Jon, naturally, couldn't guess the thoughts swirling in Lord Ned's mind.
He had never lacked for anything growing up. Facing this foster father, he didn't feel like Ned owed him anything. On the contrary, after awakening his past memories, Jon felt only gratitude for this man who stubbornly clung to honor and justice.
With that thought, Jon made up his mind. Hesitation would get him nowhere; it was time to be decisive.
Only by acting boldly could he hope to become the force that prevented the coming tragedies.
His request wasn't for personal greed, but for the survival of the entire family.
Having convinced himself, Jon's hesitation vanished. He straightened his back, his demeanor shifting instantly from awkward son to confident lord, and presented his request clearly.
"Father, if I may have your permission... I wish to mobilize the family's resources as much as possible, without infringing on Robb's rights, to generate greater profits for House Stark."
After stating his case, Jon unhooked a detailed report from his belt and presented it to Lord Ned.
Although he had redacted Lady Anya's name and several sensitive details, the cash flow from Tampa was laid out plainly.
In just a few short months, Jon had amassed nearly ten thousand Gold Dragons through three main channels: bulk trade, small-scale smuggling (rebranded as "supply logistics"), and noble tourism.
Setting aside operational costs—which were negligible—the vast majority was pure profit.
The biggest earners were the daily consumables Jon had initially overlooked and the handicrafts from the Free Cities.
These goods, easy to store and transport, saw their value triple the moment they entered Westeros.
Lady Anya's efforts alone had brought in nearly ten thousand dragons. The rest came from the lavish spending of the visiting nobles.
Though their numbers weren't huge, each noble spent an average of two to three hundred Gold Dragons.
Fine wine, gourmet food, and luxury clothing were the main drivers of this revenue.
Considering that nobles wouldn't visit repeatedly in a short timeframe, this particular income stream was more of a seasonal burst.
Even so, Jon had full confidence in future trade growth.
This time, he hadn't specifically targeted the high lords (Counts and above). Instead, he had sent out open invitations.
The fact that the second sons and daughters of lower-tier nobles alone could generate such a profit chain was promising.
If he continued down this path, the noble families across the Seven Kingdoms would contribute untold wealth to his coffers.
Aside from these, the rest of the miscellaneous income came from the expansion of House Joey's original shops. As for the profits from the darker side of smuggling, Jon chose not to list them.
Partly out of respect for Ned's honor, and partly because he had entered that market late and the returns weren't spectacular yet, he left them out of the report.
When Ned Stark finished reading the cash flow statement, his eyes filled with shock and confusion.
As the Warden of the North, ruling the largest region in the Seven Kingdoms, he was used to a culture that frowned upon hedonism due to the harsh environment.
Despite the vast territory, Northern nobles—Ned included—held their wealth in land and resources, rarely converting it into liquid gold.
Under this tradition, few Northern houses hoarded gold, making them appear relatively poor compared to their southern counterparts.
Of course, Lord Wyman Manderly was the exception.
Backed by White Harbor, the shrewd old merman raked in massive tax revenue from trade. His loyalty had also earned him the right to mint coins for the North, filling his coffers to the brim.
Although Ned had never looked down on earning honest coin, seeing Jon amass such wealth so quickly replaced his worry with genuine relief. It was the feeling a wolf pack leader gets when a cub finally leaves the den and returns with its first kill.
But Jon didn't just have Wolf's blood; he implicitly carried the dragon's endowment. His thirst for wealth and power had only grown since entering King's Landing.
Although Ned had repeatedly warned himself not to let Jon draw too much attention, what parent could refuse their child becoming successful?
After a moment of silence, the Hand picked up his quill and wrote an order. He handed it to Jory Cassel, instructing the captain of the guard to send it back to the North via raven.
Why not give it directly to Jon? Ned had learned his lesson. He was afraid this clever nephew would twist his words to stir up more trouble.
With business concluded, the father and son began a face-to-face discussion on other matters.
Although Ned didn't want to drag Jon into conspiracies, from any angle, the current Jon was far more adapted to this hellhole called King's Landing than he was.
As the second-in-command of House Stark in the capital, Jon's advice was far more valuable than that of loyal but simple men like Jory Cassel.
Especially since the situation involved Robert and Jon Arryn, Ned had to tread carefully. After hesitating, the Hand of the King finally spoke.
"Child, perhaps you already know... I am investigating the cause of the former Hand's death. You know, you were named after him..."
After tentatively opening the topic, Lord Ned dropped his hesitation and poured out his suspicions.
"If there was a conspiracy involved in that death, then Robert's injury this time... I suspect it stems from the same cause..."
By the end, Ned's tone wasn't just discussing a possibility; it carried a certain conviction that made Jon's eyebrows raise slightly.
Jon, having watched all eight seasons, had the benefit of hindsight. But he hadn't expected Ned, deep in the thick of it, to sense the truth so clearly.
This confirmed that his foster father was definitely not an idiot. God knows why he acted so radically in the original timeline.
Perhaps for Ned, pursuing honor and justice was more important than survival or even the truth itself.
That willingness to be blinded by honor led him down a path of no return.
But with Jon's intervention, the Hand—no longer bogged down by endless administrative tasks—seemed to have regained the sharpness and wisdom of his youth.
Seeing this, the corners of Jon's mouth curled up slightly, a smile he quickly hid by bowing deeply.