After an hour of walking, we finally arrived at the village. Now I could see that there are more than ten buildings. Not to mention that two of them were big. Probably storage and something like the home of the village chief. I know Loki gave me knowledge of their language but I can’t remember that. Can I really speak their language…
Two of the biggest buildings were close to the marketplace. Everything was built around it. There were only two roads to different places. One road to the beach. Maybe it’s something like a port but there are only two bridges there… and only one small ship but there was no one on it. Probably because it’s just a small, not important village.
The second road was going toward a forest and near the entrance to the forest, there was one hut and a small house right beside it. Probably the hut of a lumberjack or hunter but it didn’t look like anyone was using it.
Not many people were outside, around fifteen, but the village doesn’t look dead. As we walked into the village, everyone was looking at us. Probably because we didn’t come here by ship from the port but from the forest.
[ Tae ]
“Ok. Stay back and I’ll do the talking since you can’t spe…” Siad Tae as he saw me talking with a merchant in their language. “I thought you didn’t speak Norse…” Said Tae in English.
[ Eric ]
“I didn’t but now I can.”
[ Tae ]
“Blessing?”
[ Eric ]
“I guess? Okay, enough about it. Looks like we confused that poor guy.” I said as I pointed at the merchant beside us.
[ Eric ]
“So as I was saying… how much would you pay for those two swords?”
You may ask yourself. What swords? Where did he get them? The answer is easy. I took a few more trips to the shipwreck before we left! I didn’t want to leave many things on the other side of the mountain since they are free.
[ Merchant ]
“I can give you five silver per sword.”
[ Eric ]
“Is that a good deal?” I said as I looked at Tae.
[ Tae ]
“I think so… ten bronze coins are one silver coin and hundred silver coins are one gold coin. You mainly buy food with bronze coins.”
[ Eric ]
“Make it seven per sword and I’ll bring you a few more and sell them for five silver. How about it?”
[ Merchant ]
“Hmm… Add something more and I might consider your offer.”
[ Eric ]
“Would this bearskin interest you? Three silver and it will be yours.” I put out my hand to him and he shook it.
[ Merchant ]
“Pleasure doing business with you.”
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From zero to seventeen silver coins! I'm a genius! Now I can eat something more normal in some pub or something! I don’t know what kind of restaurants exist in this world!
[ Tae ]
“You worked in some trading company or something Eric?”
[ Eric ]
“You can say that.” I said as I looked away.
I still have many bad memories of that office. I worked in a trading company but you already know what my position was. I only overheard some transactions and trading conversations… But at least I learned something useful from that.
There was only one thing left to do for today! Find a place to sleep over the night and something for dinner. Luckily we found an inn. We were the only people with armor on us so all eyes were on us again. Finally, I ate something better than berries or cooked rabbit. A stew… potatoes! And beer! I didn’t drink it for a long time! Almost heaven. Well… Tae is a softie but he can drink so much and don’t get drunk… I’m amazed.
I got drunk a little but I was able to stand. I only waited for Tae because he needed to go to the toilet. Did Vikings have something like a toilet? I was going to just sit here but then someone with armor came into the inn. He was muscular and tall. When he entered he immediately treated the waitress like trash. When he was going too far I stood up and walked toward him, slightly wobbling to the sides.
[ Eric ]
“Could you maybe let her go?” I said as I watched the girl wanting to get free from his grasp.
[ Muscular Man ]
“And what are you gonna do? You little shit?”
[ Eric ]
“Glad you asked!” I said with my purest smile.
I took the metal cup raised in and smacked this guy's head with it so he would realize his grasp from the lady. Then I pushed him. He fell to the ground with the chair. Before he stood up I struck the floor with my ax to scare him off. I felt like a total badass at that moment. There are no police to do something about it! This new world is awesome! One of my childish dreams was accomplished! Saving a woman in need.
I thought that would be enough but then to my surprise… he grabbed me and with his strength, he turned me around and spit on my face. Of course, a meathead like him wouldn’t let something like that slip off … He also kicked me away and I went flying into the wall. I never experienced that kind of pain in my back. Before he could punch my face I dodged it and started running. I tripped because I was drunk and fell on the table.
It wasn’t looking good so far but he took my ax! He tried to attack me while I was on the table but luckily I dodged his attacks by spreading my legs. I never was good at gymnastics but it is useful sometimes. I kicked his face but he didn’t even flinch! And my leg hurt like hell! Is he made of stone or something?!
He grabbed me and threw me onto another table. He didn’t give me the time to rest and threw the ax. I was going to duck down but the same girl that I tried to help me was behind me. If I dodged the ax she might have died. I already died once so whatever. I rolled back and knocked over the table and blocked the ax with it. The ax went through the table a little bit and I got scratched by it. It wasn't a deep wound but it was itchy enough to annoy me. I was going to look where that guy was but he was already trying to pick the ax. Right when I thought that I’m going to die, Tae smacked this guy’s head with the same cup but in the back of the head. Cup no longer looked like a cup but this guy finally fall to the ground.
[ Tae ]
“What the hell did you do?”
[ Eric ]
And with my smart mind and being the best person in argumentation I said “He started it!”
While we were arguing the woman that I “saved” tried to say something but we both didn’t notice. Then someone with a weapon in their hands barged in yelling “What happened!” Probably a guard or something.
[ Guard ]
“Who is responsible for that?!”
Few people pointed at us. Maybe because we were standing by the guy who went berserk. The guard was going to arrest us or something like that… I don’t know how the police and the law work here… but the woman that I helped blocked him.
[ Waitress ]
“He didn’t do anything wrong! This boy helped me…”
She said… wait… boy?! I’m in my twenties! I’m a grown-up adult!
[ Guard ]
“Explain…” Said the guard and the woman told him everything that happened there. He only took the guy on the floor. I don’t know what will happen to him but what do I care… I hope he will get what he deserves.
[ Waitress ]
“Are you hurt?!” Said the woman as she literally jumped on me looking for wounds. I was going to say I’m fine but she noticed my arm wound and she screamed into my ear “You’re wounded!” and again before I could say anything she ripped her skirt and bandaged my wound with it.
“Let me repay you for your help!” She said and with those words, my new life in the village came to be.