Chapter 315: For Valhalla
The city is shrouded in fog.
This once vibrant trading city has been feeling somewhat chaotic during this period.
The whole city was filled with various armed men, causing complaints from merchants in the city, and the street vendors and "craftsmen" were living a miserable life.
Those armed men were all subordinates brought by the lords of Firdsvain. Although their attire and weapons and equipment varied greatly, they all had one thing in common - they did not bring money with them when they went out, but they particularly liked to 'buy' things.
Although King Vidis once issued a law that anyone who took goods without paying would be considered robbery.
But those axemen who had just switched from pirates, and those guerrilla soldiers who had been engaged in smuggling for many years, basically did not take such decrees seriously.
Besides, at this critical moment, the merchants don't dare to sue those lords...
The merchants in Fog City all knew that these lords were recruited to fight in the war - King Vidis would definitely not deal with them at this time.
Therefore, most of the shops in Fog City are now closed. This prosperous city seems to have turned into a lifeless military outpost in just a few days.
King Vidis was in a very bad mood.
It wasn't because of the minor problems in Fog City, nor because of the upcoming war with the Kingdom of Sarleon, but because he asked for help from his hometown, but he didn't get any reinforcements from Vanskerry.
A banquet was being held in the Lord's Hall of Fog City.
This was a typical Vanskerry pirate chieftain gathering - a spacious hall with an all-wood structure, a large and long wooden dining table, and a group of wild men with long beards drinking ale.
Most of the Firdsvain chiefs come from Vanskerrie, and that's pretty much how they live their lives when they're not at war.
"Aidin, are you saying that Queen Agnus no longer intends to support us?"
King Vidis touched his bald head, plucked the few remaining yellow hairs on his temples and tucked them behind his ears. Then he picked up the beer and took a big gulp. The yellowish liquid in the wooden cup dripped down his messy beard.
The Queen Agnus he mentioned is the current queen of Vanskerry and the true pirate king, because she controls the pirates' faith - Valhalla.
Vanskerry is a large island in the icy sea, located northwest of Pendor. It is also the homeland of most of the Firdsvain lords, including Vidis.
Before becoming lords of Pendor, most of their families had been pirates for generations.
They worship the gods of ice and sea.
In the myth of the Ice and Sea Gods, warriors who died in battle holding weapons can enter Valhalla, where there is endless wine and countless beautiful female warriors searching for heroes on the battlefield.
In mythology, the female warriors who search for heroic spirits are called "Valkyries", or Valkyries.
It is said that they are virgin warriors who have sworn to serve the heroic spirits and have been chosen by the gods. They will grant all the wonderful things to the dead in battle and lead them to Valhalla.
Therefore, although many people have lived in Pendor with their families for several generations, most of the lords on the west coast still return to Vanskerry from time to time - they want to pay tribute to their ancestors and brothers, that is, those "heroic spirits who died in battle".
Of course, more importantly, they have to offer offerings to Valhalla, otherwise Queen Agnus has the right to deprive them of the right to enter Valhalla in the future.
These days, managing cemeteries and mausoleums can hold many bigwigs hostage...
"Queen Agnus does not intend to allow the Vanskerry fleet to support us. She believes that we have settled in Pendor and no longer travel the sea, which violates the ancestral teachings of the Vanskerry. She even called you a 'bald man who betrayed his faith'... and called me a 'peasant trying to grow crops'..."
A middle-aged man with red hair and beard sitting opposite Vidis shook his head and said.
This middle-aged man had his red hair and beard neatly groomed. He was the neatest of all the lords in the hall, and he was not so 'heroic' when drinking.
This is Count Edin the Red Sword, one of the highest-ranking lords in Firdsvain, and Light Howling Bay is his territory.
"But I saw Queen Agnus's guards among your troops..."
Vidis didn't care about the name "baldy". He pointed at his eyes and said, "Aidin, you didn't make any secret agreement with the Queen behind my back, did you?"
He spoke seriously but with a joking tone. It was obvious that Vidis trusted Aidin very much and they had a very good relationship.
"Yes, there is indeed a secret agreement..."
Aidin sighed and nodded: "I sacrificed myself again, shed sweat and gave my life in exchange for the mercy of Queen Agnus..."
"Ahahahaha...you were slept with by her again?!"
King Vidis laughed and patted Aidin on the shoulder: "You have been popular with women since you were a child..."
"…Her Majesty the Queen is almost going crazy to have a child, and I dare not refuse her. She has found many men, but it is obvious that this is not the man's problem - the third child she gave birth to at the beginning of the year was still a stillbirth. I think she is cursed..."
Aidin didn't laugh, but sighed: "So, she really wasn't in the mood to lead the troops to support us. But fortunately, my sweat was still useful, and the queen didn't forget our annual offerings... She asked me to take the guards to find one of her 'favorite concubines'. If we find one, Her Majesty the Queen will send troops to help us."
"The Queen's favorite concubine? She's not a sissy, is she?"
Vidis shook his head: "I don't want to deal with a man who screams like a chicken."
"No, that guy is not only not a sissy, but he is also a very powerful swordsman."
Aidin dipped his finger in the wine and drew on the table: "He used his handsome appearance to charm the queen and tricked many female warriors from Vanskerry. He is now stationed in the Qilu Village in the south... In fact, you should have heard of him. That guy was very famous in the continent of Pendor."
"Who? I've never seen many swordsmen who are better looking than you... my most handsome friend."
King Vidis looked at Aidin's lush red hair with some envy.
"Milgan Kilik."
Aidin curled his lips, not impressed by Vidis's statement: "That playboy, he was indeed the one who assassinated the Duke of Alma - he admitted it in person in front of Her Majesty the Queen."
"He actually ran to Vanskerry. No wonder no one could find him. Do you mean that this guy deceived Her Majesty the Queen? Queen Agnus gave him the troops, but he took the female warriors away?"
Vidis became serious. He did know Milgan's reputation, and he tried to find Milgan after Alma's death.
Alma and Vidis are friends. It was Duke Alma who pushed for the alliance between the Kingdom of Sarleon and Firdsvain.
Vidis may not be a very good king, and may even be a little cruel sometimes, but he always believes that he should be loyal to all his friends - this is also the way of thinking of most Vanskerry people.
When a friend is murdered, it is natural to find the murderer.
"That's right... You don't really think that Her Majesty the Queen would lend me her guards just because I slept with her, do you? The Queen's guards are here to hunt him down... or rather, to retrieve Milgan - the Queen seems to have a lot of feelings for him, and that guy's ability to deceive women is unmatched on the continent."
Earl Edin said, taking a sip from his wine glass. "But I don't really want to return the Queen's guards... These guards should become glorious Firdsvain warriors, and so should those female warriors..."
"You plan to kill Milgan and pin the blame on the Queen's Guards so they won't dare go back?"
Vidis obviously had a lot of experience in committing crimes, and he knew Count Aidin quite well, so he immediately thought of the routine.
But then he warned: "But you can't do this yourself. Queen Agnus is already dissatisfied . If the news leaks out, you will never be able to go to Valhalla again, and it will also implicate me."
Faith is still very important. Although the existence of Valhalla has bound Vidis and others, it also allows his Vanskerry pirates to fight bravely and fearlessly.
Overall, the benefits of Valhalla far outweigh the burdens it brings, so King Vidis will naturally not offend Queen Agnus.
Moreover, Vidis himself does believe in the gods of ice and sea.
"Of course I can't do it myself... Actually, I already have the best candidate..."
Lord Aydin smiled and said, "I have found the Kingslayer. He did not dare to return to Longbeard Keep in Gondor, so he came to my Lightwhispering Bay."
"Looking for trouble with Inna... is he in your hands?"
To be honest, King Vidis really wanted to capture Inna and send him to Sarleon to negotiate peace. He didn't really want to fight a big war with the Sarleon Kingdom right now.
This is not because Vidis is a coward, but because most of the lords of Firdsvain are pirates. No one is afraid of naval battles, but fighting against the cavalry of the Kingdom of Sarleon on land... is indeed quite difficult.
But right now, Count Aydin obviously has other plans.
Vidis looked at Gondor the Doomseeker who was drinking with others at the other end of the hall and said, "Does Gondor know about this? Don't fight with Gondor..."
King Vidis had a very good relationship with Gondor - Gondor once saved Vidis' life in battle.
Of course, he also has a very good relationship with Count Aidin.
King Vidis is actually more like a gangster. He is supported by the lords of Firdsvain not because he has the strongest fighting ability, but because he has many friends who are willing to help him.
For example, Adin, for example, Gondor.
Perhaps it was because of this that he was able to rise from a pirate leader to a king - those leaders with the strongest combat effectiveness had basically died in Valhalla in their prime.
"Gondor is eager for his son to do more great things - he is now boasting about his son's 'merit' in killing the king... Besides, he doesn't need to enter Valhalla, he believes in Terra, the goddess of prosperity."
Aidin shook his head and simply shouted: "Gondor! Friends, come and have a drink with us!"
Gondor, the Doomseeker, was drinking beer with two strong men with disheveled hair. He was the first to reveal the bottom of his cup. It seemed that he won.
Then he staggered over and said, "Aiding... do you want to compete with me in drinking?"
"No, I just wanted to tell you that I found your son...but he doesn't plan on coming home."
The relationship between Edin and Gondor is not particularly close. If Edin and Gondor both have a brotherly friendship with King Vidis, then the relationship between him and Gondor can only be regarded as friendly colleagues.
This is mainly because of origin and beliefs - Gondor was originally from the Sarleon, and most of the lords of the Firdsvain were from Vanskerry pirates. There is no place for people from the Sarleon in Valhalla, so his relationship with the lords from Vanskerry is not particularly good.
In fact, Gondor is a rather tragic lord. He once consulted the Three Prophets about his future, which means he betrayed the Goddess of Order, so the people of Sarleon would not recognize him; and his origin determined that the people of Vanskerry would not really recognize him either...
However, the people of Firdsvain recognized his strength and were afraid of his madness on the battlefield, so no one dared to provoke this doomseeker easily.
Doomseekers are actually very lonely.
Therefore, in order to integrate into the Firdsvain, Gondor believed in the Firdsvain's native god of prosperity, Terra Vi Suli, after becoming the lord .
This is an image of a girl with her key parts covered by a garland, holding a pitcher in her hand, pouring out the morning dew. This deity represents the yearning for a good harvest and the expectation for a prosperous era.
This is the belief of the farmers in the western part of the continent of Pendor, and it is also the official belief established by King Vidis when he founded the country.
But Vidis himself did not actually believe in Terra. This was just a national policy, the same as Emperor Marius' promotion of Damia, the goddess of protection and harvest.
The main purpose of establishing Terra as the main god was to reassure the farmers of Firdsvain.
Otherwise, if it were ruled by a group of pirates with different beliefs, the west coast might be uninhabited in a few years.
Before, Aidin said that Queen Agnus called him a 'farmer trying to grow crops', and there was actually this reason for that - Vidis still believed in the Ice and Sea Gods, and still wanted to enter Valhalla, but he promoted an agricultural goddess in Firdsvain... Queen Agnus would naturally be very dissatisfied.
Gondor was the first Firdsvain lord to openly express his belief in the goddess Terra.
As a result, the relationship between Gondor and Vidis became closer.
The lord who first understands the national policy and actively expresses his support will of course be closer to the monarch.
But Gondor is still lonely - the only person that Firdsvain can truly regard as a friend is Vidis, and Aidin can probably be considered half a friend.
These one and a half are all his friends.
This is even more true for his godson Innar - they also come from Sarleon and have different beliefs. At least Gondor has a true friend because he saved Vidis's life, but Innar now has no friends at all. The only one among his peers who regards him as his own is Gudry.
But I just regard him as an elder brother, and we have family affection for him.
That's why Inna was willing to give up everything and go to Sarleon to find true love.
"Aha! Inna is with you? That makes me feel relieved... I know he doesn't want to go home. Come, have a drink for King Ulric!"
Gondor indeed seemed to regard the regicide of Inar as a matter of pride.
"Gondor, let's talk business."
Aydin raised his glass towards Gondor. "Innar is now the Kingslayer, as you should understand... He has brought trouble to us, to the Firdsvain, and to himself. He can no longer be a lord, or even appear in public... But I have a plan that can help him, and it will also be a help to you - this will make both you and Innar eligible to enter Valhalla."
