Chapter 153: The Partitioning of Land

The matter was not yet concluded. After the King had made Wright a Warden, the islands of the Stepstones also needed to be divided. The ceremony was to be conducted by Wright, as these newly appointed nobles would eventually pledge their allegiance to him.

Due to the fact that the Stepstones are a group of islands, even with current technology, it would be impossible for one person to manage all the islands. Each valuable island would be granted to a lord for management.

Barristan handed the list to Wright, who glanced at it and, after confirming, returned it to Barristan.

The Stepstones had several large islands, with rich, fertile lands due to the accumulated bird droppings. However, due to prolonged warfare, no one had cultivated the land for over a thousand years.

The most critical issue, however, was the lack of people. Westeros, as large as South America, had a population of just around 40 million!

Since Wright initiated the agricultural revolution in Oldtown, the city had added agricultural studies, and more and more scholars were following the path Wright had paved. They had far surpassed the level Wright had reached back then, expanding into every aspect of agriculture.

Noble houses, which once had only one scholar, now had two: one in charge of the house's matters and, depending on the family's business, the other specializing in either agricultural or engineering studies. Wealthier families even had three or four scholars, with many second sons choosing this path.

But relying solely on human and animal power, the range that a single farmer could cultivate was very limited. Now, nobles all over Westeros were seeking ways to increase their population.

When a great lord grants land, the recipient is expected to develop it and pay taxes, or else they must present a reason for not doing so. Even if Wright were strong, the original population of the land was insufficient, leaving him little time or energy to manage it.

Thus, after the war, many nobles were unwilling to take the land, focusing instead on claiming their share of the spoils. Only the wealthy families from the Westerlands, Stormlands, and the Crownlands—those who had dealings with Wright and Renly—were willing to invest in establishing new holdings for their second sons.

As Wright called each name, the individual would step forward, kneel halfway, and be sworn in as the Lord, with the King and the assembled nobles as witnesses.

First, there were two from the Stormlands.

Wright placed both hands on the black greatsword resting on their shoulders. "Andrew Estermont! I hereby name you Lord of Green Turtle Hall!"

Andrew Estermont, Wright's cousin, had managed the logistics throughout the war. His new family crest, designed with Wright's suggestion, featured a green turtle with a blue ribbon wrapped around its head.

Wright continued, "Balon Swann! I hereby name you Ser of Fire Island!"

Balon Swann was the second son of the Swann family from Stonehelm, Stormlands. Wright had known him since childhood. He was large and muscular, with impressive martial skills. He was brave, courteous, and his family had contributed significantly to the war effort. He could be considered a familiar face to Wright after many years.

Next came two from the Crownlands.

Wright declared, "Allard Seaworth, I hereby name you Lord of Stormport!"

The second son of the Onion Knight, Allard had been credited with most of the war's achievements, securing a new future for his family in Wright's realm. His loyalty was unquestionable. His new family crest was based on the smuggler's ship motif, with an additional ship added.

Wright called, "Aurane Velaryon, I hereby name you Lord of Seagull Island!"

Aurane's older brother, Monford Velaryon, had first offered their family's sea charts, benefiting all the armies. This act alone was an irreplaceable accomplishment. The Velaryon brothers fought bravely in battle. Originally named Aurane Water, Aurane's legitimacy had been granted by Robert. After consulting with his brother, he continued to use the House Seahorse crest. With the Velaryon family so few in number, their survival was at risk. Aurane had been recommended by Robert, and although Wright did not know him, he accepted his service.

Next came four from the Reach.

Wright proclaimed, "Garlan Tyrell! I hereby name you Lord of Bloodstone Port!"

He was the second-born son in his family, and House Tyrell knew the importance of Wright, fully supporting his efforts to develop the region and invest in building Bloodstone Island. His personal crest now featured two golden roses.

Wright called out, "Hobber Redwyne! I hereby name you Lord of Torture's Deep!"

He was also second in line. With the support of House Redwyne, his family had made it clear that Wright was a tree that House Tyrell should not monopolize. Wright did not know him, and his position was the result of political compromise.

Wright continued, "Gunthor Hightower! I hereby name you Lord of Crabskeep!"

A longtime friend of Wright, Garth's family had many children, and he was the third son. He was the first business partner of Wright's after Renly. The Hightower family's old town, with the influence of Oldtown and the Seven, was well positioned to expand into the region, and Wright, hoping to recruit talents from Oldtown in the future, saw this as a mutually beneficial relationship. He had changed his family crest to two towers.

Wright announced, "Dickon Tarly! I hereby name you Ser Dickon Tarly!"

His father was one of the commanders in the Battle of the Reach, killed by a crossbow shot from Euron, and his older brother inherited the family lands, giving Dickon the family's ancestral sword. Wright thought highly of the young man and chose not to remove him from the list, although his land grant was a smaller island. Wright planned to keep him close and have him serve directly under his command.

Finally, there was Dorne.

Wright proclaimed, "Ashara Dayne! I hereby name you Lady of Gemstone Island!"

"Hehe!"

"Stop laughing, be serious."

Some of the nobles in the Seven Kingdoms wore displeased expressions; they could not believe a woman could truly rule!

In Dorne, both men and women had inheritance rights, and even House Martell had produced a few ruling princesses, though their children would take the Martell name. Throughout the war, whenever fighting broke out, it was Ashara who did the most killing.

Wright shot a sharp look at the discontented nobles, silencing them immediately.

If they thought that a woman was unworthy, Wright could arrange a sparring match to let them see for themselves whether Ashara could cleave them into three or six pieces.

Ashara Dayne's new family crest featured a sword and a meteor, with the addition of the Dark Sister as a symbol.

In total, nine individuals were granted titles: two from the Stormlands, two from the Crownlands, four from the Reach, and one from Dorne.

Though the Reach had suffered a significant defeat at the hands of Euron, they undeniably sent the most troops and ships into battle.

Next to Bloodstone, there was another island designated specifically for Odahviing and his future descendants, filled with the bones of creatures it had devoured. Wright named it Skull Island.

The land grants were the result of noble bargaining, with Wright giving lands to his own family members, apprentices, business partners, and even people he did not know. However, the closer the lands were to Tyrosh, the stronger their connection to Wright.

There were still many lands available for granting, but the other nobles were uninterested. Wright offered them, but they refused.

Islands were not like land; developing them was very difficult. In disputed areas, Wright had built a few military fortresses, putting up stone plaques at the foundations before halting construction due to a lack of money and manpower.

After Wright's land grants, everyone laughed and chatted.

Robert looked at the ruins of Tyrosh and joked about its state.

Renly chuckled, "Haha, isn't that right? Wright, do you need me to lend a hand?"

Wright rubbed his hands together. "Yes! As the Lord of Ruins, I'll borrow 200,000 gold dragons from each of you! I'll pay back 250,000 gold dragons in a year. It's a risk-free business venture!"

"Agreed, I'll send it to you as soon as I return," Stannis was the first to speak, as earning money was easy for him, and he often didn't know what to do with all of it.

Renly gave Wright a punch on the arm. "I've already prepared it for you, and looking at the timing, the ship should arrive in Tyrosh in a few days, but I didn't expect to collect interest! Haha."

Robert looked a bit troubled. "Private loans, can the money come from the treasury?"

---

The situation on the Stepstones had stabilized, and the nobles led their fleets toward King's Landing.

Returning victorious, they were filled with joy and headed straight for a grand wedding, that of Lord Renly Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End, and Margaery Tyrell, the Rose of Highgarden.

With four sons at home, the last one had finally married. Robert waved his hand grandly, deciding to hold the wedding in King's Landing at the Red Keep, and he also organized a celebratory tournament to mark the victory in the Stepstones war.

Tyrosh' population had greatly dwindled and become eerily quiet.

Many common soldiers and knights from the Stormlands were eager to stay, knowing full well that following Renly and Wright would be the best path to success.

Tyrosh was now sparsely populated, and any land one wanted to farm could be easily settled with just a form at the city hall. Those who didn't wish to farm but wanted to live in the city had plenty of vacant homes to choose from. There were also countless available jobs, and most importantly, there were tens of thousands of women!

The immigrant ships from King's Landing were not nearly enough to meet the population demand on the Stepstones. Wright and Robert discussed it, and decided that criminals from King's Landing would be sent to Tyrosh for rehabilitation, except for rapists and murderers. Thieves and robbers would be sent to Tyrosh to serve in the military! Robert was happy to support this and sent a letter to the Hand of the king.

There were not enough hands, and positions were vacant. Even the Lords from the Stepstones had been brought to Tyrosh to work.

The commander of the city's defense was Ashara Dayne, who now wore an outfit similar to golden robes, carrying Dark Sister and Dawn. She patrolled the city with her soldiers every day. With so many women around, trouble was common, and in Tyrosh, where the gender imbalance was severe, she could easily find someone to punish in every street she walked.

The logistics officer was Garlan Tyrell, an essential position for the functioning of Tyrosh. He was responsible for food and weaponry. A large amount of food needed to be purchased and transported, as the barren lands of the Stepstones had only recently been allocated, and the first harvest was still a long way off—food was a priority.

The Navy Commander was Aurane Velaryon, who had risen from being a bastard. House Velaryon truly seemed to have a natural gift for the sea, and after a few trials, Aurane had claimed the most important naval post. With the borrowed money, Wright had purchased several warships from the noble families of the Seven Kingdoms, giving most of them to Aurane to manage, sending him to eliminate the remaining pirates in the area.

The Coastal Defense Officer was Hobber Redwyne, who managed a small fleet and was in charge of the island's safety, including overseeing the construction of towers and signal beacons.

The Finance Officer was Gunthor Hightower, responsible for selling goods and importing raw materials. He had his own businesses but also managed Tyrosh' and Wright's public enterprises. In the future, all production activities would be under his control. He was busy restoring the pear brandy distillery and overseeing the island's entertainment venues, with a group of local women assisting him.

The Tax Officer was Allard Seaworth, an expert in smuggling, having learned the ropes from his father. He handled the tax collection on merchant goods coming into the harbor, and with his own squad of soldiers, he was tasked with ensuring every penny was accounted for during this early construction phase. Anyone caught evading taxes was thrown into jail.

The Intelligence Officer was Andrew Estermont, who had traveled across the kingdom to organize the tournament. He was well-versed in gambling, food, and drink, and frequently interacted with all sorts of people in King's Landing. Supported by his family, he had earned a title of Lord on the Stepstones, and Wright planned to make full use of this second cousin's talents.

The Captain of the Guard was Balon Swann, a skilled fighter. While Wright himself had no need for personal protection, he was now a Lord, and every noble needed a proper retinue for show. Balen was a good addition to the team, which now consisted of six members, most of them tasked with holding flags for Wright.

The Dragon Guard was Dickon Tarly. Too young to be fully trusted, Wright often trained him personally. With Odahviing's growing influence, the most loyal and reliable men were needed to watch over his domain.

They would live with the dragons long-term, not only needing to be skilled warriors to ensure that the dragons were not disturbed by others but also knowledgeable about dragons, able to calm the enraged beasts. Courage was essential, and Wright planned to form a special unit from those who were unafraid of facing dragons. The members would be selected from the Tyrosh military, though for now, only Wright himself was part of the group.

Garlan Tyrell: "The reserve food supply will cost 3,000 gold dragons."

Wright: "Approved!"

Garlan Tyrell: "The street lamps in the city need 200 gold dragons."

Wright: "Approved!"

Gunthor Hightower: "Several of the city's entertainment venues need repairs, 2,000 gold dragons."

Wright: "Approved!"

These days, Robert and the others had been active in the area, a feature that had been typical of old Tyrosh. Some women were highly professional, and their earnings were considerable.

Gunthor Hightower: "The pear brandy distillery needs 200 gold dragons to buy wooden barrels for trial production."

Wright: "Approved!"

Gunthor Hightower: "Lord Wright, we've run out of money!"

"What?" Wright took the ledger from Gunthor's hands and checked it himself. There really was no money left!

Building materials, stone and wood, the purchase of warships, oil, paint, planks, and canvas for maintenance, metal farm tools—these basic necessities had drained a huge sum, but none of them could be skipped!

"The barrels for the liquor were stolen by those damned bandits from the Seven Kingdoms!" Wright said, thinking aloud. "I'll figure out a way to get the money. You all just prepare the expenditure list."

Wright left the temporary warehouse, which was being used as his office, and walked back to his temporary home.

The Lord's castle had yet to be constructed, and the majority of the funds were being used for city-building and restoring production. In a couple of days, he had to head to King's Landing for Renly's wedding, and he didn't even have enough for a gift.

His temporary home was a two-story building in the city, one of the better-preserved buildings. A large number of Dornish soldiers stood guard at the entrance and opened the gates for him when they saw him return.

Since the war, Oberyn had assigned many of his knights and soldiers to be under Nymeria's command.

Wright walked up to Tyene and gently cupped her face with his hands. "Tyene, let's make a deal. Lend me some of your savings for a while."

After "Might" had grown, Wright and Tyene split the profits 30-70, with Wright getting 30 and Terenna taking 70.

"I have some savings too," Nymeria, sitting nearby eating fruit, said as she watched.

Tyene pried his hands away and smiled, squinting her eyes as she spoke with a mischievous grin, her lips red: "Let's see how you perform!"

Wright pulled off his shirt and tossed it over the back of a chair. "When the Lord of Tyrosh steps up, you two will be satisfied!"