In early October, Leonard traveled to Londonium and admitted that he had been negligent in supervising his subordinates. Vig did not pursue the matter aggressively. He exiled the steward and factory manager, ordered Leonard to compensate the investors, and the entire scandal faded away in a rather muddled conclusion.
For most of the next half month, Vig devoted all his energy to receiving nobles who came to pay homage. He listened to their petitions, mediated disputes, and hosted nightly banquets so they could eat and drink to their hearts' content.
News from the New World
On October 15, a battered sailing ship docked at the Thames wharf. The captain rushed excitedly to the palace and delivered a letter from Bjorn.
"Your Majesty, the expedition succeeded—we have discovered a vast new continent."
Vig leaned forward slightly in his seat, examining the animal furs the sailors displayed. Then they presented several unfamiliar crops. Vig rose from the throne and walked closer, gently touching objects that existed deep within his memory:
corn
beans
squash
Seeing the king's intense interest, the captain quickly explained:
"These are the natives' staple crops. They plant them together in what they call the Three Sisters method. This plant—corn—grows the tallest. The beans climb the corn stalks. And the squash spreads along the ground below. The men tasted them—they're quite good."
The captain, named Torir, then produced a sea chart and recounted the expedition.
Discovery of Vinland
In March of that year, Bjorn had again sailed from Greenland aboard a new-style vessel. With the help of steady north winds lasting five days, the ship unexpectedly reached a lush, unfamiliar land. Bjorn named it Vinland.
Greenland lacked timber, so Bjorn established a logging camp there as a future source of wood. During the stay, he encountered the local indigenous people.
Remembering the painful lessons from the first Greenland landing, Bjorn acted cautiously this time. He did not rush into contact. Instead, he ordered his crew to:
build wooden palisades
dig defensive ditches
Once defenses were complete, he gradually began trading with the natives—using small knives and strong liquor to purchase food.
In May, when the winds turned favorable, Bjorn returned to Greenland, gathered two additional twin-masted ships, and transported 200 settlers to Vinland.
He planned to establish a permanent settlement there. Compared with Greenland, Vinland lay farther south, with a much milder winter climate. Moreover, its rivers teemed with beavers. By offering liquor and knives, the Vikings could easily acquire large quantities of valuable pelts.
To develop this enterprise, Bjorn remained in Vinland through the winter and sent a trusted assistant back to Britannia to sell furs and purchase more ships and supplies.
Market Reaction
News of the New World spread quickly.
The share price of the West Sea Fur Company skyrocketed. Within five days, its market value doubled to an astonishing 50,000 pounds—and continued rising.
An Unexpected Visitor
At the end of October, an unexpected guest requested an audience.
"Salomon?"
With a reminder from an attendant, Vig recalled events in Brittany years earlier. Back then, Ragnar had sent him west with thousands of men to stir rebellion. After capturing Rennes, the region's largest settlement, Vig had selected a noble named Salomon to lead the rebels.
Many years had passed—yet the man was still alive.
Looking at the aging figure before him, now past fifty, accompanied by a dozen thin followers, Vig sighed. It was nearly noon, so he ordered servants to bring a long table into the hall and invited the Bretons to dine.
"Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty."
A Feast of Hunger
Salomon sat down eagerly. Ignoring the silver utensils, he grabbed a piece of steaming roast boar with his bare hands. Grease ran between his fingers as he tore into the meat, chewing loudly in the solemn hall.
After licking the fat from his fingers, he seized another rib of roasted venison. When the meat was gone, he snapped the bone and sucked out the marrow.
"Pour me another cup of this sweet wine… glug, glug… ahh—one more!"
After downing two large cups of cane wine, he reached for a lamprey pie.
"Pepper!" he mumbled through mouthfuls of food. "Ha! Seven whole years—I almost forgot the taste of this spice."
His followers behaved no better, scrambling for dishes on the table. Palace servants continued serving food and clearing plates with professional calm, though faint expressions of disdain flickered at the corners of their mouths.
Vig remained seated on his throne, accustomed to such scenes. His face showed neither anger nor pity—only a stillness like carved marble.
Salomon's Plea
Once fed and satisfied, Salomon tearfully recounted his hardships.
After the Viking army withdrew, Charles the Bald regained strength and sent troops to reconquer Brittany. Salomon fled back into the mountains.
For seven years, he survived on aid from local gentry, never launching another rebellion and narrowly avoiding Frankish patrols. Last year, two of his benefactors died, leaving him without support. With no other options, he gathered his relatives, crossed the sea northward, and sought help from Vig.
Vig responded calmly:
"I understand. After the meal, officials will question you about local conditions. Later, I will send investigators to Brittany to verify the situation."
He made no promises—nor would he launch a war against Western Europe's strongest power over such a minor matter. In truth, he was not the same kind of man as Ragnar.
Hearing this measured reply, Salomon looked disappointed. To ease the awkwardness, he changed the subject, mentioning the widely rumored New World.
"If we cannot overthrow Frankish tyranny, perhaps we should migrate there instead."
The Reality of Distance
"No," Vig said. "That idea is unrealistic."
Drawing on Bjorn's reports, he explained the harsh reality.
The current route to Vinland was as follows:
Depart Londonium
Sail north along the coast
Stop at the Faroe Islands
Continue to Iceland
Reach Greenland
Then sail south to Vinland (Canada)
Total travel time: 2–3 months.
Because of the long distance, ships could carry only 60–80 settlers at a time—an extremely inefficient migration method.
In Vig's memory of later maritime history, a more practical route would eventually be discovered:
sailing south to catch the trade winds and the North Equatorial Current to cross the Atlantic.
But that route had not yet been explored.
For now, Bjorn would have to endure the harsh northern passage, moving settlers slowly—like ants carrying grains—while gradually expanding his fur trade.
After a long pause, Vig delivered his conclusion:
"For our generation, developing the New World will remain a distant undertaking—
one that must be left to our descendants."
—------------------------------
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