Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 645

Eyes like jade buttons.

Skin as smooth and white as silk.

Lips that looked like they were meticulously embroidered with red silk thread.

“……”

“……”

It wasn’t even a high-quality, lifelike doll made by a master craftsman who poured sweat and time into it.

A cheap, stuffed doll that children from ordinary families might have played with when they were young, with only a ribbon on its right forehead indicating that the doll was ‘female’.

“So… Baron Yandel… you mean you feel love for a doll?”

The moment Lagna cautiously asked the question, a wave of shame washed over me, and the blood rushed to my head.

It felt like my hair was falling out in real-time.

‘…I want to die.’

It’s a strange thing.

Even in the Goblin Forest or Ice Rock, no matter what adversity I faced, I never thought this way.

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

When I forced myself to nod in agreement, another noble exclaimed as if in admiration.

“No wonder! Even with so many women around, there was never any talk about him…!”

He seemed to genuinely believe that the reason I hadn’t married yet was because of this doll.

Well… thankfully(?) those people were in the minority.

“Be quiet.”

The noble next to the one who had naively said that rebuked him as if telling him to read the room.

That’s why I didn’t bring a high-quality doll.

If I had brought something made stitch by stitch by a real artisan, there would have been even more nobles reacting like that.

Ah, of course, the most important thing right now was the marquis’s reaction.

“……”

I held the small doll tightly in one hand and turned my gaze towards the marquis.

The marquis, who initially seemed as dazed as the other nobles, had regained his composure.

“To love a doll, you say….”

The marquis, looking back and forth between the doll and me, muttered something meaningful.

“If it’s you… it’s like you.”

He didn’t mean that loving a doll was like me. He just thought that coming up with this kind of solution was like me.

‘…How will he react now?’

Whether the marquis believed my words or not was not important.

No, I didn’t even expect him to believe me in the first place.

Just like how Duke Kealurnus and Marquis Terserion exchanged words as if reading from a script.

Every statement is followed by political calculations.

And my statement just now was the same.

I indirectly expressed my intention not to marry anyone in this way.

“Hmm….”

The problem was whether that effort had worked on the marquis….

As I waited silently for an answer, the marquis, as if having finished organizing his thoughts, gave his reply.

“Your confession of loving a doll was very shocking and bewildering to me. However, I believe that there are different ways of love for each person.”

“…So?”

“I will respect your choice.”

Just listening to the words on the surface, it was a very positive answer, but as expected. Words with a hidden meaning followed immediately.

“In a place where the ministers who illuminate the future of the country gather, you are not one to speak nonsense. I trust that you know what kind of responsibility follows the words you have spoken.”

In short, it meant that if I didn’t keep my word, he would hold me accountable in some way.

“However, since you have shown such sincerity, it is only right that I, as an adult, support your choice.”

However, the marquis must have thought it wasn’t good to corner me too much, so he offered a compromise.

“But as a minister of the kingdom, I ask that you have children when the time comes. It is also for the sake of your family’s succession, and it would be a great loss to this country if a talent like you were to leave without leaving any descendants.”

When the time comes.

“It seems there are some fine female warriors as well.”

He would allow me to marry someone of my own kind and have children.

To the marquis’s proposal, I replied.

“…I’ll think about it.”

That’s what I said, but it was practically a yes.

Because it would be funny to suddenly say OK here, right?

“Now, let’s wrap up this discussion here… Everyone has waited a long time. From now on, we will continue with the ninth agenda.”

It seems I got through this one well.

***

Actually, to be honest, I had no intention of making this kind of declaration of celibacy.

However, the decision not to marry anyone.

This choice was definitely not made out of fear of conflict with the marquis.

Should I say it was a coincidence?

The moment I finished talking with Dragon Uncle, I made a decision.

‘What marriage for me….’

It might be a decision that betrays my position in this city and the people who follow me.

But so what?

Some might say that I still have a long way to go to shed my modern ways.

But at least for me, marriage is something very sacred.

I can’t make a promise to spend my whole life with someone when I don’t even know my own heart, and having children is even more so.

‘Especially when I don’t even know when I’m going to die.’

Ah, of course, it’s not just these emotional reasons that led me to make this decision.

It’s about focusing on survival.

Perhaps ‘marriage’ could be helpful in this process, but after repeated calculations, I finally decided.

‘There are as many disadvantages as there are advantages anyway.’

Marrying anyone who seems politically helpful might look good at first glance, but in the end, it will only create more enemies.

If I can receive help, it also means that I will have to help in return.

“Then, with this, we will conclude this meeting. Thank you all for taking the time to come.”

While I was thinking about this and that, the ninth agenda was quickly concluded, and the royal meeting ended.

And….

‘Why is it in reverse order again this time?’

Instead of everyone leaving at once, they left the hall one by one in order of how close they were seated to the head table.

With a two-minute interval between each person.

‘…They really discriminate over the weirdest things.’

It’s really strange, but after receiving this kind of discrimination, I feel like I want to raise my rank in the royal meeting, which I wasn’t even interested in before.

Well, is that why this tradition was created?

Even I have the desire to raise my rank, so how would those power monsters feel?

Thud.

Soon, everyone had left, and the hall was empty.

I felt a strange sense of sorrow as I got up from my seat and left the hall.

And just as I was about to go home.

“…Just a moment.”

Someone called out to me from behind.

“Lagna….”

Well, it’s better to keep a distance since someone might see us, right?

“You haven’t left yet? Countess Peprock.”

“There’s no one around, so you can call me by my name as usual.”

“Still, it’s better to be careful about these things, Countess.”

“……”

Right, I still call Amelia Emily because I don’t know when I might make a mistake.

“But so… did you keep waiting for me?”

“Yes, I have something to say.”

“What is it?”

“That doll from earlier.”

Lagna mentioned the doll with a somewhat unpleasant look, and then continued.

“Ah, of course, I don’t believe what you said earlier, so don’t worry. I almost misunderstood at first… but I heard it from my fath… no, Marquis Terserion. I guess I still have a lot to learn about politics.”

“Anyway, what are you trying to say?”

“That….”

Lagna trailed off, hesitating for a long time, and then, like when I came out, she closed her eyes tightly and opened her mouth.

“Do you… dislike me, Baron?”

“What…?”

“I’m asking if you dislike me so much that you would go through such a humiliating experience to reject me.”

Uh….

I was a little taken aback by this sudden question.

But let’s be honest for now.

“I think you’ve misunderstood something, it’s not that I dislike you at all.”

Of course, if you ask if we are in a relationship that could lead to marriage, I can say no without hesitation.

But….

“The biggest reason I rejected the marquis’s marriage proposal is because of political issues.”

“Politics… you mean?”

“Yes. If we get married, would the other nobles just stand by?”

Even now, the marquis faction is the one that is standing out alone in the Lafdonia political world.

And in this situation, if I join them?

The forces of Duke Kealurnus, the noble alliance led by the Kaislan family, and the Alminus Count family, which claims neutrality, would not just stand by.

They would try to protect themselves by forming alliances with each other.

“We… can stop that.”

“Well, maybe you could. But I don’t want to get involved in such relationships and have a headache in the first place.”

“Is that so….”

“Do you understand now?”

“Yes. I understand. It means that you had no choice but to reject me because of my current status.”

Uh… can it be interpreted that way?

Something feels a little off, but even if I look at it closely, it doesn’t seem like she’s wrong….

“Then I’ll be going now. Bjorn Yandel, you must be tired too, so please go back and rest.”

“Okay, it was nice meeting you. Let’s see each other again later.”

“Yes.”

After that, we exchanged brief farewells and parted ways.

And as I was leaving the palace and heading towards the carriage platform.

“…Huh?”

Suddenly, I felt a presence, so I looked into the alleyway, and there, in the dark shadows, stood someone of unknown identity.

A height of about 170cm.

A slender build.

However, they were wearing gloves on their hands and a thick robe that covered them, so there was no skin showing from head to toe.

Because of that, I wondered for a moment if someone had sent an assassin, but if I think about it, it doesn’t make sense.

Not in the imperial capital of Karnon.

There’s no way there would be a crazy person who would try to do something to me by sending just one assassin.

‘What is it, in the middle of the night.’

They looked quite suspicious, but I thought it had nothing to do with me and was about to continue on my way when.

Clack.

The unidentified stranger took a step towards me, getting a little closer to the light illuminating the street.

And at the same time.

Swish.

The robe that had been covering their face was pulled back, and I couldn’t help but stop walking again.

A black mask with no particular features.

However, the shape, the curves, and the atmosphere that the person was emitting perfectly matched something in my head.

‘…Black Mask.’

However, since I am currently Bjorn Yandel, not a community investigator or Han-soo Lee, I narrowed my eyes while maintaining a poker face as much as possible.

“Who are you? Are you an assassin?”

The most natural reaction I could think of in a moment.

But to my question, the unidentified masked person shook their head from side to side.

And….

“That’s not it.”

Along with a ‘woman’s’ voice that sounded strangely familiar.

Swish.

The mask was removed, and the stranger’s face was revealed.

Black hair and black eyes.

And facial features and skin close to that of an Asian.

“Harin Sueby.”

No, to be exact, it was the evil spirit that had stolen Harin Sueby’s body.

Kang Hyun-byul, a Korean.

She smiled at me without saying a word.

I felt a chill run down my spine for some reason, and I asked, trying not to show it as much as possible.

“Why were you standing there? Did Lagna send you?”

“No?”

“Then why the hell….”

“I told you last time. I’m going to do what I want now too. So, let’s meet outside.”

Of course, I know that Hyun-byul sent that note at the end.

But first, out of habit.

“What the hell does that mean—”

—I was about to ask.

“Ah, I didn’t know I would have to wait this long back then.”

Hyun-byul interrupted me and took off the thick robe that was covering her whole body as if she was feeling stuffy.

And….

“But it’s good that I saw you.”

She took another step closer using her long legs.

‘I thought she looked taller than when I saw her before.’

Clack.

“Bjorn Yandel.”

Clack.

“No, Han-soo oppa.”

How the hell did she know?