From a distance, Aegor could see his own property.
The assembly line required significant space, and its reliance on the rapids of the Blackwater River for water power dictated both its layout and location. The factory itself was a massive rectangular structure, stretching fifty or sixty ters in length, thirty or forty ters in width, and standing seven or eight ters high. From afar, it looked like a colossal brick-built aqueduct spanning the river.
A few thousand square ters might be unremarkable in a modern industrial zone, but here out in the wilderness beyond King's Landing, it was an imposing sight. Even Aegor, who had once guarded the Wall, found it impressive, let alone the common folk of Westeros, most of whom had never seen anything of the sort.
Nina had told him that the rchant investing in the second factory had made his decision on the spot after seeing this "spectacle" from several hundred ters away. In hindsight, it was easy to understand why—hearing about the Night's Watch industry was one thing, but seeing its sheer scale was far more persuasive than any boast Tyrion or Nina could have made.
Beyond the first operational workshop and the second one under construction, several smaller longhouses were scattered around, likely serving as living quarters. However, from this distance, their layout was unclear, so the group pressed onward.
As they drew closer, Aegor noticed sothing else, the entire Night's Watch Industrial Park was enclosed by a wooden palisade taller than a man, stretching out far beyond his imdiate line of sight. Gods know how much land Tyrion had claid. The only openings in the fence served as gates, much like those of a school or a modern company, complete with doors, signage, and even a security post.
Above the entrance, a row of large letters, Night's Watch Industrial—stood prominently, visible even from a distance.
A dozen or so people stood gathered near the gate, looking toward the road from King's Landing. Though their faces were still indistinct, the short figure among them was unmistakable. Tyrion.
Jaqen must have arrived well ahead of Aegor. But how long had this group been standing there, waiting?
The gesture left Aegor feeling flattered.
He and Tyrion were partners. And while Tyrion was a nobleman and had contributed more to the Night's Watch industry than anyone besides Aegor himself, the Lannister always ensured Aegor was given proper respect in public. Having such a teammate, one who was not only brilliant at business but also willing to let Aegor take credit was an invaluable stroke of luck.
With a slight kick of their horses, the four riders quickly approached the gate.
"Aegor! It must have been exhausting following King Robert into battle!"
"I barely did anything—just spent two months idling about! And sohow, I ended up making a fortune along the way." Aegor responded modestly before glancing at the industrial park. "But you, Tyrion… you've transford this place so much I hardly recognize it!"
He dismounted and strode toward his ever-reliable ally. Their height difference made hugging impractical, so they settled for a firm handshake and a vigorous high-five.
Tyrion then turned to the assembled group and raised his voice.
"Listen up, everyone! This is Aegor West, the legend who has traveled the world, the Chief Logistics Officer of the Night's Watch, the highest authority in Night's Watch Industries, the boss and top leader of everyone here, including !"
"Don't let him walk in and go unrecognized next ti!"
"Welco, Lord Aegor!"
The greeting was loud but uneven, clearly uncoordinated. Aegor smiled and waved.
The last ti he had inspected the papermaking workshop, he had simply enjoyed the novelty of being a leader. But now, he was the true leader.
"For reasons beyond my control, I—your founder, disappeared for two months, even though I should have been here leading you all," Aegor said. "Fortunately, with Tyrion's wisdom and guidance… and, of course, your hard work and dedication, we've achieved this much. Please, allow to thank you!"
"It's our duty!"
"You're too kind, Lord Aegor!"
…
"Alright, let's not get too sentintal," Tyrion interrupted. "We're still expanding. It's not ti to pat ourselves on the back and split the profits just yet."
He then began making introductions.
"This is Ledger, in charge of the first factory."
Just a workshop director. Aegor nodded, committing his face to mory.
"This is Enoch, head of the construction team working with the Night's Watch."
The general contractor? Aegor also took note of his na and appearance.
"We've never had a project this big," Enoch said with a grin. "Even with new hires, we're still short on hands."
His words sounded like a complaint, but his expression gave him away—he was thrilled.
In an era where infrastructure projects were few and far between, tradesn like masons, carpenters, and bricklayers often spent months with no work, idling at ho. Now, they had constant employnt, with no end in sight. It was a prosperity they had never experienced before.
…
Tyrion continued introducing the rest of the gathered n. Soon, Aegor had t everyone present.
It was a challenge to rember all their nas at once, but he did his best.
One thing stood out, most of them had no family nas. And those who did ca from minor houses Aegor had never heard of.
Good.
This ant the influence of great houses had not yet seeped into the Night's Watch industry, allowing it to remain a purely comrcial enterprise, free from noble interference.
With introductions complete, Tyrion clapped his hands together.
"Alright, let's show our boss around his industrial park!"
Inside the vast fenced area, large swaths of uneven, weed-covered land had been cleared and leveled. The roads already in use were paved with gravel, ensuring a firm surface with no risk of mud.
As Aegor walked along the path, he noticed direction signposts at intersections and well-dug drainage ditches on either side of the road. These ditches connected to the Blackwater River, ensuring that even in heavy rain, the industrial park wouldn't turn into a swamp.
Inside the vast first factory, hundreds of workers labored tirelessly, their shouts and orders filling the air. Carts rolled in carrying raw materials, which were fed into the production line and passed through over a dozen different processes. At the far end, the pulp was extracted and loaded onto another cart to be set out to dry.
Though there weren't many machines, the sheer energy of the workers made the factory feel like a place of relentless productivity.
It took several days for plant fibers to be fully processed into paper, but with the efficiency of an assembly line, large sheets of raw, undried paper erged at the end of each production line every few minutes.
The factory's success was built on a fundantal economic principle, hiring free workers to mass-produce goods for a growing market. It was only at this stage that capitalism could truly take root. But Aegor knew this prosperity was only an illusion, limited to the Night's Watch Industrial Park. The paper mill's managent and production model might have reached the cutting edge of its ti, but aside from the water-powered crushing chanism, nearly everything else still relied on manual labor.
Beyond the wooden fences of the industrial park, Westeros—and the entire world of ice and fire—remained stagnant and ignorant.
In a land plagued by irregular climate shifts, a long winter could still easily freeze this fragile prosperity before it had the chance to grow. Slow progress, followed by devastating collapse, then a desperate struggle to survive through the cold, only to be t with a sumr of uncertain length.
This hopeless cycle was why the people of this world lived without ambition, why they had no real drive to build a future. It was why Westeros had remained in a state of stagnation for thousands of years.
The only way to break free is to develop fast enough during a long sumr—to build sothing strong enough to withstand winter, so that no cold can erase the progress we make.
Of course, that was a concern for kings and lords. Aegor wasn't at that level—yet.
Winter was coming, but there was still ti. It would take years for the chill of autumn to give way to the true bite of winter. His focus now was simple: seize the present and ensure that when winter cos, I survive it—comfortably.
—
By tradition, a leader was expected to speak when visiting a factory. But Aegor knew that capital was the real way to attract talent.
Under Tyrion's leadership, the factory had already reached the technological frontier of this world. Aegor was no expert in the finer details of papermaking, his role was to attract business and guide the direction of Night's Watch Industries, not micromanage the work of specialists.
There was no point in wasting words.
No matter the era, when outsiders ddle in specialized fields and leaders issue commands based on their personal whims, all it does is create inefficiency and frustration among those actually doing the work.
Aegor simply praised the workers for their enthusiasm and coordination, then signaled to move on.
The sa pattern repeated itself in the cutting and printing workshops. After a brief inspection, they left the main production area and made their way to the smaller buildings they had spotted earlier.
He had guessed correctly, these were the living quarters for the workers.
The dormitories were simple wooden houses with straw mats. The canteen was nothing more than a few large cooking pots and rows of crude wooden stools.
By the standards of Westeros, these conditions were no worse than those of most peasants. But even so, Aegor couldn't help but sigh.
Even Tyrion, who seed to be a good man in every way was still a capitalist at heart.
"The dormitories must be sealed against wind and rain. That's the bare minimum," Aegor told the logistics manager. "When funds allow, we'll provide wooden beds. They don't have to be extravagant, but they should at least keep the workers off the ground, away from insects and dampness. And when possible, we'll establish a dical station."
He then turned to the head of human resources.
"Wages can't be the sa for everyone. We need to evaluate performance, recognize the best workers, and reward those with special skills. Retaining skilled labor is crucial. They're our most valuable asset."
"Write it down!" Tyrion added from the side.
Aegor nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright, I've seen most of it. Overall—no, not overall, it's excellent work. Keep it up!"
The gathered workers and managers smiled at the praise.
"Now, take to see the security team's training."
To outsiders, it seed like he had recruited guards just to protect the factory.
But only Aegor—and perhaps Tyrion—knew the truth.
What he was truly building was a professional army.
Making money? That didn't concern him, his subordinates could earn it however they pleased. They could make money standing, sitting, lying down, or running, so long as the coin was there when it was needed.
But there was only one Night's Watch Logistics and Security Departnt.
And Aegor would personally oversee its rise, ensuring that it grew into exactly what he envisioned.
(To be continued.)
***
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