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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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“Helgi, are the gods truly dead?”
“…To tell you the truth, the correct answer is closer to ‘I don’t know,’ Ivarr.”
Ivarr had arrived.
The wedding was now only a week away.
We had prepared in a hurry, but in the end, a month was not enough to satisfy the hearts of our two mothers, so it seemed the period would be extended a bit.
The guests were starting to arrive one by one anyway, so it was fine to extend the preparation period a little.
No matter how many guests flocked in and how many mouths there were to feed, the granary corps of Aros was invincible.
Anyway, Ivarr, who had stopped by Uppsala last night and entered Aros this morning, suddenly grabbed me and spouted those words.
“Right? Yeah, it seems you don’t really know either. I mean, how can a human hand smash a rock the size of a house? The biggest problem with your argument is you yourself, little brother. You tool of the gods.”
Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle-
The sight of Ivarr smiling cynically was not much different from last winter.
Still boisterous and full of mischief.
It was truly great to see him, but, Ivarr’s last words remained in my mind, and my thoughts became a little more complicated.
‘It was a punch thrown to prove the absence of the gods, but to think it would backfire like this.’
I had succeeded in eradicating some of the various absurdities that even the many priests themselves had no conviction in and didn’t even know why they were doing them, but thanks to that, I had become a man who unequivocally drew the attention of the gods.
Still, in my heart, I had already moved past the stage of frustration and anger and into the stage of acceptance, so I could just let it go.
It wasn’t as if I could control everyone’s minds, and in the end, people were beings who believed whatever was convenient for them.
If I could just get rid of that godforsaken act of making living sacrifices and ultimately just weaken the institution of slavery, I would be satisfied with that.
Heck, if I could just do that much, what did it matter if they regarded me as a demigod or the hidden son of a god?
‘I will become a god…! I will ascend to those heavens…!’
As I let out a hollow laugh in a state of half-resignation, Ivarr playfully tapped my shoulder and said.
“Now, beyond ‘the Strong,’ the fame of ‘the Rock-Smasher’ has reached Dublin. Every passing merchant brings up the story of ‘Helgi’s Proof’ in Uppsala, so everyone between here in Aros and Dublin knows your story. Did you know that Sigurd has made at least four songs just from that story? The songs themselves aren’t great, but the lyrics are good, so they’re very popular! I think it’s ghostwritten! His musical talent is pathetic!”
‘Sigurd, you bastard…’
Weren’t the numerous heroes of ancient Greece made through a process like this?
If you beat up a lion and strangled a boar, people would make a song, and more and more would be added on top of it until it became a myth.
Now I couldn’t even begin to imagine how my story would be distorted, and the fact that one of the culprits was my own brother was painfully clear. I turned my head to look for Sigurd, but.
The feeling of hatred soon turned into one of pity.
Sigurd’s seat was forlornly empty, with only his harp left behind.
“Come to think of it, I don’t see Sigurd. Where are our two mothers?”
Bjorn had already left a long time ago, saying he was going to see Eric and Refil.
Ubba had headed off, saying he would check out the new library, and Halfdan was loitering around Bóthilda, who was having her ‘women’s time.’
The reason I, who should have been loitering around Inga next to him, was greeting Ivarr was partly because my second-eldest brother had come a long way to celebrate the wedding, but the biggest reason was the fact that I was the master of this place and Ivarr’s king, the Konungr.
‘No matter how I look at it, it seems like Bjorn passed the buck to me…’
If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have become king.
But the atmosphere at the time was such that I simply couldn’t refuse the sword of courage.
Putting my belated regrets behind me, I answered Ivarr’s question.
“It was a very timely arrival, befitting a great commander, Ivarr. Mother Aslaug has been on Sigurd’s case like a hawk for several days now.”
“What? Mother? Ah, ah-”
Ivarr, who had a puzzled face, burst into laughter in an instant.
The nearby guards, who roughly knew the situation, also let out a low laugh.
“Pfft, pfft, pfft. I knew that one would do something like this someday. He said he would meet a woman for every song he wrote, what a load of bull. If anyone among our brothers were to cause trouble, I knew it would surely be Sigurd, but if he hits it this big, even Mother can’t do much about it. Uahaha!”
That one’s a man, alright-!
Because of Ivarr, who was patting my back and laughing so hard the whole house seemed to shake, a small laugh escaped my lips as well.
“But Baldur didn’t come with you? Is he doing well?”
Ivar’s son, Baldur.
My nephew, who was a year older than even Leon and Eric.
Unlike Bjorn’s rather cold and calculating sons, he was a warrior who showed what true passion was.
“Ah, that one. He’s on an island east of Dublin with Olaf’s son, Tostein. The Scots and the Ravine-dwellers launched a major attack as soon as the weather warmed up. It was a tough fight to block them. It would have been dangerous without the timely support from Bernicia.”
“Hmm.”
So only Northumbria is stable, and everywhere else is a chaotic mess.
“Speaking of which, Olaf sent another gift to congratulate you. I stopped him from sending slaves this time. It’s not to your taste, right?”
“That’s right.”
If we were short on population, it would be different, but since they were sprouting like they were being dug from a field, there was no need for a separate supply of manpower.
Ivarr, who knew this, had dissuaded Olaf, who was stuck in an old-fashioned (?) worldview.
“So I told him to send something unusual, since things like money and food don’t mean much to you, who has plenty of both.”
‘That’s not true, I like money.’
“So he brought a few skilled bards and some rare jewels. The woman who will be your wife will like them if you give them as a gift later.”
‘Oh-‘
That’s Ivarr for you.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. Women, even if they pretend not to, are crazy about shiny things like that, so learn well, little brother. Heh heh-”
“I’ll keep that in mind, old brother.”
“What? Hey-”
Whenever I’m next to Bjorn and Ivarr, it feels like I become a little child.
No matter how strong one is or how high one’s status, an older brother is, in fact, half like a father.
As I was feeling at ease and continuing to joke around with Ivarr, Storolf, his eyes sharpened from guarding the recently arriving dignitaries, approached us.
“Konungr Helgi, Jarl Ivarr. News from the west gate. It is reported that Jarl Harald of Kaupang has just arrived.”
“Harald has? Well, he seems to have hurried. Escort him here at once.”
“Yes! Konungr Helgi!”
[Thump!]
Perhaps because the way the Tagmata, the emperor’s regular army in Constantinople, showed their respect looked cool, the number of those who received my orders by placing their right fist on their chest had been increasing for some time.
Ivarr, watching with interest as Storolf turned with a disciplined posture.
The voice of my brother, who had been leaning back in a single-person chair that I had pestered the craftsmen to custom-make for him, likely tired from his long journey, flowed out lazily.
“Come to think of it, I was going to tell you later, but since the son of the master of the fjords, Halfdan, is coming, I should tell you. Olaf of Dublin, that friend of mine, is finally seriously thinking about retirement.”
“Jarl Olaf? Well, that’s surprising. I thought he’d be healthy for at least another 10 years.”
I could still clearly see him striding vigorously into the hall of Beodericsworth in East Anglia, his white beard and hair flying, and now retirement?
“It seems Bjorn’s retirement had a big impact. He was very conscious of it, even if he pretended not to be. That’s how much of a presence Bjorn was to our generation. Anyway, hngg.”
[Pour- Gulp!]
Ivarr, who had reached out and poured himself some liquor, drained the cup in one go and continued speaking in a more relaxed voice.
“It’s certain he will retire soon. Olaf’s son, Tostein, is also doing well, and more importantly, he probably needs to think about his homeland a little now.”
Olaf’s homeland? But why was that story coming up now?
Seeing my puzzled face, Ivarr told me in an uncharacteristically serious voice.
“Olaf also has a stake in that western kingdom of the fjords. Helgi, do you think Konungr Halfdan of Kaupang, who is a generation above us, will last forever? His son Harald and Konungr Halfdan may have to face Olaf’s challenge.”
‘What’s this now?’
Who retires like that?
Seeing my confused expression, Ivarr just smiled and said no more.
Harald Halfdansson was just the beginning.
No, it would be more accurate to say that he had poked a hole in a firmly blocked dam.
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The joint wedding of none other than Ragnar’s three sons: Konungr Helgi, Jarl Sigurd, and Jarl Halfdan Ragnarsson.
Thanks to the work of our two mothers and Hrolf, who had sent news to every place a messenger and merchant could reach, guests truly began to arrive in a flood.
And surprisingly, those numerous guests were again divided into two groups: those who had seen the split rock in Uppsala, ‘Helgi’s Proof,’ with their own eyes, and those who were now going to see it.
Harald of Kaupang, who was the first guest to arrive and belonged to the group going to see the rock, said they would talk again after he had been there, barely offered his congratulations, and left immediately.
And my dumbfounded mind soon had to greet the ceaselessly arriving guests.
Ivarr’s meaningful words and my date plans with Inga were all pushed out of my head as I entered into a mechanical reception of guests.
The main repertoire of the guests was, “Congratulations on your wedding, Konungr Helgi! I am so-and-so, sent by Jarl ○○○…!”, “O strongest one, O one clad in majesty! I am Jarl □□□ of △△△…! It is an honor to meet you like this-!”
It was as above.
And my corresponding repertoire was as follows.
“I am truly moved that you have come this far to celebrate I and my brothers’ wedding. Thank you, wise Jarl so-and-so…! I will not forget this gratitude.”
I had greeted the first five or so with sincerity, but once the number exceeded ten, I just couldn’t bear it.
The surprising thing was that the Jarls who heard my mechanical response had extremely satisfied faces, spouted a lot of praise for me, and entered the large hall opposite, which had been newly prepared for the guests.
LWere they satisfied with just making an appearance?
A building with a touch of Leon’s innovative architectural style, with single-person chairs instead of the traditional long tables and benches, and rooms for distinguished guests arranged on both sides of the huge hall like spreading wings.
Because it was built in a hurry, its durability was honestly questionable, but for a few days’ stay, it was more than adequate, even luxurious.
At its entrance stood a round beast, simply carved from granite, a sign that Leon couldn’t abandon his Roman blood. The Jarls and their representatives who saw it immediately pestered the servants they had brought to record or memorize it.
If this was also cultural diffusion, then it was.
I realized anew that the financial situation of the local Jarls had risen to a level where they could afford some luxury.
Well, although it was called the blessing of Aros, the surrounding regions must have also been affected to some extent.
This is why a large city is important; it can pull up the commercial power of the entire area along with it.
In the distant future, too much concentration would become a problem, but for now, we had to concentrate even if it meant scraping the bottom.
Still, there was more than enough space.
Anyway, after rising to the position of Konungr, I had only been on expeditions, and unlike other kings, I had left most of the work under me to trustworthy vassals, so I had lived a relatively leisurely life.
But since I couldn’t have a deputy for diplomatic duties, I was working so hard for the first time in a while that my eyeballs ached. And soon, news came in that made not just my eyeballs, but my optic nerve ache
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