Chapter 178

The first “witness” was a young man Aegor did not recognize. He was neatly dressed, with an upright demeanor, and strode confidently to the center of the courtroom. However, instead of heading directly to the witness stand, he stopped below the high platform where Renly sat as judge. He bowed respectfully to the Master of Laws, and only when Renly nodded in acknowledgment did he turn to produce a parchment, proclaiming loudly: “Before this trial begins, I am here to announce, by the king’s decree, a royal pardon!”

A royal pardon! For a brief moment, Janos Slynt straightened up, his despair giving way to a flicker of hope. Perhaps, after all, the king had decided to show him mercy. But that glimmer was extinguished as soon as the content of the pardon became clear—it was not for him.

The pardon declared that all officers of the City Watch who had bribed Slynt for promotions or retained their positions under his tenure were absolved of any wrongdoing. The trial, it clarified, would focus solely on Janos Slynt himself. As long as the officers abided by the law moving forward and served the crown loyally in defending King’s Landing, all past actions would be forgiven.
----


As the pardon was read aloud, murmurs of relief rippled through the audience. Meanwhile, Janos Slynt slumped back into his seat, utterly defeated. Having operated on the periphery of power for so long, he understood exactly what this meant. The king had abandoned him. This trial, which had barely begun, was already over for him. What remained was simply the extent of his ruin.

All he could hope for now was to preserve his life. If he could escape with even a fraction of the wealth he had hidden outside the city, he might eke out a modest existence somewhere far from the capital.
----


In the observer's gallery, Aegor’s eyes gleamed with admiration. This was a masterstroke. Amid the brewing chaos in the realm, this pardon was akin to Cao Cao’s burning of letters—a decisive move to stabilize King’s Landing and reassure its people. It struck a balance between delivering justice to appease the masses and maintaining order by preventing further discord. Truly, a textbook example of political acumen. If Eddard Stark could continue to operate freely, uninhibited by figures like Littlefinger, his political skill would prove formidable.

The only question now was: what was Varys plotting in the background?

Once the pardon was read, the young man—less a witness and more a prosecutor in all but name—took the stand and presented a second document: the official findings of the investigation into Janos Slynt by the Ministry of Law.
----


The investigation revealed Slynt to be a man of astonishing greed. From the numerous properties he had purchased for himself, his family, and his mistresses in and around King’s Landing, investigators uncovered mountains of coin.

Not jewelry. Not artworks. Not even gold or silver plate. Just money. Boxes, chests, cellars, and hidden compartments—all overflowing with neatly stacked coins sorted by type: golden dragons, silver stags, and copper stars. It was as if they had stumbled upon a private treasury. The soldiers assigned to recover the ill-gotten wealth reportedly questioned if they had accidentally entered the royal vaults.

By the end of the tally, the total value—converted into golden dragons—amounted to approximately 12,600 dragons in coin alone. Including his real estate and a few other minor assets, Slynt’s total wealth exceeded 15,000 golden dragons.

The spectators gasped. Without accounting for land and castles, this sum dwarfed the liquid wealth of most counts. Compared to this revelation, the subsequent mention of three mistresses and two illegitimate children seemed trivial.
----


Aegor observed the proceedings with interest. The young prosecutor—clearly not a “witness” in the traditional sense—was systematically dismantling Slynt. It was a merciless, one-sided assault. Aegor couldn’t help but feel a mix of awe and fear.

The Night’s Watch enterprise had taken months to build up enough resources to break even and begin paying off debts. Even now, its net worth—after excluding investments—barely amounted to 1,000 golden dragons. Yet Slynt, with over ten times that in cash, had squandered his fortune without leveraging it to consolidate his position. If he had used that wealth to forge alliances, even Tyrion’s cunning might not have been enough to unseat him.
----


As the prosecutor finished reading the report and stepped down, Janos Slynt sat pale and silent. He knew exactly how much money had been in his properties, and with the evidence laid bare, he had no rebuttal.

The second witness, a captain from the City Watch’s eastern barracks, testified about Slynt’s systematic corruption. He detailed the procedures for selling ranks and embezzling funds, as well as the unspoken rules Slynt enforced. He also revealed that Slynt had hired assassins to silence officers who had attempted to report his crimes. Among the charges was the attempted assassination of Aegor, carried out using crossbows and Gold Cloak soldiers on the night of the Red Keep’s disturbance.

The betrayal of his own men finally provoked a reaction from Slynt. His face contorted with rage, and he interrupted the testimony to scream accusations of treachery at the captain, even attempting to implicate him in the very crimes being described. But the captain, protected by the royal pardon, remained unshaken. When Slynt’s outburst persisted, Renly ordered the guards to silence him.
----


The third witness was a merchant who accused Slynt of extorting protection fees under the guise of maintaining order. When Slynt tried to argue that the payments had been voluntary, the gallery erupted in jeers.

The fourth witness was Nina. Aegor leaned forward, intrigued as the young woman ascended the stand. Tears welled in her eyes as she recounted how Slynt had attempted to coerce her into returning home with him and, when she refused, had instructed his men to use force.

“If not for Lord Aegor’s timely return from the Vale and his intervention,” she said, trembling, “I don’t know what might have happened to me…” Her voice broke as tears spilled down her cheeks, and she glanced at Renly with a look of gratitude before continuing, “He later took my brother hostage and told me that if I didn’t… present myself to him that evening, he would hang Neil.”

Slynt exploded, shouting, “Lies! I never intended to harm her brother! She’s lying through her teeth!”

Renly’s gavel slammed down. “Slynt, you will remain silent! Another word, and I’ll have your mouth bound.”

Nina stepped down, her testimony leaving many in the gallery visibly moved. Even Aegor, knowing the truth had been exaggerated, marveled at her ability to stir the court’s emotions. Still, he wondered whether the embellishments were her own doing or part of a plan set in motion by Tyrion before his departure.
----


Witness after witness took the stand, recounting Slynt’s countless misdeeds. Each piece of testimony painted a damning picture. By the time the trial neared its conclusion, Slynt had given up any pretense of defense. Evidence against him was overwhelming, his guilt undeniable.

Just as Aegor contemplated leaving early, Slynt suddenly raised his head and interrupted the proceedings. “Enough!” he cried. “Enough. I admit it. I plead guilty to all charges.”

Renly, startled but intrigued, leaned forward. “All charges? You intend to confess to every crime?”

“Yes,” Slynt replied, his voice trembling. “I was foolish. I made mistakes. But I beg mercy. Allow me to take the black. Let me serve the realm on the Wall to atone for my sins.”

Renly smirked faintly. “You weren’t in the Red Keep to see the wight Ser Alliser brought, were you? The Night’s Watch could use more men, but are you certain the Wall is where you wish to go?”

Slynt nodded, desperate. “Yes, my lord. I am certain.”

Renly seemed ready to grant his request when a voice rang out from the gallery. “Wait! I have something to say!” A black-cloaked figure stood, drawing the room’s attention.

...