The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the rooftops of King's Landing in gold and red, wrapping the noisy city in a slightly weary but gentle outer layer.
Luke sat in the sa corner of "Shoemaker's Dad" tavern he had occupied that morning, with a fresh mug of ale in front of him that he had barely touched.
Bronn did not disappoint him.
Before the agreed-upon sunset, he returned with a well-dressed but visibly anxious middle-aged blond man.
The man was slightly plump, with a receding hairline. His face showed the shrewdness typical of a businessman, but the hint of panic deep in his eyes did not escape Luke's notice.
"Lord Luke."
Bronn stepped forward and gave a slight bow, his attitude noticeably more respectful than in the morning. "This is Mr. Quinn Carter, a respectable rchant. He happens to be willing to sell a property on Rhaenys's Hill. It's quite large — an independent courtyard not too far from Silk Street. I thought it might et your requirents, so I brought him to discuss it with you."
As he finished speaking, Bronn retreated behind Luke and gave him a quick, subtle look — raising his eyebrows and jerking his chin toward Quinn.
The aning was clear: This man is in a hurry. You can drive the price down.
Luke understood perfectly and kept a calm expression. He gestured for Quinn Carter to sit.
"Luke Jacknien," Luke gave his "na," keeping his background deliberately vague. "My ancestors were nobles of Westeros. Currently… I suppose I'm a rchant. Mr. Carter, please sit. I hear you have a property for sale?"
Quinn Carter took his seat, quickly scanning Luke from head to toe as if assessing the young "rchant's" strength and background.
Instead of imdiately talking about the house, he asked with a professional smile, "Jacknien? I don't recall hearing that na often. May I ask what line of business you're mainly in?"
Luke smiled faintly and answered evasively, "My family left Westeros so years ago and has only recently returned to look for opportunities. Business is rather varied — mostly dealing in… rare goods."
Seeing he wouldn't get more, Quinn stopped pressing and enthusiastically began describing the property:
"My residence is on Rhaenys's Hill — excellent location! Quiet despite being in the city, and the security is among the best in King's Landing. The courtyard is quite spacious. The main building is a two-story stone-and-timber structure with bright, spacious rooms. I even hired Myrish craftsn for the interior! Just the furniture and decorations alone cost …"
He went on and on, praising the house to the skies, and finally nad a price: "…so, although I'm reluctant, since you seem genuinely interested, five thousand gold dragons. Firm price! Absolutely worth every coin!"
Five thousand gold dragons?
Luke didn't even raise an eyebrow. He simply shook his head lightly and took a sip of ale. "Mr. Carter, my budget is only one thousand gold dragons."
Quinn's smile froze. He then put on an exaggerated look of distress. "One thousand? That's… not even half! Mr. Jacknien, you may not understand — my initial investnt in that house far exceeded this amount. It was ten tis more!"
"And to be honest, even Lord Petyr Baelish, the Master of Coin, once sent people to inquire. He was willing to offer three thousand gold dragons! I just couldn't bear to sell at the ti… If it weren't for so urgent business troubles in Pentos that require imdiate capital, I wouldn't be selling now…"
Petyr Baelish?
Littlefinger?
Luke's heart stirred.
This house had actually caught the attention of that scheming "Littlefinger"?
Although Quinn's words could be true or false, it undoubtedly added "story value" and potential prestige to the property.
The one Bronn found was no ordinary house.
Luke didn't show any surprise or special interest at the ntion of Littlefinger. He simply said calmly, "Lord Baelish offering three thousand is his business. My budget is one thousand. However…"
He paused and set down his mug. "If the house is truly as good as you say — in location, size, and condition — I'm willing to go up to… four thousand gold dragons. That is my limit. Also, I need to inspect the property imdiately."
Quinn's eyes lit up instantly.
Jumping from one thousand to four thousand was still below his ideal price, but it was a very sincere offer, especially combined with "imdiate inspection" and his urgent need for funds.
He rubbed his hands as if reluctant, then sighed. "Ah… four thousand… Although I'm still taking a loss, since you're so straightforward and were introduced by Bronn… fine! Let's go see the house right now! If you're satisfied, we can complete the transaction today!"
The two quickly reached an agreent and set off imdiately.
Bronn naturally followed behind.
The streets on Rhaenys's Hill were much cleaner and wider than those in Flea Bottom or Shoe-maker's Square, and the air no longer slled so unbearable.
Quinn's residence was located on a relatively quiet side road, enclosed by a tall stone wall.
Pushing open the heavy iron-bound wooden gate, Luke was greeted by a layout that pleasantly surprised him.
It sowhat resembled a variation of a traditional Chinese siheyuan courtyard on Blue Star, only much larger.
The entire courtyard covered an estimated area of over one thousand square ters, divided into front and rear sections.
The front yard was spacious, with stables and a feed room on the left capable of holding four horses, and a packed-earth open area on the right that looked like a small training ground, complete with weapon racks along the edge.
A row of low stone houses stood against the wall — easily enough to house thirty to forty guards or servants.
Passing through a gate into the rear yard, the atmosphere beca much quieter.
There was a small but well-maintained garden with hardy shrubs and flowers.
The main building was a two-and-a-half-story stone-and-timber structure, with several attached single-story rooms beside it.
Inside the main building were eight rooms of varying sizes, a spacious master bedroom with its own luxurious bathroom, an elegantly decorated reception hall, plus a dining room, kitchen, storage rooms, and everything else needed.
Although from Luke's Blue Star perspective the decoration style was rustic and even sowhat crude, and the furniture far from "luxurious," the house had excellent size, reasonable layout, complete functionality, high walls, and good privacy and security.
Most importantly, it was clean, without strange odors, and seed to have far fewer insects.
"How about it, Mr. Jacknien? I wasn't exaggerating, was I?"
Quinn looked sowhat proud but clearly anxious. "The walls, the location, the house itself… four thousand gold dragons is absolutely a bargain! When winter cos to Westeros, the price of this house could easily double…"
Luke was genuinely satisfied.
This was far better than the temporary foothold he had imagined. It perfectly t his requirents for a safe, hidden base capable of housing a certain number of people.
"It'll do."
He nodded without showing too much excitent.
"We'll take it. Four thousand gold dragons. Can we handle the paperwork today?"
"Yes! Of course!" Quinn was overjoyed.
"I even have the transfer deed ready! As long as the money is paid, I'll sign it imdiately, and we can register it at the Tower of the Hand. The house will be yours! So… about the paynt?"
Luke didn't take out gold coins directly. Instead, he pulled two bamboo jars engraved with elegant script from his small pouch — one "Mithril Sal" and one "Velvet Snow" — and placed them on the stone table in the center of the courtyard.
"Mr. Carter, take a look at these first."
Quinn curiously opened the jars and tasted both the salt and sugar at Luke's indication.
Instantly, his businessman's face showed the sa shock and ecstasy that Carlos had displayed that morning.
"By the Seven! This… this is…"
"Mithril Sal and Velvet Snow. As you can see!"
Luke repeated his story. "Gifts from a lost land. In King's Landing, one jar is worth ten gold dragons. And they are priceless — supply cannot et demand."
Quinn's eyes were glued to the two jars, his breathing heavy. But his rchant instincts quickly kicked in. "Ten gold dragons per jar… two jars are twenty, four jars are forty… Mr. Jacknien, these are indeed fine goods, but… this is still far from four thousand gold dragons!"
Luke smiled without speaking. He simply clapped his hands lightly.
Bronn, who had been waiting nearby, imdiately turned and left the courtyard. Soon after, he returned carrying two bulging sacks made of so strange smooth fabric and placed them heavily on the stone table.
Quinn looked curiously at the unfamiliar "sack" material. At Luke's signal, he opened one.
Snow-white, crystalline salt and fine, sand-like sugar sparkled seductively under the setting sun — two full, large sacks!
"Each of these sacks is equivalent to two hundred of the small jars you tasted earlier — possibly more!"
Luke's voice was calm but carried trendous impact. "Two sacks. By market price, their value is no less than five thousand gold dragons."
Quinn's mouth fell open wide enough to fit an egg. He tremblingly grabbed a handful of sugar, then a handful of salt.
He examined them carefully, slled them, and even tasted them again to confirm that these two huge sacks were indeed filled with that miraculous top-grade product!
Huge joy overwheld him!
Five thousand gold dragons?
No!
If he sold these two sacks properly, their value would far exceed five thousand!
"Deal… it's a deal!" Quinn almost shouted, terrified Luke would change his mind.
"The house is yours! The deed! Let's sign it right now!"
The transaction was completed swiftly.
Luke carefully checked the sheepskin "transfer deed" with its official seals, confirming the property boundaries and ownership. Once satisfied, he watched Quinn and his guards excitedly but frantically load the two large sacks of sugar and salt onto a waiting cart outside the gate.
Before leaving, Luke stood at the entrance of his new residence and said to the eager-to-depart Quinn Carter in a half-joking, half-serious tone:
"Well then, Mr. Carter, I won't see you off."
"May your business in Pentos… go smoothly. Now take your things and please leave my house."
Quinn was stunned for a second, then laughed heartily. He waved goodbye as the cart wheels rolled, quickly disappearing down the street into the thickening dusk.
The courtyard fell quiet, leaving only Luke and Bronn.
Bronn walked over to the stone table, looked at the few scattered sugar grains, dipped his finger in one, put it in his mouth, and savored it. A complex expression of enjoynt and amazent appeared on his face.
"By the Seven's grace…"
He smacked his lips and looked at Luke with even more complicated eyes. "Lord Luke, these two sacks of yours… if handled properly in King's Landing or sent to Highgarden or Oldtown, could easily sell for fifteen thousand, even twenty thousand gold dragons. And you just… traded them for this house?"
Luke turned around, looking at the courtyard that now belonged to him, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"Bronn, the value of so things isn't asured only by how many gold dragons they can bring."
He spoke slowly, his voice clear in the twilight. "A safe, stable, completely mine base is sotis worth more than twenty thousand gold dragons."
"Besides, I still have plenty more of these 'gifts'."
Bronn's pupils contracted. He took a deep breath but ultimately said nothing.
"Go arrange those ten new guards you recruited," Luke instructed. "The stone houses beside the stables should be enough for them. Tell them to guard the front yard well. Without my permission, no one is allowed into the rear yard. We'll move in here today."
"Yes."
Bronn accepted the order and headed to the front yard to arrange his newly recruited ten subordinates.
He touched the heavy coin pouch in his chest — Luke had given him additional operating funds and advance pay that afternoon.
He glanced back once more at Luke, who stood tall and mysterious in the center of the courtyard in the twilight.
This new employer was not only shockingly wealthy but also far beyond ordinary rchants or fallen nobles in thods and thinking.
Following him… might really allow him to earn big money, not just work as a bodyguard.
Bronn licked his lips, a gleam of opportunistic and survival-expert cunning flashing in his eyes.
He strode toward the front yard, where ten carefully selected, eager new subordinates were waiting for their captain to assign tasks and… distribute their first eagerly anticipated wages.
Night quietly fell over King's Landing, and over this newly transferred "Carter Residence."
No — now, it was the "Luke Residence."
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