A Boring Dinner

Winter Market, in one of the red-light districts.

"See you before dinner. For now, I'm going to enjoy my appetizer!"

"Dear little brother, I suggest you come with me right now. Our beautiful sister's had an exceptionally bad day. Let's not make her any angrier."

"Damn. Come back tonight, sweetheart, and I'll spoil you. Here's a silver stag as a deposit."

"I'll be waiting for you, Lord Tyrion!"

After ruining his little brother's good time, Jaime walked out of a house in the red-light district with Tyrion, who was short and disheveled. A mischievous grin played across Jaime's face.

Tyrion straightened his expensive clothes, made from a blend of wool, silk, and linen, looking thoroughly displeased. "Who upset our beautiful sister? That fat stag who shares my tastes?"

"Well, he's part of the reason. The other, I'd guess, is Robb Stark's polite and modest behavior. It really got under her skin."

Jaime's smile faded at the question. He thought back to what had happened when they welcomed their guests, then ventured a guess.

"Ah! The Young Wolf Lord I've heard about so much on the way here that my ears are practically calloused? So the famous young man turned out to be neither arrogant nor haughty, but polite and modest—and that made her think her son was a good-for-nothing?"

Quick-witted, Tyrion blurted out the answer without a second thought.

"Could you put it a little more nicely? He's your own nephew."

Jaime raised an eyebrow and glared at Tyrion, clearly displeased.

"Fine, fine. You're always defending her. Hmph, I still remember how you two played a trick on me when we were kids.

You cut a hole in my mattress, shoved in a fresh lump of sheep dung, then sewed it back up and made the bed. I could smell something foul for ages, but I had no idea where it was coming from!"

Tyrion hopped lightly over a puddle in the road as he grumbled.

"Hahahaha! But I did tell you in the end!"

Hearing his little brother bring up the old prank, Jaime couldn't help breaking into a radiant smile.

Jaime looked handsome, his smile bright and sunny. He was nothing like the man who stood before Robert.

Perhaps he only showed his true self around the family he trusted.

Hm?

Jaime's laughter abruptly stopped. He halted and glanced back over his shoulder.

"What is it? Is someone following us?"

Tyrion knew his brother well enough to guess the reason at once.

Jaime said nothing, only nodding.

"Come on! You're the youngest Kingsguard to enter the city. It's only natural they'd warn you not to cause trouble."

Tyrion patted Jaime on the backside without a care and continued on.

Jaime smiled at the dilapidated house behind them, then turned and followed.

After the two Lannister lions disappeared around the corner, Theon emerged from behind the run-down house, his expression grave.

Robb watched Little Jon and Owen compete to see who could drink the most, bored out of his mind. All around them, members of the Wolf Guard cheered them on.

After Theon had worked hard to persuade everyone, all the guards had petitioned Robb to officially name them the Wolf Guard.

It was a trivial matter, and Robb was happy to let the men have a name they liked, so he agreed.

He glanced toward the honored seats on the raised platform at the end of the feast hall. Robert was still happily challenging people to drink with him.

Robb had begun to admire the big-bellied king. He'd been drinking from the afternoon all the way into the evening.

Eddard and his wife sat beside Cersei. The feast hall looked harmonious and warm, filled with laughter and good cheer.

Tyrion Lannister, the person Robb was most interested in, was mingling with the ordinary soldiers like a fish in water, chatting about all manner of amusing things.

Robb actually liked Tyrion, but at that moment they belonged to opposing sides, so he didn't go over to speak with him.

Crack! Crack!

Blood Wind lay beside Robb, putting all his strength into gnawing on a large pig's hind leg bone.

As Robb's view settled on him, Blood Wind's current stats appeared.

[Name: Blood Wind, Contractor: Robb Stark]

[Constitution: 11, Speed: 10, Strength: 10]

[Species: Warg Direwolf (6)]

[Blood Contract Points: 1]

Earlier, when they hunted Wildlings, Robb had personally killed four enemies and Blood Wind had killed three, earning them fourteen Blood Contract Points.

That was right: Robb could earn Blood Contract Points for enemies Blood Wind killed, too.

Over the past ten days or so, Robb had trained every day, but all he'd gained from eating was four Blood Contract Points, bringing his total to eighteen.

When Blood Wind's constitution exceeded ten, Robb discovered that raising a stat by one point required two Blood Contract Points. So he immediately maximized the value of his points by distributing them evenly between speed and strength.

Blood Wind's three stats were now balanced, and his combat power was terrifying.

Robb usually made him keep a low profile, though. He was one of the aces Robb kept up his sleeve.

Robb had also confirmed that hunting animals didn't earn Blood Contract Points. Hm, he hadn't encountered any supernatural animals yet, so he didn't know how they'd fare.

If Robb really wanted to earn Blood Contract Points quickly, he could take Blood Wind and slaughter villages in other territories.

But what made a person human was having a moral bottom line.

An ordinary person from Blue Star China would never kill indiscriminately for personal gain.

So, in Robb's view, taking enemy lives to earn Blood Contract Points was acceptable—but slaughtering innocent civilians was not!

Unable to stand the boredom any longer, Robb quietly got up and slipped out of the feast hall. He worried Blood Wind was too conspicuous, so he sent him a command in his mind to stay and enjoy his bone.

Whoosh!

As soon as he stepped outside the feast hall and took a deep breath, Robb saw his lean, gray-blue-eyed uncle, Benjen Stark, talking with Jon.

"Uncle!"

Robb smiled and went over to greet him.

After they'd talked for a while, Benjen left the two of them and walked into the feast hall.

Jon, who rarely got a chance to be alone with Robb, spoke first. "Robb, you've changed a lot lately."

"Heh, have I? Maybe that's the price of growing up."

Robb chuckled as he answered. Jon had been watching him for a long time and had finally spoken up.

"Did you know? I've noticed that a lot of the guards and servants in the Main Keep have become members of your Wolf Guard.

Robb... what you're doing is dangerous!"

Jon stared at Robb with a solemn expression. After a moment's hesitation, he continued,

"If Father finds out, he'll definitely stop you."

Robb didn't know exactly how much Jon had figured out, but the boy certainly had a sharp nose. He'd picked up on some of Robb's secret moves.

Still, Jon would never guess what I'm planning!

After a moment's thought, Robb spoke. "Jon, did you know? You're the child who's most like Father. Upright, brave, and quiet."

He paused briefly, then raised his right hand and pointed into the pitch-black night.

"But you're even better than him!

Go! Follow your heart and take the black!

Your world isn't within the narrow walls of Winterfell, but beyond the vast Wall."

Jon listened quietly to Robb. He looked north in the direction Robb was pointing, as though he could see a little bird flying free from its cage.

Robb continued, "All I want is to protect my family, protect Winterfell, and protect the North. That's all!"

Seeing the sincerity in Robb's eyes, Jon nodded and said nothing more. His gaze was firm and burning.

Thanks to ClaudeS for sending this book its first monthly ticket. Hm, system-gifted ones don't count.

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Lastly, thanks to all the readers who follow the story every day and cast recommendation votes. New books have it hard, and every bit of support is precious. Thank you, everyone!