Are you serious?
Aegor almost blurted out the question. Asha had confided this idea to him several months ago, but at the time he thought it was just sweet talk she made up to get him to let her go. Who knew she was not joking?
Spending half a second digesting the surprise in his stomach, when he finally spoke, his tone had already adjusted and become quite calm.
"Are you sure? Even after all that has happened?"
"What I love is not any person on the Iron Islands, but the land that gave birth to and raised me." Asha's eyes were clear and firm. "This kind of love will not change because of anyone's misunderstanding or prejudice against me. I am very sure."
What a chuunibyou line.
Aegor got goosebumps and strongly suppressed the urge to shiver.
For an egoist like him, it was difficult to truly understand Asha's saintlike and selfless devotion. Cynical and dark speculations formed in his mind almost instantly. For the Kraken's Daughter who had lost everything, a deep love for the land of the Iron Islands was probably the last motivation supporting her life. She did not truly love the Iron Islands. Rather, she was forcing herself to believe she loved them, thereby creating a life goal so she could persevere and continue on.
But putting aside the habit of judging a gentleman by the heart of a villain, Aegor would never forget that besides ordinary people like himself who treated everything as business and transactions, there were also Aemon Targaryen, Benjen Stark, Denys Mallister, men of true integrity like them.
For outliers like these, even if he could not feel solemn respect, he was at least willing to respect their choices.
Aegor let out a long sigh.
This gift would not be easy to accept.
Dragonsteel armor was indeed a priceless treasure, but making the islands prosperous and strong was also a vague and difficult goal to define. How prosperous, how strong, and who would decide what counted as fulfilling the promise and completing the transaction?
He began to subconsciously search his memory. In those programs from CCTV Channel 7 he used to enjoy watching, was there any path to wealth suitable for the Ironborn?
"Thank you for your gift, Lady Asha." After much thought, Aegor decided to play it safe and not speak too definitively. "Regarding your ideal, I dare not make too many guarantees. I can only promise that within the scope of my abilities, I will fully support it."
It was not the answer she most desired, but Asha was basically satisfied. The man before her was indeed a complete scoundrel, but he was not shameless enough to take her things for nothing.
"Besides offering this armor, I have another matter to report to the Lord Commander. It concerns a secret within the Night's Watch. I hope the Lord can dismiss irrelevant personnel."
There were only three people in the room. It was obvious who Asha meant by irrelevant personnel.
The red priestess looked at Aegor expressionlessly. He hesitated slightly, then finally nodded at her and gave her a look. "Lady Melisandre, please return to the side room to rest first. If you are needed again, I will send someone to summon you."
"As you wish, Lord Commander." The priestess nodded and turned toward the door. As she brushed past Asha, she grabbed her hand and kneaded it briefly, then released it with relief and left the room.
Aegor kept the witch by his side at all times to guard against threats from supernatural powers. Melisandre could detect abnormalities in most spells from a distance, and after physical contact, most would become any. As long as Asha was neither enchanted nor disguised by someone else, she posed no threat to him.
"There are no irrelevant personnel now. Speak."
Asha rubbed the hand the priestess had touched, unsure whether she was lingering on the sensation or disgusted by being touched by a member of the same sex. She took a deep breath. "Does the Lord Commander know what I am called by the people of the Iron Islands now?"
"It must not be anything good." Aegor curled his lip, completely uninterested in guessing. "Humans always have endless creativity when it comes to insulting each other."
"The Night's Watch's whore." Asha said it calmly. "That is the implicit term used out of respect for your fierce reputation. Those who are not afraid of death will directly say 'Aegor's whore.'"
What kind of internal secret is this? Could it be that because both parties in the scandal are members of the Night's Watch, it is considered an internal secret?
Aegor tilted his head indifferently. "Slander and defamation only grow more harmful the more you care about them. Lady Asha, if you truly want to lead the Iron Islands toward a bright future, you must first learn to treat other people's words as farts."
"I am not resentful about being slandered and defamed." Asha shot him an annoyed look, irritated by his inexplicable comfort and lecture. "The Ironborn think I am incompetent, a traitor, a kinslayer, and I have no complaints. At least those accusations are based on facts. But since being captured by you at Deepwood Motte, I have not touched a man in two years. I am even more chaste than a septa. Where does this 'whore' come from?"
"Then what do you want?" Aegor frowned slightly and snorted. "Cut out the tongues of everyone who slandered you, or chop off their heads? Trying to stop people from talking is like trying to dam a river. If you make even one foolish move like the Mad King, you can forget about ever leading the islanders toward any beautiful tomorrow."
"Of course not." Asha denied it immediately, raising her head. A strange look suddenly appeared on her face. "What I am thinking is, since the bad name cannot be shaken off, why take the scolding for nothing?"
She was prepared.
Psychological desire, there was almost none between them. Physical need, there was barely a little.
After enduring hardships, the persona of a strong female leader that Asha once wanted to establish had long since crumbled into dust and could not be restored.
But there was another way to make use of the Ironborn culture's worship of strength.
Settle for the next best thing.
Since making the Ironborn revere and obey her had become impossible, why not make them revere and obey the man behind her?
Oh?
Aegor raised an eyebrow.
A man and a woman alone in a room, and a woman who had already offered herself to him twice. He knew his twisted thought was not a mistake.
At least this time her method was far more clever than the previous time when she publicly shouted, "I can do anything you want," and the time before that when she proposed using her body to prepay the reward.
He did not feel any aversion.
The man narrowed his eyes at the woman, and she looked back boldly. After a few seconds of staring at each other, Asha, seeing no refusal, curved her lips. With a faint smile, she lifted the scale armor with both hands.
"Lord Commander, let us not speak of unpleasant topics. Please allow your subordinate to help you try on this Valyrian steel armor."
(To be continued.)