This Is a Good Thing! [Dear Readers, Please Keep Reading]

"Jon, Robb asked me to find you. He has something he wants to discuss with us."

Theon said expressionlessly, looking somewhat like a put-upon wretch.

He used to love provoking Jon with smug little jabs.

After falling for Jon's "provocation," he went to Robb and asked to be sent to the Iron Islands, claiming he might be able to bring back an army for him.

But Luwin had rejected the proposal behind his back.

Theon was a "hostage." If he were allowed to return, Balon would have no more restraints.

Who knew what those mad pirates might do.

Having lost his chance to "make an appearance," Theon's mood only worsened.

Now that he had heard Robb wanted to discuss something with him, he was thrilled, and the two headed for Robb's study together.

Robb was currently speaking with Maester Luwin, his expression somewhat impatient.

Robb had now effectively become the Duke of Winterfell, but judging by the look of things, being a duke was no easy task.

"Don't worry, Robb. These bannermen are still loyal to the Starks, loyal to Winterfell. They just..."

Before Maester Luwin could finish, Jon and Theon entered the study.

"Jon, Theon." Robb composed himself slightly before speaking. "I need you two to help me come up with some ideas."

Robb spoke helplessly, while Luwin explained the difficulties the young wolf lord had encountered recently.

Just as Jon had expected, the proud and unruly commanders of the North did not recognize this young lord.

For instance, some believed Robb was too young and had no right to tell them what to do. One of them had even wanted to marry his granddaughter to Robb.

For a bannerman to interfere with his lord's marriage was utterly outrageous.

In order to placate him, Robb did not dare take overly forceful measures and could only send him away for the time being.

Others hoped to use the opportunity to demand benefits.

One of them kept sending gifts to Robb and Bran, seemingly without asking for anything in return.

But the man had his own schemes. He wanted the hunting rights to a certain area.

The most conspicuous among them was Roose Bolton, whom Jon had been wary of from the very beginning.

That man had gone directly to Robb and declared that he should serve as commander of the entire army.

Although Robb had dismissed them one by one, it was obvious that the lords he had sent away had merely realized that this young duke was not easy to fool. They had not abandoned their plans.

Jon knew Robb would soon have his first great moment—setting a wolf on Greatjon and biting off his fingers.

Greatjon would then submit to Robb completely.

But that was also the bitter consequence of Robb's failure to establish his authority from the start.

When a bannerman dared openly threaten his lord during a meeting, saying he would withdraw with his army, Robb had no choice but to do it.

Fortunately, Greatjon had a masochistic streak. He lost two fingers yet offered his loyalty.

Things might not have gone so well with someone else.

Originally, Robb had no one to discuss these matters with. Now that Jon had returned from The Wall, he began pouring his frustrations out to his bastard brother.

But before Jon could speak, Theon impatiently said from the side:

"At the Iron Islands, dealing with disobedient bannermen is simple. Fight them, or duel them!

Kill a few people, and the rest will obey."

After Jon's jab about how his thinking had become "too Westernized," Theon had begun considering how to make himself seem like a true Ironborn.

He had even asked Luwin for books about the Iron Islands.

Naturally, that had made Luwin wary, but he had still lent him the books.

Luwin spoke from the side. "Theon, relying solely on violence to enforce authority will only lose you the people's support. Westeros is far more complicated than the Iron Islands."

Since even Luwin had said so, Theon could not continue speaking.

He glanced sideways at Jon, not believing this bastard would have any good ideas.

Jon's tremendous change after returning from The Wall had left a deep impression on him.

Yet once he returned, all he did was train with his sword again, just like before.

To his surprise, Jon smiled and said:

"This is a good thing."

"What?" Everyone turned to look at him.

A good thing?

What did he mean? How could Robb being harassed by his bannermen be a good thing?

Theon thought disdainfully.

Luwin beside him also did not understand what Jon meant.

"This is a good thing!" Jon repeated. "Fine horses all have fierce tempers, but once tamed, they become a knight's finest aid.

These bannermen may be making things difficult for you at every turn, but once you tame them, their strength will become yours to command. Then we will have a better chance of rescuing Father!"

At Jon's words, Luwin's eyes lit up.

He rather liked the metaphor, and he admired Jon's optimistic mindset as well.

"So what do you think Robb should do?" Luwin asked, leaning forward slightly, his tone full of curiosity and anticipation.

Robb looked at him expectantly as well.

At last, Theon turned his head too.

Seeing everyone's gaze fixed on him, Jon calmed himself slightly before speaking.

"Actually, we only need to add a few more steps to Theon's suggestion. Violence is authority, and authority cannot be used alone. So what if we pair it with favor?"

Jon proposed that Robb give him a force of men and let him patrol the camps of those lords.

Anyone who broke the rules would be dealt with under military law. Soldiers who broke the rules would be flogged, and nobles who broke the rules would be flogged too.

They would first beat one or two of the loudest troublemakers, making the rest wary.

"Then they will definitely come to you and complain that I was too harsh. You only need to punish me together with them.

That way, they will experience both the majesty of military law and your generosity. They will naturally become loyal to you, or at least they will not dare test you so casually."

As Jon spoke, Luwin's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

It truly was a good method. Jon would bear the blame, while Robb would reap the benefits.

Only real brothers could go that far for one another.

Luwin looked at him with admiration, wondering how he had never noticed Jon possessed such skill before.

Robb also thought it was a good plan, but it seemed far too unfair to Jon.

"Jon, this... this won't do, will it? It's unfair to you. I..."

Robb was cut off midway by Jon.

"Enough, Robb. Right now, I only want to save Father and our sisters. I don't care about anything else."

"Jon..."

Robb suddenly felt his nose sting. After thinking for a moment, he said, "How about this, Jon? When we march south, I'll give you a force of men and let you command an army of your own!"

Upon receiving Robb's promise, Jon secretly rejoiced.

The ceiling for an ordinary soldier was too low. Having troops would be entirely different.

Even if he had only eight hundred men, as long as the timing was right, he could utterly crush an army of one hundred thousand!

Before he had an established power base, it was perfectly normal to work as someone else's enforcer for a while.

Hadn't those three brothers in history personally gone after that supplier of adoptive fathers?

But Robb's decision made Theon beside them anxious.

Winterfell's total military strength was only around six thousand men.

If some were given to Jon, there would be no more left to distribute.

"No! Jon can't steal my chance!"

Theon anxiously said, "But what if you can't beat them? Those nobles have personal guards and retainers around them all year, and their martial skills aren't weak either. If you end up being beaten instead, wouldn't that disgrace Robb?"