Regarding Karl's meaningful words, Tyrion merely glanced silently at the little golden dragon lying beside him on the table.
The tiny dragon, Robert, had been pouting moments earlier, looking thoroughly wronged after being ignored for too long. But the instant the servants brought food, his mood changed completely. He immediately perked up, flapping his small wings excitedly while greedily tearing into pieces of roasted meat.
The sight made him look exactly like a mischievous child.
Tyrion chuckled faintly.
"With this little fellow around, I doubt anyone would reject your 'goodwill.'"
His tone carried hidden meaning.
Then he smiled slightly and added another sentence in a lighter voice.
"Of course, that assumes these people think like I do. Unfortunately, most of them are not dwarfs, so I cannot guarantee how they'll answer your question."
After speaking, Tyrion accepted the breakfast tray handed to him by a maid.
However, once the tray was in his hands, his expression gradually became much heavier.
He stared quietly at the food before him for several long seconds before finally sighing deeply.
"As for whether my dear father, Tywin Lannister, has truly rebelled again…"
Tyrion paused bitterly.
"…I'm afraid he probably has."
At the mention of his father, his voice became colder.
"After all, my equally dear siblings, Jaime and Cersei…"
He stopped there, unable to continue.
But there was no need for further explanation.
Karl immediately understood what he meant.
Thinking about Tywin's personality, Karl couldn't help falling into silence.
If Tywin had truly orchestrated everything simply for the sake of Jaime Lannister, then it actually made perfect sense.
After all, Jaime had already been sent to the Wall to join the Night's Watch. His future had been ruined. He was destined to spend the rest of his life in exile and isolation.
Moreover, the assassins involved had been the Faceless Men, killers whose methods left almost no evidence behind.
Under normal circumstances, no one would ever connect the assassination back to Tywin Lannister.
But another question soon emerged in Karl's mind.
If the Faceless Men had already assassinated Robert, why were they still targeting him afterward?
Karl frowned slightly.
He stared at his distorted reflection in the spoon he held, thinking deeply.
But no matter how much he considered the issue, he still couldn't find a clear answer.
Eventually, he shook his head and looked back toward Tyrion.
"Tyrion, that isn't what I truly want to ask."
"Let's put that matter aside for now."
Karl's voice gradually became serious.
"What I really want to say is this—if everything we suspect is true, then it's going to create some trouble for our future plans."
He leaned back slightly in his chair.
"After all, the Westerlands originally belonged to House Lannister, didn't they?"
The moment Karl finished speaking, before Tyrion could even reply, Samwell Tarly unconsciously shrank into himself.
For some reason, he suddenly felt as though a cold wind had swept through the stone hall.
A chill ran down his spine.
Nearby, Kesi and several others also stopped eating and subtly turned their attention toward Karl and Tyrion.
Although they pretended not to listen openly, every one of them had their ears pricked toward the conversation between King Karl and his closest adviser, Tyrion Lannister.
And as Karl's words settled in the hall, they all sensed a faint but unmistakable killing intent.
Tyrion, however, remained surprisingly calm.
He casually speared a piece of pan-fried fish with his fork and chewed slowly before replying.
"I know exactly what you mean."
"When we were still in King's Landing, we originally intended to deal with this matter already."
"But unfortunately…"
His lips curled slightly with annoyance.
"That plan was interrupted by Lord Randyll Tarly."
At the mention of his father, Samwell trembled visibly.
Tyrion continued speaking while eating.
"What was supposed to be a private meeting eventually turned into a rather famous argument and wager among the upper nobility of the Seven Kingdoms."
Karl couldn't help laughing softly when he remembered that incident.
Back in King's Landing, Karl and Tyrion had planned to use the martial tournament festivities as cover for a gathering with the lords of the Westerlands.
Karl's original intention had been simple.
He wanted the western lords to publicly swear loyalty to him.
But unexpectedly, their plans were interrupted halfway through the banquet.
Lord Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill had arrived uninvited.
He entered wearing full armor and brought only two guards with him.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Everyone present immediately understood why he had come.
Samwell Tarly—the son Randyll had personally forced toward the Night's Watch—was now serving directly under Karl.
And not as some servant.
But as a trusted aide.
Naturally, Randyll Tarly wanted answers.
Of course, as one of the most respected commanders in Westeros, Randyll would never openly humiliate Karl in public.
Karl was no ordinary young noble anymore.
He had earned his titles through real military victories.
Likewise, Randyll had no intention of publicly exposing his own family's shame.
Even if most high-ranking nobles already knew the truth.
Nobles had their own methods for settling disputes.
And Karl had found the entire situation strangely amusing.
So instead of arguing, he proposed a wager.
Because unlike most people, Karl never believed Samwell was truly a coward.
Thus, Karl and Randyll reached an agreement.
When Dickon Tarly—the younger son whom Randyll placed all his hopes upon—came of age, Samwell and Dickon would compete against one another.
If Samwell still disappointed his father, Karl would no longer interfere in Randyll's treatment of him.
But if Samwell proved himself worthy…
Then Randyll would finally grant his eldest son the recognition and freedom he deserved.
The terms of the wager were never spoken directly.
Yet everyone present understood exactly what the two men meant.
Although Karl's actions could easily be interpreted as meddling in another family's affairs, Randyll ultimately accepted the bet.
After all, during the battle for King's Landing, Samwell had already participated in real warfare.
And compared to the timid boy Randyll once knew, the current Samwell was undeniably changing.
Before leaving, Randyll had only said one thing.
"I hope you truly can change him."
That sentence alone counted as tacit approval.
Unfortunately, because of Randyll's sudden appearance, Karl's original plan to pressure the western lords collapsed completely.
The banquet ended shortly afterward.
And thus, the matter remained unresolved until today.
"That's why your current question matters so much," Karl concluded calmly.
Tyrion swallowed the last bite of fish and shrugged.
"The answer is obvious."
"I won't stop you."
"Do whatever you believe is necessary, King Karl."
His voice gradually turned colder.
"Some people only understand reality after blood is spilled."
"Another storm is coming. Some people will die, others will lose their lands, and space will finally open for your own supporters."
"And only by doing so can the chaos end quickly."
The cruel words echoed throughout the hall.
Ironically, they did not come from Karl.
They came from Tyrion Lannister.
Karl raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise.
"It sounds like you have very little faith in the choices made by my two uncles."
Because Karl understood Tyrion extremely well by now, he immediately grasped the deeper meaning behind those words.
Since Tyrion had already chosen Karl's side, he naturally intended to support him fully.
And only because Tyrion had lost faith in the current situation would he abandon his usual moderation and support such ruthless methods.
After all, even if Tywin truly stood behind Robert's assassination, the North itself wasn't the real concern anymore.
Because once the conspiracy was exposed, it lost much of its danger.
The true threat came from elsewhere.
From Stannis Baratheon.
And Renly Baratheon.
Tyrion snorted coldly.
"If they truly intended peace, why did they flee King's Landing so quickly?"
"The timing alone is suspicious."
He took another sip of milk before continuing.
"Especially Stannis."
"Robert dies, and immediately afterward Stannis vanishes."
"How could anyone possibly clear him of suspicion?"
"And Renly?"
Tyrion sneered openly now.
"He was present when Robert signed the will recognizing you."
"He even witnessed it personally."
"Yet he fled at the first opportunity and even took the queen away with him."
Tyrion shook his head.
"Sorry, but I don't see even the slightest intention from either of them to maintain peace."
Karl simply smiled faintly.
Even though Tyrion had not remained in King's Landing, he saw the situation far more clearly than most people.
Ironically, Eddard Stark—who knew Robert's brothers personally—still clung to unrealistic hopes.
Nearby, Jon and the others listened silently, their expressions tense.
Even Shagga, usually loud and fearless, remained unusually quiet.
Because everyone present understood one thing.
War was coming.
And for mountain clansmen like Shagga, war also meant wealth, glory, and rewards.
Following Karl, a conqueror who had already defeated and united them, they had absolute confidence in victory.
Karl's expression slowly turned cold.
"If Stannis and Renly are not as honest as Eddard Stark believes…"
"Then war is unavoidable."
"And right now is their best opportunity."
"Perhaps their only opportunity."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"They both understand that very clearly."
Then Karl suddenly laughed softly.
"But this is also useful."
"It allows me to see exactly how many people in the Seven Kingdoms still cling to false hopes."
"We should receive news within a few days."
Karl finished the last bite of food on his plate and looked directly at Tyrion.
"So tell me, Tyrion."
"Are you ready?"
Tyrion blinked in confusion.
"Ready for what?"
He spread his hands helplessly.
"King Karl, we currently have almost nothing."
He pointed around the nearly empty hall of Casterly Rock.
"The castle was looted before we arrived."
"When I lived here, it was never this empty."
Then his expression became more serious.
"And what about the sea?"
"If everything is truly as we suspect, how exactly are we supposed to deal with naval threats?"
"Not to mention our current shortage of supplies."
"If we don't resolve this soon, your army from King's Landing will go hungry."
Tyrion had spent the past several days cleaning up the chaos left behind after the war.
From his perspective, their situation looked terrible.
Karl, however, remained calm.
"Food won't be a problem," he replied casually.
"I can solve that."
But then Karl suddenly paused, as if remembering something important.
He looked directly at Tyrion.
"Speaking of which…"
"Do you know where the original Lannister fleet disappeared to?"
Tyrion frowned.
Karl continued slowly.
"As soon as the war began, the fleet vanished completely."
"After reviewing the Small Council's reports, I learned that the fleet disappeared together with most members of House Lannister and a large portion of their portable wealth."
"Even the Redwyne fleet and the Ironborn found no trace of them."
This time, even Tyrion looked puzzled.
"If my father prepared for failure in advance…"
"Then there's really only one place they could have gone."
He looked toward Karl thoughtfully.
"Did Varys never tell you anything about the Free Cities?"
The moment Tyrion mentioned Varys, Karl suddenly froze.
His eyes narrowed instantly.
It was as though a missing puzzle piece had finally fallen into place.
"Varys…"
"The Free Cities…"
Karl's expression became increasingly serious.
"You're right."
"The Lannister fleet couldn't simply disappear without leaving any trace."
"No matter where they sailed, someone should have noticed them eventually."
"Unless…"
Karl's voice became colder.
"Someone deliberately helped conceal their movements."
Tyrion's eyes widened slightly.
"You suspect Varys?"
"But why?"
"He could never work together with Tywin!"
Even after making the connection, Tyrion still found the idea unbelievable.
No matter how he thought about it, Varys and Tywin Lannister should never have been allies.
Karl remained silent for several seconds.
Tyrion rubbed his forehead and thought carefully.
"No…"
"It still doesn't make sense."
"Perhaps Varys genuinely knew nothing."
Then suddenly—
Tyrion froze.
A sharp light flashed through his eyes.
He slammed his hand onto the table.
"That's it!"
Karl immediately looked toward him.
Tyrion spoke rapidly now, piecing everything together.
"When the war began in Westeros, the eastern continent also became chaotic."
"My father hired large numbers of mercenaries from the Free Cities."
"With so much confusion, hiding the fleet would have been easy."
"And during that same period, Dragonstone's fleet was trapped while the seas around Storm's End were equally chaotic."
The more Tyrion explained, the more convinced he became.
"If Father planned everything from the beginning…"
"Then secretly evacuating the fleet wouldn't have been difficult at all."
But despite Tyrion's explanation, Karl's frown still didn't disappear.
"If that's true…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"Then why didn't Dorne discover them either?"
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)