Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 71

Looking at the unfamiliar ceiling, I thought.

The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was this city’s unique gloomy sky, so…

‘This must be a temporary patient tent. There must have been many injured besides me.’

Indeed, looking to the side, I could see beds packed closely together.

I grasped the situation as naturally as breathing.

Inside the quiet tent.

Most of the used beds were empty.

Which meant.

‘Quite some time has passed.’

Therefore, what I had to do was also decided.

First, to check how much time had passed.

Just as I was slowly raising my upper body to avoid startling my muscles, I felt a heavy, foreign sensation in my abdomen.

The moment I realized what it was, I let out a hollow laugh.

‘Where did she go…’

Misha was sleeping, using my stomach as a pillow.

Even making her characteristic purring snore.

It seemed she had stayed by my side to nurse me, which was admirable, but I also wondered if it had any real purpose.

‘Well, she must have been tired too.’

Karui’s priestess, Elisa.

The ordeal in the witch’s forest.

The chase with the Chaos Lord, Liakis.

Considering what we had been through, it was understandable.

But…

“Misha, wake up.”

Right now, my curiosity was the priority, so I shook Misha awake without hesitation.

“Huh? Ugh… B, Bjorn! You’re awake! How’s your body? How is it, are you okay?”

“As you can see, I’m fine.”

My mangled left ankle was moving well, and my torn-off arm was restored to its original state.

In that sense, my first question.

“Don’t tell me, did you use a top-grade potion?”

“No, a priest came and healed me.”

“What about the treatment cost?”

“D, don’t worry. The g, guild gave disaster relief funds, so it wasn’t much…”

No, you saying that makes me worry.

“So, how much was it?”

“…300,000 stones.”

“I see.”

Whew, still much cheaper than a top-grade potion.

I was worried because it was a priest, but it seemed the guild’s support was quite generous.

“Why are you making that face? You did well.”

“But Bjorn doesn’t like money…”

Oh, that’s true.

What kind of image do I have to her?

“Even so, money can’t be more important than your body.”

It wasn’t just about restoring crushed flesh.

It was even less about reattaching a severed surface.

It was the process of fixing an arm that was torn off, an arm that was left in the labyrinth.

‘Clearly, natural regeneration wouldn’t have been enough.’

I cleanly erased any lingering feelings.

When I tested the limits of regeneration in the past with Raven’s experiments, it took a tremendous amount of time for a severed finger to grow back.

Anyway, around this point, my second question.

“So, how long has it been since we left the labyrinth?”

“About 6 hours.”

Well, no wonder it’s still bright outside the tent.

It wasn’t because a whole day had passed.

“What about my backpack?”

“It’s fine. And of course, everything inside it!”

“What about the magic stones?”

“I exchanged all of them for money, including yours.”

“Did anyone come looking for me while I was unconscious?”

“Ah, Hikurodne came by!”

“…The dwarf?”

As I tilted my head, Misha slowly explained what had happened.

To summarize, about 5 hours ago, she had reunited with Hikurodne’s group, who had come to check on us just in case…

“It’s a relief that all three of them are okay. So, where did they go?”

“They said they were relieved to see we were alive and went to sleep because they were tired.”

“I see.”

I didn’t feel any disappointment.

It would have been the same in the opposite situation.

It’s not like me staying here would make me wake up any faster. We could catch up on what happened when we meet in two days.

“Then, what else do I need to do to leave here?”

“You just need to pack your things and leave. I’ve taken care of all the annoying stuff in advance.”

“I see.”

I was about to get up, throwing off the blanket, but Misha hurriedly stopped me.

“Wait, don’t get up!”

“…?”

“F, first, put this on…”

No further explanation was needed.

“Ah…”

While Misha turned her back and looked away, I put on the new clothes that were neatly folded on the table.

To think she even bought me clothes in advance.

She has a delicate side, unlike her usual clumsy appearance.

“Do the clothes fit well?”

“They fit well.”

To be honest, they were a little too small…

But it was difficult to find clothes that fit in this city in the first place.

Anyway, by the time I left the tent, the sun was setting.

“Misha, where is your lodging?”

“District 8.”

“Then we can go together.”

Since we were going in the same direction, we were walking back to our lodgings together, and I was struck by the contrast between our appearances and our surroundings.

People walking around the streets wearing clean everyday clothes, not heavy, stiff metal armor.

“Bjorn, what are you looking at? Let’s go, I’m so tired.”

After walking for about 30 minutes through the clean streets, we arrived at my lodging.

By the way, Misha’s lodging was about 10 minutes further from here.

“It’s closer than I thought.”

“I know, right? Why didn’t I realize it before?”

“Anyway, go now. You must be tired. Thank you for today.”

“W, wait a minute!”

Just as I was about to say a quick goodbye and enter the inn, Misha grabbed my wrist.

“Is there something I need to know right away?”

“No, it’s not that…”

If it’s not that, then what is it?

As I gave her a look that urged her to speak, Misha chuckled and let go of my wrist.

“It’s nothing, you’d just scold me for repeating the same thing anyway.”

“The same thing?”

“Then I’ll go, see you tomorrow!”

Before I could ask what she meant, Misha ran off and disappeared.

“Tomorrow?”

Wasn’t the plan to meet the day after tomorrow?

Her last words were a bit questionable, but I didn’t want to think about it, so I quickly entered the inn. And after roughly washing up, I had a simple meal on the first floor.

As always, it was only after lying down on the bed that it hit me.

‘I came back alive this time too.’

I came back alive.

Shit.

***

The next day at noon.

I woke up to the sound of knocking on the door. I would have ignored it and gone back to sleep if it wasn’t so persistent.

“…Misha?”

“I knew you’d be sleeping.”

“Why are you here? The appointment was for tomorrow night, wasn’t it?”

Misha chuckled at my complaining question and spread out a bundle on the table.

I looked to see what it was, and it was food.

“Come and sit down quickly. You’ll hurt your body if you sleep like that without eating.”

No, barbarians don’t have that kind of thing?

As I stared at her with a dumbfounded look, Misha eventually grabbed my arm and pulled me over.

“Stop complaining and come here. You can sleep after you eat, right?”

It’s not like anything would happen if I skipped a meal or two, but I followed her words since she was being sincere.

The menu was stir-fried vegetables with eggs and grilled meat.

“How is it?”

“…It’s delicious. Don’t tell me you made this yourself?”

“Where else would you buy something like this?”

She could have just said yes.

Anyway, I didn’t think she was like this, but to think she was good at cooking.

“At first, I started cooking myself to save a little money, but it was kind of fun, so I’m still doing it.”

“Hmm, but didn’t you say you were staying at an inn?”

“Ah, that’s true, but I somehow became friends with the chef, so if I ask to use the kitchen for a bit, they let me.”

“I see.”

“Later, if you get a chance, Bjorn, try it. It’s surprisingly good and you can save a lot of money.”

To cook?

She really says things that barbarians can’t do. Or does she just not know barbarians well?

“Cooking is a warrior’s shame.”

“R, really?”

As I nodded firmly, Misha made a ‘I see’ face and cautiously made a suggestion.

“If that’s the case, I can cook for you…”

What is she talking about again?

“No, why would you go that far? It’s easier to just buy food.”

“I, I guess so?”

“By the way, how did you know my room number? I don’t think I told you that far.”

“Ah, that? I just asked the innkeeper where the barbarian was, and they just told me?”

“…I see.”

After that, we chatted and ate, and the plates were soon empty.

“So, what are you going to do? Are you going to sleep more?”

I pondered for a moment before answering.

“Since it’s come to this, I think I’ll go to the commercial district for a bit.”

I was originally planning to sleep until tomorrow night, but I didn’t think I’d be able to fall asleep again even if I went back to bed.

It was a kind of obsession.

Unless I was about to collapse from exhaustion, I couldn’t allow myself to rest while leaving things I had to do undone.

“That’s good. Misha, why don’t you come with me?”

“Huh? Me too? I was going to go back and sleep more…”

Misha trailed off, looking bewildered.

From experience, I knew I needed to speak firmly in these situations.

“You were the one who woke me up. Take responsibility.”

“Heeing, okay. I had to go get my equipment checked anyway…”

Where do you think you’re going?

***

First, I disposed of all the equipment I had acquired.

Since I had already paid 2 million stones worth of protection money to the Dejarwi Clan in equipment, it wasn’t as lucrative as I had hoped.

‘I’ll have to divide the stuff I got from Hans’ group into five equal parts…’

Still, after selling the equipment and various consumables from the three religious fanatics, I had gathered quite a bit of money.

It helped that one of them was the owner of an expansion backpack.

Well, that meant there was a lot of money to pay out too.

“…500,000 stones for repairs?”

“It’s made of Lythium. If it was just bent or warped, it would be one thing, but with this much corrosion, there’s no other way.”

Even so.

To ask for 500,000 stones to repair equipment worth a total of 4 million stones?

Is this because I’m a barbarian and they’re taking advantage of me—

“Bjorn, don’t be so unreasonable. It’s not like he’s saying anything wrong…”

My stomach was churning, but seeing Misha, who was a 5-year veteran explorer, act like this, it seemed like a normal price.

So, I just paid it.

‘…How much gold loss is this?’

For an efficiency-focused gamer, nothing is scarier than gold loss, not even muscle loss.

I went over it step by step.

‘I left my mace in the labyrinth along with one arm, I used a high-grade potion once, 300,000 stones for treatment, and 500,000 stones for repairs…’

My stomach ached more the more I thought about it.

If I hadn’t given away equipment worth 2 million stones as protection money, I could have laughed this off…

“Bjorn, don’t worry too much. I’ll work hard to earn money in the future…”

Yes, let’s think positively.

In fact, the second biggest gain from this expedition was her, wasn’t it?

Ah, of course, the first was the Orc Hero’s essence.

‘I also got a lot of consumables like potions, so I’ve essentially saved a lot of money for later…’

“Bjorn, what are you doing? Why aren’t you going in?”

I snapped out of my thoughts and entered the inn with Misha. It wasn’t Misha’s or my lodging, but an inn located in the commercial district of Commelby.

“To think the carriages at the platform would be out of service.”

“That’s why I told you we had to move quickly, right?”

“I get it, so stop nagging.”

I entered the inn and asked the counter for two rooms, and Misha smacked me on the back.

“Are you crazy! Do you know how much it costs per day! Just get one!”

“…Just one?”

Usually, it should be the opposite, shouldn’t it?

“Do you think this is Lavigion! There are many places like this that cost over 10,000 stones a night!”

“I see. One room should be enough.”

Now that I think about it, I deserved to be smacked on the back.

I came here because it looked cheap, but it was 9,000 stones per night?

The prices were insane in the city center.

My monthly food expenses last time were a little less than 20,000 stones.

‘There was a reason why she told me to move quickly…’

Still, the room itself was worth the expensive price.

It wasn’t the studio apartment type I was used to, but a structure with a separate living room, bedroom, and bathroom.

There was a window, and even a small terrace attached to the living room, and a subtle floral scent wafted from the room.

“Bjorn, look at this! It’s Arttian Workshop soap! To let us use something like this for free!!”

Misha, who had initially scolded me for wasting money, found something and rushed into the bathroom.

She had a very satisfied expression when she came out.

“Bjorn, let’s really work hard to earn money in the future.”

I thought she was being overly dramatic, but after lying down on the wide bed, I couldn’t help but agree.

“Yeah… let’s work hard.”

Whew, the bed should be this soft.

‘When will I be able to sleep in a bed like this every day…’

I was reminded of how far I still had to go.

A city where barbarism and civilization coexist.

To live more like a human than I do now, how many more looters and monsters do I have to kill?

Snore!

Before I could ponder deeply, my eyes slowly closed.

***

At that time when most people were asleep.

The pubs where those who regretted the day gathered were as noisy as ever, or perhaps even more so than usual.

“Did you hear the news?”

“Are you talking about the floor boss that appeared on the 3rd floor?”

“Yes, I heard that more than thirty people from the Dejarwi Clan died because of that guy.”

“Is thirty people a big deal? The guild will announce it tomorrow, but the total number of deaths is in the hundreds.”

“So, the culprit who summoned the floor boss hasn’t been caught yet?”

An appetizer that explorers couldn’t help but be interested in.

However, in addition to the news that everyone knew, there was a story that was slowly spreading among the gossipers.

“Ah, did you guys hear about this? I heard from one of the survivors… that one person’s actions were particularly significant in the Dejarwi Clan surviving that much?”

“One person, are you perhaps talking about Vice Commander McGrain of the Iron Lion?”

“No, from what I heard, it was a 3rd-floor explorer who happened to be there.”

“Hmm, is there anyone on the 3rd floor who is capable of that? What’s his name?”

“That’s the thing…”

Bjorn, the son of Yandel.

A barbarian who entered the 3rd floor after only 3 months.

His unbelievable bravery, which he showed while saving many people from danger, spread sometimes word for word, and sometimes with a bit of exaggeration.

However, the ending of each story always came to the same conclusion.

“The mage who told me the story didn’t hesitate to say this about the barbarian.”

“What did he say?”

“Although he is still young and has not yet achieved the feats of a hero, his actions are clearly following in their footsteps, so borrowing the name of a hero who was more courageous and great than anyone else…”

Another name.

Another name that only explorers with both skill and reputation can obtain.

“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him the Little Balkan.”

That name was being heard everywhere without fail.

***

「Your character’s reputation has increased by +1.」

「Your character’s reputation has increased by +1.」

「Your character’s reputation has increased by +1.」

「Your character’s reputation has increased by +1…」

「…」

「…」

「Warning: The probability of a special event occurring for your character has increased.」