Karl had pondered the problem for two full days, yet he still could not arrive at a definitive answer.
Even so, deep down he knew that this decision would determine everything that followed.
After reading through every piece of intelligence collected by his subordinates, Karl set the reports aside. None of them gave him the certainty he sought. His gaze drifted back to the large map spread across the war council table, fingers resting lightly on the edges as his brows slowly knitted together.
"Lord Karl."
The quiet voice broke his thoughts.
Since entering the war council hall, Ser Karl Stone—Warden of the East—had spoken very little. He had only listened, asking for updates from time to time. Yohn Royce, seated beside him, tapped the table lightly, reminding him that everyone was waiting.
Karl's eyes shifted. He returned to himself, lifted his head, and surveyed the men gathered around the table. Then he let out a long breath.
"The involvement of external forces is indeed a problem," Karl said calmly.
"But the key—no, the true focus—of our current predicament still lies on the battlefield and in King's Landing."
His voice steadied as he continued.
"We must understand where Tywin Lannister's weakness lies. Otherwise, we will only be dragged along by his schemes."
"Only by solving that problem can everything else troubling us be resolved."
"And if those people still greedily wish to carve out their own gains in the Seven Kingdoms," Karl added coldly, "then what awaits them will be the war they themselves desire. I believe the King would be very interested in discussing matters with them—personally."
Karl folded his arms, his gaze sharpening.
His meaning was clear to everyone present. Tywin Lannister was the center of the storm. As long as he remained unchecked, neither the battlefield nor King's Landing could truly be stabilized.
"Lord Karl," Yohn Royce asked after a brief pause, "do you have a specific proposal? Should we still obey His Grace's command and march toward King's Landing?"
Bronze Yohn was no rigid traditionalist. Having heard Karl's earlier analysis, he already understood the heart of the matter. What he truly wanted to know was how this young Warden of the East intended to break the deadlock.
A faint gleam appeared in the old knight's eyes.
Karl turned to look at him. After a moment, he hooked his lips into a slight smile and shook his head.
"No."
"Lord Yohn Royce," Karl said firmly, "if possible, I would like your army to continue to the Riverlands battlefield."
The answer came without hesitation.
Yohn Royce's brows tightened instead of relaxing. In his eyes, the young man's decision looked reckless.
"That is extremely dangerous," he said bluntly. "That damned bastard Tywin Lannister has already made his intentions clear to the entire realm."
"If we do this, he will show no mercy and slaughter King's Landing."
"That is a price we cannot afford."
To emphasize his words, Bronze Yohn picked up a lion-shaped chess piece and placed it squarely on the position representing King's Landing.
All eyes followed his movement.
The atmosphere grew tense.
At that moment, Earl William Mooton of Maidenpool, seated at the far end of the table, hesitantly raised his hand.
"Perhaps," he said cautiously, "we should do nothing at all."
"If we refrain from intervening, Tywin Lannister may not dare commit an irrational massacre in King's Landing. And I believe Duke Stark's army can defeat the Lannisters on the battlefield."
As he spoke, every gaze in the hall turned toward him.
William Mooton felt a surge of unease under the attention, but with his words already spoken, he forced himself to continue.
"We don't need to involve ourselves in the war directly. Once a victor is decided, everything will settle naturally. Those affected by the war can return to their former lives."
After finishing, he swallowed nervously and leaned back in his chair, his eyes flicking toward Karl.
Yet the faint smile on his lips betrayed a sense of self-satisfaction.
His proposal resonated with more people than he expected.
Several nobles exchanged glances, their eyes brightening as they whispered among themselves. From their perspective, it seemed like the safest and most profitable option.
Soon, their gazes shifted toward the head of the table—to the men who truly held decision-making power.
But neither Karl nor Yohn Royce showed the slightest sign of approval.
Seeing their grim expressions, the murmurs died down.
Yohn Royce's beard bristled as his old face darkened with anger.
"To lay down your weapons and wait for an enemy's mercy during a war," he roared, "what foolishness! And you dare gloat over it?!"
His rebuke was merciless.
The nobles who had been nodding moments ago flushed red, struck dumb by the scolding.
"Tywin Lannister has already shown how far he is willing to go," Yohn continued coldly. "Do not expect him to suddenly pray for fairness."
"Never speak such nonsense again."
The hall fell silent.
Karl stepped in before the atmosphere could worsen further.
"Lord Yohn misunderstands me," he said evenly. "My intention is for the Vale's armies to proceed according to our original plan."
"And since Tywin Lannister dares to twist the war to his advantage through such methods," Karl added, "he will never truly abide by any notion of fairness."
"I may not know the details of his conspiracy," he continued, "but I do know one thing—making the enemy uncomfortable is never wrong."
As he spoke, Karl picked up the eagle-shaped chess piece representing the Vale and placed it firmly at Harrenhal in the Riverlands.
Then, with a small motion of his finger, he nudged the lion piece forward, placing it under pressure—hemmed in by the direwolf of House Stark, the stag of the Iron Throne, and now the eagle of the Vale.
Next, Karl picked up another piece representing the Iron Throne and placed it solemnly upon King's Landing.
He looked at Yohn Royce and smiled faintly.
"I do not know what price the Old Lion paid to arrange this situation," Karl said. "But the King needs you."
"In this war, the Iron Throne must be the victor."
With that, Karl flicked his finger.
The lion piece Yohn had placed earlier toppled, rolling across the table and falling to the floor.
Karl's voice left no room for doubt.
Only an overwhelming, undeniable victory could suppress the consequences of Tywin Lannister's actions.
Tywin had forcibly leveled the scales of war through extreme cruelty. No one should expect him to stop there.
Karl knew this well.
In his previous life, there had been men who swore false oaths and destroyed trust for generations. Tywin Lannister was cut from the same cloth.
To deal with such a man—cruel to others and to himself—one could never be too cautious.
He threatened the royal court with blood and fire while gambling everything the Lannisters possessed.
Expecting him to keep his word was laughable.
Yet he had succeeded.
By seizing King's Landing and declaring his demands so publicly, Tywin forced the entire realm to watch the Riverlands battlefield.
Crown or throne.
That was the question he posed to Robert Baratheon.
"Choose, King."
Everyone in the Seven Kingdoms heard that challenge.
Karl understood the danger clearly.
If the realm hesitated, Tywin would gain exactly what he wanted.
And people like William Mooton were not rare.
They preferred to wait, preserving their strength, paying no price themselves.
Why not, after all?
But if everyone waited, Tywin Lannister would already have won.
The consequences would reshape Westeros entirely.
Karl had seen enough.
That was why he made his choice.
When understanding dawned on Yohn Royce, his gaze changed.
"Don't tell me," the old knight said slowly, "you intend to handle the threat to King's Landing yourself?"
Karl smiled calmly.
"Lord Yohn," he replied, "I am not alone."
He placed a dragonbone-hilted dagger on the table—the blade Robert Baratheon had gifted him when he was knighted.
"You have seen my strength," Karl said. "And the High Mountain Clans now follow me."
Then, without hesitation, he drove the dagger into the symbol of King's Landing.
The hilt trembled.
"I will take King's Landing back from Lannister hands," Karl declared.
"And you," he said to the gathered lords, "will fulfill King Robert's dream—cut off Tywin Lannister's head and raise it upon a spear before the gates of the capital."
Silence followed.
Then Yohn Royce rose slowly.
"I obey your command, Lord Warden of the East," he said solemnly.
"And I swear—the Iron Throne will be victorious."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)