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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Shio
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8,500 warriors willingly set foot on foreign land to avenge our father and fought for glory. But 2,000 of them fell.
Among the survivors, 2,000 followed Ivarr in search of new adventures, while another 2,000 returned home with Bjorn, Halfdan, and me.
Some of the warriors who were drawn to the land of Northumbria wished to stay and put down roots, and I granted them permission to do so.
With many minor lords having perished in the recent war, leaving only their names behind, and with uncultivated land in abundance, absorbing a population of 2,000 was no problem.
The territory of Northumbria that I conquered was vast.
Despite Ubba and Sigurd having their quirks, they were not weak-willed, so I trusted them to govern their regions.
With Ivarr in Dublin nearby, my fleet, along with Bjorn and Halfdan, departed Jórvík with relative peace of mind, slowly heading south along the eastern coast of Britain.
Unlike our journey up the old Roman road, the fleet swiftly passed the land of the old lake kingdom and the fen people, arriving at the coast of East Anglia.
Moving directly like this made me realize once again that the sea route was truly our lifeline.
Driven by the primal urge for larger, stronger, and faster ships, I finally set foot on the soft sandy beach, following the signal sent by the guards who had disembarked first to check for any potential threats.
“Ugh—”
[Clop—]
It was my second time stepping on this coast, but much had changed.
The hill where I first encountered Edmund’s mounted patrol now had a wooden tower standing tall against the sky.
Inside, someone was shouting and ringing a bell, gesturing down toward the beach.
“Is that a lighthouse?”
There appeared to be tools for lighting fires as well.
Judging by the small village that had already formed around the tower and surrounding hills, this place had great potential to grow into a key transit point connecting the future trade routes of Northumbria, East Anglia, Frisia, and Scandinavia.
“I can see why Sigeberht is so excited,” I thought.
This man was destined to sit on a pile of money just by staying still.
“Let’s go, my Konungr. Sigeberht has prepared a welcome feast. He says it’s solid enough to feed your warriors to their heart’s content.”
“Bjorn…Can’t you please speak more casually? It’s an order from your Konungr.”
“Haha—that’s difficult. You need to get used to these things now, my Konungr, so I should keep doing it, shouldn’t I?”
“I told you to stop…”
Engaging in a playful argument with Bjorn, I led Refil, Storolf, Hrolf, and the other guards who surrounded me like iron as we slowly crossed the soft sandy beach and set foot on the grassy hill.
Last summer, when I first came here with Ivarr, I was too focused on chasing the fleeing cavalry to notice, but now, the unspoiled beauty of this land, much less touched by human hands than in the 21st century, was breathtaking.
[Snort—Snort—]
About halfway up the hill, a commotion erupted on the beach below.
The prickly black horse that rejected human touch was causing trouble. Though it had a higher waist and larger build than the other horses, it was still a breed with a shorter stature and more fur than the horses I remembered.
One reason for taking the coastal route instead of crossing the North Sea was because of that horse and its companions.
Led by the black horse, the other horses were being unloaded from the large merchant ships that had lined up to follow our fleet.
[Neigh—Snort!]
“Hey! That one’s running away! Catch it quickly!”
“How many times did I tell you to tie the ropes?”
“You there! Don’t walk behind the horse! It’s dangerous! Show your face properly!”
“But won’t that make it run away even more?”
Merchant ships were much wider and more spacious than the dragon ships our warriors rode, as they needed to carry a lot of cargo. But even so, only about one horse could be loaded per ship, so I could only bring about 50 horses on this voyage.
Of course, I wasn’t sure how long these temperamental creatures would last on the upcoming journey…
It turned into a chaotic scene, but after managing to unload all the horses, the slaves Olaf of Dublin had sent as gifts followed in a line.
“How should I handle them too…”
He had boasted so much about selecting only the best ones, but I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about this so-called gift.
But, there was no way to refuse it, so I had no choice but to accept.
There were no iron collars or handcuffs, as one might have expected. At most, they were bound with ropes.
Moreover, since I had prohibited any cruel acts against the slaves under my control, there was no violence or abuse—actions that were all too common in this era.
There were about fifty of them, evenly split between men and women, mostly with brown hair, though a few had red.
“Don’t worry, slaves. Through your sweat and labor, you will become one with us…”
Since Aros was open to the south and east, I decided that I should dig a new road north through the mountain paths or westward to the coast, connecting with Kaupang.
I’d put them to work there, pay them a wage, and eventually transition them to farming under my command.
I had plenty of land. If more was needed, I could acquire it through… reasonable means.
“My Konungr, I see Sigeberht over there.”
In front of Rendlesham, now far more prosperous than when I first arrived, Sigeberht stood with all the residents.
“Rendlesham is yours, Helgi Ragnarsson, Konungr of all Norsemen and King of all Angles.”
When had I become the King of the Angles?
“Thank you, Sigeberht. You, Rendlesham, and the people of Beodericsworth played a crucial role in winning this war.”
“We merely did what was necessary, my king.”
Reward and punishment had to be clear. The people of East Anglia had maintained the supply route with dedication; they deserved proper compensation.
As I followed Sigeberht, who extended his arm to invite me inside, my mind quickly turned to what reward I should give.
The feast in Rendlesham was quite enjoyable.
When I first arrived, the banquet hall had only hastily removed the crosses and hung some roughly made decorations.
Now, the symbol of the goddess Hel was prominently displayed, with wooden pieces carved with runes [Hel] adorning the walls.
The food and drink were plentiful, and the people no longer feared us. The merchants’ bustling activity since last winter had already started to bear fruit, bringing various benefits.
Indeed, a happy economy solved everything. In the face of an old wound or grudge, first, push in a lot of money. And if that didn’t work, just use your fists. This was Aros-style diplomacy.
Sigeberht seemed well aware of my diplomatic style. I entrusted him with the management of Beodericsworth, nominally my direct territory, but in practice, he managed it as my proxy.
There was also talk of Edmund, who was lying low in the northern wetlands, but it seemed he was biding his time.
The last time I saw Edmund’s face as he left Beodericsworth, he had looked tired but not defeated. He would scheme to return someday, in some way.
Wessex and Mercia were also quiet, but beneath the surface, countless conversations were undoubtedly taking place. Even the Pope of distant southern Rome and the Archbishop of Canterbury would be exchanging letters tirelessly.
“So your role is very important, Sigeberht. If a major conflict erupts, there’s a high possibility East Anglia will become the front line.”
“I understand well what you’ve said, my king. I will remain vigilant without the slightest negligence.”
At the end of the feast, Sigeberht listened intently to my words, spoken in a low voice, and his blue eyes flashed. If only Egbert of Jórvík could see this and learn…Egbert was an opportunist but, unfortunately, not capable.
After the feast, I exchanged pleasant greetings with the horses that had regained their strength.
My entourage and I, mounted on comfortable leather saddles, headed toward Beodericsworth, the largest stronghold in East Anglia, following Sigeberht’s guidance. We met with the lords who had gathered there upon receiving advance notice.
All the lords east of Beodericsworth, the dividing line when East Anglia was split into south and north, once again swore loyalty, and I promised them wealth and glory.
After another feast and a hearty group hunt on the way back, I returned to Rendlesham, left words of encouragement for Sigeberht to continue his good work, then boarded the ship and set out to sea.
Our fleet, which had set sail at dawn, headed straight south, bypassing Kent, passing through Frisia—nominally Frankish land but practically our Norse brothers’ territory—and reached the land of the Jutes.
We stayed in small villages or on uninhabited coasts along the way, laughing and enjoying ourselves noisily.
There, I bid farewell to Halfdan, who stayed to marry the princess of Jutes, and finally, after crossing the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits, where the color of the water and the smell of the wind felt like home, Uppsala emerged beyond the colder sea in the far distance.
A large crowd had already gathered at the dock of Uppsala.
The tremendous cheers from the huge crowd, seemingly drawn from all the surrounding cities as well as the people of Uppsala, erupted in unison…Those who hadn’t heard it couldn’t possibly understand.
Indeed, the movement of such a large fleet was a rare event even for us Norsemen, and moreover, since the purpose had been to avenge the renowned Konungr, Ragnar Sigurdsson, it was an even more fascinating event.
Not only had they avenged Aella and Osberht of Northumbria, but they had also claimed new land beyond the sea. People wanted to see with their own eyes their new Konungr who had achieved all this with unbelievable feats.
“Konungr Helgi! Helgi Ragnarsson!”
“Avenger! The greatest warrior on earth! The great warrior of Hel!”
“Ah—Praise, you poets! Tonight, Bragi will unleash all the inspiration he has!”
“Hel! O-din! Frey! Thor! Tyr! Hel!…”
As I felt at any festival, when ordinary people gathered in one place in such large numbers, it was inherently exciting. And now, a conquering monarch, unlike any seen before in Norse society, stood before them.
The gathered people were infused with a potent dose of nationalism and were experiencing a spiritual catharsis, all at once, with an air of ascension.
‘Damn it.’
If I had been just an ordinary Norseman born on a farm in this land, I would have joined in, laughing and enjoying myself, shouting “Hel!”
Unfortunately, I was the Konungr, their Konungr, so I had to manage this situation.
[Neigh—Snort!]
“The horses are going wild! Cover their eyes with cloth! Block their ears!”
“We can’t approach them!”
“Abandon the ships!”
“Abandon what! Cover their eyes, I said!”
[Splash!]
Perhaps the sudden loud cheer startled the horses on the merchant ships trailing the warships, causing them to run amok. I heard the sound of a few people falling into the water, but it wouldn’t be a big problem.
However, with the horses being so skittish, my plan to raise cavalry seemed to have a long way to go.
“Hrolf, Storolf! Refil! Disembark in order! There are too many people here, so we’ll have to use the dock and coast outside the city. First, have the warriors disembark and rest immediately, and let’s repair the ships after this heat dies down a bit!”
“Understood, my Konungr!”
My orders would be smoothly conveyed to Bjorn, who commanded the middle of the fleet. The merchant ships at the very back would probably disembark first.
Now, even the warriors were intoxicated by the crowd’s fervor, all shouting in unison in a crucible of enthusiasm. I stepped onto the dragon’s head ornament of my ship and tried to address the people who kept shouting.
“Listen! Norsemen!”
“Waaah—!”
“Helgi! Helgi! Helgi! Helgi!”
“Long live the Ragnarsson! Protect us forever!”
“Odin! Hel! Look here! There is your great warrior over there! There is Helgi!”
No, please listen to my words.
Was it a mistake to try to calm them? Instead, the people became even more enthusiastic, reaching out to me.
‘There’s no choice now that it’s come to this.’
It was already too late to quell this fervor. Moreover, seeing those people shouting my name with such intensity…If something didn’t stir within, you weren’t a man.
Without even realizing it, I was already swept up in the atmosphere. I suddenly shouted at the countless eyes filled with all sorts of passionate emotions.
“I came, I saw, I conquered!”
Yaaaah—!
From that day on, Uppsala threw open its warehouses, and we ate and drank like mad for a week.
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[Shio here~!
I apologize for the week-long delay. Life’s been pretty rough. Anyways, I hope y’all enjoyed!]
