Chapter 60: His First Friend

At Pater's home, the freed servant dresses the cuts Fox and Snake left on Thorfinn, judging them minor apart from the sliced ear, and pities the pair for falling victim to mercenaries' cruel amusement. When Einar frets that they cannot pay for medicine, Pater waves off the cost as part of his duty to look after them. Einar adds that they owe thanks to Arnheid, who alerted Pater to what happened. As they leave, Pater hands Thorfinn a new shirt to replace his shredded one; the silent, ungracious response annoys Einar, but Pater laughs it off, understanding Thorfinn keeps to himself. Ignoring the advice to rest, Thorfinn heads back to the forest, and Einar follows.

Recalling how smoothly Thorfinn evaded Snake's blade, Einar concludes his partner is no ordinary laborer and asks whether he has fought on a battlefield. Thorfinn admits he has, and that he has killed. Einar guesses at a number, each attempt far below the truth. Thorfinn, still swinging his axe without meeting Einar's eyes, says he has lost count but the dead are many, that he was fighting from around the age of six and took part in the Danish invasion of England. He asks whether Einar now holds him in contempt, and Einar looks torn.

That night in the barn, Einar broods over the revelation. Remembering how war stripped everything from him, he approaches the sleeping Thorfinn with a clenched fist, only to be stopped by the man's frightened whimpering. Reminding himself that Thorfinn did not kill his family, he wakes him, tells him it was another nightmare, and lies back down. Thorfinn asks why Einar rouses him every time. Realizing Thorfinn is unused to kindness, Einar answers that it is because they are friends. Thorfinn does not understand, and an embarrassed Einar snaps that a simple thank you would have sufficed, prompting a belated word of gratitude.

Pater treats Thorfinn's injuries for free and gives him a replacement shirt. Einar, noticing Thorfinn's evasive skill against Snake, presses him about his past, and Thorfinn confesses he was a warrior from childhood who killed countless men in the Danish invasion of England. That night Einar, torn by his hatred of soldiers, chooses to wake Thorfinn from a nightmare and declares the two of them friends, drawing out a rare thank you.

The sixtieth chapter continues the Slave Arc within Volume 9 and was adapted in Episode 28. Its epigraph comes from Thorfinn as he lays bare his history of killing and asks whether Einar will scorn him for it.