Casterly Rock Changes Hands-The Mask of Power

"I would never work for the Stark! Let alone a motherless bastard."

"Old Aes, are you really leaving?"

"Didn't that northerner say that if soldiers can go home if they want, why can't I?!"

"You're the best Smith around here, how could he possibly let you go?"

"Even if they don't let me go, I'm not going to work for them. These northerners are just like those pirates from the Iron Islands; all they know is plunder!"

The Smith were slightly gray but whose body was burly, spoke angrily. He still remembered what kind of news he had heard in the city when the Northern Army attacked Casterly Rock a few months ago.

The North raided and plundered the northern part of the Westerlands, while the Iron Islands pirates plundered people and food in the southern part of the Westerlands.

Tens of thousands of livestock were looted from Oxford's pastures, either stolen or slaughtered and cooked on the spot.

They were like a forest fire, using the prosperity of the Westerlands as fuel, leaving only ashes in the end.

Craftsmen are mostly stubborn; they earn their living with their skills, and lords and knights have to come to them to repair armor or sharpen swords.

Among the Seven of Andals, the Smith is also one of the most important. The Andals were able to conquer Westeros because their steel weapons were superior to the bronze weapons of the First Men.

Therefore, Smith held a fairly high social status in Westeros.

"But Master Aes knows witchcraft! What if... what if he curses you?" a young apprentice warned.

"We are under the Smith's protection; if he curses us, then so be it!"

The Smith's voice was like a raging fire in a furnace, and it seemed as if he could shake the dust off the roof beams.

Just as he shouldered his bundle and prepared to leave, another young apprentice rushed in.

"Master Aes, that guy—that northerner—is here! He wants to see us."

The old Smith's expression was somewhat unpleasant. He knew in his heart that if he left at this moment, it would undoubtedly be a disservice to Jon. After considering it for a moment, he decided to hold back.

By this time, Jon had arrived at the armory in Casterly Rock, where there were not only Smith, but also carpenters and stonemasons.

The Lannister employ several hundred artisans, who are an important part of Casterly Rock's defensive system.

When Jon learned that Casterly Rock had a group of skilled craftsmen, he immediately considered recruiting them. He didn't want to force them to work for him; Jon wanted them to willingly use their wisdom.

With this group of craftsmen, many of his ideas became possible to be realized, such as printing presses and textile machines. These groundbreaking technologies were more valuable than gold mines.

With these things, Jon could quickly amass wealth, and he didn't even want to engage in any hand-to-hand combat with the White Walkers in the future.

If we could kill them from a distance, that would be ideal.

Therefore, Jon would rather spare the Lannister ' treasury and gold than let these craftsmen leave his territory.

The craftsmen sent twenty or thirty representatives to meet Jon, including old Aes, who had just been clamoring to leave.

When the craftsmen saw Jon's appearance clearly, they were all somewhat surprised.

They had assumed that someone who had made a name for himself on the battlefield and could also perform witchcraft would either be as physically strong as the Mountain, or resemble a mysterious monk or a hooded sorcerer, but to their surprise, he seemed quite cheerful.

Not only is she tall and slender, but she also moves with considerable elegance. The only flaw is that she doesn't have a head of noble blonde hair.

Jon scanned the craftsmen present with his grey eyes; their arms were mostly thick and muscular, and their necks were also thick, signs of long hours of labor.

He noticed several people in the crowd with somber faces, their hands covering their stomachs, looking extremely resistant. Some had even come carrying bundles, their intentions all too clear.

These artisans weren't nobles, but compared to commoners, they lived relatively comfortably, possessed a certain social status, and cared a lot about their reputation. Since they had certain skills, they were bound to be quite intelligent, so Jon wasn't going to resort to any tricks.

"Masters, I am Jon Stark. I intend to re-establish an armory in Casterly Rock and will select one of you as its foreman. During his tenure, he will hold the rank of viscount. Who among you is the most skilled craftsman?"

His status was equivalent to that of a viscount!

The craftsmen below were stunned for a moment, seemingly bewildered by Jon's words.

Moreover, Jon's attitude was exceptionally polite; he addressed them as "Master" despite being a nobleman—a privilege usually reserved for maesters!

The craftsmen looked at each other, as if asking each other if they had also heard what Jon had just said.

Upon hearing this, the Smith Aes silently took off the grayish-blue bundle slung over his shoulder.

"Sir, can people like us become nobles?" a slightly younger craftsman asked. He was ambitious and eager to improve.

"Of course, I hope to choose a skilled and respected person from among you to be the director of the armory. If he performs well enough during his term, I will personally bestow upon him the title of viscount upon his departure. In addition, he will receive a fief and manor, and a castle if he wants one, no problem," Jon said in a very friendly tone.

Now that I'm in a position of power, I know I must treat those around me with kindness and gentleness. If things get really unpleasant, I can always have someone else play the bad cop.

In public and formal occasions, even if there's only one piece of meat left in your bowl, you have to share it with others. Otherwise, if that person happens to be your coachman or driver, you never know where they might take you.

Daenerys was the mother of the slaves in Slaver's Bay, while she was the father of the commoners in the Westerlands.

Upon hearing Jon's words, all the craftsmen pricked up their ears, leaned forward, and even lowered their heads to whisper among themselves.

A castle! That's a standard feature for nobles!

The artisans were all parched at the thought of having the chance to become nobles, and each of them was calculating in their hearts whether their skills and prestige were enough to become the factory manager.

There's no way around it; such opportunities are just too rare. So many people have been commoners for generations. These craftsmen may be glamorous when they're young, but when they get old, they're no different from ordinary people.

Being kicked out of the house by her young son is a common occurrence.

Having a title changes everything. They can live out their days in peace in their own homes without worrying about being left to wander in the wilderness.

Jon was pleased to see the reactions of these people. Stannis had only knighted Davos and he was already loyal to him. Now he held a large amount of land and could bestow titles upon nobles at will. If this was enough to turn the Lannister around, then he might as well go back to the Wall.

"Sir, I believe I do have some skills," said Aes, the Smith had already hidden his bundle at his feet.

The Smith who came with him looked astonished.

"Alright, if no one else is competing with you, then the factory manager position is yours." Jon nodded.

"My lord, my skills are not bad either." As soon as Jon finished speaking, a Smith of about the same age stepped forward and offered his services.

"Hmph! You? I was the one who taught you your skills." Smith Aes said with a look of Yi Ti.

This is a chance to become a nobleman; if not now, when?

Unexpectedly, the second Smith he approached didn't even bother arguing about his skills. Instead, he went straight to Jon and said, "Sir, he's been insulting you in private, saying you're motherless—saying you're a bastard!"

"You're talking nonsense," Aes's voice trembled slightly. He was afraid; he hadn't expected that a casual complaint would become a sharp blade held to his neck.

Jon stared at Aes expressionlessly, while Aes felt himself drenched in sweat.

"My lord, I didn't, I--I----"

Jon's trial of Robert Frey had his hand on the hilt of his sword.

He was Jon's squire, and if Jon was insulted, he would have to draw his sword and kill. The man before him, though called a craftsman, was just a commoner, and he could use him to practice his skills.

"My lord, I didn't, I wasn't talking about you, I—I—" Aes's explanation was weak and feeble.

"It was him, I heard it too!" Aes turned his head sharply and found that the young apprentice who had come with him and tried to persuade him not to leave had also stepped forward to identify him.

"Yes, I heard it too. He said you, sir, are a motherless bastard."

He said the northerners were just like those pirates, all they knew was to plunder.

He said—

He said—

Everyone fawned over Jon for the chance to become a nobleman.

Jon looked at the dozens of noisy craftsmen in front of him and felt as if he had thrown a handful of fish food into a fishpond.

The fish jostled and thrashed about, forming what appeared to be a whirlpool of flesh and blood.

Jon initially believed that if he respected these artisans and elevated their status, they would feel a greater sense of belonging to their position and would be better able to serve him, the Lord of Casterly Rock.

But ever since he transmigrated, he has either been fighting or on his way to fight, and in addition, he has been surrounded by nobles and has never really had any contact with commoners.

In addition, due to the cultural influences she received before her transmigration, she did not realize that the allure of becoming a noble was so terrifying that it could drive a group of former acquaintances, partners, or even master and disciple to the point of killing each other.

But thinking about it a little, it makes sense. After all, in the world before he transmigrated, there was a classical country that implemented a system of awarding titles based on military merit. Soldiers who couldn't find the enemy on the battlefield would even turn their swords on their comrades.

"Enough!" Jon shouted angrily, and the group of craftsmen who wanted to tear Aes apart immediately fell silent. Although the goal of winning over the Smith had been achieved, it was still unpleasant to see such an ugly scene on their own turf.

"I will not grant you just one title. If you complete my tasks in the future, or if you make any new inventions or innovations, I will reward you with land, gold, and titles according to their value!" Jon's promise caused another uproar among the craftsmen, and they stopped attacking the Smith Aes.

"I am indeed a bastard, but my title was earned on the battlefield with my sword, traded for the blood of my enemies and His Majesty Stannis. On the battlefield, what I hate most is not powerful and treacherous enemies, but allies who hold me back. If something like this happens again, I will banish him from Casterly Rock! Do you understand?"

After being scolded by Jon, the craftsmen all nodded in agreement.

"My lord, what should we do with him?" Robert Frey asked, while Aes, kneeling on the ground, trembled all over.

Everyone else awaited Jon's decision.

Even a king is not immune to being insulted behind his back. This is no big deal; you'll be fined a month's wages.

"Is that all?" Aes looked at Jon in disbelief, still shaken.

"Master Aes, quickly thank the master," someone reminded him.

"Thank you, sir, thank you for your mercy." Aes banged his head against the ground so hard that blood stained the stone bricks beneath his feet.

Ultimately, Jon found a carpenter Wood who had not been involved in the conflict to be the foreman of the armory.

After leaving the arsenal, Jon was actually in a good mood; winning over these artisans was much easier than he had thought.

But he soon received less pleasant news— Varys told Jon that Stannis would soon send men to Casterly Rock to seize the Casterly Rock's treasury and add it to the national coffers.

Those who want to freeload are coming.