Revive Rome: Wait! Why not make the empress fall in love with me first?
Chapter 193 - 97 Viking People

Chapter 193: Chapter 97 Viking People

The Sixth Epoch, year 230, 23 kilometers north of Helensing.

On the coast laid a small fishing village where fishermen were returning to shore in their boats one after another.

Seagulls circled overhead, screeching as some Norman fishermen tossed little fish up into the air, and the birds would snatch them in flight and soar away.

Occasionally, a few unlucky birds would collide in the scramble for the fish, prompting hearty laughter from the fishermen below.

This village had no name; it was simply known as a wilding village.

According to the prevailing feudal laws of the era in the West, territory should belong to its Lord, and all residents on the land had to pay taxes to the Lord.

However, the land known as Heganes was so vast that the Lord’s tax collectors could not oversee every piece of it.

Moreover, with the Normans’ fierce nature, they would go out to sea to fish, and if life became too hard, they would abandon the village to become pirates. When they tired of piracy, they’d find a place to build a house, establish a village, and return to fishing, resulting in a large number of fishing villages dotting the coastline, which were, in effect, in a subtle state of "disconnection" with the Lord.

The tax collector didn’t know about the existence of this village, nor did the villagers know about having a Lord, so this village became one not officially recorded in the government’s registry.

The fishermen hauled their small boats aground while the village children cheered and ran towards the fishing boats to look for the biggest and juiciest cod.

Off to the side, a small figure stood by the houses, watching the barefoot children running on the beach with a hint of envy.

But she stood still because she knew the fishermen would feel uncomfortable seeing her.

More precisely, they were vaguely apprehensive about her.

That year, Sigrdrifa was nine years old.

——————

She always felt as if she had forgotten something important.

After spending an afternoon on the beach facing the sea breeze, Sigrdrifa finally confirmed she really couldn’t remember.

Maybe it was just an illusion brought on by oversleeping that morning.

She stood, intending to head home.

As she walked past the lowest and humblest house in the village, she heard a woman’s shouts and a man’s heavy panting from inside.

Her mother, when working, did not want Sigrdrifa to disturb her.

So Sigrdrifa went into the outside forest to dig for worms to play with.

A moment later, a curse came from within the house:

"I don’t want your stinking Axe as payment! Stork, if you don’t bring enough money next time, don’t you dare set foot in my door!"

"Ha ha, dear Sally, next time I’ll make sure to settle both debts."

The Norman giant, adjusting his trousers and yawning, emerged from the house. Seeing Sigrdrifa outside digging for worms, he couldn’t help but rub her golden head and said:

"Sigrdrifa, go back inside. Your mom is waiting for you in the house."

"...You could even be my daughter," he mumbled reflectively, fastening his belt and walking away.

Sigrdrifa covered her nose and returned home, only to see a lazy white arm stretching out from an overburdened old bed.

"Go, pick up the Axe by the door and find Elder Wild in the village. Exchange it for some bread and pickled fish."

Sigrdrifa picked up the Axe and left home in Silence.

Sally, Sigrdrifa’s mother, was the village’s only Special professional.

Her clients were mostly passing pirates, but occasionally, village fishermen visited her too.

The latter was less frequent—fishermen were generally poor and reluctant to spend money on pleasure.

But as time passed, nearly every fisherman in the village had been involved with Sally in some way.

Eventually, Sally became pregnant.

No one understood why she had suddenly chosen to carry a child, and they didn’t even know who the baby’s real father was. As a result, various food and herbs to nourish the pregnancy piled up in front of Sally’s house.

The women in the village were nearly explosive, keeping a tight watch on their husbands to prevent them from sneaking out at night to bring things to Sally.

Thus, little Sigrdrifa was born.

The women of the village despised her and called her a "bastard," maliciously speculating that her father was some old and ugly, pus-oozing, aged pirate.

The fishermen in the village would feel awkward when they saw her, since she might very well carry their own blood, and thus, they could only take extra care of her and try not to talk to her too much, lest they be discovered by their sensitive wives.

Privately, the fishermen referred to the young Sigrdrifa as "everyone’s daughter."

The children, returning full from the fishing boats, threw fresh codfish to their mothers and exchanged them for another piece of fish jerky, almost too frozen and stiff.

Then they started playing pirate games, pretending the fish jerky was a battle axe, slashing at each other with laughter and mock war cries.

The villagers had a complicated feeling toward pirates; on one hand, they had all been pirates at some point, but on the other hand, they didn’t like the idea of their children becoming pirates as well.

However, the children didn’t care about that; they merely thought pirates were cool, able to sail and drift around at will, chopping down anyone they disliked.

"Today I am a Viking! Meet your doom!" one blond big kid said, smashing his fish jerky toward another child.

"Person, you were a Viking just last week!" the surrounding children complained, "It’s time for others to have a turn!"

"Fine! Let’s wrestle, Vikings are strong, whoever throws me down gets to be the Viking!"

The children immediately fell silent; the blond Person was the biggest of them all, and most couldn’t beat him.

A brave boy stepped forward. A few minutes later, he was thrown to the ground by Person, crying out loud.

Person struggled to maintain an imposing stance, arrogantly gazing at the remaining children.

No one spoke.

"Alright, now I’m the Viking, the King of the North Sea!" Person pointed, "Vivica, Selma, now you’re my female slaves, come and serve me."

The two girls pouted, reluctantly stepping forward to massage Person’s shoulders.

"Carlson, Yongberg, you are defeated pirates who have pledged allegiance to me out of fear of my Viking identity, now acting as my guards."

The two boys were overjoyed and immediately took up their fish jerky, posing as if they were armed with swords.

"The rest of you are just ordinary villagers. Now pretend to go fish, waiting for me to come and plunder!" Person clapped his hands.

And thus, the other children scattered like birds, no one wanting to be caught and beaten by this little Viking pirate.

Person laughed heartily as he watched the children vanish into the distance, then his gaze suddenly fell on Sigrdrifa across the way.

This little girl had delicate, pale blonde hair, smooth and waist-length, her skin so fair it was almost transparent, resembling a fine, fragile porcelain doll, and thus seemed exceedingly pitiable.

The children guessed her father must be a noble, otherwise how could she be born such a princess-like beauty. But whenever this was mentioned, their mothers would scornfully say:

"She’s a mongrel, her father is a puss-oozing old pirate."

Person felt a bit nervous; he had never spoken to Sigrdrifa before, so he cautiously said:

"Hey, Sigrdrifa, do you want to be my Viking princess fiancée? I am a mighty Viking, you know."

The two girls beside him were immediately shocked, "Person, she’s a mongrel! Mom says your face will rot off if you play with her!"

Person was somewhat irritated by what the girls said, but Sigrdrifa remained silent, just quietly watching them, which made him feel awkward and annoyed.

Just about to approach and slap her, Person’s eyes caught sight of the axe in her hand.

It was a real axe, although the wooden handle was covered with mold and the blade was pitted, but it was indeed an axe.

Not something they could compare with their playful fish jerky.

"Where did you get that axe?" Person asked pretending to be kind.

Sigrdrifa finally spoke:

"Mom gave it to me to exchange with the village chief for bread and pickled fish."

"There’s no need to find the village chief. I have bread and pickled fish right here." Person immediately said, "Give me the axe, and I’ll trade you the food."

Sigrdrifa uttered an "okay," and passed the axe to him.

Person took the axe and with the back of his hand slapped her to the ground.

The little Sigrdrifa, clutching her cheek, still not understanding what had happened, saw Person grabbing her beautiful long hair, his boot pressing forcefully onto her face as he arrogantly said:

"Listen well, Sigrdrifa!"

"A true Viking never engages in trade or relies on the art of speech!"

"They only seize what they want with their own hands, from the cruel struggle of iron and fire!"