Chapter 85: Nina and the Reply
The setting sun splashed vast swathes of orange-red light across the cobblestone streets of King's Landing. Egger, Tyrion, and Arya—along with a red-cloaked Lannister guard and a grey-coated Stark guard—exited the workshop, leading their horses and chatting warmly on the way back to the inn.
A month of proximity had turned this group of people, who hailed from across the realm and likely would never have met otherwise, into familiar companions. Even Tyrion's two attendants could now offer a friendly nod and exchange idle small talk with the Stark nanny tasked with escorting Arya to her lessons.
...
Egger looked relaxed. He had been in King's Landing for over a month now, and with Tyrion's full-throttle efforts as a procurer, the total sales of Night's Watch bonds had neared two thousand gold dragons. Because he hadn't set an absurdly high rate of return like a typical Ponzi scheme, the word-of-mouth effect was slow to trigger. Furthermore, Westeros had long lacked any concept of investment and financial management—to date, not a single successful bond transaction had come from a customer walking in of their own accord.
Even the guests Tyrion brought, with the minor exception of Jaime Lannister, invariably purchased only the minimum limit of one hundred.
However, this lukewarm state of affairs had one benefit: most of the customers came with the mindset of giving the Imp some face, figuring that if the hundred gold dragons weren't returned, they could simply hold House Lannister responsible. Under these circumstances, Egger hardly had to worry about a sudden run on the bank where creditors demanded their gold all at once.
Two thousand gold dragons wasn't a staggering fortune, but combined with Tyrion's personal wealth... as long as they weren't starting a rebellion or undertaking massive construction, it was a significant sum that could accomplish a great deal.
For instance, purchasing a large tract of land outside the city, acquiring facilities, and hiring staff to build a massive workshop integrating papermaking and printing... no, perhaps factory was a more fitting term. Then, for a long time to come, they would firmly command the production and trade of Bibles, calendars, and novels throughout King's Landing and even the Crownlands.
On this foundation, if Tyrion could attract outside investment, Egger could manage expansion while still holding a large reserve of emergency funds!
The goal of gaining a foothold in King's Landing was now a certainty. The only remaining variables were how much they would earn and exactly how far he and Tyrion could go together.
As her nominal master, Egger had tried everything to make Arya consciously dress like a lady, refrain from swearing or acting crudely, and learn to be sensible and not cause trouble... unfortunately, he could do nothing to fix her blunt habit of interrupting to voice her thoughts. At this moment, the girl said something to Tyrion that sent them both into fits of laughter. These two, nearly identical in height—one old and one young, one male and one female—were unexpectedly kindred spirits. In the original timeline, they had met only briefly before parting for their respective fates; now, due to a transmigrator's meddling, they met daily at the Night's Watch office and had become rare, close friends between the rival Houses of Lannister and Stark. Had their age gap not been so vast, and had Egger not seen them every day to know better, he would have suspected the two were trying to play out some cliché love heals a blood feud drama.
Turning his head, the Chief Logistics Officer remembered another person was with them—Nina was following silently like a young bride, head bowed and wordless, looking rather bashful.
...
He spent his days with people like Tyrion and Arya, one treating him as a partner and the other calling him Master. Ordinary people seeing this would naturally fall under the illusion that he was some extraordinary great man, and feeling awe-struck or nervous was only human. This girl was quick-witted and literate, making her an interesting and useful figure; Egger decided to break the ice and close the distance between himself and this female inventor.
"Nina, tell me—do you and your brother have any leads on reducing costs?"
"Ah," the girl responded as if startled. She looked up at him briefly before quickly averting her eyes. "Some ideas, yes... but we haven't tried them yet. I don't know if they'll work..."
Egger was sure he hadn't misread it—Nina's face seemed to flush slightly.
He wasn't some naive virgin who had never touched a girl's hand; back in his original world, he might have been a father by now. A quick thought crossed his mind: this didn't look like the nervousness of meeting a great man, but rather the clumsy, heart-racing flutter of meeting a secret crush. Could Tyrion actually be right? Did this girl have feelings for him?
It wasn't impossible. Though Egger was a mere soldier, since arriving in King's Landing, he had associated only with the Hand, the wealthy knights Tyrion brought, and Crownlands nobility. He had put effort into his appearance—aside from the slightly strange black clothing, his attire, etiquette, and mannerisms were more refined than many a down-and-out noble. Coupled with his role as the benefactor and boss behind Nina... in this backward era of comparing who is less terrible, it wasn't strange that his polished facade attracted a girl of sixteen or seventeen in the first bloom of youth.
This was interesting. Egger allowed a wry smile to touch his lips. Before his transmigration, his family was middle-class at best, and his looks were merely decent. Of the Tall, Rich, and Handsome trio, he accounted for maybe one and a half of those traits. Finding a wife was never an issue, but he had never enjoyed this level of popularity with girls. "Mhm, since they're just ideas, they aren't guaranteed to work. Tell me anyway; I'll give you my thoughts."
During the refinement of the papermaking process, Egger had provided valuable suggestions based on his superior knowledge, but beyond that, as an outsider and boss who rarely visited the workshop... he could no longer show off or offer guidance. While Nina spoke in technical terms he only half-understood, Egger finally took the chance to observe her properly. Her bright eyes, which had left a deep first impression, needed no further description... but even without them, the girl was a beauty—a slender figure hidden beneath thin clothes, long eyelashes, a delicate nose, and two faint dimples that appeared even when she wasn't smiling, paired with skin as soft and pink as a peach... she was like a lotus flower emerging untainted from the mud.
She wasn't the type to strike one with instant beauty, but the more one knew her, the more pleasing she became. She was common-born, yet she could read, write, and possessed a brilliant mind for invention—such a marvel was rare in modern times, but in Westeros, she was a pearl in the sand, a near miracle. Egger had encountered many stunning women since coming to this world, but they were either Queens and highborn ladies or sorceresses like Melisandre—figures to be admired from afar but never touched. Now, having a reachable little lotus by his side who wouldn't bring trouble if he touched her, he felt his mind wander for a moment.
Maybe I could use my 'boss' status to keep her close? You know... have the secretary handle the business, and the boss handle the secretary?
He quickly pushed the thought out of his head. He had gone too long without a woman... a man doing great things shouldn't let hormones control his brain. A rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow; there were plenty of females in the world, and it was unwise to scheme against someone useful to him.
Despite his efforts to remain rational, pushing away a pretty girl wasn't something a normal person would do. Egger smiled and discussed papermaking improvements with Nina. Since he couldn't offer technical advice, he used his ultimate trump card—nodding at everything she said. "Mhm, like I said, money is no object. Be bold and experiment; don't fear failure."
The girl wasn't shy by nature. After a bit of banter, her initial shyness from being alone with her idol faded. She began to act more naturally, occasionally looking up boldly at the man with curiosity: Are all the Night's Watch—rumored to be made of criminals and scum—as dashing and handsome as my boss?
...
Chatting and laughing, they reached the Night's Watch office. Although Nina wasn't a major investor, Egger and Tyrion still intended to follow official procedure and have her sign a formal Investment Voucher. To retain talented people, one couldn't rely on empty promises; you had to offer something tangible. Being one of their own, she also served as a perfect rehearsal for when real investors started coming through the door.
But the employee left in charge of the office hurried to meet them. "My lord, a letter from the Lord Commander."
...
So soon? It's only been a dozen days. The reply is already here?
Egger took the parchment and noticed the wax seal had been broken. He wondered if it had been Grand Maester Pycelle, who handled the mail in King's Landing, or if Jaqen had quietly peeked into the Watch's secrets.
He glanced at the Braavosi spy sitting nearby and pretending to be an idiot, then opened the letter.
As long as it wasn't an order to return to the Wall, he didn't care what it said.
...
A few seconds later, he looked up and gave Tyrion an unreadable smile.
"What good news is making you look so smug?" Tyrion curled his lip in feigned disgust. He had written the letter sent ten days ago, so he could guess the general contents of the reply. "Mormont has delayed the Great Ranging and explained his reasons for the mission?"
Egger nodded, still smiling.
"You are now officially recognized as the Night's Watch Chief Logistics Officer?"
He continued to nod in silence, that smug smile widening.
"They caught a wight?"
"Not yet, but they're already trying." Egger set the letter down. At the end of the pile of good news, there was actually half a bit of bad news, but it wasn't a deal-breaker. He already had a plan. "Let's not talk about that. Into the inner room—let's sign those Investment Vouchers!"
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