Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 148

Barbarian Road (1)

In the past, Misha had stated definitively,

‘I like… skinny guys.’

‘Eek!! That means you have no charm as a man!!’

It was something she said when we were stranded in the Witch’s Forest, mistaking my offer of a partnership as a confession.

I was relieved by those words.

Isn’t there a saying that there are no friends between men and women?

If her preferences were so clear, I thought we could remain colleagues without any discomfort, even if we stayed together for a long time.

However…

‘Come and sit down quickly. If you sleep like that without eating, you’ll ruin your health.’

Misha’s attitude towards me gradually changed.

She made a point of visiting me every morning to wake me up, and we ate the meals she made together.

She even gave me the meat dishes.

Honestly, it felt like I had a girlfriend, not just a colleague.

At first, I thought she was trying to repay the favor for saving her life, but…

‘…Yes. I like you. As a man.’

Yeah, so that’s how it was.

‘Did you perhaps know?’

‘I wasn’t sure.’

To be precise, I had been turning a blind eye for that reason. It wasn’t like she had said it directly. I hadn’t faced the issue, thinking it could all be my imagination.

Because if I knew, there would only be one option.

‘Oh, I see…’

Looking at Misha, who was trembling but still facing me, I felt anew how cowardly I had been.

If I had faced this issue earlier, other solutions might have been possible.

I could have pushed her away with indirect words, if only before Misha’s feelings had grown so strong, as Dwarki had told me not to turn away.

Yes, it would have been like that for sure.

‘So, what do you… think?’

Now, there are two options.

Either throw myself in and fuel the burning fire.

Or, put out the fire before it grows any bigger.

The answer was already decided.

‘I am…’

A demon and a player.

I’m not Bjorn Yandel, and I haven’t given up on my wish to return home.

But I can’t say that.

Dwarki also said that it’s cowardly to want sincerity without showing my true self.

So, I spoke honestly.

‘I think of you as a precious colleague.’

Misha’s response came after a slight pause.

‘So… I’m not good enough?’

‘It’s the same for anyone else. I don’t have the leeway for that. We don’t know when we might die. Besides, it hasn’t even been a year since I finished my coming-of-age ceremony.’

In many ways, survival should be the top priority right now.

And Misha has to continue exploring with me.

If romantic feelings get involved, it will be difficult to make rational decisions when faced with choices.

That would put both of us in danger.

So…

‘I want you to think of me only as a colleague too.’

I’m drawing a line now, facing reality.

But no matter how much I try to sugarcoat it with words of caring for each other, was it just selfishness at its core?

Misha firmly rejected my proposal.

‘No!’

‘…What?’

‘Why should I? In the first place, I wasn’t even planning to reveal my feelings today, you bad barbarian old man! You swindler! Asking as if you’d accept me!!’

Misha shouted in annoyance and punched me in the solar plexus.

Thud!

Freezing damage that chilled me to the heart.

As if she wasn’t satisfied, Misha continued to shout.

‘Who asked you to accept me first? I know. I know you’re not in a position to do so! But! To tell me not to even like you, isn’t that too cruel!’

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Rapidly stacking freezing damage.

As I was about to say something, Misha weakly placed her hand on my solar plexus.

‘I… I don’t ask for much. I think even now is more than enough. So, can’t you just not say those things? Huh? Why are you trying to take even that away from me…’

A tremor was transmitted from where Misha was connected to me.

I couldn’t see her face because she was looking down, but it wasn’t hard to guess her expression.

I pursed my lips. I didn’t think I deserved to say or do anything to comfort her. The silent time flowed endlessly, and soon the trembling stopped.

‘…’

Misha stepped back and glared at me with her eyes swollen red.

And…

‘There will be no meal tomorrow.’

She left with that spiteful remark.

I remained like a stone statue, watching her retreating figure.

Squeak.

As I entered the inn, the innkeeper sitting at the counter clicked his tongue at me.

‘You were in the wrong today.’

I knew it without being told.

Thud, thud.

I went up the stairs and opened the door.

Still the same cramped room of Bjorn Yandel.

For some reason, I was reminded of Lee Han-soo’s empty room.

It was time to admit it.

‘…’

It wasn’t that I had become weak because I had grown attached.

I had just tried not to get attached because I knew I was weak.

***

The next morning.

Misha, who had said there would be no meal tomorrow, visited and woke me up.

She was holding a well-being lunch box full of carrots.

‘Chew it well. Okay?’

Since I had done wrong, I chewed and swallowed everything.

I ate without even remembering to breathe, so it didn’t take long. However, Misha spoke first as she watched me awkwardly rolling my eyes after the meal.

‘Isn’t it not so bad as it is now?’

‘But…’

‘But what? You have no say in this. So don’t feel burdened. I’m just doing what I want to do.’

The conclusion she had reached overnight after returning home.

There was no room for me to interfere.

Misha was more mature than me.

She was probably saying this so calmly because she didn’t want this relationship to become more uncomfortable.

Well, Dwarki wouldn’t have wanted this kind of ambiguous resolution.

‘Okay.’

‘Okay, then this topic is forbidden from now on. Got it?’

‘I will.’

With this, the issue was settled for now.

No, it’s not like anything has changed from before, but anyway.

‘Go wash up and come out. We should be leaving soon.’

After finishing the meal, I washed up briefly and went out with Misha. Then, we headed to the meeting place and met up with our colleagues to go to Commelby together.

The atmosphere in the carriage was quite heavy.

‘It seems like this is the first time we’ve all come together like this?’

The dwarf tried to speak brightly, but strictly speaking, it wasn’t like we all came together.

Now, even if we wanted to, we couldn’t.

‘…Let’s just finish our business and go back.’

After arriving in Commelby, things were a bit better.

We repaired our equipment and sold what we had to sell. And finally, we visited the Central Administration Office to sign the contract to transfer the house Dwarki had left to the dwarf.

The reason was simple.

The dwarf said he would buy it.

‘…Why are you going so far? Dwarki wouldn’t have wanted you to go this far.’

‘Haha! It was always my dream to have my own house. And I’ve made a good amount of money this time.’

‘Well, enough worrying, just take it and sign it.’

I signed in front of the administration office employee who was notarizing, and with this, Dwarki’s house became the dwarf’s property.

For reference, the appraised value of the house confirmed through the administration office was 24 million stones.

However, I heard that it would sell for 20% less at auction, so we only received 5 million stones per person.

‘Then let’s go back and have a drink.’

After finishing our business, we returned to the residential area and headed to the pub. And we did the final settlement.

We divided all the income, including magic stones, into four.

There would be slight differences due to equipment repair costs and the cost of consumables used in the labyrinth, but…

’25 million stones, huh…’

A huge sum of money was in my hands.

The dwarf only had 10 million stones left after buying the house.

Oh, for reference, it was agreed that the Dragon Slayer Sword and the ‘Restrained Wish’ I used in the labyrinth would be recognized as my share.

‘The fact that the vampire essence disappeared and the ogre essence appeared, it must be a treasure that someone would search for. However, it happened while trying to save us.’

‘I’m not so shameless as to be greedy for that. The Dragon Slayer Sword is also something that the guy would have taken back if it weren’t for you.’

I was very grateful for that.

If we were to convert these into money and divide them into four, we would go bankrupt several times over.

‘Well, then let’s drink.’

After a few more rounds of drinks, I cautiously brought up the topic.

‘I think it’s time to talk about the team.’

One spot on the team had become vacant.

However, I wasn’t planning to fill that spot, but rather to say that I would leave the team with Misha.

However…

‘I have something to say to everyone about that.’

The dwarf was one step ahead of me.

‘I’m going to quit being an explorer.’

‘What?’

‘I’m sorry to bring this up at a time like this. However, it’s a decision I made after thinking about it all day yesterday, so I hope you’ll understand.’

Rotmilla asked at the dwarf’s declaration.

‘What do you plan to do after quitting this job?’

‘I’m going to open a blacksmith shop. That’s why I bought that friend’s house. I felt like if I didn’t do it now, I might never be able to.’

No wonder he said he would buy Dwarki’s house.

He was planning to renovate it and open a blacksmith shop.

‘Becoming an explorer was more like running away from reality. I gave up on my dream because I didn’t have the talent and I needed money to live. That’s why I don’t want to do anything I’ll regret. That would be an insult to that friend.’

No one dared to dissuade him at the dwarf’s firm words.

They could only wish him well for the future.

‘…I hope you achieve your dream.’

‘Oh, a blacksmith shop, so you’re going to be a boss now? I’ll definitely visit later.’

‘If I have any business at a blacksmith shop, I’ll go to your place from now on.’

‘Yes, that’s a good idea! Just thinking about it makes me happy! Hahaha!’

After the dwarf’s departure became a foregone conclusion, Rotmilla continued the conversation.

‘Murad, don’t feel too sorry about it. I was planning to leave the team after this exploration anyway.’

‘What? You? Why?’

‘I felt my own shortcomings. That’s all.’

The dwarf couldn’t say anything at the short answer.

But perhaps he had already expected this reaction?

Rotmilla continued without showing any sign.

‘Actually, I told Bjorn in advance. I didn’t imagine it would end like this back then. Since I have a lot of money now, I’m going to take some time to improve myself.’

‘…With your diligence and perseverance, I believe you will achieve whatever your goal is someday.’

With the dwarf’s sincere words, the two’s gazes turned to me and Misha.

They must be curious about what we will do.

I briefly stated my aspirations for the future.

‘The two of us will create a new team. And we will climb to higher places.’

‘Yes, I knew you would say that.’

‘Miss Karlstein will have a hard time.’

‘…Well, isn’t it my karma? Besides, there’s nothing else I can do.’

We all raised our glasses and toasted.

The last drinking session together as Team Half-Pint.

We wished each other well for the future, cheered each other on, and spent our time of farewell with memories as our snacks.

As always, time flowed mercilessly, and soon the dwarf and Misha were drunk and had their heads on the table.

‘I guess it’s time to end this.’

I smiled bitterly at Rotmilla.

At the end of the drinking session, it was always the two of us who cleaned up.

It was a fitting end for Team Half-Pint, even to the very end.

That was what I was thinking as I stood up.

‘Bjorn, there’s something I want to ask you.’

Unlike usual, Rotmilla lowered his voice and called out to me.

As if he had been waiting for the two of them to fall asleep.

‘…Tell me.’

I stared at him under a strange pressure, and Rotmilla asked me back after a slight pause.

‘Are you perhaps a demon?’

The biggest task remained to safely dismantle Team Half-Pint.