Chapter 60

"...I don't remember how many, but I know I've killed many. I've been fighting in battlefields ever since I was 5 or 6. I've even participated in the Denmark army's invasion of England. I used to be a warrior. Do you scorn me, Einar?"

- Thorfinn

His First Friend (最初の友達, Saisho no Tomodachi) is the 60th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Pater tends to Thorfinn's wounds while Einar watches and talks with Pater about what happened. Pater gives medicine to them for free saying it is his duty to take care of them and he offers Thorfinn his shirt because Thorfinn's is full of holes now after the fight. Thorfinn accepts, but Einar is quite annoyed because he doesn't even say "thank you" to Pater. After that the two of them go into the forest to continue cutting down the trees. Einar, remembering seeing Thorfinn's movements when he dodged Snake's attack, asks Thorfinn if he ever fought on a battlefield before. Thorfinn confesses to his past as a warrior. Later on that night, while Thorfinn is sleeping, Einar is lying and thinking about what he heard that day. He stands up and walks over to Thorfinn with his fist clenched, but then gets taken aback when he sees Thorfinn whimpering in his sleep. He wakes him up and tells him he was having a nightmare again. Thorfinn asks Einar why he wakes him up whenever he has nightmares. Einar explains to him that that's because two of them are friends. Thorfinn is at first confused by this statement, and Einer gets embaressed for his lack of response, but Thorfinn eventually says thanks prompting Einar to bashfully reply how slow Thorfinn is.

Summary
The chapter starts at Pater's house where he is tending to Thorfinn's wounds he got from Fox and Snake. He tells Thorfinn his wounds aren't serious except for the one on his ear Fox made when he cut the upper part of it. Pater also mentions how unlucky Einar and Thorfinn are for being victims of mercenaries' bad jokes. Einar thinks that these can hardly be called jokes and tells Pater he and Thorfinn could have been killed. Pater concludes that the important thing is that two of them are alive and returns to treating Thorfinn's wound with an ointment. Einar starts to say that they can't afford medicine, but Pater stops him and says it is his job to take care of them so they don't have to worry about the cost. Einer says thanks and Pater mentions how he should say it to Arnheid too, since she was the one who called for Pater to tell him what happened. Einar is moved by her gesture and tearfully thinks of how sweet she is. Pater tells Thorfinn and Einar they should rest today and he will go and tell that to Ketil. Before he goes he offers Thorfinn his shirt since his old one is full of holes now. Thorfinn looks surprised by this gesture and doesn't respond back. Einar gets annoyed by his lack of propriety and pushes him to say at least thank you. Pater laughs at this and says that it's fine, since he knows that Thorfinn is more of a silent type. Thorfinn wordlessly looks at his new shirt, puts it on and then starts to go in the direction of the forest. Einar reminds him that Pater told him they can take a break today, but Thorfinn says his wounds are nothing and continues walking. Seeing this Einar rubs the back of his head in annoyance but starts going after him and calls to Thorfinn to say he will go with him too. In the forest we see Thorfinn cutting down a tree, while Einar watches him pensively from a distance. He remembers how Thorfinn dodged Snake's attack and realizes that Thorfinn can't be just an ordinary guy. He asks him if he ever fought on a battlefield. Thorfinn stops cutting the tree for a moment but then resumes while saying that he was. Einar looks aware of where this conversation may lead but still decides to continue with his questions. He asks Thorfinn if he ever killed someone and Thorfinn responds affirmatively, all while still cutting the tree and not looking directly at Einar. Einar asks how many people he had killed and makes some reluctant guesses, all way lower than the actual number of people Thorfinn has killed. Thorfinn continues working and doesn't answer Einar's question but poses his own instead. He asks what would knowing that do for Einar and doesn't he hate wars. Einar stays silent while the tree Thorfinn has been cutting falls to the ground. Thorfinn waits for a moment looking at the fallen tree and then tells Einar he doesn't know the number of people he killed but he knows he killed many. He says he was in war since the age of six and participated in the Denmark's army invasion of England. He then turns to look at Einar finally admitting he was a warrior and asks him if he scorns him now. Einar, who was tensly looking at him up until this point, doesn't say anything except for lowering his gaze and looking conflicted. Later that night Thorfinn and Einar are in the barn lying on their straw beds. Thorfinn is sleeping, but Einar is awake thinking about what Thorfinn told him that day. He remembers how war took away everything he had and how much he hates those who fight in it. He then stands up and menacingly approaches Thorfinn's sleeping figure. He looks at him with anger and hate and his fist clenches and starts shaking. Suddenly he is startled by the noises Thorfinn makes in his sleep, sounding like he is in some sort of agony. Seeing this Einar calms down, reminding himself that it's not Thorfinn who killed his family, and looks at him with a sense of pity. He gets down and wakes up Thorfinn, who jumps clearly startled and scared. Einar tells him that he was having a nightmare and then goes back to his bed to lie down. Thorfinn looks at Einar pensively and asks him why he wakes him up every time he has a nightmare. Einar is at first confused by this question but seeing Thorfinn's face he realizes that Thorfinn isn't used to being treated nicely by other people and that's the reason why this is so strange for him. Einar sits up, clears his throat and tells Thorfinn that he does so because two of them are friends. Thorfinn stares at him for a moment and then as if he didn't understand what Einar said just now says "what?". Einar gets embarassed by Thorfinn's cluelessness and annoyedly yells at him, insecurely pushing Thorfinn to confirm his statement that the two of them are indeed friends. Thorfinn says that's not the problem, but his confusion stems from him failing to see how that answers his original question. Einar bashfully lies down and turns away from Thorfinn saying that it doesn't matter, Thorfinn should have just said thanks. Thorfinn silently looks at Einar deeply thinking about something and then finally says "thanks, Einar." Still annoyed, but also embaressed to respond affectionately, Einar just tells him he's slow.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Einar
 * Thorfinn
 * Pater
 * Arnheid