Chapter 87
The Seven-Pointed Star Bible is the primary scripture of the Faith of the Seven. It is divided into seven gospel chapters, each corresponding to one of the Seven Faces of God. The official version contains over 300,000 words, and each printed copy with illustrations spans hundreds of pages.
Normally, purchasing a book made of parchment, painstakingly copied and painted by hand, costs at least one gold dragon. Even then, it's typically out of stock and must be custom-ordered—no one has the resources or the patience to produce large quantities and wait for buyers.
When the first Seven-Pointed Star Bible printed and bound on plant-fiber paper was completed, Tyrion personally brought the sample to the church to promote it. With his status and persuasive charm, he secured the first major order: the church requested one thousand copies at the price of thirty silver stags each, as well as an additional ten thousand brochures and images with content provided by the church, priced at one silver stag per copy.
In addition to this, Tyrion's salesmen managed to secure small orders from merchants and shopkeepers. By the time the factory began production, the accumulated orders, many of which were tentative, as customers tested the appeal of this new product, amounted to hundreds of gold dragons. Because of the Lannister name, some smaller clients even paid in advance.
The first set of printing plates was already complete. Seeing the demand surge—not falter—Aegor wisely ordered the production of a second set.
…
The above results only account for the Seven-Pointed Star Bible. Calendar sales added sporadic orders worth dozens of gold dragons. Meanwhile, preparations for novels and adult material were also in full swing. Unfortunately, while finding writers for novels was relatively simple, Aegor had yet to locate someone skilled in crafting risqué content.
This realization left him feeling slightly uneasy: if no one else could produce it, he might have to step in himself. Writing explicit content wouldn't be difficult, he had the experience for it, but illustrations were another matter. Without cameras or computers, all images had to be drawn by hand!
Still, it was too early to dwell on such concerns. As the saying went, the path would reveal itself when the mountain was reached.
After much discussion, the factory was finally established outside the southwest walls of King's Landing, slightly upstream from the bustling ports along the Blackwater River and south of the tourney grounds.
There were several reasons for this choice: the area was spacious and relatively clean; its proximity to the river allowed easy access to water for production, as well as a place to discharge waste. Additionally, the river could potentially provide water power. The location was close to Blackwater Bay, King's Gate, and major roads, making transportation convenient. Lastly, the poor population living around the city walls offered a steady source of cheap labor.
After several days of map studies and on-site inspections, Aegor and Tyrion finally settled on this open space. It had once been farmland, located a few miles outside King's Gate, only a few hundred yards from the main road and close to the Blackwater River.
Logically, a location so close to King's Landing and on the southern bank of the Blackwater should have been highly coveted. However, this wasn't the modern world Aegor had left behind, filled with savvy speculators. In this era, all the land around King's Landing was technically the personal property of King Robert, and there was one major factor devaluing such locations: land outside the city walls wasn't protected and was considered less desirable.
In the original story, even the priciest area outside King's Landing's walls—Blackwater Port near the Mud Gate—was completely leveled during the War of the Five Kings. Stannis' forces had approached by sea and land, and Tyrion, leading the city's defense, ordered the area demolished to prevent it from being used as a staging ground for an attack.
The location chosen by Aegor and Tyrion was farther west from that bustling port area, where the Blackwater Bay narrowed into the Blackwater River. The riverbanks were steep and the water fast-moving, making the area unsuitable for merchant ships. As a result, the land was deemed worthless by traders. After the surrounding trees were cut down, the space had been left idle, eventually being occupied by a handful of farmers who planted vegetables, fruits, and melons.
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Arya adored her swordsmanship instructor. As her father had grown slightly fonder of Aegor because of his daughter's enthusiasm. As the Hand of the King and Warden of the North, Ned was also intrigued by Aegor's idea of developing the Night's Watch's industry in King's Landing.
Without much effort, the Chief Logistics Officer was granted use of the land from the Hand himself. All Aegor needed to do was compensate the farmers for the crops they had planted; he didn't even have to pay rent to the Iron Throne.
Perfect.
After hiring a reliable construction team and creating detailed plans, the Night's Watch began building their first southern stronghold.
That same day, after inspecting the site, Aegor and Tyrion returned to King's Landing together.
…
"Maybe I should move out there someday," Tyrion mused. "It's not just bigger—it doesn't reek like the city."
"It's a good place," Aegor agreed, "but it's far from the brothels."
"As more people move into the industrial area, brothels will follow naturally," Aegor added with a chuckle. "Who knows? Someday, the Night's Watch might even have brothels of its own out there."
At the mention of brothels, Aegor couldn't help but worry about Tyrion. Because of his interference, the dwarf had never crossed paths with Shae. While Aegor considered this a good thing, Tyrion wasn't getting any younger, and Aegor wondered if he'd ever find true love. "Of course, the brothels meant for workers wouldn't be fit for a noble Lannister. You should consider keeping one just for yourself."
"I like to change my tastes occasionally," Tyrion quipped, ignoring the joke. "But what about your little apprentice? She's the Hand's daughter. How could she travel more than ten miles every day just to take lessons from you? Having Arya around is an asset. Even if you don't factor in personal reasons, you can't abandon her."
"True." Aegor nodded. Arya's presence was invaluable. "That was just idle talk. I'll stay in the city for now."
"But you did give me an idea," Tyrion said, quickly pivoting. "Building the factory is one thing, but providing services to workers is another. We could open canteens, shops, brothels, even gambling houses right next to the factory. Then, restrict workers from leaving during work hours and ensure they can only spend their money on-site. That way, we can pay them higher wages, knowing they'll spend part of it back on us. It'll keep the capital flowing steadily."
Aegor gave Tyrion a sideways glance. "That's diabolical. You deserve your nickname, 'Little Demon.'"
"I learned it from you," Tyrion shot back, grinning. "If I'm the Little Demon, you're the Big Demon. I just want money, you want to send these people to the Wall to fight wildlings and White Walkers. That's throwing lives away!"
What started as a joke suddenly felt heavy. Aegor's face darkened. "Someone has to do it."
"Yes," Tyrion admitted, realizing he had struck a nerve. "Someone does have to do it." Hoping to lighten the mood, he added, "We'll just have to pay them handsomely for it."
"Absolutely," Aegor agreed. While he didn't want to face such dangers himself, he wanted to reward those brave enough to stand against humanity's enemies.
The conversation shifted. Tyrion mentioned progress in attracting investors: a young noble living in King's Landing had shown interest and informed his family. A senior member of the noble house was due to arrive within two days to visit the factory. If all went well, their first large investment was within reach.
Riding side by side, the two made their way back into the city, bypassing Visenya's Hill, traveling along Iron Street, and passing the Great Sept of Baelor.
That's when Aegor noticed an unusual building.
He had seen it before, on his first day in King's Landing, but the city's stench and his disorientation as a newcomer had drowned out any curiosity. Now, with a better understanding of the city, the building's incongruity stood out even more.
It was grand, like a large hotel, taller than the surrounding structures but smaller than the Great Sept. Located in the heart of the city, it appeared abandoned, its doors were shut, its windows broken and unrepaired.
"What's that building for?" Aegor asked.
Tyrion glanced up. "That? The Alchemists' Guild Hall."
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