Chapter 650

“Since I’ve entrusted this matter to you, it means I trust your judgment and ability. I’ll inform you truthfully of the general direction, the possible timeline for the western campaign, and my future plans—but as for how to coordinate and respond in the East, that’s up to you and the Queen to decide. Adapt as needed.”
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This was nothing more than a temporary stalling tactic—if the final phase of Seven Kingdoms unification didn’t go smoothly, it could leave them in an awkward position with no good options.

Fortunately, with overwhelming firepower superiority, the Reach campaign would undoubtedly be wrapped up quickly, allowing Aegor to withdraw in time to clean up the mess across the Narrow Sea.

And Tyrion, as always, never let him down.
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The Imp carefully hopped down from the carriage step, just about to remark sarcastically on how shabby and miserly the Hand’s temporary residence appeared—when he suddenly froze in place.

Not far ahead, a golden-haired girl walking toward him stopped abruptly, eyes widening in shock.

For a moment, both of them stood there, stunned.
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During the Reach campaign, the official stance of the Queen’s government would be:

Publicly, they would stick to their story—Illyrio was caught stealing military secrets, then resisted arrest, and the ensuing struggle led to his tragic demise.

Privately, they would act with subtlety—Targaryen envoys would reach out first, showing a willingness to negotiate.

Trade concessions and tariff adjustments would be quietly relaxed—implying, without admitting outright, that the Queen’s court acknowledged some degree of wrongdoing and was offering compensation.

Political operatives would be dispatched—spreading coin generously among the ruling elite of neutral Free Cities, buying their goodwill in exchange for fracturing internal consensus among the trade powers.
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The Small Council was in full agreement on one point:

After the River Gate incident, diplomatic ties between King’s Landing and Pentos were bound to collapse completely.Pentos wouldn’t send envoys anytime soon.King’s Landing couldn’t risk sending diplomats, fearing retaliation.

At the same time, Daenerys was still technically at war with Volantis.

That left only one viable approach:Use neutral third parties—powerful merchant guilds, shipping magnates, and trade cartels—to relay messages.Keep both sides communicating via intermediaries, avoiding direct confrontation for now.
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Tyrion gave Aegor a pointed look, his tone laced with implication.

“The Queen losing the loyalty of her Unsullied… might not be a bad thing for you, depending on what you intend.”

Then he shook his head as if to clear it.

“No. That’s not what I’m here for—I came to build something lasting, not to convince my friend to become a usurper.”
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"You’re overlooking one thing," Tyrion continued.

"Time."

"If I dispatch a diplomatic team across the Narrow Sea, while you march west to the Reach, any exchange of information between us will take weeks."

"Which means—"

"By the time we hear anything back from the Free Cities, your campaign in the Reach will likely be decided."

"As long as you end the war as quickly as you claim, whatever happens in the East won’t have a chance to impact your army’s morale."
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The strategy was clear:Before the Reach was conquered → Soft diplomacy.After the Reach was secured → Aggressive pressure.
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After a long, drawn-out discussion, the carriage arrived at the Hand’s residence.

As guards and servants moved to assist, Aegor was the first to step down.
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He had originally planned to send someone to summon Myrcella—but seeing her already waiting in the courtyard, he waved her over instead.

"Maeve, come with me to the hall. We have guests to entertain."
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In truth, Aegor was not a warmonger.

Despite his origins in a military order, his reputation for victory, and his hawkish stance against the Golden Company and the Reach, he never sought war for war’s sake.If he could defeat his enemies one at a time, he wouldn’t fight them all at once.If he could win without bloodshed, he wouldn’t waste lives.

He was not some battle-thirsty general.

He was a Hand of the Queen—a leader of a kingdom, not merely an executor of war.

And as a statesman, his own interests were aligned with the stability of the realm.
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Tyrion arched a skeptical brow.

"Sounds good in theory."

"But you’re assuming these slave masters are idiots."

"If I were a Free City merchant prince, and my livelihood depended on a bed full of well-trained slaves, I’d be losing sleep over the fact that, across the sea, there’s a Queen whose entire ideology is built on destroying my way of life."

"If she sends envoys, I wouldn’t be thinking about trade—I’d be grabbing the diplomat by the collar and demanding to know exactly where the Queen stands on slavery."

"And even if most of the merchant lords are self-interested hedonists, all it takes is one among them to raise the alarm—"

"—And the rest will follow, turning it into a crusade."
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Politics was the art of compromise.

Aegor was well aware of this.

His stance on diplomacy was simple:First, play hardball.Then, back it up with strength.
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"Trying to stall them will require a price," Aegor mused aloud, after a moment of thought.

Then, finally, he exhaled sharply, jaw tightening.

He had been forced into this mess by Illyrio’s last spiteful act, and now he needed friends to help clean it up.

There was no perfect solution—only damage control.

Rather than micromanage from afar, it was better to give power to those who could use it well.
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Throughout history, many rulers had fought wars on multiple fronts—and some had even won.

But never without a price.

And after the chaos of the Long Night, Westeros deserved a break from suffering.

If they could delay a second war, they should.

And if that delay required payment—

So be it.
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"As long as we drag things out until the Reach is secure, the Targaryen monarchy can drop the pretense of negotiation and go on the offensive."The Illyrio affair could be revisited, this time with Pentosi tribute demands.The long-ignored abolition issue could be revived as a weapon against the Free Cities.And even the "Rebuilding of Valyria", once merely a theoretical proposal, could be seriously considered.
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"In the end, Free Cities are inherently weak," Aegor concluded.

"They are ruled by merchants, not kings. They have no absolute authority, no single ruler to dictate policy."

"As long as we keep them divided, we win by default."
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Tyrion sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Wonderful. Another impossible task."

"Fine, I’ll do what I can—but you’d better not leave me to clean this all up alone."