I Became a Viking in the Game – Chapter 46

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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In my past life, I had never once used a jacuzzi.

The life of sitting in a bubbling bathtub, sipping olive oil and wine, feeling at ease.

To think I would experience that in the 9th century…

The maid, who had immediately taken away my clothes soaked with sweat and water from the long journey, was greatly surprised to see my naked body. Her face flushed bright red as she shyly handed me new clothes, greatly boosting my self-esteem.

Of course, I, (unfortunately) possessing superhuman rationality, had to organize my thoughts before an important meeting, so I didn’t respond to the strong demands of my flesh. However, sitting in the warm bath, I didn’t refuse the gentle hands washing my hair and body with sweet-smelling liquid.

It was incredibly soft.

‘Hmm, I’m getting pumped up.’

Looking at my arms in the clearly glass mirror, my muscles seemed ready to burst out.

I had seen such bodies often in manga in the past, but now this was my body… My back even had a demon’s face on it…!

I didn’t even work out separately, just sparring once or twice a day with Storolf or other members of the Garmr Brotherhood whenever I had time.

Indeed, being genetically gifted was a real thing.

“Konungr Helgi, the Strategos has sent word that the feast is ready and he wishes for you to join him.”

The maid, who could be considered the source(?) of the faint fragrance emanating from my body, spoke demurely. To her, whose back of the head was still all I could see, I replied that I understood, and after examining the soft Roman clothes in the mirror, I left the room.

‘He said he built this city himself…’

Petronas Kamateros.

A capable man. To the point where I wanted to bring him to Aros if I could.

‘Should I kidnap him?’

No. That would mean war. He was the Strategos ruling this region… It didn’t seem entirely impossible, but there was no need to go that far.

I reluctantly put that thought aside.

‘I must definitely take all this engineering knowledge with me.’

I could have lived without knowing, but having experienced it once, I could no longer return to a life without a bathtub.

Ah, civilization was truly a great thing. Constantinople, wait for me. I will drain you dry.

“This way, Konungr.”

“Thank you, I was able to rest well thanks to you.”

“You’re welcome… honored guest. Then…”

The height difference was still such that I could only see the back of her head. However, her flushed nape once again boosted my self-esteem.

‘Good, I don’t have to worry about marriage anymore.’

With newfound confidence, I followed the attendant’s announcement of my arrival and passed through the large arched doorway. Music was already playing, the scent of grapes and fruits enveloped me, and a space bathed in orange light greeted me.

Refil, Storolf, Oleg, and Djur all seemed to be doing well… No, wait, did their faces look a bit thinner?

Damian was also there, and Petronas beside him gestured to me, raising his cup.

“Here! Konungr, this way please!”

A Roman feast was like a political arena. Of course, the same applied to Norse feasts.

I was a leader, I couldn’t be giddy like Storolf or Refil over there. Now was the time for a battle of tongues…

“Haha! I rested very well thanks to you, Strategos Petronas!”

“Oh, that is the most welcome news I’ve heard today, Konungr Helgi!”

“Hahahaha!”

“Hahahaha!”

The eyes of the two of us, raising our cups for a toast, weren’t smiling at all.

The feast was fantastic. The beautiful melody of string instruments continuously playing, the servants constantly checking my cup and refilling it with wine.

Damian, Refil, Oleg, and Djur, all laughing incessantly as they conversed through a Rus interpreter, seemed to find something incredibly amusing. That laughter was probably due to Damian’s skills.

Storolf… was exchanging secret glances with a maid carrying food in the distance. Tsk tsk.

Of course, while observing all this, I didn’t miss a single word of my conversation with Petronas.

As Damian had forewarned, what Petronas desired was the stability of the Black Sea, specifically Cherson.

The gist of his request was that he wished for no conflict between the Khazars and the Rus, and that we would join forces to check the Magyars.

It seemed the Eastern Romans, currently focused on converting the Bulgarians by sending monks, found the Magyars lurking above them uncomfortable.

The conversion of Bulgaria. Judging by his grim expression, there seemed to be other issues involved, but it wasn’t my concern.

As he said, I, with nothing to lose, readily agreed, and in return, Petronas promised to use his connections to persuade the ruling class of the Khazar Khaganate to withdraw their demands for tribute from Kyiv and establish new relations with the newly emerged Konungr of the Rus.

He spoke as if he was putting in a lot of effort, but my intuition told me that he and the Khazar Khaganate had already settled the matter.

‘Is there some problem in the Khazar Khaganate as well? There’s truly no place without problems in this region.’

Everyone seemed like a sick patient with some ailment.

Just a few minutes ago, while experiencing the advanced civilization of Eastern Rome, I had wondered, ‘Why doesn’t Eastern Rome conquer the world?’ Now I understood why.

I had heard that one of the reasons for the World Wars in the distant future was the instability of Eastern Europe, and indeed, the interests of too many powers were intertwined here.

Sedentary peoples and nomadic peoples, the cross and pagan beliefs, and even Islam.

The Khazar ruling class even followed Judaism.

They were probably trying to walk a tightrope between Islam and Christianity…

In other words, while this place was certainly rich with resources and fertile land, paradoxically, it wasn’t a good place to be.

‘It’s because it’s Eastern Rome that they can maintain their dominance amidst this chaos.’

Even having lost half of their western territory, an empire was still an empire. The wealth of a single region like Cherson already surpassed that of other kingdoms, so there was no competition.

Under normal circumstances, they would reign supreme… but the internal politics of Eastern Rome were far from normal.

“Empress Eudokia Ingerna reached out to the former Chief Attendant, Damian, for help, believing him to be trustworthy, but that turned out to be a mistake. Because there are no secrets in the imperial court.”

Contrary to the lively atmosphere of the feast, the conversation between the two men, each with their own responsibilities, was heavy and dark.

“I’ve roughly heard the circumstances, about the current emperor’s… affair.”

“It’s a shameful matter, but there’s no point in hiding it. You’ll find out as soon as you arrive in the capital, or even if you visit any tavern in Cherson. There are no secrets in the court, but with him acting so openly even in the Hippodrome (ἱππόδρομος), it’s impossible for people not to know.”

“…”

Michael. He was even more free-spirited than I had imagined.

“The problem arose when Eudokia became pregnant, and the emperor eliminated his uncle, Caesar (Καῖσαρ) Bardas (Bardas).

The end of a powerful official, perhaps. Eliminating his uncle, who had helped him end his mother’s regency, was perhaps inevitable, but his methods were too crude.

To so mercilessly murder the man who was preparing to fight the Saracens of Crete…”

Of course, it was announced as an accidental death, but who would believe that?

Petronas’ voice, adding this sarcastic remark, was laced with weariness and disgust.

“He’s even called power-hungry, but it’s undeniable that he fought for the empire his entire life. Countless imperial officials grew under his support… The current emperor has shouldered much criticism and political burden as a result.

And the one who filled that void is Basileios. The co-emperor, Basileios…”

“Eudokia Ingerna’s nominal husband?”

“Ha! Nominal husband… Indeed. Shall I tell you an even more sordid tale? It’s said that Basileios is also having an affair with Michael’s sister. Lord, forgive us. Forgive the empire…!”

‘What the…’

Petronas’ lament sounded like a scream to my ears.

‘Is having affairs a trend among Romans?’

Of course, there must have been some compelling reason I didn’t know about, some unavoidable circumstance…

But from an outsider’s perspective, it was certainly strange.

“That nominal husband – Ha! I apologize.”

“It’s fine.”

“The co-emperor Basileios is not a fool, so he must know that he too could be eliminated at any time. It’s only natural… After all, Michael mercilessly murdered Bardas, who had served him his entire life, the man who removed Theodora, his own mother and Basileios’ sister, from power.

Although he used Basileios’ hand to do so…!”

I was starting to feel apprehensive, wondering if I should even know any more… but Petronas, once started, showed no sign of stopping.

“It’s a matter of time. The other fools in the court might not know, but one who stands a step back can see more clearly.

The two emperors are bound to clash. In this cruel game, only one can survive.”

Petronas’ eyes, brown in color, shone with an icy blue light as he coldly surveyed the banquet hall.

Was it killing intent? No, it was more like the resolute gaze of one who had made a decision.

“Normally, I would have just observed… but now that a trustworthy person has appeared, I too must raise the stakes. Is there any other way?”

“Petronas, what have you seen in me that makes you speak of trust?”

As the banquet hall grew increasingly lively with laughter, we, in the midst of it all, exchanged even colder words with smiling faces.

“You weren’t swayed by women. Prudence, composure, extreme self-control… These are not virtues easily acquired.”

“So you were watching me?”

“That would be hurtful, Konungr Helgi. It was merely a gift. A gift with eyes, if you will.”

“Huh-”

He was as brazen as I was.

“Moreover, I’ve heard rumors. That a new ‘Konungr’ has appeared in the frozen lands beyond Novgorod. Every Varangian passing through here speaks of your name with utmost reverence. How could I not know?”

He wasn’t even bothering to pretend anymore. His pronunciation of ‘Konungr’ was perfect.

Indeed, although their numbers had decreased, many Varangians still traveled through this place.

I had expected my name to be known.

“But above all, I believe that Konungr and I share common interests.”

“What interests?”

“The interest of seeing that den of vipers quieted.”

We stared at each other, no longer smiling.

The music that had been playing softly stopped at that moment, and Damian, Oleg, Djur, and Storolf, all drunk and arm in arm, rose from their seats and raised their cups.

“Now-! Let’s-! Hiccup-! Oh, excuse me! Let’s raise a toast to our friend with the interesting head! To the wonderful host of this place! And to our Konungr!”

“Indeed! Let’s!”

“To the Konungr!”

“To the… wonderful… Roman whose name I don’t know-!”

“Hahahaha-!”

As they raised their cups towards Petronas and me, seated at the head table, we smiled and raised our cups in response, amidst their laughter.

“So, Strategos Petronas. What do you want me to do?”

“Oh, Konungr Helgi. The game has already grown larger. As Empress Eudokia is unable to attend to outside matters due to her pregnancy, I unfortunately had only one option.”

“And what is that?”

“I sent a message directly to Emperor Michael. That the powerful Konungr of the Rus has arrived with gifts, to celebrate the joyous occasion of the imperial family.”

“Will that work?”

“It will.”

Petronas drained his wine and declared confidently. Since he had dismissed the servants, there was no one to refill his cup, so I personally poured him more wine.

[Glug- Glug- Glug- Glug-]

“Thank you, Konungr Helgi.”

“Why are you so certain? May I ask?”

“Because the emperor needs, more than ever, authority that will satisfy the citizens. Even if the powerful Konungr of the north has come simply to watch the chariot races, he must find a reason to boast about it.”

I see.

‘I’m going to be putting on a show.’

Looking at the people now even dancing in their revelry, I emptied my cup in one go.

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[so uh hi its fusion fuck me ig i gotta do everything around here ffs i hate you shio]