CH-11

Rollo was full of questions, but since he didn't want to come out as some weirdo, he could only stick to asking basic ones.

Still, he discovered some fascinating things during his lunch with Ingrid. About the subjects he was most curious about.

Aslaug lost her parents, but it seems she wasn't alone in this world; she had a relative named Frida.

She was a volva, or seeress, just like the witch, and occasionally she would get visions and make predictions.

According to what Ingrid said and described about her, she also looked very similar to Aslaug.

Both in looks and in personality.

'Odin stated that Ragnar will have his fated sons, regardless of what I do with his women. Could she be related to that?'

'If that is the case, that is great. I also want his sons to be born.'

Rollo wondered.

He had read enough fanfiction, particularly Naruto fanfiction, to recognize this type of trope.

He wasn't interested in a duplicate of Aslaug, so this one was most likely made to be with his brother Ragnar.

Fate was probably treating him and his brother as friends, with a destiny to meet and marry Uzumaki princesses.

He didn't see any other reason for that relative to exist. He didn't believe Odin possessed world-altering powers.

Anyway, it sounded like one of those stories in which the author, who would be shamed by his readers as uninspired and lazy, was concerned that Naruto would not be born if he did not use this type of contrivance-like cleverness.

Looking past that, though, who was more Naruto between Bjorn and Ivar was difficult to determine, still.

Perhaps the equivalent of Naruto in this world had already been born.

Because if Bjorn's inability to care for women and children was the criterion, he was unquestionably Naruto.

Whereas, on the other hand, Ivar liked women too much to be Indra's reincarnation.

He sounded more like people from fanfiction who had been reincarnated as Sasuke or a transformed Sasuke than Sasuke himself.

The same craziness and ruthlessness, Chinese cultivator-like behavior, and less homosexuality than normal Sasuke.

'Wasn't there something about him being unable to get it up most of the time, though?'

'Well… He is not a reincarnator or someone who has been given a cheat to change his life. Just my future nephew.'

'If he really is born, let's hope he is more fortunate in this life.'

Rollo thought in friendly prayers.

To the fertility goddess, Freya.

Rollo was inside his room with Ingrid after purchasing various types of alcohol.

He had stocked up so much that he had surprised her. He had stupefied her with how much he could drink from the start.

It was difficult for people who knew him before and those who would get to know him not to notice how much he could drink.

Something about it wasn't quite right…

When instructed to take a comfortable seat in the room, Ingrid inquired, 

"You're really going to drink all of that today?"

He replied, 

"Yes, I can drink all this, unless you want to help me finish most of it?"

He had bought a full barrel of wine and an entire barrel of mead.

For him, it felt more like medicine than anything else. He could feel the effects of inebriation if he so desired, and he could also get rid of them whenever he wanted.

Alcohol was like a healing potion to him, but he could also use it as a happy poison, depending on his mood and needs.

It could have the same effect as a hangover but without the disastrous consequences, while also reinvigorating him.

"I think I will pass on that generous offer, thank you." 

Ingrid knew when to quit; she had previously attempted to match the drinking pace, but had wisely given up when she realized something was wrong with her manly date's body and drinking capacity.

After more conversation in the room and a few reasonable drinks on her account, Rollo inquired about Princess Frida.

He asked about both Aslaug and Frida to avoid giving Ingrid the impression that he was more preoccupied with one than the other, and to make the question sound more natural.

She had already told him about the dragon-slaying involving the witch's father, so the subject inevitably moved to Frida's bloodline and genealogy.

Frida was Aslaug's distant relative, one generation up, despite their overlapping physical features.

"Princess Frida is the distant aunt of Princess Aslaug; she is related to Aslaug through her mother, Brunhilda."

"You've probably heard of Brunhilda, so there's no need for me to talk about her too much…"

"Frida is not a shield warrior and was born with clairvoyant abilities, unlike most women from her now-dead warrior-like heritage and village."

"Despite their generational differences, both princesses treat each other more like sisters. They look to be exactly the same age, with Aslaug actually being a year older."

Rollo listened and nodded as the slightly sobriety-stricken Frida continued to ramble,

"Unlike their parents and relatives, both princesses prefer to stay away from the field of battle and rely on shield maidens like me for safekeeping. They are the last in their lineage."

"From a noble and virtuous lineage among our Viking nations..."

Frida kept talking and talking until she was done and had little to go on about.

Apparently, Aslaug and Frida were noble princesses; Rollo didn't understand much, but they came from an extinct tribe of people who had accomplished great things, from warrior accomplishments to monster slaying.

Rollo was unsure whether everything was true and unable to tell.

Too lazy to work it out.

If this was even possible.

The way the story of their great and valiant genealogy was told, some of their parents, especially the most prominent ones, seemed to have lived for a very long time.

"..."

Rollo drank slowly and quietly.

When Ingrid had gotten through speaking on the topic and a hushed silence settled in, she switched seats.

She approached Rollo and flirted with him, 

"You're not just going to drink all the time, are you? I thought you invited me here for another reason."

Rollo smirked, 

"And for what reason would that be?"

Ingrid approached closer, her smile widening, sat on the armrest of his seat, and said, brushing her hair, 

"What can a man and a woman do alone in a dingy room at this beautiful hour of day?"

"..."

Rollo didn't need to have a picture drawn.

He set the ale down on the table and grabbed her ass, saying with pleasure, 

"That should be for us to discover, unless you have something to teach me."

XX

Author's Note:

I feel like I might have a pen disease.

This chapter is longer than the previous two, but I'm having trouble writing longer chapters lately.

I'll take a break tomorrow and return with a more fleshed out chapter.