Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 118

In the end, our exploration was completely halted after the troll fight.

Dwarki’s condition wasn’t improving, which was the problem.

[Even if you drink more potions, it won’t help. Not everyone’s body is as resilient as yours.]

Without the boost of natural regeneration, it takes time for muscles and bones to heal properly, even after the wounds themselves have closed.

Therefore, as soon as we returned to the city, we rushed past the checkpoint and headed straight to the temple.

Unlike Rotmiller, Dwarki’s condition wasn’t something that could be resolved with time alone.

“Hah, I feel like I can finally live a little…”

Dwarki, who hadn’t been able to stand for a whole week, finally managed to stand on his own after receiving ‘Superior Healing’.

“Are there any lingering effects? I was worried because the treatment was delayed…”

“Haha, don’t worry. I’m in such good condition that I could go back into the labyrinth right now.”

“That’s a relief then.”

Thanks to suppressing the damage early with the highest-grade potion, Dwarki became as lively as usual after a single divine power treatment.

I was relieved because of that.

If there were any aftereffects, it would have hindered our next exploration.

“Then, let’s meet again in two days. We should all go home and rest today.”

Since the amount of magic stones acquired by the entire team wasn’t much, we decided to postpone the distribution until after receiving the quest completion money and then disbanded.

‘Hmm, will it be about 400,000 stones per person?’

The exact amount will be known after dividing it, but if we sell all the byproducts of the Frogman Shaman and divide it five ways, it should be around that much.

Since we promised to set aside 200,000 stones each for the potion costs.

‘Hah, damn troll bastard.’

Because of that bastard, the financial loss is no joke.

If we want to fix the bent equipment, the repair costs will be quite high.

If he was going to cause us so much trouble, he should have at least dropped an essence.

It’s a good thing we made a lot of money before, or we would have returned with a loss.

“Bjorn, what are you going to do now?”

“I plan to go to the inn, take a shower, and then organize my things. Oh, and of course, you’re coming with me.”

“Huh? Me too…?”

“Didn’t you rest enough in the labyrinth? Don’t even think about running away.”

“I wasn’t thinking about that, okay? Anyway, I’m too lazy to go all the way to my inn, so can I just shower at your place?”

“Of course.”

There was no need to waste unnecessary movement, so I went to my inn with Misha.

I quickly took a shower first.

I needed to move quickly if I wanted to go to the commercial district before the carriages stopped running.

“Huh? You’re already done showering?”

“You can take your time showering. It’ll take a while to organize all the luggage anyway.”

“Oh, really?”

After pushing Misha into the bathroom, I laid out all the spoils I had obtained this time and started organizing them myself.

The equipment and consumables obtained after defeating the trio who were targeting Zensia and the baby barbarian.

‘This one can be sold, and this one can be kept for us to use…’

As I was writing down a list on paper and organizing everything, someone knocked on the door.

“Excuse me, is anyone inside?”

It was a male voice I had never heard before.

When I opened the door to see what it was, I saw a man wearing an explorer’s guild employee badge.

“Are you Bjorn Yandel?”

“…That’s right.”

“Could you possibly come to the guild with me?”

Shit, suddenly?

The memory of being imprisoned after following someone who said something similar made me feel uneasy, but…

Looking at the employee’s tone and expression, the situation seemed different from that time.

There were no guards in sight either.

I decided to calmly assess the situation first.

“Tell me what’s going on first. I’ll decide whether to go or not after that.”

“Ah, I didn’t mention that first.”

The employee, realizing his mistake, carefully explained the situation.

“…A witness?”

“Yes, they said that you could prove that Mr. Yandel is not a plunderer…”

The baby barbarian was in danger.

***

“Normally, such a request wouldn’t be accepted, but as you know, after ‘that incident,’ all related regulations have become stricter… I know it’s rude, but I came to check. If you have nothing to do with it, you can just refuse—”

“I’ll go.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll just change my clothes and come out, so wait.”

I closed the door and put on my coat.

Then, I informed Misha, who was in the shower, that I was going out.

“Misha, today’s schedule is canceled.”

“What? Why suddenly?”

“It seems like something happened to Caron. I’ll be back after going to the explorer’s guild for a bit, so go home after you’re done showering.”

“What? What are you talking about…! No, tell me more details—!”

“You’ve been waiting. Let’s go.”

“Is that so annoying, you barbarian geezer!!”

Whatever Misha’s piercing shout was.

I headed to the guild with the employee who was waiting outside.

Coincidentally, the place we arrived at was the same branch where I had escaped from.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been here.”

“Yes? Ah, yes… Please come in. The branch manager is waiting for you.”

“The branch manager…?”

I was lost in old memories as I looked around, but soon I followed the employee up to the third floor, where I saw Caron dozing on a sofa.

The branch manager with a mustache was sitting across from him.

With a very uncomfortable expression.

“Oh, how have you been?”

“…Thanks to you.”

He’s so blunt.

Still, it doesn’t seem like a situation as troublesome as I thought. If Caron was really being accused of being a plunderer, he wouldn’t be dozing here, but locked up in the underground prison.

Snore-! Snore-!

First, I woke Caron up.

No, is it right to say I woke him up?

“Caron, stop pretending to sleep and get up. There’s no need to do that here.”

At my words, the branch manager and the employee tilted their heads at the same time, and then Caron slowly opened his eyes.

“…How did you know?”

How did I know?.

You disappeared after saying such meaningful words at the end.

“I just thought… you would do that.”

“Does that mean you acknowledge me as a warrior?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

When I nodded roughly, Caron smiled as if he was genuinely happy and gave me a shoulder greeting.

“Anyway, thank you for coming. Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

“It’s only natural. Did these guys treat you badly?”

“Nothing like that happened, so rest assured. If that were the case, would this friend be here?”

Well, that’s true.

But I didn’t ask you.

“Caron, answer me.”

“Nothing like that happened.”

“I see.”

I nodded and chuckled.

This is why precedents are important.

If I hadn’t caused that ruckus, would they have treated him this well?

Thud.

In that sense, I sat comfortably on the sofa without asking for permission. The branch manager might have forgotten what kind of guy I am.

“I’ll have rum.”

“Are you perhaps discriminating against me because I’m a barbarian?”

The branch manager let out a long sigh.

“Hoo… There’s no alcohol. I can offer you tea—”

“Cold water. With lots of ice.”

“Alright…”

Is it because people are creatures of habit?

Instead of pointing out my rude tone or behavior, the branch manager willingly gave me what I wanted.

He had learned how to deal with a mindless barbarian with his whole body.

‘Barbarians are really OP [overpowered].’

I put my dusty feet on the expensive-looking table, and Caron looked at me with shining eyes.

“You really are… a great warrior…”

It seemed quite impressive to act so arrogantly in front of the branch manager of the explorer’s guild.

Well, it seemed the same for the branch manager.

Looking at him twitching his mustache as if he couldn’t believe it.

“You guys are really…”

“What, do you have something to say?”

“…No.”

As soon as I growled back, the branch manager backed down, afraid of being caught in a trap.

Heh.

I had expected that reaction.

Many things had changed since I saw him before.

I’m not the 9th-grade barbarian I was back then.

“I’ve heard the rumors about you. They call you the little Vulcan, right?”

In just a few months, I had become a 6th-grade explorer.

I even got a nickname, a promising explorer.

I also have a close relationship with Baron Martoang, and there are rumors that the Count is watching me closely.

Also, if they were watching me, they would know that I was going in and out of the Magic Tower every week because of Raven’s research.

Of course, the important thing is something else.

“Here’s your ice water…”

I have become stronger.

I could turn this branch manager’s head into a smashed tomato in just one second.

Well, it’s true that the law takes precedence over violence in the middle of the city, but who cares? At least the branch manager would think that I’m not the kind of guy who would care about that.

“Cut the crap and get to the point. What are you going to do with Caron now?”

I pushed the ice water I had ordered to the side and asked, and the branch manager shrugged.

“…Nothing. If he wants, he can go now. It’s been confirmed through a mage that it was self-defense.”

“…What?”

I was momentarily stunned by the unexpected cool answer.

‘They already confirmed it with a mage?’

It wasn’t a strange story.

He didn’t have high magic resistance like me.

Without needing to call me, they could have determined whether Caron’s words were true or not with a single spell.

But that means.

‘They weren’t after Caron, they were after me.’

I quickly figured it out.

Yeah, this is what the explorer’s guild is like.

My heart started to feel a little tense now.

“Caron, you can go now.”

“Is it okay? I was getting hungry…”

“If you skip meals, you won’t grow taller. Go now.”

“Okay! See you later, Bjorn, son of Yandel!”

I sent Caron out first.

I had a feeling that the branch manager wanted fewer people to hear, whatever it was.

“Audrian, good work. You can go down too.”

“Yes, Branch Manager.”

When the employee who had guided me and even brought me ice water left, only the two of us remained in the branch manager’s office.

“…”

No one spoke, and a natural silence followed.

I didn’t rush him and waited for him to speak first.

“The reason?”

“Lady Urbans wants to meet you.”

“Lady Urbans? Who is that?”

When I stared at him with eyes asking for a detailed explanation, the branch manager asked back as if he was dumbfounded.

“Are you serious? You really don’t remember the person you took hostage?”

Ah, the regional manager’s daughter.

Damn it, you should have said that earlier.

“…So you haven’t completely forgotten her?”

“Ahem, anyway, why does that woman want to meet me?”

“Well, you’ll naturally find out when you meet her—”

What is this, where are you dropping hints?

“Then I refuse.”

“What?”

“I’m hungry every day, where do I have time to waste?”

As I stood up as if to say that the conversation was over, the branch manager hurriedly continued.

“…I can’t say much, but it’s definitely not something that will harm you. It might even be helpful.”

Hmm, seeing him go this far, it doesn’t seem like he’ll reveal any other information even if I push him further.

‘The woman who was taken hostage wants to meet me…’

There was no need to think about it.

“Tell her I refuse!”

I’m already busy enough.

I don’t want any troublesome things.

***

In the middle of the street during the day.

“Haa, haa, haa…”

Erwen was running through the crowd.

Her freshly washed body, as well as the skirt she had taken out for the first time in a while, were already soaked with sweat, but…

‘Uh… I don’t smell, do I?’

Well, it should be fine.

We’ve shown each other worse than this, haven’t we?

Meeting him was more important to her.

‘…He was alive after all!’

While she was overjoyed by that fact, she also felt a sense of self-loathing.

Bjorn, son of Yandel.

The first companion she ever had, the barbarian who saved her when she was wandering alone in the labyrinth.

The very person who had disappeared before she could repay his kindness, whom she had thought was dead all this time.

She felt foolish for being mistaken and locking herself in her room.

‘I never thought he would become so famous…’

There was no need to ask around.

She had only asked a few people after returning to the city, and most of them knew his name.

One of them even knew the location of the inn where he was staying.

‘Wait a minute… then why didn’t my sister tell me anything?’

Such a thought suddenly occurred to her, but Erwen didn’t delve into it.

She probably didn’t hear it.

There’s no way her sister would have hidden it on purpose.

It wasn’t an important fact right now.

‘Ugh, what should I say when I meet him? Come to think of it, I disappeared at some point.’

Her heart was pounding non-stop.

A pleasant feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time.

She had been living with the curtains drawn because she didn’t want to see the sun rise and set, but the sunlight touching her skin felt warm and cozy today.

‘Let’s apologize first. I’m sure he was looking for me too. Maybe he couldn’t find me because he didn’t remember where our inn was.’

Erwen, who had arrived at her destination, organized her thoughts for the upcoming meeting.

And after tidying up her disheveled clothes.

She knocked on the door.

Tap, tap.

She heard footsteps from inside.

And they were quickly getting closer.

Thump, thump!

Her heart felt like it was about to burst.

She wanted to meet him and talk like they used to. Talking about each other’s daily lives, laughing and chatting like they did back then.

‘He’ll be surprised when he finds out that I can control all four great spirits, right? Oh, no… he’s much stronger than me now, so I guess I can’t even brag about that?’

She was a little worried, but he would still praise her in the end.

He would say she did well, that she had worked hard.

Because it was him, not anyone else, he would definitely do that.

“Hehe…”

It was then, as she was smiling at that thought.

Bang.

The door finally opened.

But what is this?

“Huh? Who are you?”

The one who opened the door was a beastkin.

A cat-like person with triangular ears on her head.

Erwen checked the number on the door.

Room 201.

She hadn’t come to the wrong place.

She had asked several times to confirm, so there was no way she had misheard. Then, did the person who told her the information get it wrong?

Hmm, it seems like that’s the case.

But maybe it’s the next room, so let’s ask just in case. He’s so famous, so if they’re in the same inn, they’ll definitely know.

“Excuse me, do you know which room Mr. Bjorn Yandel is staying in?”

“Huh? Was he a guest of Bjorn’s?”

“Yes? What do you mean by that…?”

“If it’s Bjorn, he just went out after showering, do you want to come in and wait?”

He just went out after showering…?!

No, wait a minute, before that… if this woman is saying that, then this is Mr. Bjorn’s room, right?

She was confused.

What is going on?

“Or, tell me who you are. I’ll tell Bjorn that someone came to see him when he gets back.”

It was as if they were living together. Erwen, who had blankly raised her head, checked the beastkin’s face again.

She was beautiful.

Even for her, an elf, she couldn’t deny it.

And…

Drip, drip.

Red hair was dripping.

As if she had just taken a shower.

“You said he just went out after showering?”

“Yeah, but why?”

At the answer as if asking if there was a problem, Erwen’s lips twisted.

Of course, that time was not long.

“No. It’s nothing. Can I go inside and wait?”

“Oh, sure…?”

Soon, she stepped into the room.

The spoils were scattered on the floor, making it messy.

“It’s a bit messy…? It’s not usually like this…”

“I know. I know what this is. I’ve done it with him too.”

“Huh? You’ve done it too? Ah… you’re an explorer too?”

“Yes.”

“Then, don’t get the wrong idea? This is all from the plunderers—”

“Don’t worry. I don’t misunderstand.”

Erwen cut off the beastkin’s words and focused on the pounding in her chest.

And she smiled and continued.

“If you covet someone else’s things, shouldn’t you be punished?”

Her heart, which had been beating so hot just a moment ago, had turned cold somewhere along the way.