The Knights Templar in dieval Europe expanded their assets through banking and comrce, amassing wealth that rivaled entire kingdoms. They beca the biggest creditors of many kings, dukes, and earls. However, their greatest client, the King of France, ultimately turned against them, issuing a nationwide arrest warrant. They sought refuge through the Vatican's support but failed, becoming casualties of the struggle between religious and royal power. Once powerful beyond asure, they were erased from history in an instant after Black Friday. Why?
Aegor sumd up the reasons:
1. No stronghold of their own.
After the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the Knights Templar beca a lost cause. Despite their imnse wealth, they lived under the protection of others, committing the fatal mistake of possessing treasure without sufficient power to defend it. Worse, they forgot their primary duty, ensuring the safety of pilgrimage routes and instead prioritized financial dealings.
They had no land of their own yet were wealthier than anyone else. When their protector turned against them, they had no strategic depth, no fallback, and no ans to reverse their fate.
2. Lending money at high interest to those more powerful than themselves.
This needs little explanation. Lending money to a stronger force is inherently risky. The Knights Templar went as far as to lend at high interest to the very ruler who sheltered them. While European kingdoms warred among themselves, the Templars rely reaped the profits. Who wouldn't grow envious and resentful?
When their debtor could no longer pay and began eyeing the Templars' wealth, their downfall was inevitable.
3. Lacking a sufficiently strong, independent ard force.
Originally a military order, the Knights Templar abandoned their martial roots after retreating from Jerusalem, shifting their focus to finance and expanding their network of contacts. They relied on the protection of the Holy See, believing themselves safe.
But history proved that no matter how many allies one has or how great the supposed protection, nothing is more reliable than one's own strength.
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Learning from history, Aegor was determined to follow the path of the Templars in building wealth through finance, but he refused to let the Night's Watch Industry suffer the sa fate. To avoid that, he had to make critical adjustnts while imitating them.
The Wall served as the natural and legal strongholds of the Night's Watch. As long as he was careful and avoided antagonizing rabid enemies like Cersei, he could act freely under the pretense of being a sworn brother. No matter what trouble he stirred up, his worst-case scenario would be retreating to Castle Black not losing his life.
But the Night's Watch and the Night's Watch Industry, though sharing a na, were entirely separate. The latter provided resources and manpower to the forr, yet they remained distinct forces with minimal interference between them.
Aegor hoped this separation would remain permanent.
Power begets ambition. Once, he had only wanted to leave the Wall as a simple ranger. But now, with resources and connections, his ambitions had begun to take root.
While Aegor maintained the façade of a loyal Night's Watchman, he never forgot the truth, he had no intention of remaining bound to his vows forever. His future goal was to transform the Night's Watch's land into territory belonging to the Night's Watch Industry. How and when he would make that transition depended on circumstances.
As for reckless lending, he already had a plan: he would use the excuse that the Night's Watch must remain neutral in the politics of the Seven Kingdoms. With this justification, he could outright refuse to lend money to noble houses and the Iron Throne. By establishing this boundary from the outset, he would avoid making powerful enemies.
The first two points were long-term strategies, but the third was sothing Aegor could act on imdiately, strengthening his private military force under the na of the Night's Watch Logistics and Security Departnt.
Flanked by his subordinates, Aegor arrived at the security departnt in the northwest corner of the industrial park.
In front of a row of buildings distinct from the staff dormitories, dozens of young n in black vests sparred in pairs with training swords. Three Stark guards oversaw them, correcting stances and stopping reckless moves—far more diligent than Ser Alliser, Castle Black's combat instructor.
Of course, they had to be. Unlike Ser Alliser, they weren't in a position where bad teaching went unpunished. Wait—why were there three Stark guards?
Aegor looked closer and recognized them all.
"Hank, Odin, David!" he called out. "Nothing important, just saying hello. Carry on, and thanks for your hard work!"
Two of the instructors besides Hank were n Aegor had originally requested from the Hand of the King when he first arrived in King's Landing. He had sent them to escort the first shipnt of supplies to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, and they hadn't returned since the Vale Rebellion. Who would have thought they'd reunite under these circumstances?
Tyrion chuckled. "After they delivered your goods to Eastwatch, the captain didn't want to sail back with an empty ship, so he lingered along the northern coast until he got a new delivery order for King's Landing. When they reported back and asked if they could be of further service, I had them reassigned to . Naturally, they received their 'hardship pay.'"
"I see."
Aegor was relieved. The Hand had never specified a ti limit for their assignnt, he could use them as long as he needed. Tyrion had simply repurposed them to train "new recruits for the Night's Watch," sothing even Eddard Stark wouldn't object to.
But a new question arose: why had Tyrion chosen Stark n for this role instead of Lannister soldiers? King's Landing was filled with his family's forces—ten tis the number of Starks present. Yet when hiring instructors for the Night's Watch Logistics Departnt, he had picked n from his enemies rather than his own house. True, Northerners were fierce warriors, but could two Stark guards truly be more skilled than all the knights from the other six kingdoms?
Or was it possible that, aside from Jack and Morris—who were more like glorified babysitters—the Lannister soldiers in King's Landing only took orders from their queen and the Kingsguard prince? That they ignored their own dwarf prince entirely?
Reflecting on the story so far, Aegor found it entirely plausible. Tywin had never hidden his contempt for his son. In such a household, what Lannister retainer would swear true loyalty to a son with no chance of becoming the family's heir?
Whether it was true or not didn't matter. Asking would only reopen Tyrion's old wounds, so Aegor decided to let it go.
He turned to Nina and asked, "There don't seem to be that many people here. Didn't they say there were nearly a hundred?"
The head of the security departnt, a burly man nad Jellos, stepped forward and answered, "Half of them are on guard duty, patrolling the factory. The other half are in training. The two shifts rotate, ser."
"Is that so?" Aegor turned to the logistics officer. "The security team's accommodations and als should be better than those of the regular workers. Has that been arranged?"
"Per Miss Nina's instructions, all accommodations are equipped with beds and bedding. As for als, we ensure they receive at least one serving of at per day."
"Good. Very good."
To train a competent and disciplined force, the first priority was to take care of them. The common folk in this world didn't have the ideological discipline of certain armies that could fight wars on re rations of millet and rifles. Unless one intended to train Unsullied, ensuring they were well-fed, clothed, and treated better than the average laborer was the bare minimum. Without material benefits, where would a sense of honor or motivation to fight co from?
"Are there any other aspects to their training? Or are the three instructors only teaching swordsmanship?"
"Well… not yet," Jellos admitted honestly. "I was waiting for your orders, ser."
"Good. Then I'll handle it. Make sure to rember."
(To be continued.)
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