Chapter 131

Most of the employees at the office were natives of King’s Landing, and since they could go home after work, only Jaqen, Neil, and Nina lived there. Including Aegor and Casey, that made five people total. Even with each person having their own room, less than a quarter of the building’s rooms were in use—space was plentiful.

It was about dinner time. Before leaving King’s Landing, Aegor had relied on the albatross innkeeper to handle his meals. Now that he’d moved out, it was something he had to sort out himself.

“Casey, are you familiar with this area?” Aegor asked his young lackey. “Find us a good place to eat and solve this dinner problem.”

“Milord... this area is mostly home to nobles and high officials. It’s my first time here.”

Aegor sighed, then turned to his capable female subordinate. “Nina, how long have you lived here? How do you usually handle meals?”

“There’s a kitchen. I usually make something simple to eat with my brother and Jaqen,” the girl answered softly. “There are restaurants nearby, but eating there is pretty expensive...”

“Today’s been tiring enough; no need to cook. Tell Casey where the restaurants are and have him buy something to bring back.”

“Understood.”

“First, show me to my room.”

…

As the proprietor of the Night’s Watch enterprises, Aegor’s room was naturally the largest and most central in the residence—a proper master bedroom.

“Even when you’re not here, someone comes by every few days to clean, milord,” Nina explained. “The facilities are all in place, and the bedding was sunned just two or three days ago. You can settle in right away.”

After a brief pause, she added in a much quieter voice, “I live next door... if milord has any needs, you can call on me.”

Oh, next door? Was this Tyrion’s arrangement or her own? If I told you to warm the bed, would you agree? Aegor glanced at the girl in surprise. The fading light made it hard to see her expression, but odds were good she was blushing again.

“Alright. Now tell Casey where to find dinner,” he said, brushing off the thought. “Casey, do you have money on you?”

“Yes, milord!”

“Good. Go quickly and come back soon. Mention my name to the restaurant owner—see if they’ll let us open a tab. We might be regulars in the future.”

“Understood, milord!”

“Alright, you can go back to your room. I’ll call if I need anything.”

“It’s getting late, milord. Since this is your first time back, let me light the lamps for you first.”

“Very well.” Aegor nodded with a smile. The house was pitch black, and navigating the unfamiliar space would’ve been a hassle otherwise.

Nina moved deftly, lighting several oil lamps around the room. Their warm glow filled the space, revealing a well-furnished and spotless interior. Being in the same room as Aegor and the bed seemed to make her unbearably nervous; after hurriedly excusing herself, she rushed out, her flustered manner so extreme that Aegor couldn’t help worrying she’d trip and fall.

Once the door clicked shut and he was finally alone, Aegor let out a breath, removed his black coat, and hung it on a rack. He began to examine the room Tyrion had arranged for him.

As a key member of Westeros’ wealthiest family, Tyrion naturally didn’t associate with common folk. This property, purchased purely as an investment, had never been lived in by its previous owner. Even so, its “basic renovations” were luxurious by most standards.

The room was spacious. The outer area had a long table and several chairs, decorative furniture, and a beautifully crafted mural depicting the Seven in their various forms. It divided the room into living and sleeping areas. For a Night’s Watchman’s quarters, it was ostentatious, though tenants rarely altered an owner’s property. Shaking his head, Aegor walked past the mural and into the bedroom.

…

A wave of familiarity hit him. Puzzled, he stood still for a few seconds before realizing—the room was almost an exact replica of the inn room where he’d stayed for so long. The positions of the desk, chairs, bed, and wardrobe were nearly identical. Even the placement of utensils and documents on the desk matched. He opened a drawer; sure enough, its contents were all present and accounted for.

If he wasn’t mistaken, the wardrobe would hold his old clothes as well. If not for the fact that the furniture was obviously new, he might’ve thought Tyrion had simply moved everything over wholesale.

Such an arrangement wasn’t without its advantages; it saved Aegor the time and trouble of finding things and adjusting to a new environment. And time was something the Night’s Watch desperately lacked, especially with the ticking time bomb of Cersei and Jaime hanging over his head.

Rubbing his temples, Aegor sighed. Was there really nothing he could do but wait for that bomb to go off?

Unable to think of a way out, he shifted his attention to the bookshelf newly added to the room. It was stocked with all the printed materials from the Night’s Watch enterprises so far: the Seven-Pointed Star, various novels, and even some less reputable works. Among them was the thick King’s Landing Guide to Brothels, a publication that had contributed nearly a tenth of the company’s revenue.

As the publisher, Aegor felt it inappropriate that he hadn’t properly read this best-seller. Resolving to take his mind off his troubles, he grabbed The Hundred Beauties from the shelf to relax and familiarize himself with his own product.

Sitting on the bed, he propped up his legs and flipped through the book. The illustrations of women were vivid and lifelike, though still lacking the detail of photographs. But try as he might to distract himself, his worries refused to fade. After reading a dozen pages, Aegor tossed the book aside.

If anything, it’d be better to visit Nina’s room and tease her. Even without taking things further, the sight of her blushing cheeks and flustered demeanor would be entertaining enough.

Were it not for Littlefinger’s rumors, Aegor might’ve acted on the impulse. But with his stomach aflame and his heart weighed down by worries, he couldn’t bring himself to move.

At that moment, chaotic voices sounded from outside the door, followed by a man shouting, “Nina! Where are you hiding this time? I know you’re back!”

The voice was vaguely familiar, but Aegor couldn’t quite place it. Who could it be?

Frowning, he rose, donned his coat, and stepped into the outer room.

In the courtyard, three gold cloaks stood in the center. Their leader, hands on hips, was bellowing toward Nina’s room.

Aegor approached, taking a few seconds to recognize the man. “Commander Slynt? What brings you here?”

“Ah, Aegor West... Lord Aegor,” Janos Slynt sneered, his tone a poor imitation of politeness as he looked Aegor up and down. “I heard you returned safely from the battlefield. Congratulations.”

Turning back to Nina’s room, he continued, “Your little subordinate. I invited her to dinner a few days ago, but she claimed she was too busy with Night’s Watch business. Now that you’re back, perhaps you can give her some time off?”

…