Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 638

Actually, most of the research on the new types of essences had concluded when I was still on the first basement floor, but even so, I handed over all the essences I had to Raven.

In my view, all mages were perverts.

It’s true they find joy in uncovering the unknown, but they also enjoy the process of research itself.

Like gum, you know?

Some people spit it out as soon as the flavor is gone, but others enjoy the act of chewing itself and keep at it all day long.

Therefore…….

‘Then… I’ll do my best to research this.’

Rather than expecting any major breakthroughs from additional research, I decided to think of it as simply entrusting Raven with the storage of the essences.

Well, it would be great if some research results came out of it.

Just like that.

‘Ah, but what was written in the letter? You said you had something to tell me.’

‘Oh, right, my mind is a mess. It’s about the Hiphrameant essence that Ainar acquired during the exploration. I think I’ve figured out the embodied ability that hadn’t been properly identified yet.’

‘Oh, really?’

‘After returning to the city, I compared the numerical data I obtained back then with other existing data, and there was a match.’

‘So, what’s the embodied ability?’

At my question, Raven crossed her arms, puffing out her small chest.

And…….

‘Do you know about the 3rd-grade monster, ‘Lamangsis’?’

She asked me triumphantly, but honestly, I didn’t know. How can she look down on me with that small stature?

Well, maybe the answer to the question lies in her chin, which is tilted back as far as it can go—.

‘Ah, it’s natural that you don’t know.’

What is she talking about now?

‘Because ‘Lamangsis’ is—.’

‘A rare monster that appears in the 9th floor rift?’

Raven, having her words stolen, flinched.

‘…Huh?’

Somehow, it seemed like the angle of her chin, which had been tilted back, had decreased compared to before.

‘You… knew……?’

Of course, I know. As I chuckled at her cute reaction, Raven opened her mouth again in her original tone.

‘Still, you only know half of it! Lamangsis can’t be found through normal methods even in the 9th floor rift.’

‘Well, I guess so? Because it’s a monster that can only be encountered by using the hidden Gavrilius arrangement within the rift?’

Like a friendly barbarian, I nodded and replied.

But what is this again?

‘…….’

For some reason, the talkative one became quiet again.

The angle of her chin, which had been tilted back to its limit, had decreased much more, and now the feeling of being looked down upon had completely disappeared.

In that state, Raven cautiously opened her mouth.

‘By any chance… does Yandel… know what that arrangement is……?’

‘So?’

When I answered with a tone that implied it was obvious, Raven’s eyes widened.

I could gather some information from that look.

‘Don’t tell me… you don’t know?’

‘…….’

As always, silence was the answer.

‘Ha.’

I was speechless.

What, she was looking down on me like that without even knowing that?

‘W, well! It’s natural not to know! Do you think such high-level information would be left in a book……? Just the data on essence abilities alone is so valuable! Besides, even if you look for the people who had this essence, they’d be historically rare… Why are you looking at me like that……?’

‘Hmm…….’

‘…….’

I belatedly noticed that the dynamic between us had changed at some point.

I was looking down with my arms crossed, and Raven was looking down at the ground like someone who was somewhat dejected.

However, even in the midst of that, Raven made an effort to muster her voice.

‘So…….’

‘……?’

‘…………What is that arrangement?’

As expected of a mage.

Even in this situation, that’s what she’s curious about.

***

After the explanation about the hidden piece in the 9th floor rift was over, Raven explained the passive skill of Lamangsis as if it were a reward.

Actually, it was a story I already knew, but…….

‘This much is just social life.’

This time, I listened to Raven’s explanation without interrupting, being mindful of the situation.

‘Lamangsis’s embodied ability is [Soulmate]. It might sound like nothing from the name, but after looking into it, it’s a very unique ability.’

Well, I don’t know…….

[Soulmate] seems to be more accurately described as having unique activation conditions rather than being a unique ability.

‘First of all, as we guessed, it’s a support-type ability. It’s an ability that bestows a very powerful blessing on one target nearby, and on oneself.’

‘Oh?’

‘However, this embodied ability cannot be activated at will. It’s not active in normal times either. It can only be activated when a special condition is met…….’

‘When……?’

‘I don’t know the exact conditions. However, looking at the data of past owners, it was overwhelmingly more frequent between men and women…… and they had the commonality of being together for a very long time.’

Well, that’s probably it.

For [Soulmate] to activate, the essence owner has to reach MAX affinity with one target.

That’s why when this essence came out, I fed it to a female companion and bought her flowers every day to raise her affinity.

Ah, for reference, it was an essence that the player character couldn’t use.

In the system, players were not allowed to have affinity towards NPCs [Non-Player Characters].

‘Then, in the current state, can I use this essence directly?’

My gamer curiosity was triggered after a long time, but that doesn’t mean I’m thinking of consuming [Soulmate].

In the first place, there’s no space to put it, and…….

If you consider efficiency, it’s much more beneficial to feed it to a companion and work on affinity…….

‘…Saying it like that makes me sound like a piece of trash?’

Anyway, after knowing the passive skill, I couldn’t help but think it was a burden.

What should I say about this?

It’s true that it’s a good skill that performs beyond its grade once activated, but…….

‘Is it even possible to trigger it……?’

In the game, reaching 100% affinity is not easy.

No, it’s almost impossible between the same gender.

When you raise affinity, it’s always locked at 90%, and after that, it only slowly increases with some kind of heart-fluttering events between opposite genders.

But…….

‘Ainar……?’

I can’t imagine Ainar having that kind of relationship with another man.

Should I say she’s only surrounded by male friends, including me?

‘So, my guess is that it only activates between lovers of the opposite sex…… No, I’m talking so passionately, what are you thinking so deeply about?’

‘Ah, I was just wondering how to activate that ability.’

‘……That’s true too.’

It’s a problem that requires a lot of thought in many ways.

It’s a waste to throw away the skill, but…….

I can’t go around buying cream bread every day and flirting to activate [Soulmate].

‘…It’s better to think of this as a non-existent skill.’

Therefore, I decided to seal [Soulmate] in my mind.

In the first place, it’s an essence that performs well enough even without a passive skill.

‘Anyway, thanks, Raven.’

‘Thank you? In the end, I couldn’t be of any help.’

‘Still, you found out that it’s not an embodied ability with any negative elements. That alone has relieved a lot of my worries.’

‘Hmm… that’s true, I guess?’

I don’t know if she wants to hear words of gratitude or if she wants to be humble.

I couldn’t figure it out, but even after the first business was over, we spent time chatting about various things.

Then, somehow, the conversation flowed to the point where I was told to get a check-up since I was already there, and I ended up sitting on the chair I used to sit on often and became a test subject…….

In the middle, I got hungry and had a meal at the magic tower’s cafeteria.

‘Wow, it’s already this late. It must be dark outside.’

‘We can’t see it because there are no windows. Ah, by the way, Raven, can I borrow a communication crystal ball for a moment?’

‘Who are you trying to contact?’

‘I’m going to contact the Holy Land. If I get in touch later, can you tell them for me? That I’ll be sleeping in your lab today because of research and go straight to tomorrow’s schedule from here.’

At my request, Raven tilted her head.

‘……There’s no research that Yandel needs today?’

Ha, she really doesn’t have a clue in important parts.

‘Just do as I say.’

‘Yes? Yes… that’s not difficult, but…….’

Raven, who was trailing off, looked up at me with curious eyes and asked.

‘What on earth is the reason for that?’

I didn’t want to stir up trouble by bringing up the marriage story, so I only told half the truth.

‘Just because.’

‘……Just because?’

‘I just don’t want to go home today.’

‘…………Huh?’

‘Let me sleep here.’

It’s too much of a hassle to go out and find an inn.

***

The next morning, after falling asleep on a blanket I had just thrown down, Raven, who had slept in the bed in one corner of the lab, woke up first and nudged me with her foot to wake me up.

‘…Wake up. How long are you going to sleep? At this rate, you won’t make it on time. You said you had an important schedule today?’

‘Ah…….’

‘Were you uncomfortable sleeping?’

‘Not at all. The floor was nice and warm. Oh? But did you already shower?’

‘……Well, of course I showered after waking up, would I just stay dirty like that?’

Hmm…… Well, whenever I came out of the lab, I always looked disheveled, as if I hadn’t showered for days…….

Did she become sensitive to this kind of thing after becoming a soldier?

‘Anyway, thanks for the night. I’ll come again later.’

‘No. Don’t come. It’s just tiring for no reason.’

‘Huh? Tired? Didn’t you also fall asleep early yesterday?’

‘……That’s not what I meant. You need to go do your research, so hurry up and leave?’

I was pushed out of the magic tower by Raven from the morning, and after that, I took a carriage from a nearby station to my destination, the imperial capital, Karnon.

Because today is the day.

The day when the leaders of the six races that make up the great city of Lapdonia—humans, dwarves, elves, barbarians, beastmen, and dragonkin—gather to have a conversation, the race conference.

‘It’s strange that I’m only coming here for the first time now.’

It had been a long time since I became a tribal chief, but I was only now attending the race conference. The building where the conference was held was a building I had seen many times while passing by.

The exotic building, reminiscent of a Roman temple, with six pillars supporting the roof, was bound to catch the eye.

‘…I have some time left.’

Perhaps because I was kicked out early in the morning, I had some time left, so I went into a nearby restaurant and spent time eating.

I was flustered because the meal was much more expensive than expected since it was a restaurant located in Karnon, but…….

Well, what can I do? I’m hungry, so I have to eat.

‘They won’t give me a separate meal allowance, right?’

Soon after finishing my meal, I patted my stomach and entered the building where the conference was being held.

‘……Mr. Bjorn Yandel, did you come alone?’

‘Is there a problem with that?’

‘No… there isn’t. Please come in. The others are waiting.’

For reference, the guards guarding the entrance were all made up of different races, but for some reason, the barbarians were missing.

‘Is it a system where they set up the soldiers they brought?’

Hmm, I didn’t hear about that from the previous tribal chief…….

I doubt he would have forgotten to tell me something like this, but if it was that old man, it wouldn’t be strange if he really did.

‘Good work.’

After encouraging the guards standing at the entrance, I walked inside, and soon I saw those gathered in the center.

The big shots representing each of the six races.

However, what was surprising was that there were two familiar faces among them.

The dragonkin leader, the dragon old man.

And…….

‘It seems like the beastmen sent the Red Cat tribe as their representative this time.’

The direct bloodline of the Red Cat tribe.

The head of the Calstein family and Misha’s…….

‘Strictly speaking, he’s not her biological father, right?’

Anyway, the man who is in the position of father in the family tree.

‘It’s been a while. I never imagined I would see you again in a place like this back then.’

‘I understand. I’ve always known that your imagination is lacking.’

‘……Do you still hold a grudge against me?’

‘Of course not.’

In reality, there is no grudge.

Back then, I was a nobody.

Well, now I’ve risen to a position where this old man can’t just casually use informal language.

‘Let’s stop the private conversation, and Yandel’s son, Bjorn, will you please take a seat?’

Soon, at the words of the elf representative, I slowly scanned the surroundings.

It was a gathering of big shots, but there was no discomfort.

The reason was very simple.

‘They’re using a… round table here too……?’

A conference venue with a large round table.

I slowly sat down in the empty seat that seemed to be mine, and with one arm propped on my chin, I tapped the armrest with my index finger.

Although this is my first conference.

Tuk tuk.

For some reason, confidence began to surge.