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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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It’s the natural order for the night sky to be cloaked in darkness. A meteor, blazing with pure white flames, streaked across the inky canvas where only starlight and moonlight should have shimmered silver.
[Rumble- Kaboom-! Whoosh-!]
With a roar as if to incinerate the entire world, the meteor, leaving a long tail of fire, passed westward.
Like a flashbang detonating, the clamor illuminated the night sky, instantly awakening the slumbering human city. Soon, people trembled, invoking the names of all manner of gods.
Perun, Hel, Odin, Thor…
Amidst the flurry of divine names, I stood alone at the highest point in the city, carefully observing the meteor’s trail.
‘Do meteors usually fly that low…?’
Unlike those seeking divine explanations, I knew what it was. Outside this Earth, in the vast expanse of space, countless rocks drifted. This was just one of those rocks, drawn by Earth’s gravity, making an unscheduled landing on this human planet.
It wasn’t some divine punishment or anything of the sort.
…If even that is considered God’s will, then I have nothing more to say. I’m speaking from a rational perspective.
However, seeing the people of Novgorod crying out in all directions, I felt the need to disrupt the religious views of my people in this world where the line between superstition and reality was blurred.
Fear stemmed from the unknown.
I had to share what I knew with them. So that only the brilliant rationality of humankind could illuminate this world.
While everyone looked up at the sky, I looked down at the people, my heart solidifying its resolve.
The people who had been clamoring about the imminent end of the world, paralyzed by fear and praying, abruptly changed their tune when the next morning dawned without incident. They now declared the meteor a sign from the gods celebrating my grand expedition.
Come to think of it, these people witnessed the aurora borealis every winter, didn’t they…? Perhaps that was why they were remarkably adaptable to unusual natural phenomena.
Maybe they’d half given up on understanding…
Certainly, the natural environment of Northern and Eastern Europe was highly conducive to the birth of all sorts of superstitions. Divination was one thing, but given their earnest belief in sacrifices, religious reform was urgent.
The flame in my heart, which had admittedly dwindled somewhat after the journey to Rome and Constantinople, rekindled.
I soon informed Rurik and Oleg that I would be returning to Aarhus.
Surprisingly, following Djur of Kyiv, Oleg of Novgorod also requested to join my ranks.
With the matters of Polotsk, Kyiv, the Magyars, and the Khazars resolved, he declared that his place was by the king’s side. I ultimately granted his request. Rurik seemed secretly pleased.
Despite pretending otherwise, he seemed to harbor a competitive spirit with Kyiv. Seeing the various interests intertwining within my court, I realized the importance of maintaining balance.
In any case, after bestowing a blessing to dispel the misfortune scattered by the meteor at the earnest request of the city’s people and Rurik (…I simply placed my hand on the ground and prayed for the well-being of the people in Hel’s name), our grand fleet, now numbering forty ships, once again embarked on the river.
“May the wind and waves protect you…! Farewell! Konungr Helgi-!”
“Farewell-! Knyaz Rurik! Until we meet again-!”
“See you again, brother!”
I exchanged farewells with Rurik, who had come to see me off at the docks. We sailed westward, further west, across Lake Ladoga, which I still couldn’t distinguish between a lake or a sea.
We sailed for a full week, singing and rowing merrily, crossing the calm Baltic Sea under gentle breezes, until we reached Gotland, where we bid farewell to several merchants.
Soon after, we passed Uppsala, the gateway to Aarhus, and finally… arrived at my homeland.
My city. My people. My family.
As if news had already reached them, a large crowd had gathered. At my signal, Storolf vigorously blew his horn and roared at the people.
[Booooooooo- Woooong-]
“We went! We saw! We conquered!”
“Woooaaaaaaah-!”
“Konungr Helgi! Konungr Helgi!”
“Storolf! Storolf Ormson!”
“Konungr has triumphed again!”
“…”
‘That line must have been quite impressive…’
My vanguard, Storolf, and everyone else who participated in the expedition puffed out their chests with pride. Leon, the engineer, seemed more excited about exploring the unknown world than apprehensive about arriving in a foreign land, his face flushed as he looked around. Young Constantinos stood beside me with a brave posture.
He had a resolute expression. But in his restless eyes, a flicker of surprise couldn’t be concealed.
I ruffled Constantinos’s hair and lifted him onto my arm before leaping ahead of the others.
Oof- heave.
[Thud!]
The familiar texture of the earth welcomed my return.
“Suuup- Haaa-”
As cheers and applause erupted around me, I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the familiar, cool air.
“Let me introduce you to my family, Constantinos. If you’re willing, they could become your family too.”
“Yes, I understand. Konungr Helgi.”
Constantinos, with his brown hair and slightly darker skin than the Norse, nodded in understanding. Beyond his small face, familiar faces began to appear within my view.
Smiling Bjorn, Mother Asta, Mother Aslaug, Bjorn’s eldest son Eric. And Hrolf and his son, Hrollaugr.
After briefly taking them in, I strode forward.
Behind me, people disembarking one after another bustled about. Goods of all kinds began to pile up: gold and silver, tough leather tack, jeweled ornaments, chests containing purple cloaks, and various other artifacts.
Unlike the Aarhus merchants whose eyes were drawn to the dazzling spectacle, my family smiled brightly, their gaze fixed solely on my approach.
“Mother.”
“Welcome back, Helgi.”
“It’s good to have you back safely.”
Gentle hugs with both mothers.
“Bjorn.”
“Helgi.”
A rough hug with Bjorn.
Bjorn’s eldest son, Eric, whose health seemed much improved, was naturally frail, unlike his father, his brother Refil, or myself. So I was delighted to see Eric reach out to me first.
“Eric. It’s been so long…! It’s good to see you looking better…!”
“Thank you, Konungr Helgi. People have already heard of the strongest one’s journey through the merchants. Your safe return is a blessing to all Norsemen.”
“…Yes, it’s good to see you too, Eric.”
Aside from his build, he was definitely Bjorn’s son.
My nephew, who was two years older than me, had inherited Bjorn’s impenetrable composure. Seeing Eric, even my capable adjutant Refil seemed relatively flexible.
Shaking my head at the proudly smiling Bjorn, I then greeted Hrolf and his son Hrollaugr, who stood bravely beside him.
Hrolf… was his usual sly self. Hrolf’s youngest son, Hrollaugr, despite having met me privately several times before, still froze whenever he saw me.
He felt like… a smaller version of Storolf.
He looked curiously at Constantinos beside me. Since the two boys were of similar age, I thought they might become good friends.
‘Speaking of which, it would be good to establish an educational institution…’
The Imperial University I saw in Constantinople. Caesar Bardas’s masterpiece. To build a school of that scale, we currently lacked both books created by the Norse themselves and teachers capable of instructing the children… but I felt I needed to at least make a start.
‘Let’s set aside the complexities for now and grasp the current situation first.’
“Now, let’s all go inside. We can talk more inside. Hrolf, is there any mead left?”
I had specifically emphasized to the Jarl of Gotland to include wine on the list of items to be purchased from Constantinople in the future… but mead still suited my palate better.
That sweet, lingering, and tart flavor…! Accompanied by raspberries, it was like being in Asgard.
“Of course, Konungr. We have so many bees that it’s a problem. We’ve filled the cellar and then some.”
Hrolf said with a grin.
Not just Hrolf, but all the men around me chuckled at the mention of alcohol. But Hrollaugr, why are you making that kind of laugh…?
“Alcohol is good, but shouldn’t we eat something substantial first? The servants have been preparing food since morning. It’s best to freshen up before we gather.”
“Hahaha! Alright, Mother.”
Indeed, when traveling, eating, and sleeping with men, it’s easy to overlook, but after camping out, a beastly smell did tend to linger.
Mother Asta shook her head as if giving up and gently pushed my back. Feigning compliance, I instructed Refil and Hrolf to finish unloading, let the warriors rest, and then come to my longhouse.
‘Those who joined this expedition should be handsomely rewarded.’
Especially the warriors from Aarhus. None of them applied to the Varangian Guard, despite the tempting offers subtly made by the Emperor, the Varangian captain, and Jarl Ingvar.
It wasn’t that those two were poaching behind my back; I had given my consent. But the warriors refused, declaring that the only master of the Garmr Brotherhood was Helgi Ragnarsson. Their loyalty was truly touching and I was grateful.
But there was also a slightly… eerie feeling, I should say. This wasn’t simple loyalty, but something… more.
It felt like a secret society centered around me was forming without my knowledge.
Perhaps my stay in the heart of Rome had made me paranoid. Every shadow now conjured images of assassins and poison… I inwardly shook my head, reminding myself that such things were unlikely. I didn’t stop my Rus’ friends from joining the Varangians.
Rurik, Haskuldr, and Djur were surprisingly enthusiastic. And the Emperor, who seemed to have realized the need for a larger central army, or more accurately, a private army under his command, expressed his desire to recruit highly skilled warriors through me.
The mercenary business was worth serious consideration. Gaining battle experience and fostering strong warriors were important. Especially regarding anti-cavalry tactics, wasn’t the Empire the best in the world right now?
Of course, there were more pressing matters at hand.
“Helgi, did you see the meteor streaking across the sky on your way back?”
“Hmm? Of course, I did. It flew quite low.”
“It caused quite a stir among the Gothi (priests). Uppsala was lively for once. I had my hands full stopping those clamoring for sacrifices to appease the gods’ wrath.”
There were still such people around?
My mothers took the children inside first, and the Norse warriors, some of whom were starting to style their hair swept back like mine, followed Bjorn and me slowly towards the house.
As I strolled along the cool breeze and the well-maintained stone road, mulling over Bjorn’s words, I suddenly realized his tone had shifted.
“Wait a minute, Bjorn. Weren’t you going to treat me like a Konungr? Why have you reverted to speaking like a brother again?”
At my teasing smile, Bjorn returned a faint smile of his own.
“There’s no need to remind a brother who dragged his retired, housebound older brother back into service of his position. You’re already a fine Konungr.”
“Haha! Did you bring Eric along because you didn’t want to suffer alone?”
“There’s that, but Eric is better at using his head than Refil and I.
He’s also organized most of the ventures you’ve started. The western road, for instance, and the land consolidation between Aarhus and Uppsala… I was just holding down the fort with Hrolf.”
“My, Jarl Bjorn! Such harsh words! I worked so hard; aren’t you afraid Konungr might misunderstand?”
At Bjorn’s revelation, the freeloading Hrolf jumped up, and everyone around laughed.
Hrolf and Ivarr were indeed a good match. Both were so sly…
They were the opposite of the rigid Bjorn. Usually, Hrolf and Ivarr were the ones being outmaneuvered.
“Honestly. Hrolf, calm down, I already expected it.”
“But-”
“By the way, Bjorn. Where are those Gothi (priests) now?”
Ignoring Hrolf’s protests, I asked Bjorn in a lower voice.
Bjorn, his demeanor suddenly shifting, replied,
“It seemed like every Gothi in this land had gathered. They’re in Uppsala, of course. Even though Aarhus is the center of the kingdom, important rituals are still conducted in Uppsala, aren’t they?”
“Uppsala, Uppsala…”
I see.
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