"Lord Eddard, I am pleased to be of service."
In the study of Winterfell, Klar, the financial manager from Braavos, was dressed in a silver silk robe. He wore a pure gold necklace, and his bracelet was crafted from Emerald, Mother-of-Pearl, and Agate, giving it a dazzling appearance.
Klar was in his thirties, with thick black hair and a slender build, his eyes always smiling. Lord Wyman Manderly of White Harbor had recommended Klar to Eddard. Klar had worked for the Iron Bank of Braavos and the Tyroshi Merchant Company for many years, and was very experienced.
Eddard gestured for Klar to sit down. "You must have had a long journey. Was the journey smooth?"
Klar sat gracefully on a soft black bearskin chair.
"We sailed from Braavos to White Harbor, and the journey was smooth. The road from White Harbor to Winter Town was also smooth, but we encountered a pickpocket when we reached the downtown area of Winter Town. Fortunately, Syrio Forel protected me and caught the thief, or I would have lost a sum of Gold Dragons."
Eddard then noticed Klar's guard, who was short and thin, with a hooked nose, a large bald head, a white tunic over black leather armor, and black breeches.
"It seems Syrio Forel is an excellent warrior."
Syrio Forel nodded to Eddard. Klar said, "Syrio Forel served as the First Sword of the Sealord's Guard in Braavos for nine years. He is also the most skilled Water Dancer. His agility and nimbleness make all the assassins of Braavos pale in comparison."
Winterfell needed excellent warriors. Eddard said, "Syrio, will you continue to serve Klar?"
Syrio Forel shrugged. "I'm afraid I don't have that honor. Klar only hired me to escort him to Winterfell. We set off from Braavos, and now the journey is over."
Eddard said, "What are your plans?"
Syrio Forel said, "I plan to go to Gulltown or King's Landing. There are many wealthy merchants and nobles there, and I can find a job."
"Are you interested in staying in Winterfell?" Eddard extended an invitation. "Winterfell is not far from White Harbor, and White Harbor is the closest Westerosi city to Braavos. You'd be close to your homeland here."
Syrio Forel said, "What exactly would I be doing?"
Eddard said, "Join the Winterfell guard, protect my family. Of course, you can also teach my children swordsmanship."
Currently, Eddard's wards, Domminic, Theon, Jon (the bastard), and Robb, were all under the training of Ser Rodrik Cassel. However, Winterfell's master-at-arms often needed to assist Jory Cassel in drilling the newly recruited soldiers in the town of Winter Town, which sometimes delayed the children's training.
Syrio Forel could help share Ser Rodrik Cassel's training duties.
Syrio Forel nodded in agreement.
"I cannot refuse the invitation of Duke Eddard. I am willing to serve Winterfell and House Stark." Then, Syrio Forel drew his sword and knelt, pledging his loyalty to Eddard.
Eddard helped Syrio Forel up, "I promise you will always have a place in my hall."
Eddard called Wylis Poole, the steward of Winterfell, and had him arrange a room for Syrio Forel.
After the door closed, Eddard turned to Klar. Eddard decided to thoroughly question this Braavosi, as formally hiring Klar meant entrusting the economic plans and accounts of Winterfell, and even the entire North, to this foreigner.
"Mr. Klar, Lord Wyman recommended you. I hear you have extensive experience in finance?"
In his letter to Eddard, Lord Wyman Manderly had listed some of Klar's work experience, but Eddard still decided to ask in person.
Klar was toying with a ring on his hand, the sapphire on it sparkling.
"Lord Eddard, I started working for a merchant house in Tyrosh when I was sixteen. Three years later, I returned to Braavos and became an employee of the Iron Bank. I've been in this line of work for twenty years."
"What specific achievements do you have?" Experience was valuable, but Eddard firmly believed that it couldn't be the only factor. Some soldiers remained soldiers even when their beards turned white; they could never become commanders.
Klar's face lit up with a confident smile. "I've completed several loan and deposit businesses for the Iron Bank. My clients are spread across the Nine Free Cities and the Seven Kingdoms. The most famous of them is your King! Both King Robert and Mad King Aerys have done business with me."
"Of course, besides the kings, I have other clients, such as the Archon of Tyrosh, the Magister of Pentos, Lord Gyles Rosby, Duke Renly, and so on. Oh, and I also have a client from The North, the valiant knight of Bear Island, Ser Jorah Mormont."
Eddard said sadly, "Ser Jorah Mormont has fled because of his crimes, and I have stripped him of his land and title."
Klar's face looked like he had been punched. "What? I'm so sorry, Duke Eddard. Bear Island is thousands of miles away from Braavos, and my information is not very up-to-date. Actually, I'm not familiar with Ser Jorah Mormont. I only represented the Iron Bank in lending him money, that's all. What crime did he commit?"
Eddard said, "To make money, Ser Jorah Mormont sold poachers to slave traders. The North has always had zero tolerance for human traffickers. Wildlings, Ironborn, and Stoneborn raiders often kidnap women and children. If lords also engage in human trafficking, the sparsely populated North will shrink further."
Klar dramatically clutched his chest. "Just human trafficking. I was worried Ser Jorah would take out a loan from the Iron Bank and try to challenge Winterfell's rule!"
Eddard said, "We can be done with the Ser Jorah topic. Klar, you served the Iron Bank for so many years, why did you quit?"
Klar looked aggrieved. "I had outstanding business skills, but the Iron Bank's management didn't appreciate me. They thought I was too high-profile, dressed too flashily, and that it went against the Iron Bank's pragmatic traditions. Am I supposed to wear rags like you Westerosi Night's Watch to do business? The management was clearly targeting me."
Eddard was puzzled. "You quit just because of that?"
Klar pursed his lips. "The Iron Bank ranks its envoys every year, with a mansion as the prize for first place. My ranking often hovered around second or third. I remember at the end of that year, I was ranked second, and my performance wasn't far behind Gonpos, who was in first place. To surpass him, I privately helped a slave trader from Lys complete a loan."
"Braavos is a descendant of the escaped slaves of Valyria. The residents of the Secret City despise the slave trade. Braavos, as the largest port in the known world, welcomes anyone but shuts its doors to slave traders. Braavos not only prohibits the slave trade in its own city but also relies on its powerful navy to force Pentos to abandon slavery—although some powerful merchants and the Magister still secretly keep slaves."
"I surpassed Gonpos in performance and got the Iron Bank's reward as I wished, getting the key to the mansion. When I took my family to move into the luxurious mansion, and we were celebrating that first night, a group of Sealord's Guard burst in and arrested me. The matter of me loaning money to the slave trader was exposed. I guess Gonpos reported me, the despicable villain!"
"I lost my job and was kicked out of the Iron Bank. I relied on my family to spend a fortune to redeem myself and regain my freedom. In recent years, I've been making money by working as a money changer and insurance agent in the port of Braavos."
Eddard pondered for a long time. "Do you regret loaning money to slave traders?"
"Never," Klar replied calmly. "I love money and will do anything to earn it, I admit. But I'm not as hypocritical as those in power at the Iron Bank or Braavos. They claim to be descendants of escaped slaves and hate the slave trade, yet they still loan money to Volantis, Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr, all of which are slave city-states."
"What's the difference between that and loaning to slave traders? In fact, a few days after I was accused of loaning to slave traders, the Iron Bank loaned a large sum to the Archon of Tyrosh, which would be re-loaned to slave traders as soon as it arrived in Tyrosh. It's just that the upper class in Braavos have made enough money, possessing mountains of gold and silver, and now they start using morality to restrain the lower classes, forbidding them from doing this and that."
Cooperating with such a capable but unscrupulous person was often a gamble. Eddard realized he'd already embarked on that path when he announced the town expansion. Winterfell had spent a large sum of Gold Dragons, and massive accounts needed managing. Tens of thousands of people outside Winterfell needed to be fed. He had to accumulate enough wealth and provisions before winter arrived.
Eddard handed Klar the account statements for the Salt Storage Plan, the Beehive Plan, and the Increased Land Military Settlement.
"From now on, you will be my financial advisor, responsible for managing the accounts of the Winter Town and helping me formulate economic policies. Lord Wyman recommended you, and I trust his judgment."
....
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