Chapter 49: Busy
In his original world, what Egger was attempting would undoubtedly be seen as competing for business with the banks—the equivalent of crossing the state apparatus. A heavy label like illegal fundraising would be slapped on him, and he'd be lucky to escape with his life.
But here in Westeros, where the economy and financial sectors were nearly a blank slate, there were no relevant laws. Even if there were, with Eddard Stark serving as Hand, the Night's Watch would surely be granted the legal authority to raise funds.
Egger wasn't an economics major; to be more precise, he should have known nothing about the subject. Fortunately, before his transmigration, he had frequently browsed a forum (reddit). In that place—where industry elites and storytellers coexisted, and masters clashed with habitual braggarts—he hadn't just learned how to spin stories and be witty; he had actually grasped some insider tips and trivia that ordinary people rarely knew. These were now proving useful.
What he wanted to do was indeed 'robbing Peter to pay Paul', commonly known as a Ponzi scheme—at least until he found a way to actually turn a profit. Tyrion had realized this quickly, which was why he had initially refused so firmly.
However, in a moment of crisis, Egger had been struck by an inspiration. Using a somewhat imprecise and unpolished—yet accessible—explanation, he had described to Tyrion the mechanics of a much larger scam. It was a fact that most people didn't understand, wouldn't believe even if they did, and which was true regardless of belief: modern society literally runs on this giant scheme of using non-existent money to build itself. This grand display of human imagination was far more important than any technology or new invention, and when everyone participated, it could no longer be called a scam.
By using this super-scam—which was far more exaggerated than a simple Ponzi scheme—Egger had widened Tyrion's horizons, using a fight fire with fire approach to increase the dwarf's tolerance for the fundraising he was about to conduct. He didn't tell Tyrion the catastrophic consequences that could arise if finance was handled poorly, nor was he sure if bringing these concepts to this world was right, or if his plan would ultimately succeed... but he had to project absolute confidence. If he looked hesitant, how could he convince a feudal noble encountering this knowledge for the first time?
Having a Lannister on board wasn't a necessity, but if Tyrion cooperated, everything that followed would be much smoother.
He still wanted to take off the black; he still wanted to return to his original world. He couldn't—and didn't want to—spend every day merely scrambling for the ransom that bought his freedom. After much thought, fundraising was the only way he could think of to solve his financial problems once and for all.
Egger was truly busy.
First, he had to see which two assistants the honorable Hand, Eddard Stark, had assigned him and where the office was located. Although both of these things could be solved with money, since the fundraising hadn't started yet, he needed to save every copper he could.
Then, he had to arrange the logistics for sending the first ransom payment Tyrion had provided to the Wall.
Finally, he had to prepare for a trip to Dragonstone to kickstart the dragonglass mining.
It didn't look like much on paper, but in this era, simply traveling back and forth took up a massive amount of time. Having just gained his freedom and a new office, he was naturally cautious and didn't dare slack off for a second.
He and Yoren rushed to the foot of the Red Keep. After finding a place to grab lunch, they re-entered the royal fortress and went to the Tower of the Hand. The Hand of the King was far busier than the transmigrator; they didn't get to see Eddard Stark again. Yoren was led directly to the dungeons, while Egger met the two Stark guards assigned to assist him: Oden and David.
The two soldiers from Winterfell came with the Northern Friendliness toward the Night's Watch passive attribute. After a cordial introduction, Egger followed them to the East Barracks of the City Watch.
There, he met the current Commander of the City Watch, Janos Slynt—a short, stout man with a balding head, a double chin, and a face that screamed sordid.
Egger felt zero goodwill toward this man, who was notorious for rampant corruption and the selling of offices, and who—in the original story—would eventually betray Eddard Stark. The latter was clearly equally uninterested in a man from the Wall who looked like he couldn't offer a drop of profit. Fortunately, this was the Hand's command. Despite his sour expression, the Commander didn't dare obstruct them. He nodded as a greeting and then casually pointed out a Gold Cloak to lead Egger and his companions to the building that would serve as the Night's Watch office.
...
The building was located opposite the main gate of the East Barracks, not far from the noble district and the Red Keep. Because it was City Watch property and situated on a high-traffic street, even a man as greedy as Janos Slynt hadn't dared to lease it out for private business without authorization. Thus, after sitting vacant for some time, the Night's Watch—having approached Ned at just the right time—got it for a bargain.
Truthfully, Egger was very satisfied. For a storefront near a major street and right next to the city's security forces, he wouldn't have been able to afford a month's rent with all the gold and silver in his pocket. Seeking help from Eddard Stark had been the right move; this was a significant favor to the Watch.
After inspecting the house and taking the keys, Egger brought the two Winterfell guards back to the inn to regroup with Tyrion. As the sun began to dip, they set out from the Albatross for the port area near the Blackwater, where the merchants gathered, to begin purchasing supplies.
They headed south through the Street of the Sisters, Muddy Way, and Fishmonger's Square. Passing through the River Gate—also known as the Mud Gate—they arrived at their destination.
...
The Mud Gate wasn't muddy in terms of its construction; it earned the name because people disembarking at the harbor often had wet mud on their boots. With such high traffic, the roads and squares were constantly covered in mud, and when it rained, the conditions were as treacherous as walking through a marsh.
Three hundred years ago, this area had been entirely forested, with only a few scattered fishermen living on the north bank of the swift-flowing Blackwater Rush. Then Aegon the Conqueror had crossed from Dragonstone, and his army had landed here. Now, it was the most prosperous area outside the walls of King's Landing.
Houses, kiosks, brick warehouses, timber inns, market stalls, taverns, graveyards, and brothels—one building followed another, and the din of the crowd could be heard from afar. Over a hundred piers lined the waterfront, with countless ships moored in the harbor. Deep-water fishing boats and river rafts moved incessantly; boatmen poled back and forth in Blackwater Bay, while merchant ships constantly offloaded cargo from Braavos, Pentos, and Lys.
This was the port with the largest volume of international trade in Westeros. To provide space for the Fishmonger's Square inside the walls and the goods distribution center outside, the walls and gates here were the weakest in the city, making the nickname Mud Gate even more fitting in a literal sense.
Tyrion knew almost every merchant of note in the harbor. Given his intellect and his reputation as the Imp of House Lannister, almost no one dared to overcharge him. Egger was happy to let him take the lead, simply following along as the dwarf deftly negotiated the deals for the ransom supplies at a cost slightly lower than expected. From setting prices and delivery dates to hiring the ships to transport the goods to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, Egger didn't have to worry about a thing. His freedom for at least the next three months was secured.
The first task for the two Winterfell guards would be to ensure these supplies reached Eastwatch on time, in full, and in good condition.
As night fell, Egger found a small merchant ship departing for Dragonstone the next day. After paying a few silver stags as a deposit, the captain agreed to wait for him to board before setting sail. Everything was settled. Egger's second day in King's Landing ended as a busy and productive one.
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