Chapter 111 Three days of slumber
After the grand celebration in the Hall of Valor of Sovngarde finally began to die down, the once thunderous hall slowly settled into a calmer atmosphere. The echoes of laughter, clashing mugs, and heroic songs still lingered faintly in the air. Some warriors continued drinking, while others had already slumped over the long wooden tables in drunken exhaustion.
Amid the fading noise, Alex quietly walked toward Astrid.
Astrid was leaning against one of the long banquet tables, a large mug of beer still in her hand. Her posture was relaxed, though her sharp eyes still carried the alertness of a seasoned warrior. She lifted the mug to her lips and took a slow drink.
Alex stopped beside her.
For a moment, he hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck as if weighing how to say what he needed.
"Astrid," he finally said.
Astrid lowered her mug slightly and turned her head toward him, one eyebrow lifting in curiosity.
"Yes?"
Alex exhaled softly before speaking.
"Astrid, I need your protection for three days."
Astrid blinked once, clearly not expecting that request.
Alex continued before she could interrupt.
"During that time… I will be completely unconscious. I'm asking you to guard me while I'm not aware."
Astrid's relaxed expression immediately shifted. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she straightened her posture, the playful atmosphere around her fading into a more serious one.
She studied Alex's face carefully, trying to determine whether he was joking.
"Unconscious?" she repeated slowly.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Is something wrong with your body that will make you pass out like that?"
Her tone wasn't accusatory it carried genuine concern.
Alex scratched his cheek awkwardly, his expression turning slightly reluctant, as if explaining it would be a hassle.
"It's not exactly like that," he said with a small sigh.
He glanced toward the noisy warriors around them before continuing.
"The story is a bit long… but it's part of one of my abilities."
Astrid tilted her head slightly, clearly intrigued.
Alex continued calmly.
"After three days, I'll wake up again. And when I do… I'll be stronger than before."
Astrid stared at him for a moment in silence.
Then she slowly raised her mug again and took a long drink of beer, thinking over his words while the bitter liquid slid down her throat.
When she finished, she wiped the foam from the corner of her lips with the back of her hand.
Finally, she looked back at Alex.
Her gaze was steady, filled with the confident resolve of a Nord warrior who had already made up her mind.
"Well," she said with a small shrug.
"Even though I have absolutely no idea how that strange power of yours works…"
She lightly tapped the side of her mug against the table.
"I'll do my best."
A faint, confident grin appeared on her face.
After all, guarding someone for three days sounded far easier than fighting dragons or waging war and if it was Alex asking, she had no reason to refuse.
Astrid suddenly lifted her head as if remembering something. She slammed her mug down on the wooden table with a loud thud, causing some nearby warriors to glance in her direction.
Then she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted across the noisy hall.
"HEY!!! EMMAA!!"
Her voice echoed through the Hall of Valor, cutting through the sound of drunken laughter and clanking mugs.
Not far away, Emma was slumped lazily against one of the long banquet tables. Several empty mugs surrounded her like fallen soldiers after a battle. Her head rested on one hand while the other loosely held a half-empty mug that tilted dangerously.
Astrid's shout made her flinch.
"Huh ?"
Emma slowly lifted her head, her eyes half-open and unfocused. Her cheeks were flushed red from alcohol.
"Blergh… someone calling me?" she mumbled groggily.
She blinked several times as if trying to force her vision to cooperate. The entire hall seemed to spin slowly around her.
Emma rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand before lazily looking left and right.
After a few seconds, her gaze finally locked onto Astrid.
"Ohhh… it's you," she slurred.
She pushed herself away from the table, but the moment she stood up, her balance betrayed her. Her body swayed like a tree in the wind.
Still, Emma stubbornly began walking toward them though "walking" was perhaps too generous a word. She staggered forward with uneven steps, occasionally bumping into chairs or tables along the way.
Astrid watched the spectacle with a flat expression.
When Emma finally reached them, she leaned slightly forward to steady herself.
Astrid crossed her arms and sighed.
"Jeez… you're still drinking even though you clearly can't handle it anymore."
Emma lazily waved her hand as if brushing the criticism away.
Alex, who had been quietly watching the interaction, couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"Isn't it actually the same for you, Astrid?" he said with an amused smile.
Astrid turned her head sharply toward him.
"You're not that strong with alcohol either."
Astrid immediately placed one hand on her hip and lifted her chin with exaggerated confidence.
"Relax," she said proudly.
She grabbed her mug again and gave it a small shake.
"If I keep drinking regularly, my tolerance will naturally become stronger."
Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
A mischievous smirk slowly formed on his face.
"If that happens," he said calmly, "then you won't feel the fun of drinking beer anymore."
Astrid blinked.
Alex folded his arms and continued casually.
"Isn't the whole point of drinking to get drunk and enjoy the feeling? If your tolerance becomes too high, then beer won't affect you at all."
Astrid froze mid-motion.
Her confident expression slowly crumbled as the logic sank in.
Her eyes widened.
"…Ah."
She looked down at the mug in her hand as if it had suddenly betrayed her.
Then her head snapped back up.
"AH!! That's true!"
Her voice carried genuine shock, as if she had just discovered a terrifying truth about the world.
Emma, who had been swaying beside them the entire time, stared at Astrid's dramatic realization for a moment.
Then she burst into loud, uncontrollable laughter.
"Hahaha !!"
She nearly lost her balance again from laughing too hard and had to grab the edge of the table to steady herself.
"You just realized that now?!" she wheezed between laughs.
Astrid looked both annoyed and embarrassed as Emma continued laughing like a drunken fool.
Then she turned to Emma and asked,
"Emma, do you have a safe place where Alex can sleep for three days?"
Emma, still swaying from the alcohol, found the question strange.
"Huh? Sovngarde is the safest place for Nords. You don't need to worry."
Alex sighed and clarified,
"What Astrid means is a place where my body won't be disturbed by alcohol… or by you people fighting inside the Hall of Valor."
Emma laughed loudly.
"Hahaha, oooh! If that's what you mean, you can sleep at my place if you want. It's not far from here."
Astrid immediately sensed danger after hearing that.
"I think… maybe not your place. Isn't there somewhere else besides your house?"
Emma glanced at Astrid and smirked.
"What, are you jealous that your boyfriend would stay at another woman's house? Besides, I'm sure no other Nord's place is better than mine."
Alex sighed again and said,
"Astrid, it's only three days. I'll be unconscious anyway, so she can't do anything to my body. If necessary, you can stay there too and guard me, right?"
Astrid thought about it carefully before making a decision.
"No. I'll ask other Nords first. Wait here for a moment."
Astrid let out a long breath through her nose before turning away from Alex and Emma.
"Wait here," she said firmly.
Without another word, she began walking deeper into the Hall of Valor.
The hall was still lively despite the celebration winding down. Warriors laughed loudly, mugs slammed against tables, and heroic songs echoed through the wooden hall. A few Nords were already passed out on benches or leaning against pillars, their snores occasionally mixing with the noise.
Astrid approached the first warrior she saw who looked relatively sober.
"Hey," she said, tapping the man's shoulder.
The large Nord turned around, his beard slightly damp with spilled ale.
Astrid briefly explained the situation.
"I need a quiet place where someone can sleep undisturbed for three days."
The warrior scratched his beard and glanced around awkwardly.
"Uh… my house?" he said hesitantly. "Well… my brothers visit often. They tend to drink and argue loudly."
Astrid sighed.
"That won't work."
She moved on to another Nord.
The second man laughed loudly before shaking his head.
"My place? Impossible! My wife would kill me if I brought strangers home especially someone who's unconscious for three days!"
Astrid pinched the bridge of her nose.
She tried again.
The third Nord listened carefully but then rubbed the back of his head.
"My house is next to the training grounds," he said apologetically. "You'll hear swords clashing from sunrise to sunset."
Astrid's shoulders slowly slumped.
One after another, she asked several people. Each time, the answer was the same hesitation, excuses, or outright refusal. Either their homes were too noisy, too crowded, or simply unsuitable.
After a while, Astrid finally stopped asking.
She stood still for a moment in the middle of the hall, staring blankly at the floor as the sounds of drunken laughter echoed around her.
"…Ugh."
She dragged a hand down her face in frustration.
With heavy steps, she walked back toward Alex and Emma.
When she reached them, her expression looked noticeably gloomier than before.
Emma immediately noticed and raised an eyebrow with a crooked smile.
"Well? Found a place?" she asked lazily.
Astrid crossed her arms tightly, clearly annoyed.
"…No."
She let out a frustrated groan.
"Uugh… fine."
Astrid reluctantly turned her head toward Emma.
"I'll allow Alex to stay at your house."
Emma's grin slowly widened.
But before she could celebrate, Astrid stepped forward slightly, her sharp eyes locking directly onto Emma's.
Her gaze suddenly turned cold and serious.
"But listen carefully."
She pointed a finger straight at Emma's chest.
"If you touch Alex even a little…"
Her voice dropped into a dangerous tone.
"…this won't just end with a fight between us."
Astrid's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Your life will be on the line."
For a brief moment, the atmosphere around them grew tense.
Emma stared at Astrid in silence.
Then
"Hic…"
Emma suddenly hiccupped.
A goofy grin spread across her flushed face as she leaned slightly closer.
"I'm ready anytime, baby," she said with a drunken chuckle.
Astrid's eyelid twitched.
Alex could only sigh quietly as the two women glared at each other.
Eventually, the three of them left the Hall of Valor together.
The night air outside Sovngarde felt calm and refreshing compared to the noisy hall. The golden glow of the sky illuminated the land in an eternal twilight.
However, walking turned out to be more troublesome than expected.
Emma, who had insisted on leading the way, could barely walk straight.
"Hic… this way… I think," Emma mumbled while pointing forward.
She took two steps then nearly tripped over her own feet.
Astrid quickly grabbed her arm before she could fall.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
Emma leaned heavily against Astrid, her body swaying.
"I'm fiiiine," Emma slurred.
"You're not fine," Astrid snapped.
At this point, Astrid had no choice but to support Emma while walking. One of Emma's arms was draped over Astrid's shoulder as they slowly made their way through the quiet paths of Sovngarde.
Meanwhile, Alex followed behind them with a slightly amused expression.
The situation looked absurd Astrid practically dragging a drunken Emma while the supposed "guest" calmly walked behind them.
After several minutes of slow walking and occasional stumbling, Emma suddenly raised her hand and pointed forward.
"Hic… there!"
Astrid looked up.
In front of them stood a sturdy wooden house. It wasn't extravagant, but it was well-built and surprisingly spacious compared to most Nord homes nearby.
Eventually, they arrived at Emma's house.
"Wow. For someone like you, your house is pretty decent. Two floors too. Did you build it yourself?" Astrid asked.
Emma, still being supported, replied proudly,
"Hic… of course! That's me Emma, the best! Hehe… hic."
They entered the house, and Emma said,
"Hic… okay Alex, come to my bedroom."
Astrid immediately felt annoyed when she heard that. Then she noticed a large sofa in the living room.
Alex was about to say something.
"Alright "
But Astrid cut him off.
"No need. This sofa looks comfortable enough, so Alex doesn't need to go to your bedroom."
She glared sharply at Emma.
"Jeez… alright, barbarian woman," Emma said with a drunken shrug. "Hic… I won't steal your boyfriend."
Alex then lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes. Soon, he fell asleep.
Astrid was curious whether Alex had really told the truth about being unconscious for three days. She gently shook his body, but there was no response. She then checked his breathing it was still normal.
"Okay… so I just have to wait for three days," she muttered.
Emma looked at Astrid and asked,
"So what are you going to do for three days?"
Astrid sat beside Alex and stretched her legs out lazily.
"I don't know," she said.
She yawned.
"A lot happened today, and I'm a little tired. Maybe I'll sleep for a while."