[Chapter Size: 1000 Words.]
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As news of the construction of Seagard spread, a large number of refugees began moving to Seagard on their own initiative.
The reason was simple: either risk believing the rumor was true or wait to starve.
Theon accepted all suggestions and eliminated the hidden threat of the Twins, leaving the North free of concerns.
At the same time, he wrote a "letter of assistance" to Petyr Baelish and his wife in the Vale. The belief was that Baelish's influence, and the Vale's food, would soon arrive.
Indeed, with so many refugees taking part in building Seagard's docks and other facilities, Theon's own stores would not last long.
Reluctantly, he wrote a formal request to Petyr Baelish, borrowing a vast supply of food from the Lord Protector of the Vale.
Littlefinger was unexpectedly generous, agreeing to Theon's seemingly unreasonable demand.
Theon could not help but sigh, relieved that he had not let Baelish die in King's Landing. Yet he also knew Petyr Baelish would never give up his schemes.
For now, however, food was the most important matter, and everything else could be set aside. Even the recovery of the Riverlands was handled hastily by Theon.
With the war in King's Landing appearing settled, everyone in Westeros was busy with their own problems. For Theon, the priority was transforming Seagard into a true port city.
From there, using Seagard as a secondary station, a massive harbor would be built at the mouth of the Blue Fork, linking it with Bay.
Under Theon's rule, caravans could then conduct efficient trade with Essos, greatly boosting development.
The first shipment of supplies carried down the Blue Fork came as "support" from the Vale.
A large amount of food was unloaded from the cargo ships under the hopeful eyes of the crowd. Theon watched from the docks, already planning his next move to secure the people's safety.
Whether it was developing Seagard into a port or constructing the Blue Fork Harbor, the projects would take no more than three months.
But once that time passed, the ever-growing influx of refugees would need to be resettled. In fact, there were already at least 200,000 refugees scattered not only in Seagard but across the region.
If even half of them perished from hunger, disease, or human cruelty, only about 100,000 would remain alive.
Meanwhile, Theon's main forces began reclaiming the seven cities he had originally designated.
These seven settlements, arranged in a gourd-like shape, would become the future military and political centers of the region.
From them, Theon's decrees would first be announced before spreading outward.
All seven had grown from small towns, chosen by Theon for their strategic locations. Should war break out, they could support one another without being delayed, isolated, or besieged.
…
Fifty days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Riverlands had submitted to Theon on the surface, but no one knew how many lords were secretly preparing to act.
Theon did not dare to deal with them immediately. Instead, he turned his attention to the bar of soap before him, its floral fragrance bringing him a rare sense of satisfaction.
Glass, soap, and black powder, these were the three essential treasures for anyone who had traveled through time.
Glass already existed in Westeros, and Theon himself had some knowledge of glassmaking techniques.
As for black powder, he followed the recipe, but it failed to explode, producing only a few sparks.
Thus, Theon focused on soap, the easiest to produce. Using wood ash and animal fat, with the addition of certain spices, he created a soap of fine quality and pleasing appearance.
In truth, Theon had originally planned to distill spirits, but alcohol production consumed too much grain. He even issued a strict decree forbidding the private use of grain for brewing.
Whether noble or commoner, anyone caught breaking the law would face no less than three years of punishment, with no upper limit.
Still, Theon did not ban alcohol entirely. Each of the seven major cities had official breweries. Anyone wishing to drink or sell liquor could purchase it legally there.
For now, Theon intended to market his soap only as a luxury good, targeting the great lords across the realm. The leftovers from production would be slightly refined and sold to lesser nobles and knights.
As for the common people, he had no plans to sell to them. Their purchasing power was too low, and besides, they had little access to animal fat.
Theon summoned Tom Beale and showed him the soap he had crafted.
Upon seeing it, Tom immediately recognized its potential. If sold to the slaveholders of Essos, it could surely be exchanged for a great quantity of gold dragons.
However, Theon made his conditions clear: soap could only be sold in Essos in exchange for essential supplies such as food and cloth, not gold.
Only thirty percent of the soap was to be sold in Westeros for gold dragons.
Essos had no Long Night. Its climate was favorable, and the nine free cities were immensely wealthy.
Theon believed that slaveholders there would gladly spend their dusty hoards of gold on a luxury that doubled as a symbol of status.
But how does a luxury good become a mark of status?
Theon handed Tom a pamphlet and instructed him:
"When you go to Essos, do not sell it outright. First, use my name to arrange meetings with the leading slaveholders of the great city-states.
Then present the soap as a gift, and be sure to demonstrate its effects in public during your visits."
Tom was baffled by Theon's approach to marketing. For the first time, he realized that business could be so subtle, even manipulative.
In commerce, what is sold is often not the product itself, but the brand and the symbols of identity and prestige it conveys.
And so, Tom set sail for Braavos with the first shipment of five hundred bars of soap.
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