Chapter 58

"You didn't do anything wrong, we know. It's just that your life isn't something that's yours anymore. What the master does with what he owns is his business, right?"

- Fox

The Men You're Allowed to Kill (殺してもいい人間, Koroshite moī Ningen) is the 58th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Einar wakes up Thorfinn when the latter screams in his sleep; Thorfinn cannot remember his dream, but feels like it is something he should not forget. The pair go to the well to wash their faces and see the blond woman who they'd seen with Ketil. Einar is immediately flustered by her presence, getting further bashful when she compliments his face. She introduces herself as Arnheid, another slave and Ketil's personal maid. Fox and Badger arrive and tell Thorfinn and Einar to come with them. They are brought to the fortress, where Einar is surprised to see Olmar holding up a sword. Einar is shocked they'll be killed for no reason; Fox says that their life is not theirs, but the master's. Einar replies that there'll be consequences for their deaths, as they belong to Ketil, not Olmar. Fox goads the hesitating Olmar to kill them, starting with Einar. Einar knocks Olmar down and yells at Thorfinn to run away and alert Ketil. Seemingly unbothered by the situation, Thorfinn calmly tells the men to let Einar get back to work and to cut him down instead.

Summary
Einar wakes up hungry after sleeping well. He stretches as he gets ready for another day of harvesting wheat. As he relieves his bladder and thinks of what needs to be done on the farm next, he’s startled by Thorfinn’s sudden screams and runs back into the barn to ask him what’s wrong. He shakes Thorfinn awake until he wakes up, gasping, and tells him he was having a bad nightmare. When Einar asks him what kind of dream it was, Thorfinn wonders, as he can’t remember. The pair leave the barn and Einar tells Thorfinn to go wash his face, and that it’s best to leave a hard-to-remember dream be forgotten. As they approach the well, Einar is startled to see the blond woman he had previously seen with Ketil washing her face. She tells him good morning and he clumsily says it back. She tells them to go ahead if they’re there to wash their faces, as she’s finished. Einar tells her to take her time as it doesn’t matter if he washes a face like his. Amused, she tells him she thinks he has a wonderful face. Einar gets very flustered and she asks him if he's feeling sick; he replies that it's just his heart, which worries her further. During their interaction, Thorfinn washes his face at the well and wonders why his heart is beating so fast. He ponders on the feeling that there is something about his dream he shouldn't forget. The woman introduces herself to Einar as Arnheid and asks him if he's the one who recently arrived at the farm. Einar confirms and tells her he's from England; Arnheid is surprised, as she assumed from his excellent Norse that he was Nordic like her. Einar explains that his hometown's ancestors were all Nordics and that everyone in his village thus spoke both English and Norse. He politely notes he's surprised Arnheid could understand him despite his thick accent. Arnheid is startled by his politeness and clarifies her status as a slave. Einar had assumed she was the master's daughter, but Arnheid is Ketil's personal maid. Fox and Badger arrive on horseback. Fox asks if the slaves are discussing escape plans and asks who Thorfinn is. Thorfinn tells him his name, while Badger asks Einar if he's a slave too, as he doesn't recognize him. Einar states his name and tells him he just started working at the farm. Fox tells Thorfinn and Einar to come with him. They follow; Einar remarks it looks like it'll be a busy morning, and discretely asks Thorfinn who the men are, as they're carrying swords and could be dangerous. Thorfinn tells him they are "guests", bodyguards who live at the farm to keep it safe. Einar wonders if they'll have them do something difficult, and gets giddy thinking about Arnheid complimenting his face. Fox asks him what has him so happy and Einar replies that it's nothing. Fox, smiling, says Einar and Thorfinn look perfect for the job. They arrive at the fortress and Einar is visibly shocked to see Olmar holding up a sword. Fox instructs Olmar to go swing at them and mimics the sword's motion with his arm. He tells him to start with Einar. Incensed, Einar yells asking if they are joking and why they'd have to die like that when they've done nothing wrong. Fox replies that he knows, but that their life isn't theirs and that what the master does with his belongings is his own business. He goes as far as to say they should consider it an honour to be cut down by the young master. Einar calls them bastards and says they belong to Olmar's father, not him, and that there'll be consequences if he kills them. Olmar seems to hesitate and Fox dramatically asks him if he's afraid of his father or of killing someone. Determined, Einar tells Thorfinn to run away and rushes Olmar, knocking him to the ground. Thorfinn doesn't move; Einar asks him what he's doing and tells him to go alert Ketil. Although he hasn't moved, two men cross their swords in front of Thorfinn's face and tell him to stay still and watch. Thorfinn tells them to just cut him down instead. Fox and the men turn to Thorfinn, surprised. Thorfinn tells them they only need one person and asks that they return Einar to work and cut him down instead.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Thorfinn
 * Einar
 * Arnheid
 * Badger
 * Fox
 * Olmar