"You didn't see the expression on old Jon Arryn's face when His Majesty said he would fund the armor for your Stone Giant subordinates, haha, it was so funny. If only there was a top painter who could capture it." Jaime, who was tasked with escorting Lord Linde out of the Red Keep, recalled the situation in the Council Chamber just now and couldn't help but laugh, "You really should have accepted His Majesty's offer."
Lord Linde shook his head and said, "You, as a Kingsguard who has been with His Majesty for many years, should know better than I what the Iron Throne's treasury is like. If I had really accepted His Majesty's offer, Duke Arryn would probably have wanted to swallow me whole." He paused, then added, "Besides, I don't lack that much money right now. I have the funds to forge twenty-six sets of Stone Giant armor and weapons."
Jaime looked at Lord Linde sideways and said, "Are you crazy too? How much money would it take to forge armor and weapons for Stone Giants? Ten years of taxes accumulated in your territory probably wouldn't be enough."
"I don't need to forge them with steel; I can use bronze," Lord Linde explained. "And I don't necessarily need to pay for it. I plan to arrange the Stone Giants in the Redemption Sanctuary at Summerhall to serve as Sanctuary Guards. I think the Seven Gods Church would be very willing to have twenty-six Sanctuary Guards who can display the Glory of the Seven Gods, clad in bronze armor."
Jaime was stunned, looking at Lord Linde with a strange expression, unsure how to describe it for a moment.
As they spoke, the two walked out of the Red Keep. Lord Linde led the Stone Giants out of King's Landing and onto an open grassy area between the The Gods' Gate and the Old Gate. The servants sent by King Robert had already set up Lord Linde's tent.
King Robert wanted Lord Linde to stay for half a month, and Lord Linde, finding it hard to refuse, agreed.
Originally, King Robert had also asked Duke Eddard to stay, but Duke Eddard declined, citing official business. Duke Mace, on the other hand, very much wanted to stay but was not invited. He left with a look of regret, telling Lord Linde to come to Highgarden as soon as possible.
The appearance of the Stone Giants also attracted the commoners of King's Landing. Those living in the slums outside the city walls were drawn to Lord Linde's camp, but because the Gold Cloaks were blocking them, they dared not approach.
However, Lord Linde did not like being gawked at like a monkey, so he instructed Marg to build a wall around the camp to block the view.
Hearing the command, Marg led the twenty-six Stone Giants to directly gather materials from the surrounding forest, easily breaking off trees to make wooden stakes, which they hammered into the ground like nails. Soon, a wall tall enough to block the surrounding view was erected, and a large gate that only a Stone Giant could raise and lower was made at the entrance.
"Marg, south, adapt?" After the camp was set up, Lord Linde asked Marg, the Stone Giant leader.
"South, hot, don't like." Marg and the other Stone Giants took off their animal skins to make themselves more comfortable, and their expressions were somewhat agitated.
Lord Linde directly used the power of the Dragon Rune to lower the temperature of the camp, and only then did the Stone Giants recover from their agitated state.
Seeing this, Lord Linde thought that to make the Stone Giants live in such a hot environment in the south, some special methods would be needed, such as the Ice Dragon Rune.
Although the Ice Dragon Rune would be fatal to ordinary people, the situation might be much better for Stone Giants. Their tolerance is far greater than that of ordinary people, and Lord Linde would not just make them into necklaces. Instead, after their bronze armor was forged, he would make some Valyrian steel into individual Ice Dragon Runes and inlay them into the bronze armor. This would keep the bronze armor constantly frozen, which should help the Stone Giants live in hot environments.
Thinking of this, Lord Linde couldn't help but think of Varys, and then looked at his damaged right gauntlet, remembering the fallen knight armor that had been forged for two years.
Perhaps by coincidence, just as Lord Linde thought of Varys, Varys arrived outside the camp. He was surprised by the sudden wooden wall and, seeing a Stone Giant pull up a huge stone gate to open the entrance, maintained an astonished expression on his face, which had not disappeared when he met Lord Linde.
"Lord Linde, you are quite bold! To actually build such a large camp directly outside King's Landing." Varys said with a smile.
"This camp can help me block a lot of trouble," Lord Linde briefly explained, then asked doubtfully, "Is it alright for you to come see me directly like this now? Jon Arryn…"
Varys took out an invitation and said, "His Majesty is preparing a banquet at the Hand's residence and invites you to attend. Originally, a minor courtier was supposed to deliver it, but I took it upon myself."
"His Majesty is hosting a banquet at the Hand's residence?" Lord Linde was momentarily stunned, feeling it was a bit strange.
Varys explained, "His Majesty originally intended to hold a grand banquet in the Red Keep's great hall, but the Hand of the King prevented it. The Hand only agreed to His Majesty hosting a banquet at his residence, inviting only the powerful nobles among the courtiers."
Lord Linde set the invitation aside and asked, "How is that armor coming along now? It's been two years, and it's still not finished?"
"The news from there is that only a portion has been completed," Varys said truthfully.
"This trip Beyond the Wall made me realize that steel armor can no longer protect me well enough," Lord Linde said, looking at his damaged right gauntlet.
Varys inquired, "Are the Others really that powerful?"
"Much more powerful than you imagine," Lord Linde said with a serious expression.
Upon hearing this, Varys said earnestly, "I will personally send people to urge this matter along."
Lord Linde nodded, then asked again, "Do you still have any Valyrian steel on hand now?"
Varys was stunned, then said with a wry smile, "My Lord, is it because I produced so much Valyrian steel before that you think it's easy to get? You know Duke Tywin spent decades and still couldn't get a single piece of Valyrian steel."
"So, do you have any on hand now?" Lord Linde looked at Varys and asked.
Varys sighed helplessly and said, "I have a little, but not much. If you want to forge weapons, it certainly won't be enough."
"No need to forge weapons. Have the craftsman who forged the Lost Knight's Greatsword make me twenty-six Valyrian steel pendants, and each pendant must be engraved with this rune." Lord Linde took out the design for the Ice Dragon Rune and handed it to Varys, saying.
"Twenty-six?" Varys's expression froze. He turned to look at the surrounding Stone Giants and said, "Are they for the Stone Giants? Can Stone Giants use them? It won't be like last time, will it?"
"They should be able to use them." Lord Linde wasn't entirely sure either.
Varys didn't ask any more questions. He put away the design and said he would have the items forged before he left. Then, he seemed to suddenly remember something and said, "Are you interested in taking Tob Mott back to be your exclusive craftsman?"
"Tob Mott?" Lord Linde didn't remember who that was at first, but he quickly realized it was the craftsman who forged his Lost Knight's Greatsword. He immediately nodded and said, "Of course I'm interested. My Summerhall Castle just happens to need a master craftsman." Then he asked doubtfully, "Would he be willing to leave with me? I remember he seems to have a large business in King's Landing."
"Because he offended someone," Varys explained, but he didn't elaborate on who it was. However, from Varys's expression, it wasn't hard to guess that the person should be one of the courtiers in the Red Keep.
Varys did not stay any longer and left in a hurry.
Afterward, King Robert sent servants with several sets of clothes for the banquet, as wearing armor to a banquet was somewhat inappropriate, though he was still granted special permission to carry his weapon.
After nightfall, Lord Linde entered the city alone to attend the banquet. Glory and the Stone Giants were left in the camp, and the backpack containing the winter horn and the Dragon Egg was tied to Glory to prevent anyone from stealing them while he was away.
In fact, his precautions did work. During the banquet, Glory informed him of the situation in the camp through their mental link. Three groups of people had secretly infiltrated the camp. One group was dealt with by Glory, and the remaining two were directly crushed into pulp by the Stone Giants.
Lord Linde did not publicize this matter. After attending the banquet and returning to the camp, he had the Stone Giants dig pits on the spot and bury the bodies.
He also had no intention of investigating the matter, because from the clothing of these people, it could be seen that they were likely commoners from the nearby slums, probably pawns hired to test the waters.
The next day, Lord Linde visited the Great Sept of Baelor and discussed matters concerning the Wall with the Archbishop. Although there was also a Sept at the Wall, it had been a long time since any monks had been sent to oversee its affairs.
This time, Lord Linde's actions Beyond the Wall in the name of the Chosen of the Seven had made many of the Night's Watch at the Wall faithful followers of the Seven Gods. Lord Linde wanted the Seven Gods Church to strengthen the faith of these followers, as faith can often play a greater role than money and weapons when a crisis arises.
"Most of the monks here at the Great Sept have already been assigned to the Redemption Sanctuary, and the remaining ones all have their own duties. Other monk assistants are not sufficient to handle the important affairs of a Sept like the Wall. This matter should be left to the Starry Sept! They have more idle monks there." The Archbishop, dressed in silk robes and wearing gem rings on his hands, said with a look of regret.
Lord Linde knew very well that the Archbishop was evading this matter because he clearly saw that there was no benefit to be gained from the Wall, and the environment was too harsh. Sending people there was tantamount to exile, and sending his own bishops and monks, who were all people with special identities and backgrounds, would be inappropriate for anyone.
Lord Linde needed him to refuse this matter, so he went along with it, saying, "Since that's the case, why not have the Redemption Sanctuary send people? After all, considering the background of the Night's Watch, they truly need Redemption."
"Yes, yes!" Most of the people from the Redemption Sanctuary were sent from the monastery beneath the Great Sept of Baelor, and in the Archbishop's view, there was no difference from sending people from his own side.
Afterward, Lord Linde further discussed the construction progress of Miracle Port and Summerhall with the Archbishop. Additionally, Lord Linde deliberately mentioned, as if in passing, his desire to arrange those twenty-six Stone Giants to serve as Sanctuary Guards at the Redemption Sanctuary.
The Archbishop immediately exclaimed, "Why the Redemption Sanctuary? They should be Sanctuary Guards at the Great Sept of Baelor!"
He had personally experienced the immense benefits the wights brought him. If the Stone Giants could remain at the Great Sept of Baelor as Sanctuary Guards, it was not impossible for him to become the most outstanding Archbishop in the history of the Seven Gods Church and even be canonized because of it.
"It's not that I don't want the Stone Giants to stay at the Great Sept of Baelor; it's simply too hot in King's Landing. The Stone Giants come from the North and cannot endure the hot weather of King's Landing. The Redemption Sanctuary is in the Red Mountains, where the climate is cool and very suitable for the Stone Giants to live," Lord Linde explained, then feigned a serious expression and added, "Besides, this is King's Landing. If the Great Sept of Baelor had twenty-six Stone Giants as Sanctuary Guards, what would the Red Keep think?"
"Right, right! Indeed, they cannot stay at the Great Sept of Baelor." The Archbishop quickly nodded in agreement.
Lord Linde then, as if just remembering something, asked, "Oh, by the way! Archbishop, does the Seven Gods Church have any requirements for the equipment of Sanctuary Guards? After all, Sanctuary Guards represent the face of the Seven Gods Church. Having the Stone Giants patrol around the Sept wearing animal skins would be a bit…"
The Archbishop, having reached his current position, was naturally not foolish. He easily understood Lord Linde's intentions, pointed at Lord Linde, smiled, and said, "Lord Linde, I suppose this is your true purpose in coming to see me today, isn't it?"
"Indeed." Lord Linde did not deny it and directly said, "I want to equip all twenty-six of these Stone Giants with bronze armor, shields, and halberds, but I don't have that much bronze, nor do I have blacksmiths who understand bronze craftsmanship. These Stone Giants will also serve as Sanctuary Guards, and the Citadel would never send people to help forge these bronze armaments and weapons, so I can only see if the Seven Gods Church has a way to solve this."
"This is not a big problem. The Seven Gods Church can help you solve the problem of forging bronze armaments and weapons, and can even directly fund it." The Archbishop generously offered the price, while also setting a condition: "However, you must send those Stone Giants to participate in the Father's Day procession in King's Landing every year."
"Of course." Lord Linde immediately agreed to this condition.
The Archbishop was very satisfied with Lord Linde's attitude. For him, although forging bronze equipment for the Stone Giants was a huge expense, as long as it could increase his prestige in the Seven Gods Church, any expense, no matter how large, was worth it. At least spending money on this was much better than directly lending it to the King for feasting and merrymaking.
After leaving the Great Sept, Lord Linde then visited the merchant guild outposts he and Nameria had established in King's Landing, learning about their current situation and helping them resolve some issues, primarily troubles caused by some gangs within King's Landing.
Afterward, he also visited some of the business partners that his former treasurer, Moose, had made in King's Landing, discussing with them the establishment of merchant guilds in Miracle Port.
Although Miracle Port had not yet been built, preparations for its normal operation after completion were already necessary.
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