here were different—this was a gift from a great noble, and he couldn’t afford to reject it.

Moreover, he truly needed the money. Aegor hadn’t left the Wall willingly, nor had Commander Mormont provided any funding for his trip south. After all, he was a ranger, a man expected to fight on the front lines, not wander the South on “missions.” Being penniless and reliant on Tyrion to pay for his meals and lodging had been a bitter and humiliating experience.

“Thank you, my lord,” Aegor said, bowing his head slightly in gratitude.

“Keep it,” Robb said firmly. “And thank you again for what you did for my brother. Just remember what we talked about—this must remain a secret. That’s all. See you at dinner.”

—

“The North respects the Night’s Watch.”

Aegor had heard those words countless times from his fellow brothers, but he hadn’t truly understood their meaning until his second visit to Winterfell, after Robert Baratheon and his entourage had left.

The new, young Lord of Winterfell—Robb Stark—actually chose to dine at the same table as the twelve Night’s Watchmen who were visiting.

From Yoren, Aegor learned that Robb’s actions weren’t meant to set a precedent, nor were they driven by gratitude for Aegor’s role in saving Bran. Rather, this practice followed a tradition established by Eddard Stark himself.

Before leaving for King’s Landing to serve as Hand of the King, Eddard had made it a point to personally greet every Night’s Watchman who came to Winterfell, without exception. If they were deserters or oathbreakers, he would dispense justice with his sword and the guillotine himself. But if they were brothers of the Watch carrying out their duties, he ensured they were given warm meals and good wine, dining with them at the same table. He would listen to their reports about the Wall directly, treating the Watch’s concerns with the respect they deserved.

—

Strictly speaking, Aegor and Benjen’s previous visit to Winterfell had been overshadowed by the king’s arrival. It had been an unusual situation, and the Watch’s brothers had been given little notice or priority.

But such courtesy and respect for the Night’s Watch could only be found in the North. Once they left Winterfell, things would change.

The ten rangers who had escorted them remained at Winterfell for just one day before heading back north to the Wall. Meanwhile, Aegor, Yoren, and Tyrion, along with his party, began their journey south. This time, they traveled at a leisurely pace, though Aegor knew all too well that life would be very different once they crossed into the southern regions.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep