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The moment they saw Frigga walking downstairs, Brunhild and Ragnar went to greet her happily, their faces lighting up with pure relief.
"Mom! I'm glad you're alright. Is there anything else that hurts?" Brunhild asked, genuine concern in her voice. "My Healing Magic has improved a lot, so I can help with anything I can...!"
"It's fine, baby. I've recovered just alright," Frigga said with a soft smile, her voice still a little weak but steady. "Ragnar, just what happened here—"
"My beautiful Frigga! You don't know how worried I was about you! I love you, my dear! You're the light of my life! You're the meaning of my life!"
Ragnar didn't even give her time to react. He ran toward her at full speed, hugging her tightly, lifting her up into the air, and kissing her all over her face with overflowing affection.
"Uuugh! R-Ragnar, stop saying such weird things and let go of me! I am still not completely alright. I'm tired, and you— you changed, didn't you?"
Ragnar gasped but still didn't let go of her. His eyes looked elsewhere for a moment, as if trying not to meet her gaze directly, yet they kept returning to her face with deep emotion.
"He's not saying anything! Just what the hell happened while I slept?" Frigga asked, growing more impatient. "L-Let go of me already, Ragnar!" she said angrily, clenching her teeth and hitting his head constantly with her fists. "Ugh? Wow, you're tougher than rocks now. What the hell happened to you?"
"Heheh, you can now beat me all you want, but I will not let go of you," Ragnar smiled warmly, hugging her even closer and kissing her cheeks repeatedly.
"Nngh..." Frigga groaned. Although she looked annoyed on the surface, she was blushing deeply and clearly enjoying his affection. "Brunhild!"
"A-Ah, right..." Brunhild muttered, feeling a bit awkward. "Um, well, it's a long story, so let's sit down. I'll make you something to eat, mom, dad..."
Brunhild guided them carefully to the kitchen. As she started reheating the stew she had made earlier with Sigrid, she glanced over and saw her mother crossing her arms all angrily, yet still sitting comfortably on her father's lap. Ragnar hugged her belly gently and rested his head on her shoulder. The two of them whispered to each other lovingly, exchanging soft kisses as if they were still a young couple in the early days of their relationship.
Their daughter couldn't help but feel that they were really adorable together. Even after all these years, she was glad they still loved each other as much as they did at the beginning of their relationship.
"Does your head not hurt, baby?" he asked softly.
"I'm fine. Don't call me baby!" Frigga hissed, though her tone lacked real anger.
"But you're my baby wife," Ragnar said with a playful grin, kissing her cheek once more.
"S-Stop being so corny!" she said angrily, smacking his face repeatedly. Aside from his cheeks growing redder from the impacts, he didn't seem bothered at all.
"Heheh, the slaps of a wife mean she loves you, right?" he laughed heartily, kissing the top of her head fondly.
Indeed, it was part of the culture of barbarians to be rough and show affection, comradeship, and love through physical contact and combat. Wives were known for being temperamental most of the time, and they would show they loved their husbands when they got angry at them for getting into danger or something similar, by slapping them in the face or hitting them in the head.
Males in the tribe were almost always huge, hulking masses of muscle, so it wasn't like it hurt them that much. It was something that only a culture built around incredibly physically gifted people could form and maintain over generations.
After Brunhild served them plenty of the steaming stew, both finally separated and ate happily, refilling their energies with every satisfying bite.
"Wow, this stew's amazing. You made it with what, exactly?" asked Frigga, looking impressed.
"I hope it's not vampire meat..." Ragnar sighed with a slightly worried expression.
"It's not vampire meat!" said Brunhild firmly. "It has meat from various creatures we've hunted on the surface. Just eat and shut up."
After they had their fill and felt their strength returning, Brunhild and Ragnar explained everything that had happened to Frigga in careful detail.
"I see..." Frigga gasped, her eyes widening as the full weight of their words sank in. "Oh dear... I-I had no idea you... you went through so much... Idiot! Why did you risk your life like that?! The least I would want is for my dumb husband to die over his weak wife!"
"You're not weak...!" Ragnar said firmly, his voice full of conviction. "And I did what any man should do: protect their wife and their kids! There's nothing wrong with that!"
"But what if we both died?! The kids would've been left with nothing!" she protested.
"That's... But I still... I still... I would give my life for you, Frigga," Ragnar said, holding her hands gently in his much larger ones. "I love you more than anything..."
Frigga was completely paralyzed for a moment, blushing brightly as her eyes widened. Her hands trembled slightly in his grasp. "Y-You idiot! You also have to love the kids even more than me!"
"I-I do. I mean, I love them equally, but... it's a different love!" he said, struggling a little to explain. "I... it's hard, I guess... I just... don't want to lose you. I don't know what I would become if I did."
"..." Frigga let out a long sigh, looking at Ragnar with softened eyes, and then smiling lightly. "I love you too, papa bear..." She leaned closer, and both shared a deep, passionate kiss while hugging tightly.
Brunhild blushed a little as she saw them all lovey-dovey right there in the kitchen.
"Ahem!"
But she had to interrupt them. They couldn't just start making out right in front of their young daughter, right?
"Okay, that's enough," she sighed, trying to sound firm. "I think Magnus and Astrid are awake. Ah, there they are! Hi!"
"G-Good morning... ugh," Astrid groaned, rubbing her eyes as she entered the room. "How long did we sleep?"
"For a while, I think," Magnus said, carefully carrying Krarlak in his arms.
The baby greeted Brunhild with a cheerful wave of his little hand. "Brun!"
"Looks like everyone's awake," said Brunhild with a warm smile. "Well, did you see if Ulf and Kara are still asleep?"
"They were still sleeping," said Astrid, stretching her arms.
"I'll go wake them up," Brunhild said as she walked upstairs without delay.
She found them sleeping soundly in their beds, but she stirred them awake patiently until they finally opened their eyes.
"Ugh! What?!" Ulf screamed in surprise.
"Stop screaming..." Kara sighed, covering her ears.
"You two, let's go downstairs. You've slept enough. Aren't you hungry?" Brunhild asked kindly.
"...We are!" they said at the same time after feeling their stomachs completely empty and growling loudly.
As they walked downstairs together, Sigrid, who had just woken up from her long nap, also accompanied them with a refreshed expression.
"Looks like everyone's finally awake," said Sigrid, relieved.
"Yeah!" Brunhild nodded firmly. "Let's eat together, get our equipment ready, do some warm-up, and then we should probably continue. The more time we take, the longer whatever is down there will have to do whatever it's trying to do..."
Thus, after explaining everything that happened to everyone while enjoying a big and hearty meal, Brunhild carefully explained to her parents what could be really happening down there, and the serious danger that awaited them all.
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