Bear School Astartes

The next day, Edd didn't rush to the tournament venue, but instead handled affairs at the Imperial Council in the morning, leaving the Royal Scholar at the end.

Westeros Continent has a certain flavor of a Sun Never Sets Empire's separation of bureaucratic and public service systems.

As leaders, the nobles govern their fiefs, but scholars who graduate from Academy City are responsible for strategizing, providing advice, and implementing many specific management matters beside the lordly nobles.

This results in some historically renowned great nobles of Westeros being unable to even manage basic reading and writing.

Because employing scholars is incredibly convenient.

The Royal Scholar enjoys a seat at the Imperial Council due to this tradition.

The current Royal Scholar is an old fellow, hunched over as he walks, at least Edd had never seen him stand straight.

"Grand Maester Paisier," Edd's tone was serious and formal, in line with everyone's impression of him.

"I heard that the previous Prime Minister had discussed matters with you several times before his death?"

If it were before, this old man might have claimed deafness, making Edd question him endlessly until it was unresolved.

But today, it seems everyone already knows that the Prime Minister is not so obsessed with the previous Prime Minister's death.

Therefore, Grand Maester Paisier was able to hear clearly.

"Ah, I recall what you're talking about, please follow me. Lord Jon Arryn had borrowed a book from me, I'll fetch it for you."

And so the grand maester led the Hand of the King to his office.

He retrieved a fearfully thick tome from the bookshelf behind the chair.

—— "Lineage and History of Noble Houses of the Seven Kingdoms".

"This book... Lord Arryn read this book?"

Edd knew his foster father well; he was indeed capable and diligent.

But to read such a massive volume lacking practical value... he wouldn't do something purely self-torturing.

"Yes." The grand maester struggled to sit down on a chair.

"This book mainly talks about the matrimonial relationships between the noble houses and their descendants. It's indeed a bit dull, but the previous Prime Minister sought only this from me."

Edd pursed his lips and nodded. "Thank you for your help, I'll borrow this book."

"Ah, go ahead, go ahead."

Afterward, Edd placed the book on his Prime Minister tower's desk and hurriedly headed to the tournament venue with Lann and the guards.

-----------------

In today's tournament schedule, the knight competitions were already over, only the group melee remained, where a crowd battled, and the last one standing won.

There was also the archery competition, which no one cared much about.

The bloodshed from yesterday was completely forgotten by today, only Edd refrained from bringing his daughters to avoid shocking them.

Based on his experience in many tournaments, the most violent scenes would occur in the group melee. Warriors and mercenaries with the prize money in mind used weapons that could draw blood.

Furthermore, although the prize for the group melee was far less than the knight competition, the champion would still receive ten thousand gold dragons! That's an amount that could make even the feudal nobles envious!

It's easy to imagine what the scene would turn into for such a bounty in the group melee.

Lann registered for this event under the Prime Minister's guard identity.

No matter how large this sum was, no matter how extravagant Robert was for a tournament, why not earn the ten thousand gold dragons anyway?

Even bringing it into the Magic World, although the currency's form is different, it's still a significant amount of gold!

When Edd heard Lann registered, he asked if he needed a helmet prepared.

After all, the group melee was most feared for dirty tricks from behind, and such tricks would undoubtedly target unprotected areas.

But Lann dismissed it without concern.

Edd sighed.

He knew that talented people often have pride, but he greatly valued Lann's mind. Without Lann's help, Edd felt he might soon be outplayed by the strategists in King's Landing.

Besides Lann's 'caprice,' the Prime Minister was more troubled by—his King's brother was also restless.

Edd Stark had just reached outside the tent where the King rested last night when Robert's explosive voice rang out.

"Tighten it! I'm telling you to tighten it properly! My side's exposed from the armor; do you want me to be gutted in the tournament arena?!"

Following that was the attendant's terrified voice, continuing to tighten the leather straps on the armor.

"Robert, you're too fat; that's why it doesn't fit."

Edd lifted the curtain as he walked in, speaking to his brother.

"Too fat? Are you calling me fat?!"

Robert roared with anger, as if he was ready to smash someone's head. But then he himself laughed.

"Is this how you speak to your King? Ah, screw it, Ned, why are you always right?"

Edd's usually stern and serious face broke into a rare smile, a relaxed smile he only showed around family and his sworn brothers.

But then, Edd saw the slim figure with a refined smile in the tent. Petyr Baelish.

Edd gathered his smile but didn't overreact.

In his view, with a prize sum this big for the tournament, it would be abnormal if the Minister of Finance didn't daily lament poverty to the King.

Turning his head, Edd was clear about his purpose in persuading his sworn brother.

"I heard you want to participate in the group melee? Don't do it, Robert. You are now..."

"I am now the King. I shouldn't lower myself, I shouldn't act recklessly, I shouldn't put myself in danger, blah blah! Damn it, my ears are getting calloused listening to this!"

Robert slammed the attendant's hand to make him continue dressing the armor and loudly complained.

"Paisier, Baelish said the same. Then you came and said the same!"

"Do you want to hear how Cersei used her venomous words to stop me? Ask this guy if he dares recite them again?!"

Robert pointed at Petyr Baelish, the Minister of Finance promptly displayed a 'no meddling' gesture to Edd.

"Who does that old hag think she is? Do I need her permission for what I want to do? I'm the king!"

Robert's fat face sprayed with spit, red with anger.

Edd watched his sworn brother roar and rage quietly until he finally stopped, out of breath.

"So... now you're out of breath even when swearing, and you expect to swing that hammer?"

"Damn it, damn it..." The king cursed softly as he calmed his breathing, regaining his composure, then sat on a chair.

His fat face looked at Edd, as if recalling something.

After a while, he slowly spoke.

"I swear to you, when I won this throne, I felt so alive, but now that I have it, I feel so numb and dull."

Some are born for battle, like swords, if hung up, will just rust away.

Edd knew Robert was that kind of person.

But he still had to persuade because this was Robert's kingdom, his responsibility, and not to be reckless.

"No one in the Seven Kingdoms would dare risk provoking your anger by touching you, Robert. Even if you went on, you wouldn't find the joy you desire, only a staged fight."

"Indeed." The king patted his belly that wouldn't fit into armor, his tone despondent. "The reasons are laid out. I'm just unwilling, unwilling..."

"... I am the world's best warrior!"

Edd knew that this counted as persuading him.

Though his brother's mood wasn't good, at least his safety and the kingdom's stability wouldn't be affected.

And just as Edd reached for the cup on the desk to pour a drink for himself and his sworn brother as comfort. Baelish's obvious agreement sounded.

"The Prime Minister is right, Your Majesty! Why mingle with those warrior rabble? It's a complete loss of decorum..."

Edd's hand reaching for the cup froze in mid-air, his face woodenly turned towards the refined smiling Baelish.

Robert was an obstinate mule, and unlike most nobles, Robert took immense pride in his abilities and achievements as a warrior!

This matter was originally resolved, but with Baelish's words...

"Warrior rabble? Mingle? Ha, haha!"

Robert's voice was no longer explosive nor boastful.

But this made people shudder. Because when Robert truly hit the battlefield during the Usurper's War...

It was in this tone!

Edd clenched his teeth, glaring at the similarly alarmed Baelish.

Now... the king was definitely going to compete!