Chapter 104: Talent for the Citadel

Eddard was thrilled to discover sugar maples in the Wolfswood; he hurriedly took out a wooden bottle and collected some sap from the trees.

"Father, why are you collecting this tree sap?" Robb was very puzzled.

Jon Snow chimed in, "This sap is all sticky and gooey, it's disgusting."

Eddard said mysteriously, "Robb, Jon, you don't understand anything; this sap will be able to help Winterfell make money in the future."

Winterfell's territory contains vast stretches of the Wolfswood, where there are many sugar maples. In the future, Eddard can order the farmers of Winterfell to collect this sap, refine it into maple syrup, and sell it for profit.

Whether in the Seven Kingdoms or the Free Cities, nobles and wealthy merchants are very particular about their food. Delicacies like lark, swan, venison, peacock meat, and the golden wine of the Arbor are staples on noble tables. Nobles, wealthy merchants, wealthy upper-echelon figures of the Church, and royalty are all willing to pay large sums of gold and silver to satisfy their palates and taste buds.

Maple syrup has not yet been promoted for consumption in the Seven Kingdoms, and Eddard believes that after launching this delicacy, it will surely bring rolling profits to Winterfell.

Currently, Winterfell is heavily in debt, owing the Iron Bank 500,000 Gold Dragons and owing its vassal, the Manderly family of White Harbor, 100,000 Gold Dragons. Eddard must hurry and think of every possible way to make money.

In the afternoon, Lady Barbrey and Fellan went hunting together, while Helen Pyke, Theon, Jon, Robb, and Domeric played and hunted together. When Eddard led the people out of the Wolfswood and returned to Winterfell, his wooden bottle was filled with sugar maple sap, and every horse was laden with game.

When Eddard arrived at Winterfell, it was already dark. Helen Pyke took Lady Barbrey to change out of the clothes stained with wolf blood, while Robb, Jon, and the Winterfell guards took the game to the slaughterhouse and the kitchens.

Vayon Poole, the steward of Winterfell, walked over, "Lord Eddard, the Maesters from the Citadel have arrived."

Eddard's eyes lit up, "They have finally arrived."

Back when Eddard led the Northern Army to defeat the Rockborn on Skagos and the army returned in triumph, Eddard had released a raven from the coast of Skagos. He told the Citadel that the Northern Army had brought back unicorns from Skagos. The Citadel could come to Winterfell to study the unicorns, but they must send Maesters to serve in Winterfell.

The literacy rate in the Seven Kingdoms is very low and talent is hard to come by, so Eddard told the Citadel in his letter that he would accept anyone, whether they were Maesters, Assistant Maesters, or novices.

The Citadel has always lacked data on unicorns and once offered a high price to purchase unicorn horns or skeletons, but never succeeded. Now, Winterfell not only has unicorn horns but even unicorn cubs, which holds a strong temptation for the Citadel. The Citadel quickly replied to Winterfell, stating that they had already dispatched Maesters to Winterfell.

Oldtown is located at the mouth of the Honeywine in The Reach, separated from Winterfell by thousands of mountains and rivers, so it took the Maesters, Assistant Maesters, and novices from the Citadel several months to reach Winterfell.

In the Library Tower, Eddard met the personnel sent by the Citadel, with Maester Luwin and Septa Chayle in charge of receiving them.

A total of three Maesters, five Assistant Maesters, and twelve novices arrived at Winterfell from Oldtown, and Maester Luwin introduced these people from the Citadel to Eddard.

Duosite, a tall and gaunt man like a stalk of hemp, is skilled in mysticism and is obsessed with magic; Norman, with his silver hair and stern demeanor, is skilled in medicine and also very proficient in poisons; Farmer, who is fat, simple, and slovenly, looks just like a farmer, and he is very skilled in botany, agriculture, and minerals.

Eddard asked Maester Duosite, "Why did it take you so long to reach Winterfell?"

Maester Duosite rubbed his chain with his gaunt hands, "Lord Eddard, our party took an Oldtown merchant ship north, traveling via the Sunset Sea. After all, if we had taken a ship to White Harbor, we would have had to detour around the Summer Sea, the coast of Dorne, and the Narrow Sea, taking a huge loop."

"The winds were favorable along the way, and we passed Lannisport, Fair Isle, and reached Seagard, but at that point, the captain refused to go any further north. The captain told us that north of Seagard, the North has no decent ports and is infested with Ironborn Pirates; it is a lawless land, and no matter how much money we offered, we could not persuade the captain to continue north."

Because the North lacks naval power, Ironborn Pirates run rampant, and there are no decent ports on the side of the Sunset Sea to attract ships from the Riverlands and The Reach to trade northward, the North's long coastline is just being wasted, which depressed Eddard. Eddard made up his mind that in the future, he must clear out the pirates on the West Coast of the North and build ports.

The chubby Maester Farmer continued, "Since no ships were willing to go north, we had to disembark at Seagard, buy horses, and travel by land, heading east. After passing The Twins, we found the Kingsroad and crossed the Neck and the Barrowlands, and only then did we reach Winterfell."

Maester Norman, with his silver hair like an old man, said sternly, "Lord Eddard, looking at maps before, I didn't realize the North was this big. Now, riding through the wilderness of the North, this ancient land gives me the feeling of vastness."

Eddard smiled, "You have had a hard journey."

Maester Duosite shook his thin, long head, "The hardship has finally paid off; we have seen the unicorns as we wished. You must know, even the Archmaesters of the Citadel do not have this fortune. Archmaester Marwyn instructed me that after seeing the unicorns, I must immediately draw diagrams and report the appearance and habits of the unicorns to him, to be sent to the Citadel."

Eddard smiled, "You will have plenty of opportunities in the future to study the unicorns at your leisure."

Among the five Assistant Maesters and twelve novices, a novice named Lareza caught Eddard's attention. He was about fifteen years old, with skin as dark as teak, a sharp nose, a widow's peak, and a sharp forehead, with jet-black hair and agate-colored eyes; he was very handsome.

Eddard looked Lareza over, "Do you have Summer Islands blood?"

Lareza nodded, "Lord Eddard, my mother was a merchant from the Summer Islands, and my father was a fisherman from Dorne."

Eddard was curious, "Winterfell is far from your home; why were you willing to come?"

Lareza smiled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth, "Archmaester Vograve and Archmaester Perestan are quite old and have never seen a unicorn. I have only just arrived at the Citadel to study, and I already have the chance to see a unicorn; why wouldn't I come?"

Maester Norman stepped forward, "Lord Eddard, if these Assistant Maesters and novices perform satisfactorily in Winterfell, they will be recalled to the Citadel to continue forging their Maester's chains."

Eddard sat in a chair with the bookshelves of the Library Tower piled high with books behind him, while the Maesters, Assistant Maesters, and novices stood before them.

"The Citadel possesses the most books in the Seven Kingdoms, but when it comes to data and books on the First Men and the North, the Citadel cannot compare to the Library Tower of Winterfell. Winterfell has a close relationship with the Night's Watch, and Castle Black possesses a vast amount of data on the Long Night, Beyond the Wall, and the Night's Watch."

"If you stay in Winterfell, you can study well and focus on your inventions and creations. If you help Winterfell, I can also help you achieve eternal fame."

(End of chapter)