Origin Player.

Chapter 685 Midgaran
Midgard blue.

This port is considered prosperous in the North.

Looking out from the sea, rows of wooden houses stretch to the horizon. In the very center of the coast, a castle built of massive stones stands tall. The warriors of the Garan Warband are all well-equipped, with their armor, battle axes, and longswords all bearing numerous runes.

The Blackrock Chapter is about to arrive.

King Ragnar himself awaited on the wooden embankment of the harbor.

He looked to be no more than middle-aged, with a sharp-edged face, high cheekbones and deep-set eyes that exuded the coldness characteristic of Vikings, and a golden beard meticulously braided into a fine plait.

When forty longships docked.

Lagra watched as the young man at the head of the group stepped down first, his eyes gleaming. The warrior of the gods, Augustus, was now famous throughout the North. He had a habit of hanging the brow bones of the defeated from the hair. Judging by the current scale, it meant that nearly two thousand warriors had died at the hands of this new count.

The fall of five great warriors—Blue Swordsman, Black Viper, Bear Witcher, Count Blackrock and his blood uncle—proved Augustus's terrifying strength, which was almost unmatched.

"Perhaps I should now address you as Earl Blackstone."

Ragnar nodded to the approaching young man and said, "I hope you've come because you've decided to stand on my side."

Jiang He calmly said, "I will help you conquer the capital. As for any other shortcomings, please forgive me. I am not very good at socializing."

Norlund respectfully offered two glasses of bear blood liquor. He couldn't be as indifferent as Augustus when he met the most famous legendary figure in the North. After all, he had grown up listening to the stories of this king. As for Augustus's so-called lack of social skills, it was probably just pure arrogance.

King Ragnar raised his glass and laughed, “Strength determines everything, but if you want to challenge me, the war will probably drag on until next year. You don’t seem like the type to have patience.”

Jiang He raised his glass indifferently, and the two drank the covenant wine together. On the shore, the warriors of the two warbands cheered. The count was a military noble second only to the king, and Augustus had already proven the authority of the warriors of the gods.

The two walked side by side toward Garanburg.

Behind King Ragnar, a bear-like young man with burning eyes, full of a desire for challenge, stood Bjorn, the warrior and the most warlike of all the sons.

King Ragnar laughed and said, "The tribe's prophet said that he might travel the world in the future, but such prophecies are never very accurate. I prefer him to inherit the throne."

"It has nothing to do with me." Jiang He shook his head and said that this test was meaningless, because he could not stay in the Ice Sea World to discuss the throne. After all, apart from the heroes and creatures all over the place, the resources here were relatively scarce. The border world had experienced a great destruction many years ago.

The Garan Warrior Chieftain hosted a group of Blackstone Warriors. Jiang He led Norend and others, along with some servants, into the castle. Both the Great Warriors and the Earls were entitled to a seat, although their statuses often overlapped.

Inside Garanburg.

Rugged wooden pillars support the roof, each carved with coiled serpentine patterns. Several heavy oak tables stretch across the hall, their surfaces covered with knife marks and wine stains.

A brazier burned brightly in the center, the flickering flames casting shimmering light on the hanging shields and battle axes. The walls were covered with animal hides, and faded woolen carpets were embroidered with Thor's hammer and raven patterns.

The throne was carved from black oak, with armrests shaped like howling wolf heads. A faint smell of blood and smoke wafted from it. In a corner not far away, a rusty giant axe leaned against the wall. The axe blade was chipped, but it still evoked the dull thud of it splitting a skull.

King Ragnar walked straight to the throne, introducing the Viking nobles present to Jiang He.

"That man with tattoos all over his face is King Halder. He and his counts command five thousand warriors. This guy never hides his ambition to rule the North. I estimate that he will start a war after I die. As for the recent rumors that we are about to go to war, they are just to mislead the nobles of the Truth Continent."

At the head of the long table on the left, King Halder was laughing heartily with two shield maidens in his arms. Not far away, his only son was calmly cutting a lamb rib by himself, seemingly indifferent to everything.

King Ragnar then pointed to the small giant at the long table on the right and said, "He is Hammed, a powerful man who has killed a great warrior, and the leader of a group of counts who have banded together. He also commands five thousand warriors."

Jiang He glanced at him and saw that Hammed was four or five meters tall. He probably had some kind of giant-type bloodline. He looked like a mountain made of muscles, with a fierce aura.

The two came to the throne.

Here sit members of Rod Block's family.

Beside the throne sat a tall woman who was not particularly beautiful. The former queen who had borne Ragnar's children was dead, and she was more like a puppet, except that the jewel around her neck was extremely eye-catching.

King Ragnar introduced, “My wife is Hammed’s sister.”

She has no name, is not the current queen of the shield maiden, and is not valued at all except as a symbol of the alliance. At the same time, the sons of the great warriors do not acknowledge her.

Jiang He glanced at the Queen's gem, a fragment of the Heart of Wrath. The amplifying effect of rage was self-evident; for the Rodbrok family, the effect might even extend to fertility.
Suddenly, King Ragnar turned around and announced loudly, "Today is the wedding ceremony of my daughter Brunhilde and the son of King Halder. Let us raise our glasses together!"

Twenty Viking counts and great warriors rose to their feet, and King Halder laughed heartily, "May Odin bear witness as we conquer the capital!"

"Conquer the capital!"

Everyone drank at the same time.

But just then, a woman with golden hair walked out of the side hall, carrying a shield in her hand, her eyes resolute.

“Father, I refuse to stay in the North. I want to go to the battlefield with you all. I will not marry Sonster and am willing to become that pathetic figure on the throne.”

The Queen's eyes grew cold, revealing shame, anger, and murderous intent.

King Halder remained relaxed, but King Ragnar had lost his smile. In this situation, with his authority being questioned by his daughter, he had no room to back down. "Let's proceed with the ceremony," King Ragnar said.

“I would rather marry the lowest slave,” Brunhilde roared.

King Halder was silent for a moment, then said coldly, "Are you saying that my bloodline is inferior to that of a slave?"

Brunhilde turned around and said seriously, "King Halder, who in the North doesn't know that your only son is long dead? Whose ghost is now occupying his body? How could a Viking possibly love and be passionate about painting, let alone have a penchant for men!"

boom!
The discussion in the main hall completely erupted.

"Sonic" lowered his head. As a Twilight player, he had no idea that he would become a heretic because of his painting. In fact, he had completely lost his autonomy. An ordinary hero player in the Northland, where heroes and strongmen were everywhere, was like a sheep among wolves, with no sense of security whatsoever.

King Halder's face turned ashen.

King Ragnar looked at Jiang He and asked, "Count Blackstone, what do you think should be done?"

He genuinely wanted some advice.

Jiang He said calmly, "Kill them, bury them together, and then hold a ceremony."

King Ragnar was startled. "Isn't this a bit too cruel?"

To be honest, even as a veteran Viking, he felt that some of Augustus's actions were somewhat cruel. At the very least, a normal person wouldn't hang an enemy's brow bone in their hair as a collectible.

Jiang He stopped talking. If he disagreed anyway, why bother asking him?

After a brief moment of thought, King Ragnar decided, "Guards, kill that slave, and I will compensate Earl Blackstone."

Slaves were not Vikings; they were considered commodities. In King Ragnar's mind, this behavior was as natural as asking Augustus for a cup of wine, and there was no issue of offense.

Two warriors stepped forward. Norlund was somewhat reluctant. Prince Alfred was someone he had brought with him, but without Augustus's support, he was powerless to defy the king's orders.

Alfred seemed not to hear, his gaze fixed on Brunhilde, their eyes meeting.

"stop!"

Suddenly, a loud shout rang out.

An elderly man with a full head of silver hair burst into the hall. He wore the Witcher badge of the Griffin School and was the chief.

"Why is this old griffin here?"

"Even Hamed is no match for him."

"The chief witcher is indeed an outstanding warrior."

The old griffin gripped the sword hilt and said, “Your Majesties, Earls and Warriors, the slave before you is Prince Alfred, a prince of the Wessex Empire.”

"The Griffin School has been entrusted by someone, and I wish to take him away today. However, as the guardians of the three laws of the world, I vaguely recall that His Majesty Ragnar once promised the Law of the Unexpected in his youth..."

The old griffin recounted the events of that year in detail.

Jiang He tore apart the ribs with his hands, listening patiently. Fate does indeed have power, and authority is the best proof. Alfred, as a child of destiny, will gain dual legitimacy from both the Continent of Truth and the North by marrying Brunhilde. It is possible that he will become the Emperor of Wessex in the future.

King Ragnar interrupted, "Am I to allow my daughter, a Viking, to marry a weak nobleman from the Continent of Truth? Is this Odin's oracle? Impossible!"

"Impossible!" King Halder shouted as well.

“Impossible.” The counts all objected; the Vikings shared the same stance on despising the Nobles of Truth.

"Kill him! A heretic who intrudes into the banquet has no right to go to Valhalla in a duel!" King Ragnar coldly ordered.

Bjorn grinned and led his warriors forward, showing no fear even when facing the world's best witchers.

But in the next moment, a gale like an icy storm descended, shattering the tables and chairs in the hall. Almost all the Viking nobles present, including the great warrior, were thrown to the ground, their candles went out, and the gale pressed Ragnar and the others to the ground, unable to move an inch.

"You must not disobey."

"This is the power of the law of surprise."

The old griffin shouted in the dim light, "Promises made will be kept, and broken promises will be forbidden. Alfred and Brunhilde are destined to be husband and wife, and no one can break that promise!"

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, a man and a woman slowly walked towards each other.

King Ragnar looked at Jiang He, who was sitting calmly as usual, and said in a low voice, "Your Excellency... seems to be unafraid of this power."

(End of this chapter)