[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-reborn-king":3,"chapter-the-reborn-king-the-reborn-king-chapter-166":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Reborn King",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1100923,1437,"Chapter 166: Side Story 8: A Cruel Test","the-reborn-king-chapter-166",166,"\u003Cp>Corpses littered the ground. Swinging his sword, Ivar removed the blood from it. Happy. It was all he could feel seeing the sight around him. It was proof of his success. Although it was a weak Jarl he had just beaten, it still was a gift he could offer to his God. \"We have him.\" Two warriors dragged out a muscular man. His beard was burnt and he was drenched in blood. Ivar looked at him with dissatisfaction but did nothing yet. It wasn’t his place to decide his fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We will wait. In the meantime, how are the people being dealt with?\" Ivar asked with a cold voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are rounding them up. Some are fine with a change of hands, even having family who took part in the Great Raid. Other’s not so much.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ivar fell into thought. He wanted everything to be perfect for when Helga arrived. I was the one and only chance he would have to be able to impress her enough to become someone she could rely on. While he was fine serving her from a distance, who didn’t want to be closer to their God? He tried to imagine what she would do and a cruel smile spread on his lips. \"Have those who are willing to serve separated from the others. Have them ready for her arrival, as for the other. Split them from their children and lock them in a store house. Have men guard all exits.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one free warrior nodded and ran off to carry out the orders. Despite Ivar being of the same rank as him, Helga gave him command. To go against him was to question Helga. Finding a nearby bench, Ivar took his seat. He didn’t bother to clean his appearance but made sure to polish his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smoke rising from the town was a welcomed sight for Helga. Taking a step through the opened gates her foot splashed puddles of blood. Bodies littered all over, but it wasn’t a bad sight, in fact, she welcomed it. It meant one less enemy for her. Walking through the streets, heads bowed to her, and eyes full of worship and respect came to her.’Ahhh. It’s truly blissful.’She suppressed the delve in the pleasure and made her way down the road. In the distance she saw Ivar, cleaning his blade. He looked dup and there yes met. Within a second he fell to his knee, refusing to look back up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’What was his name again?’With each step, Helga’s mind spans. She desperately tried to remember it but nothing would come to mind. Once he had offered to lead the mission she had already brushed it off, expecting him to fail without her help.’Oh well. He can tell me again.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lift your head. You may look upon me.\" Her voice was full of arrogance, but it didn’t faze Ivar who happily followed her order. \"Tell me. Is this your gift?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ivar smiled deeply as he shook his head. \"May I?\" He asked politely getting a nod from Helga. Walking off, he went into a small house before coming out with the Jarl of the territory. Pushing him before Helga, Ivar smiled again. \"This man is the leader of these lands.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helag looked at him with disgust. She could see the fury and defiance in his face. \"His head is too high.\" It was a casual remark but Ivar acted quickly on it, kicking the back of his knees as hard as he could. It surprised her but made her opinion of Ivar rise. It made her want to test him. \"It’s still too high.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ivar once again didn’t hesitate. Looking down at the kneeling man, he raised his foot and brought it down on the back of his head as hard as he could. The force he struck the ground caused cracking sounds, and Helga could tell he must have broken his nose. \"Good.\" She clapped her hands playfully and looked back to Ivar. \"Where are the people?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We have split them. Those who know the truth and the others.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Take me to them.\" To Helga’s order, Ivar looked down at the Jarl. \"ah. He is useless. Get rid of him.\" It was all he wanted to hear, and Ivar made quick work. Grabbing him by the hair, he lifted his chest up and trusted his sword through the man’s back, into his heart. Dropping the body he wiped his blade before taking Helga to a large storeroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The non-believers are in there.\" Helga nodded and walked forward. Opening the door she saw all their faces. Men and women, all with frightful faces. She watched them for a couple of seconds with a cruel smile before closing the door again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see the children aren’t with them.\" Ivar could hear the disappointment in her voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They can still learn the truth so we pulled them aside. Well, those young enough to be taught.\" She only nodded in understanding before looking back at the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few minutes of deep thought her smile flashed cruelly once more. \"Lock the doors. Kill all of them.\" Helga stood back and watched. It was the true test for Ivar. To kill warriors was one thing, this was another. She expected some hesitation. Others had and those brave others would ask her to repeat herself. Yet she saw something different in his eyes. It was a deep fanaticism. He didn’t even wait for a second to digest the order and moved quickly as if he had been waiting for the chance to do it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All of you lock the doors.\" Ivar gave the command as he walked around. Going to a nearby stable he got piles of hay and spread it around the storehouse. As if dissatisfied, he looked around in a couple of houses. With numerous jugs and bottles of alcohol, he spread it over the sides of the building and hay. With one final nod, as if happy with his work, he picked up a torch and went around setting alight to the hay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finishing up he threw it on the roof before grabbing two more and throwing them. Only when he was happy did he step back and take his place behind Helga to watch. In minutes screams and cries from the panicked people erupted. If one listened closely they could hear the sound of scratching as they tried to claw their way through the wood. Taking a peek behind her, she looked to see if Ivar was fazed but to her surprise his eyes were natural, watching the flames rise and screams get louder. She couldn’t suppress her smile as she spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kneel.\" To her words. Ivar turned to face her and fell quickly. \"In an age where the presence of the God had weakened, very few hold the level of faith they should for them. But you have proven yourself a true believer.\" She reached down and grabbed his chin forcing him to look in her eyes. \"But you. You understand true divinity. You recognize the authority of the Gods, of me. So as a thank you for your gift, I offer you this land. Serve me well, and the Gods will open the halls for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her hand removed, Ivar’s head fell deeply with respect. \"I, Ivar Holgersson, offer undying loyalty. Until the day I die.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Ivar. That was his name.’It came back to her but she pushed it aside as she smiled, looking down at him. The scream in the background was no longer the subject of her happiness as she saw the submissive display in front of her. \"Good.\" It was all she could say as she turned back to the raging fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alfred,\" Isra called out from the bed to Alfred who finished up his work. He turned back and flashed a soft smile dropping the pen in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sorry. I know it’s late. I’ll leave it for tomorrow.\" He looked out the window at the dark sky before blowing out the candle. It felt like his workload had increased dramatically recently. Even in the dark, he could see Isra’s face clearly, especially the conflict in her eyes. \"What’s wrong?\" He asked softly as he got under the cover. Grabbing her gently he touched his forehead against hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sure Abu came to you with his worries about Edward.\" Alfred sighed at her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. I understand where he is coming from but it’s one of those situations where I’m not too sure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you think?\" He could hear the deep worry in her voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know. Edward isn’t like normal children.\" He could see Isra wanted to speak but stopped her quickly. \"I’m... I’m scared to send him to school. I can’t believe I’m saying it but I am. You and me both know that a child like him would have been at best abandoned by his parents and at worst, killed at birth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m scared if he goes to school, he will suffer greatly for it. If he falls in love with someone but is rejected because of his legs, it could break him. I already wonder if he will be bullied but I think rejection would hurt him more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isra lay in silence. She reached out and gently stroked Alfred’s cheek. \"He doesn’t have to go. We can teach him privately.\" It was something Alfred had thought about, but eventually shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can’t. He needs to be treated like a normal child. I want him to be treated like one. If we lock him up because of these fears, he will never be able to take my place. He’s different from us Isra. He will suffer his whole life. It’s something I have prepared myself for. Even if others look down and belittle him for his disability, we can’t. We have to let him feel normal. Protect him when it’s needed. But if we treat him like fragile glass, he won’t only be a weak leader in the future, but he may grow to despise us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isra looked away and she clenched her teeth in frustration. \"Why did this have to happen, Alfred? Why him?\" Tears fell from her eyes and Alfred could hear the heartbreak in her voice. \"Why couldn’t he be born healthy ?\" She paused and her breathing became quicker. \"It’s not fair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking her into his arms, he felt his chest go wet as the tears flooded from her eyes. All he could do was gently stroke the back of her head. He didn’t have the answers. He could tell how long Isra had held this in and Abu’s question finally broke her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"it’s not.\" Alfred quietly muttered as he closed his eyes. In the back of his mind, he asked the same questions.’Why Edward? Was it punishment for what he had done or was the world simply a cruel place.’\u003C\u002Fp>",1822,"2026-06-03T11:17:48.775Z","2026-06-03T11:17:51.400Z",1,"novelbin.me","a4f2bfa9cf438f9a0deec6c26746d72450179c7b0f95789895efef16e0e17c40","the-reborn-king-chapter-167","the-reborn-king-chapter-165",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-reborn-king-cover.jpg"]