Chapter 79

"You’re so slow, Master!" Arya jumped up the moment Aegor entered, complaining loudly.

"Where have you been?" Tyrion frowned at him. "You left the Stark girl to mind the store and kept potential buyers waiting? Hah—what a fine ‘Chief Logistics Officer of the Night’s Watch’ you are!"

Damn. Aegor immediately realized who the other two people in the room were and quickly began apologizing. He had promised Tyrion that he’d stay at the office at all times, but breaking that promise to free Jaqen had nearly jeopardized everything. To make such a mistake during the critical early stage of the bond venture was inexcusable—even Aegor himself couldn’t defend it. No wonder even the normally mild-mannered Tyrion sounded irritated.
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"No harm done. Chatting with Lady Stark was quite enjoyable," said one of Tyrion’s companions, smiling amiably. He had initially only come out of respect for the Lannisters, but meeting the Hand’s daughter in person was an unexpected bonus. Given his standing and location, he’d never imagined he’d have the chance to meet a Stark, much less the Hand’s family.

"This is Ser Lian Brunn and Ser Roger Hogg, both noblemen from the Crownlands," Tyrion introduced.

"My apologies for my tardiness," Aegor said, bowing to the two. "Please, come inside."
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Borrowing money and making the lenders wait was no way to win friends. If these two guests had decided to show their displeasure or leave, Aegor would have had no choice but to bow and scrape. Fortunately, Arya’s presence had kept them entertained, so they remained courteous. Aegor couldn’t help but feel relieved—spending hours each day building rapport with the young wolf had finally paid off.

He instructed Jaqen, now a de facto employee, to watch the front while he ushered the guests into the back office. After a thorough explanation of the bond’s terms and benefits, both men purchased the minimum denomination of 100 gold dragons. Once the signatures and seals were done, Aegor escorted them out with polite small talk.
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"You’re busy, and I get that," Tyrion said once the office had quieted. "But at least tell me ahead of time, or better yet, set a proper schedule. Let me know which days you’ll definitely be here and which days I shouldn’t bother bringing people over. Deal?"

Aegor, fully aware of his fault, readily agreed. While he could delegate other tasks, he couldn’t relinquish control of signing off on bonds—it was far too critical. But his various other commitments meant he couldn’t always be available either. Establishing fixed workdays and rest days seemed like the logical next step.

"I’ve got some new ideas to discuss," Tyrion continued, his tone softening as he got back into his usual rhythm. "You’ve seen it: I can bring people in, no problem. I know who’s got spare coin and who’s willing to listen. But even when I drag them in here, they’ll only buy the minimum—100 dragons. Without something tangible to show them, mere talk won’t convince them to invest more."

"True," Aegor conceded. "But once the first and second groups start receiving their returns—"

"That’ll take time," Tyrion interrupted. "My thought is, since we’re going to need more partners for future ventures, why not create something similar to the bonds? Write up formal agreements outlining investments, partnerships, and profit-sharing, and issue them as certificates."

"Ah, you mean a new type of bond," Aegor said, catching on. "An ‘investment certificate.’ We could calculate the funding required for the paper and printing industries and issue these certificates to represent ownership shares in the enterprises—paper mills, printing presses, bookstores, and so on."

"Exactly!" Tyrion said with enthusiasm. "This certificate could complement the regular bonds. Bonds have low returns but can be redeemed anytime, while the investment certificate’s returns would depend on profitability and could be significantly higher. However, the principal would be locked in as equity in the business—transferable but not withdrawable. That way, we cater to two types of clients: those with modest savings who need liquidity and those with wealth to spare looking for high returns."

"Brilliant idea," Aegor admitted. Yet for some reason, a vague unease crept over him. He pushed it aside and agreed, "Let’s move forward with it. You handle the business and negotiation aspects, and I’ll focus on the technical side. I’ll also check on Nina’s team regularly to ensure they’re progressing with the paper-making improvements."

"Good."
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As Tyrion outlined the logistics, Aegor suddenly realized where his unease stemmed from: everything was progressing too quickly. What had started as a simple Ponzi scheme to gain a foothold was now morphing into something much more complex. He hadn’t even paid out the first round of returns, yet concepts like financing and equity were already piling onto his shoulders. Could he truly manage this beast of a venture?

He didn’t have the expertise, but retreat wasn’t an option. Unless he was willing to betray Tyrion and flee to Essos to live incognito until death, he had no choice but to press forward. Perhaps this was what every entrepreneur faced: uncertainty and doubt. The only consolation was that he had little competition in this world—and Tyrion Lannister as his partner.
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"You two done talking yet? Are we training today or not?!" Arya’s impatient voice interrupted. She had no interest in bonds or investments—beyond knowing they had something to do with money, she found them incomprehensible. All she knew was that she’d spent the entire day waiting and doing nothing. "And those two guys you brought in wouldn’t stop asking me questions! They even asked if I was betrothed or had anyone I liked. What’s it to them?!"

"To them, everything," Tyrion said, laughing. The two knights he’d brought in were merely wealthy Crownlands knights, far beneath the status required to court a Stark. But Arya’s connections meant their interest wasn’t entirely unfounded. "Your sister Sansa is already betrothed to Prince Joffrey. The Starks will be one of the most influential families in Westeros for the next century, at least. As the future queen’s sister, your marriage will be of great interest to the realm."

"Pfft, Sansa’s an idiot, and Joffrey’s a bigger one. They’re a perfect match. I’m not going to end up like her!"

Good girl, Aegor thought with a mental fist pump. But he couldn’t let her get too carried away with the truth, so he quickly intervened. "Where’s my polite little lady apprentice gone? No foul language!"

"Hmph." Arya, reminded of her butcher’s boy friend and other grievances, pouted, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She sniffled and said no more.
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As Aegor watched Arya, he couldn’t help but reflect on the political realities surrounding the Stark family. With Sansa betrothed to Joffrey, Eddard Stark had far more influence than he realized. Unfortunately, this very influence would become a double-edged sword once he uncovered Cersei and Jaime’s secret. Eddard’s honor would never let him tolerate a child of incest sitting on the throne, but his unwillingness to harm innocents would prevent him from acting decisively. And so, the events that followed would spiral into tragedy.

The memory of the rumors Aegor had planted resurfaced in his mind. Out of caution, he hadn’t spoken of them to anyone. But if he became too preoccupied with other matters and failed to prevent the war, it would all be for nothing.

He had to know if the rumors had gained traction. If not, he’d have to devise another plan to disrupt the game board.

"By the way," he said casually, "I heard a wild rumor the other day. Have you—"

"About Littlefinger poisoning Jon Arryn?" Tyrion cut in with a snort. "Everyone’s talking about it. Where have you been, under a rock? It’s all over the city."
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