章節 2: -Chapter 1-

-18th day, 8th moon, 295 AC-

Sitting in a chair after spending almost all of one's time on horseback for 5 years was 'weird', but as a landed knight, I had to resolve all the concerns of all the people under me, and that started with overseeing grain production and the creation of a unique product from my lands.

Knock

I looked up and said, "Enter."

A man in leather armor, part of the castle's messenger corps, bowed with a fist on his chest and another behind his back and said, "My lord, I bring a reply from the castellan of Storm's End, Cortnay Penrose."

"Thank you, you may leave," I said, tearing open the seal of the letter delicately.

---

Dear Lord Ronnet Connington,

I have recently had the privilege of receiving your generous gifts, and I wish to express my deepest gratitude for this mark of honor and respect.

Your gifts are not only of inestimable value, but they also demonstrate the creativity and ingenuity of your house.

I am fascinated by the unique products you have introduced, namely vodka, whiskey, and sugar.

These goods, I believe, have the potential to transform our economy and elevate the prosperity of the Stormlands. It is clear to me that your inventiveness could benefit not only our region but all of Westeros.

After careful consideration and consultation with my advisors, I am pleased to inform you that I am ready to support the sale of your products through our established channels.

I believe that our collaboration would be mutually beneficial, and I am convinced that we could establish a solid and prosperous business relationship.

Thus, I am ready to accept your proposal, according to which House Baratheon would receive 15% and House Penrose 5% of all profits generated by the sale of vodka, whiskey, and sugar through our channels.

I hope this collaboration will bring us not only material prosperity but also strengthen the bonds between our houses.

I thank you again for your generous gifts and look forward to the beginning of our fruitful partnership.

May our houses thrive together in this venture and may our bonds be strengthened through the ages.

With all my consideration,

Cortnay Penrose,

Castellan of Storm's End

---

I clenched my fist very hard and counted to 10 before releasing it and writing a response to that asshole Penrose, I could have done business with any of the great houses of Westeros under normal circumstances but I had to go through Renly Baratheon and to reach that pretentious asshole I also had to go through his castellan.

In my first letter, I proposed a price of 10% for House Baratheon as a sign of 'submission', but this asshole not only increased the price I had offered to Renly but also decided to take his share on behalf of House Penrose and his father.

According to my calculations, I just lost at least 250,000 gold dragons because each year the total production was 50,000 bottles of whiskey, 50,000 bottles of vodka, and 20 tons of sugars, a bottle of whiskey was priced at 15 gold dragons, a bottle of vodka 5 gold dragons, and a bag of one kg of sugar 20 gold dragons.

I consoled myself by looking forward to the next war eagerly the warm current had not only improved my physique and skills I was also getting more and more handsome, the improvement was global at the age of 21 I had a height of 191 cm a robust build and a body without an ounce of fat sculpted like a sculpture of a Greek god.

I had a long mane reaching my back that I combed like the ancient Vikings, a mustache and a red goatee as well as a pair of icy blue eyes that could freeze anyone under my gaze and it was time to use this appearance to try to gather the queen's good graces.

---

-23rd day, 8th moon, 295 AC-

"Finally we have arrived this ride really tore all the skin off my behind," I said.

"Let's all complain about the behind skin of our dear lord," said Thomas.

Everyone roared with laughter and me with them while Arion said, "Thomas it's just that since the commander became the knight of the Griffon's Roost he uses refined language, words like buttocks and ass have been banned from his oral orifice called mouth."

Everyone laughed again and then I said, "I need to get used to finding a correct level of language after hanging out with scoundrels like you, our house's wealth has just been found and I don't want anyone trying to exploit us."

"It's already the case because of that asshole Renly," said Rodrik.

Everyone went silent as I turned my horse in his direction and said looking at him coldly, "Rodrik like each of the red griffins you are my brother so I let you talk to me as you wish but know that this kind of word in the capital will only lead you to two places to the wall or on the scaffold to have your head cut off."

He lowered his head and then he said, "I'm sorry forgive me."

I nodded my head before smiling and saying, "But you are right, Renly is a jerk."

The cold and icy atmosphere I had just installed melted in a blink of an eye under the laughter of my knights who were all born of low extraction, I didn't want to take knights ready to betray me at the first opportunity for a bigger title or to take my lands and my wealth, I wanted men who knew where they came from and who appreciated the chance I was giving them.

Approaching the city the stench began to feel more and more but it was when we entered the city itself that we really felt what is called hell on earth, fortunately each of us had already been on a battlefield so no one vomited but I wasn't far.

At our entrance into the city a rider immediately ran in my direction and then he said:

"My lord I am sent by the governess Laura the mansion is ready"

I nodded my head and then I signaled the others to follow us, the procession of 400 knights all in armor with flamboyant capes and strict discipline made sure that all the people naturally moved away from our passage until we arrived at my new home.

'Welcome to the capital of crime'