Chapter 150

"Arya just told me," Aegor reminded Tyrion, "Slynt was summoned by Robert last night."

"So what?" Tyrion gave Aegor an annoyed glance. "I’m targeting him precisely because he’s a fool who thinks he has the King’s backing. And you—aren’t you supposed to be the legendary White Walker Slayer? Could you try showing a bit more resolve? I’ve got a plan for dealing with Slynt. Just follow my lead."

"Alright, let’s hear it."

"I want in!" Arya interrupted, her excitement palpable.

"You think this is some game?" Tyrion sighed, glancing at her. "This is a life-and-death power struggle, not child’s play. But fine, I’ll give you a task—can you tell a story?"

"Of course I can!"

"Good. Go home and tell your father about how Slynt tried to pressure Nina into agreeing to his advances. Do it at a casual time, like during a meal. Don’t embellish, just tell him what you know. The goal is to make sure your father forms a negative impression of Slynt. Be subtle—under no circumstances should he suspect I put you up to this." Tyrion’s face was serious. "We’re counting on you to handle this like an adult, Arya. Don’t let us down."

"Got it!" Arya grinned. If not for Aegor’s constant reminders to act like a proper lady, she might have leapt up to declare her resolve.

For a ten-year-old girl, Tyrion couldn’t say he felt reassured. Still, Arya’s part in the plan was low risk, so he decided to let it go. Turning to Nina, he continued, "As for you, as one of the ‘victims’ of Slynt’s schemes, I need you to stay put and focus on managing the office. I’ll prepare a statement for you—memorize it in case we need your testimony later."

"Understood."
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"The Commander of the City Watch may hold little sway across the Seven Kingdoms, but in King’s Landing, he’s a key figure," Tyrion explained. "If we were just trying to kill him, one knife in the dark would do. But to safely and effectively remove him from power, we need to dismantle his network of influence. That means cutting off Janos Slynt’s connections."

Aegor nodded, quickly grasping the logic. "I see. Isolate him from his allies, sever his ties to power, and ensure his ‘political and social death.’ Once that’s done, he’ll be finished, even if we do nothing else."

"‘Political and social death’? An interesting turn of phrase, but apt," Tyrion said with a smirk. "To achieve this, we need to create momentum—convince the power players of King’s Landing, both overt and hidden, to turn against him. These individuals, who operate in Robert’s shadow, are effectively the second rulers of the city. Persuading them requires direct involvement. No messenger will suffice."

"But I’m not familiar with most of these hidden elites," Aegor admitted.

"Exactly. You’ve barely met these players, and if you showed up uninvited asking for favors, they’d laugh you out the door. So, here’s the plan: I’ll approach the power brokers I know, while you target the mid-level officers in the City Watch. They’re our entry point."

"Mid-level officers?" Aegor was confused. "How will that help?"

"The City Watch isn’t a monolith," Tyrion explained. "Remember Geros, the captain of your security team? His name’s similar to Janos Slynt, but the two are enemies. After Slynt was promoted to commander, he forced Geros out of the Watch. That’s how he ended up working for us. From Geros, I’ve learned that the Watch is a fractured organization…"

Arya, fascinated, listened intently. "Isn’t the Watch just there to maintain order and guard the gates? How complicated can it be?"

"It’s a long story, but here’s the short version: The City Watch has over two thousand men. Half are directly loyal to the Baratheons, Crownland lords, and major families in King’s Landing. These men follow their true masters, not Slynt. He knows this and avoids clashing with them. Instead, he focuses on controlling the other half—those recruited locally, with no significant background. But according to Geros, those men hate Slynt and are eager for someone to take him down."

"Ah, I see," Aegor said, nodding. "Half the Watch ignores Slynt, while the other half despises him. That makes him an easy target."

"Don’t underestimate him," Tyrion warned. "Until he’s removed, he’s still a threat."

"The plan is clear. I’m ready." Aegor sighed, still uneasy about Tyrion staying in King’s Landing. But since he couldn’t convince him to leave, he decided to see the plan through. "So, what’s next? Slynt is targeting us, not the elites. Why would they help us?"

"We appeal to their wallets," Tyrion replied. "I’ll distribute this month’s dividends from the Night’s Watch business to all our investors—slightly inflated, of course. Since Slynt refuses to take bribes, there’ll be plenty of others willing to accept. Then I’ll tell them this: Slynt covets our profits, and when we refused to give him a cut, he retaliated by sabotaging our operations, impacting their earnings. What do you think will happen?"

"Brilliant," Aegor said, impressed. "Cutting off someone’s money is like killing their family. By framing it this way, Slynt will gain a whole new group of enemies without even realizing it."

"Exactly. But creating momentum isn’t enough. We need concrete action—evidence and testimonies to back up our claims." Tyrion turned serious. "As a Lannister, I can’t lead this charge—it would only raise suspicions. You’ll have to write a formal report to Eddard Stark. I’ll also compile a list of City Watch officers we can win over. Tonight, you’ll start visiting them discreetly. We’ll need some of Slynt’s subordinates to testify against him. And remember—while we can target a royal appointee, we must avoid creating chaos. If we anger Robert, everything will fall apart."

"Understood. I’ll get started." Aegor glanced at the clock. "It’s nearly lunchtime. Staying to eat? Margaery should be arriving soon."

"Margaery said she’s leaving for Highgarden and won’t be back," Arya interjected. "She told me to keep practicing so I can teach her distant cousins swordplay someday."

She’s probably hoping you’ll marry into the Tyrell family, Aegor thought, amused by Arya’s naivety.

"No time for socializing," Tyrion said, shaking his head. "I swore to have Slynt removed within three days. I’ll head back to the industrial park. Be careful in the city—especially near the eastern barracks."

"You too. Stay safe." Aegor accepted Tyrion’s leadership for now, relieved to let someone else handle the heavy thinking. As Tyrion left, a sudden thought struck him. "Arya, Akun wants you to practice with more people. Starting today, go train with your father’s guards at the security team’s camp outside the city."

"That’s so far away!"

Tyrion raised an eyebrow, puzzled by Aegor’s suggestion but choosing not to question it in front of Arya. Instead, he grinned and said, "It’s just a short ride. Let’s race there—I’ll even let you use a head start."

"Alright, you’re on!" Arya shouted, racing to prepare.
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