Night gradually descended over Deepwood Motte.
Unlike Winterfell, whose massive stone walls were lined with countless torches after sunset, most of Deepwood Motte's inner keep was built from timber, making the castle appear particularly dim once darkness fell.
As a result, Jon, who was visiting Deepwood Motte for the first ti, quickly lost his sense of direction and could only silently follow behind Garon and Robert.
Fortunately, before long, a brightly illuminated hall blazing with candlelight appeared before his eyes.
"The Hall of a Thousand Beasts!"
Garon called out with a smile before taking the lead and walking inside.
"The Hall of a Thousand Beasts?"
Jon looked puzzled and quickly followed Robert into the hall.
The mont he entered, the roaring fireplace imdiately drew his attention.
But what truly shocked him was not the flas.
Instead, it was the countless skulls of wild beasts hanging across the wooden walls of the hall.
There were nearly a hundred of them.
Among all the trophies, the most eye-catching was undoubtedly the gigantic mammoth skull hanging upon the central wall of the hall.
"That is…"
Jon stared at the enormous skull in astonishnt and could not resist asking Garon about it.
Garon was unsurprised by Jon's reaction.
After all, nearly everyone who entered the Hall of a Thousand Beasts for the first ti was captivated by the mammoth skull.
"That's a mammoth skull. Magnificent, isn't it?"
After seeing Jon nod unconsciously, Garon continued explaining.
"Every skull in this hall was hunted by generations of House Glover."
As he looked around at the ancient trophies preserved upon the walls, a trace of lancholy inevitably appeared in Garon's voice.
"At its height, there were truly one thousand beast skulls hanging within this hall, which is how the Hall of a Thousand Beasts earned its na."
"Unfortunately, as ti passed, so beasts gradually beca extinct, and many of the older trophies eventually decayed."
"Now, only these remain."
Jon quietly listened while his gaze swept across the walls and the countless beast skulls decorating the hall.
Unlike Winterfell's entirely stone-built Great Hall, the Hall of a Thousand Beasts was constructed from both stone and timber.
The lower foundation and supporting pillars were built from stone, while most of the structure itself was crafted from wood.
Because the hall had been built atop the hill within the inner keep, it occupied nearly half the size of Winterfell's Great Hall.
Jon estimated it could probably hold at most two or three hundred people.
Finally withdrawing his gaze, he sighed in amazent.
"I never expected Deepwood Motte to preserve a mammoth skull. I always thought mammoths, like giants, were rely legends."
Garon smiled slightly and was just about to reply when footsteps echoed from outside the hall.
He looked up and saw a thin elderly man around fifty years old slowly walking inside.
"Chief Steward Mormont!"
Garon imdiately smiled and stepped forward to greet him.
Jon remained where he stood while quietly observing the steward.
The old man's expression appeared stern, while his gray hair and beard were ticulously grood, giving him an extrely rigid and unapproachable appearance.
Yet what surprised Jon was that the mont Chief Steward Mormont saw Garon, his cold expression instantly lted away like ice beneath sunlight.
The old steward quickly bowed respectfully.
"Welco ho, Lord Garon!"
Garon smiled and helped him straighten up before introducing Jon.
"This is Jon Snow, a squire Lord Ned arranged for ."
"Jon, this is Chief Steward Mormont. He handles all the daily affairs within Deepwood Motte. If you need anything in the future, you may go directly to him."
Jon smiled politely and greeted him warmly.
Chief Steward Mormont carefully observed Jon for a mont before nodding slightly and turning toward Garon for further instructions.
"My lord, Jon's room has already been prepared. Shall I escort him there first?"
"Yes, and prepare hot water so he can wash up properly. Also have dinner sent to his room."
After giving the instructions, Garon turned toward Jon.
"You've traveled hard these past few days, Jon. Wash up, eat sothing, and rest early tonight."
Jon naturally had no objections.
He called softly toward Ghost before preparing to leave alongside the steward.
Ghost, who had been quietly lying beneath the table beside the fireplace, imdiately stood up.
The sudden movent startled Chief Steward Mormont, who had not noticed the direwolf at all.
"An… an ice wolf?"
Garon quickly explained, "Don't worry. Ghost belongs to Jon. He won't hurt anyone."
Jon also nodded seriously.
"Yes, Chief Steward. Ghost is very obedient. You don't need to worry."
Chief Steward Mormont hesitated for a mont before finally nodding.
"Follow ."
With that, he turned and walked out of the hall while Jon and Ghost followed closely behind him.
Once the two n and one wolf disappeared, Robert finally turned toward Garon and imdiately began asking questions.
"Garon, what exactly happened in Winterfell?"
"And Jon Snow… is he truly Lord Ned's bastard?"
"Why would Lord Ned arrange for him to beco your squire?"
Hearing Robert's long series of questions, Garon did not answer imdiately.
Instead, he calmly walked to the dining table and poured himself a cup of wine.
After drinking deeply, he let out a comfortable breath.
"Ha…"
Only then did he finally begin answering Robert's questions.
"Uncle, many things happened in Winterfell over the past several days."
"The King arrived…"
Garon slowly recounted everything that happened in Winterfell, from winning Sansa's betrothal through trial by combat, to killing the giant bear and rescuing Joffrey, all the way to investigating Bran's fall from the tower and exposing Theon.
Robert listened with constantly changing expressions.
He never imagined that his nephew had accomplished so many shocking things within only a few days.
"Wait."
After Garon finally finished speaking, Robert still looked utterly incredulous.
"You're telling that in just several days, you first won a trial by combat and secured a marriage alliance with House Stark, then hunted and killed a giant bear alone, and finally exposed Theon Greyjoy for plotting against Bran?"
Garon calmly nodded, as though those achievents were not worth ntioning at all.
"Old gods…"
Even Robert, who had seen countless major events throughout his life, found himself speechless.
He rubbed his forehead heavily, clearly struggling to process everything he had just heard.
Finally, Robert looked at Garon with an extrely complicated expression filled with both pride and lingering fear.
Seeing his uncle's worried appearance, Garon smiled nonchalantly.
"Uncle Robert, you know my strength better than anyone. Ordinary n are no threat to ."
Robert imdiately recalled the previous sparring match between them and could only laugh bitterly twice.
"I simply never imagined you could even kill a giant bear."
Then his expression beca serious.
"Garon, you are now the future Lord of Deepwood Motte. From now on, you absolutely cannot continue acting so recklessly."
"The future glory of House Glover now rests entirely upon you."
Warmth rose in Garon's chest after hearing those sincere words.
He smiled and nodded before asking another question.
"By the way, has anything happened in Deepwood Motte during my absence?"
Robert thought carefully for a mont before replying.
"Everything within Deepwood Motte remains normal. Maester Beckman's research still hasn't made much progress, and the clan's training continues according to your plans."
"Anything else?"
Robert pondered briefly before suddenly rembering sothing.
"Recently, a wandering wizard passed through Deepwood Motte. He predicted that there would be another great harvest before the long sumr finally ends."
"Chief Steward Mormont seems to believe him. He plans to store one-tenth of the coming harvest while distributing the rest among the clans."
Garon imdiately raised an eyebrow and shook his head.
"That isn't enough."
"I'll speak with Chief Steward Mormont later. At minimum, two-tenths of the harvest must be reserved."
Robert nodded without objection.
"Oh, right. There's one more thing."
"Yesterday, hunters from the forest clans discovered a poacher inside the hunting grounds."
"The man has already been captured and brought back. Garon, you'll need to deal with him personally."
Garon naturally understood the laws regarding poaching.
Those who hunted within a lord's lands without permission were either sentenced to lose a hand or sent to the Wall to join the Night's Watch.
He sat calmly at the dining table and replied indifferently.
"Mm. I understand."
"I'll judge him personally tomorrow as lord of Deepwood Motte."
Garon drained the remaining wine in his cup before reaching for another bottle.
However, just as he was about to pour another drink, a certain figure suddenly flashed through his mind.
His movents paused slightly.
Then he looked toward Robert and asked seemingly casually.
"Uncle Robert… do you know that poacher's na?"
"Joel."
Robert answered imdiately.
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