Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 471

It wasn’t just Clown who was convinced by my words.

“Auriel Gavis is our enemy…”

Fox, who once followed the Master closely, murmured with a somewhat bitter voice, and Deer Horn nodded in agreement.

“Well, he was as secretive as the royal family. Those with many secrets tend to be dark inside.”

Even Queen, who had probably investigated Auriel Gavis the most among the existing members, didn’t particularly object.

“The enemy of the players, you say… I’ll take that into consideration.”

She said ‘consider,’ but it was obvious that she would run to the GM after the meeting to share information and start scheming under the assumption that Auriel Gavis was the enemy.

Because of what I’ve shown so far.

“…….”

Wolf, who initially asked if there was evidence, watched the situation carefully, gauging the members’ reactions.

But was there something he couldn’t understand?

“……Am I the strange one? I don’t understand why everyone is so easily accepting those words. If you said he did something bad, I might understand, but what you just said is too subjective, isn’t it?”

Wolf, a returning old user, subtly pointed out the flaws of the Round Table system.

However, as expected, it didn’t work.

“Hmm, but isn’t that the same for you, Wolf?”

The same logic of rebuttal applied to Wolf as well.

“That’s why everyone asked me for confirmation, right? But there was none of that for Lion…”

His voice seemed somewhat aggrieved.

“Frankly, even if I said he wasn’t our enemy, the green light would turn on. So, who would you believe?”

It was a sharp objection that pointed out the contradiction, but unfortunately, an immediate answer came.

“Well, isn’t it obvious? Hehe.”

“……?”

“We’ll believe Lion. Rather than believing a nobody who suddenly appeared after years, someone we barely even remember.”

Wolf, completely taken aback by the direct hit, stared blankly into the air.

Queen spoke to such a Wolf in a subtle voice.

“But you never know. If Wolf can present solid evidence and persuade us.”

Queen’s words openly revealed her firm intention to expose Wolf’s true colors.

Well, she would want to dig deeper.

It was certain that Wolf was a follower of Auriel Gavis, but that was all for now.

“Evidence… I understand.”

Still believing in something, Wolf didn’t disrupt the atmosphere further and concluded the conversation, and so the second round began.

“Since we started from this side last time, how about going in reverse this time?”

“Hehe, you seem quite confident?”

“I just thought it would be fairer.”

“Well, I don’t mind. I think Lion would find that more interesting too…”

Clown said, glancing at me.

Why does this guy like me so much?

I’ve mostly tormented him, not really been kind to him.

“Then I’ll go first. Actually, this is uncertain information, so I haven’t brought it up until now… But I have a feeling this will be the main topic of this meeting. Hehe.”

Clown, unusually starting with a long preamble, looked around and opened his mouth.

“Everyone was curious about it, right? That old man who led over ten thousand people using mass teleportation and guided Noah Arc to the outside world.”

“…….”

“That old man, I think it’s Auriel Gavis.”

Hmm, is that so?

It was quite a while ago, but it’s an interesting topic since I was curious about it. Of course, it’s just Clown’s hunch.

Shwaaaaaa.

Even after the gem’s green light went out, the existing members didn’t raise any objections.

Queen was the only one who threw out a word.

“How about explaining the circumstances that led you to that conclusion?”

“Hehe, is that really necessary? Everyone knows who I am anyway. I think my opinion alone is valuable enough, don’t you think?”

“Well… I’ll let it slide this time.”

Is it because of the appearance of new members, an external force?

Queen, who would have usually been persistent, let it go without much fuss.

“Hee… Clown, you seem to be a very impressive person?”

“I’m far from Lion. Hehehe…”

He said that, but his laughter seemed somewhat pleased.

‘Is he just bringing up this ambiguous information to show his position?’

I briefly thought that, but quickly dismissed it.

Well, that can’t be it. Could he really be that desperate for attention?

“Now, Butterfly, it’s your turn. I’m looking forward to it. Hehe.”

“Ugh… I think my turn came too early.”

What should I do?

Butterfly, who was tilting her head as if she was worried, opened her mouth.

“There are portals in the royal palace basement.”

Ugh, this is information I was saving for later, but I didn’t expect to be preempted—.

“Two of them.”

Eh? Two?

Shwaaaaaaa-

The gem soon emitted a green light, and the members asked questions.

“Portals? What are those? Does that mean the royal family can enter the labyrinth anytime?”

“Hehe, who knows? What could it mean?”

“…….”

“Then, is my turn over?”

Butterfly ignored the questions and ended her turn.

Then came Queen’s turn.

“Recently—.”

“Is it going to be about politics again? Politics is so boring…”

“…….”

Queen, who was about to say something, paused for a moment at Butterfly’s teasing and continued.

No, it wasn’t continuing, but rather starting again?

“About the dimensional collapse we talked about earlier, the one the royal family can intentionally cause. It actually happened. The most recent dimensional collapse was exactly that case.”

“…Heh, is that so?”

The green light turned on, but Butterfly, who already knew about it, had a lukewarm reaction.

Well, more accurately, it was a ‘look at this one?’ kind of look.

‘She decided to throw a check ball.’

She probably wanted to preempt the information since Butterfly would use it later to pass her turn.

“Besides opening the gate of the abyss, another way to return to Earth is through dimensional magic.”

It was an extension of the information from the previous round. However, no member criticized it as a sneaky move.

Because there was one more line.

“Auriel Gavis was able to cross over to Earth using this method.”

“……!”

“I’m also curious about Black’s identity.”

As the members’ interest in Black Mask grew, the meeting continued.

Deer Horn, Crescent Moon, Goblin, Fox.

They passed their turns by sharing the latest information that could be used, rather than the secrets of the world.

And….

“……Hehe, finally.”

When it was finally Wolf’s turn, all the members focused their curious gazes on him.

Because it was obvious what he would say.

From now on, Wolf would present evidence that Auriel Gavis was not the enemy of the players.

Then, when the green light turned on, it would be my turn, and I would refute that logic.

In a way, it could be seen as a 1:1 confrontation….

“I have met the Founding King. And I was able to glimpse the secrets of this world.”

Huh, I didn’t expect that.

To think he would have met the king, whom even I, a titled noble, haven’t met.

“……When was that?”

“I’ll just say it was within the last year.”

Perhaps because his goal was persuasion, Wolf generously answered additional questions.

However….

“It’s an amazing story, but isn’t it a bit weak as evidence? Just saying ‘secrets of the world’ doesn’t really give us a sense of what you mean.”

Queen sharply pointed out the flaw.

However, having had several meetings with Queen, I could tell.

Queen was deliberately suppressing her excitement to get more information.

“…….”

It seemed that the other members had also noticed that fact, but they didn’t interfere in this situation.

Everyone was the same.

They wanted to hear more details.

“I don’t think I can share more details while I don’t know who you all are. But I will say this much clearly.”

Wolf drew a firm line at such demands and said.

“Auriel Gavis is by no means an enemy of the players. If anything, he’s more of a helper.”

Throughout his speech, the gem on the Round Table emitted a green light, and with that, Wolf’s turn ended.

“…….”

Soon, it was my turn, and all eyes were on me.

‘He met the king himself… He certainly has reason to be confident.’

Perhaps because such a huge figure was mentioned, even the members who seemed to firmly believe in my words were now somewhat hesitant.

Wolf, too, was looking at me with a triumphant air, backed by the name of the king.

It was necessary to establish some discipline at this point.

Therefore….

Tuk tuk.

I spoke as if I had been waiting.

Even if the opponent was a king, there was an existence that wouldn’t be pushed back by his name value.

“The Witch of the Earth, Alice Groundia.”

Of course, she only left a word not to open the gate of the abyss.

There was no mention of Auriel Gavis being an enemy of the players or anything like that.

But that wouldn’t be very important in the current situation.

“I have met her.”

The interpretation is always up to the individual.

“……!!”

I didn’t lie.

***

The Witch of the Earth, Alice Groundia.

A mythical being who drove this world to ruin.

“……!!”

The moment that name was mentioned, everyone, including Wolf, shut their mouths.

Everyone seemed quite shocked.

Well, I did reveal the information that the Witch of the Earth was alive before, but meeting her directly was a different story.

“The Witch of the Earth…”

“Hehehe… This is something, Lion always far exceeds my imagination. I’ve reflected. Lion’s words can never be wrong.”

It wasn’t quite the mindset of a repentant like Clown, but it was clear that the atmosphere had been reversed.

That was only natural.

Unless the opponent was the immortal king who had ruled the royal palace for thousands of years.

The Founding King, whose term was not even 200 years, and who hadn’t even appeared in public recently due to health issues, couldn’t possibly have the same weight as the name of the witch.

Moreover, not only that.

‘The name value of the speaker also matters.’

Me, who had built an image of a mysterious absolute being at the Round Table, and an old user who was treated as a nobody until a few years ago.

“…Hehe, I think it’s decided who we should believe.”

“There’s definitely a possibility that Lion is being deceived by the Witch of the Earth—.”

“Huh? But isn’t that the same for Wolf?”

“…….”

“Besides, if one of you is being deceived, I think it’s more likely to be Wolf…”

“…What do you mean?”

“Hehe, of course, I don’t know either of you well, but I feel like Wolf is more likely to be deceived…”

Butterfly, giggling, mercilessly hit Wolf’s weak points.

Wolf, judging that it was difficult to reverse the atmosphere, kept his silence.

And….

“Haha, I should leave now. It was nice seeing you all after a long time, and Lion, Butterfly, and Black, let’s meet again next time.”

Wolf declared his absence from the third round and left the Round Table.

‘Wow, look at his escape skills.’

But seeing that he said he’d see us again next time, it seems he won’t just come and go today….

“…….”

“…….”

As soon as one person left, the atmosphere of the Round Table returned.

The unique silence where everyone was busy watching each other.

It was obvious that it would end in a breakup, so I decided to take the lead today.

“Ah…! Are you leaving?”

Seriously, can’t you tell?

“See you next time.”

I left the Round Table as it was.

***

In a bedroom where moonlight poured through a large window.

A woman’s voice trembled faintly.

It was because of the shocking story that an uninvited guest who came in the middle of the night had told her, scratching the back of his head.

“What? Alive… is he…? Bjorn…?”

Her mind went blank for a moment, and then anger surged.

“You… you were truly an unforgivable human being.”

A voice that was a condensation of emotions that had boiled up from her heart.

But Baekho just laughed with a troubled look.

“Why do I keep hearing that same thing today?”

“…Get out. If you play this kind of joke again, then I’ll really—.”

“Misha Kalstein.”

Her full name, which he never usually called.

Misha paused at that, and Baekho continued in a voice that had completely lost its playfulness.

“It’s not a joke, Bjorn Yandel is alive.”

“……Evidence?”

“It’s already a famous story, do I really need to provide evidence? If you go out tomorrow during the day and look around, you’ll hear the news soon enough.”

After that, Baekho briefly explained Bjorn Yandel’s recent activities, and Misha gradually realized that this was the truth.

“Bjorn… is alive…?”

All sorts of emotions were mixed together.

She was happy, sad, confused, and angry.

“…You bad bastard.”

“Yeah, isn’t he really bad? How could he deceive all his teammates, pretend to be dead, and stick with the royal family—.”

“Not him, you. You. You already knew a long time ago, and you hid it from me…?”

“Ah… sorry. I was trying to sort out my thoughts. You should have gone out instead of staying cooped up at home.”

“…….”

“Ooh, look at that vicious glare.”

Misha didn’t respond to Baekho’s playful tone.

“…….”

The silence of the night continued in that state.

The man was the first to speak.

“So, are you going to go to him now?”

“Of course. What else was the reason I was with you?”

“It was to save Bjorn Yandel. Using the stone of resurrection.”

“If you know, then get out now. I need to pack my things. I’m leaving as soon as it gets light.”

“Hmm, is that so…”

When the man trailed off with a strange tone, Misha flinched.

“……If you have something to say, say it now.”

A vague sense of foreboding arose.

And as always, that premonition was correct.

“No, it’s nothing much.”

Baekho was smiling.

“I was just thinking of asking you a favor.”

Just like that day when he came to see her.