Surviving The Game As A Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 15

Light flooded my vision, then softened as my sight returned.

I stared blankly at the sky.

It had been so long since I’d seen such bright light.

Well, it was just a gloomy, gray sky, but still.

“Derek, are you heading back to the lodgings?”

“After being out for a month? No way. I’m going to the tavern right after I wash up.”

“I’m baaaackkkkk!!”

“All adventurers below 7th rank, please come this way!”

The surroundings were incredibly noisy.

It was only natural since all the adventurers who had entered the labyrinth were gathered in one place, but…

Even so, I didn’t realize there were this many adventurers in this city.

It’s like seeing Gwanghwamun [a major public square in Seoul] during the World Cup.

Click, click.

I adjusted my watch to 12 o’clock.

Even if you go into the labyrinth, only one day passes in the city. No matter how many days you spend there, when you come out, it’s noon the next day.

‘When I was playing the game, I just thought it was the developer’s considerate world-building…’

This way, you can continue quests in the city even after going to the labyrinth.

I thought it was just a convenience for the users.

“Bjorn, son of Yandel!”

Who is it? That voice sounds familiar…

I turned my head towards the sound and saw a barbarian about my height.

He was the first leader, so I remember him clearly.

“Karak, the second son of Panun of the Blood Tears.”

“The third son of Panun.”

What? Then is Ainar the second?

Anyway, even in this crowd, it was easy for tall barbarians to find each other.

“Serum, the fourth son of Kenik! You’ve returned alive too!”

“It’s good to see you’re okay too, Karak, the third son of Panun!”

I was just standing still, but barbarians started gathering around me.

“Hahahaha! The blade wolves were nothing! None of them could withstand more than one blow from my axe!”

“With your valiant axe skills, that’s only natural, Parman, son of Nerun!”

Is this some kind of reunion? I was instantly overwhelmed.

They were constantly calling out those long names, greeting each other, and praising each other’s valor.

These guys are really something.

They seem a bit simple, but how do they memorize those long names so well?

“Bjorn! What are you doing! We’re going to exchange our magic stones now, aren’t you coming with us?”

I cleared my throat and answered as loudly as I could.

“Ah, I’ll go!”

“You seem quite tired!! Your voice has no strength!!”

“That’s right!”

I thought I had been doing a good job of acting like a barbarian, but my confidence is fading.

The natives are different.

“There they are!”

“The place to prove a warrior’s valor!”

Soon, mixed in with the group of barbarians, I naturally went through the procedures as an adventurer.

It wasn’t anything special, just the process of exchanging magic stones for money at the checkpoint.

“That’s 24,476 stones.”

“That’s 28,420 stones.”

“That’s 41,498 stones.”

It’s like a supermarket checkout counter.

Especially in how fast they are.

The officials sitting at the tables were incredibly fast.

They would place the magic stone pouches on something like scanning a barcode, and when the number came up, they would mechanically hand over the money.

I was watching with a bit of curiosity when the barbarians around me, shamelessly, started yelling and chatting again.

“Oooooh! To earn over 40,000 stones, truly amazing!”

“Karak, the third son of Panun, is a warrior among warriors!”

Sigh, is it because I lived with an elf for a few days?

I just can’t get used to it.

By the way, I need to find Erwen too…

Why are these guys the only ones coming, and not the person I’m looking for?

I was just standing still.

“Bjorn, son of Yandel! It’s your turn now!”

I sighed, and it was my turn.

I walked up to the table and placed the pouch in front of the official, who looked like he had no soul.

“Are all three pouches filled with magic stones?”

The other two are Muldae’s and Samurai’s.

But now they’re all mine.

That happened about 40 minutes ago.

“Yes.”

When I nodded, the official placed the pouch on something like a scale.

And then he recited the exact amount.

“That’s 182,413 stones.”

If one piece of bread was about 20 stones, then I earned over 9,000 pieces of bread in 7 days?

It feels like just yesterday that I was feeling sad about earning one piece of bread for catching one goblin.

…I feel overwhelmed with emotion for some reason.

“That’s 180,000 stones! Bjorn, son of Yandel, earned 180,000 stones!”

“That’s the highest record ever! Bjorn, son of Yandel, is the greatest warrior ever!”

These bastards don’t even give me time to be sentimental.

I quickly took the money from the official and came out of the checkpoint.

But as I came out of the crowd, the barbarians who had come out earlier started making a fuss, as if they had finally noticed my appearance.

“It’s not just stones! He’s also carrying a hammer!”

“No, he’s even wearing shoes! I’m jealous!”

“He has three bags!”

“He’s looking at a watch! Can he even read the time?”

“How is that possible? Is Bjorn, son of Yandel, a magician?”

Well, I can understand their reaction.

It must feel like magic.

I’m probably the first barbarian to enter the labyrinth with nothing and return as a civilized person!

Damn, this praise is too much, my body is starting to get excited on its own.

Whoa, calm down, Bjorn.

I am…

“I am the greatest warrior!!”

“Wooooooo!!!”

At my shout, the barbarians fell into a frenzy.

Then they started tossing me in the air.

But surprisingly, it feels better than I thought.

Well, whatever.

“You shouldn’t be making so much noise here.”

“Sorry! I apologize!”

“So, please lower your voice a bit…”

“Understood!!”

Only after a staff member came and said something did the madness subside.

Then I regained my composure and sat on the ground like the barbarians around me, waiting for the remaining barbarians to finish their checkpoint procedures.

That’s when it happened.

“…”

I felt a gaze and turned my head, and I saw an elf looking at me from among the bustling crowd of adventurers.

It’s Erwen.

How long has she been watching me? I hope she only saw me after the tossing ended…

“…”

Whether she knows my feelings or not, Erwen smiles as if she’s happy to see me when our eyes meet.

However, she quickly turned her gaze away from me because the handsome and beautiful elves next to her were talking to her.

I was curious, so I listened to their conversation, and it was quite refreshing.

They were quietly chatting, calling each other ‘sister’ and ‘brother,’ and it felt too surreal.

“Sister! I think I’m starting to understand how to handle spirits! I understand why Grandma Greendelin told us to become friends first.”

“Oh, really? The fire spirit is said to be quite temperamental, so you’ll be able to hear its voice soon.”

Well, you’re one of them.

I only have barbarians next to me.

I’m jealous…

As I was looking at Erwen with a longing similar to admiration for something I didn’t have, our eyes met again.

I took this opportunity to mouth the time.

‘Tonight.’

Erwen tilted her head, then giggled and mouthed back.

‘Yes!’

First of all, I could tell that this secret conversation was quite fun for Erwen.

But, I don’t know if she understood what I said.

Was her answer even ‘yes’ in the first place?

Sigh, I’ll have a proper conversation with her after she comes out of the checkpoint.

That’s what I was thinking when it happened.

“Why are you looking over there so much? Do you know someone?”

“Ah, no! Sister! Of course not!”

Erwen vehemently waved her hands at the question from the elf sister next to her.

Then, she took a chance to glance at me and mouthed.

‘Sorry!’

It seems like she heard me properly this time.

I could soon understand her gesture of secretly pointing at the elf sister and shaking her head.

It must be because of this sister that she couldn’t help it.

Well, we’re in the same boat.

“Bjorn, son of Yandel! What are you looking at so much! Is it an elf you know?”

“It is not!”

“I guess not! There’s no way a great warrior like you would be friends with those sneaky pointy-ears!”

I wanted to shut this bastard’s mouth, but I couldn’t.

His voice was so loud that the elves around us were glaring at us.

Erwen was among them.

She looked at me with a bitter look and nodded her head as if she understood.

“Haa…”

Looking at her mournful eyes, I belatedly felt a sense of reality.

What the hell am I doing?

It’s not like we’re Romeo and Juliet.

“Let’s go!”

The barbarians finished their checkpoint procedures and came out of the entrance.

Since it seemed impossible to talk to Erwen among the elves even if I waited, I followed them.

As always, there was another crowd in front of them.

“Dad! Are you hurt anywhere? I missed you!”

“Brother! Over here, over here!”

Well, yeah, there was something like this in the game too.

Simply put, the people here are the families or acquaintances of the adventurers.

“Let’s go! I’ll clear the way!”

“Wooooooo!”

I followed the barbarians and pushed through the crowd, where a whirlwind of feelings like joy, despair, sadness, and affection were swirling.

As I did, I looked at each of their faces.

It felt strange.

“Limarion! My husband, where is my husband? Could it be…”

“I’m sorry. He asked me to give you this.”

“No… no. No… Ah!”

I’ve played [Dungeon & Stone] countless times, but.

I was seeing expressions everywhere that I could never have known from the 2D graphics on the monitor.

***

The reason I went with the barbarians was one.

I thought that there would be more procedures that a beginner would have to go through in this city, like the checkpoint in front.

However, my expectations were completely wrong.

“It’s alcohol! Let’s drink!”

“Wooooooo!”

The place the barbarians went to as soon as they came out of the labyrinth was a tavern.

Are you kidding me?

“I’m going to pass.”

“Why is that, Bjorn, son of Yandel, the greatest warrior!”

An adjective was added to my already long name.

I engraved the character ‘patience’ in my mind and excused myself, saying that I had somewhere to go.

“May luck be with you! Bjorn, son of Yandel, the greatest warrior!”

I keep feeling it, but these guys just don’t make any sense based on common sense.

“Haa, finally it’s quiet.”

Being with the barbarians for a while made me feel like I was going crazy. Was Erwen feeling like that when she was with me?

I should refrain from acting like a barbarian next time.

Thump, thump.

After parting with them, I wandered aimlessly through the city.

I had a destination, but for now, I just wanted to walk wherever my feet took me.

It’s peaceful.

When I first saw this city, it was in the middle of the night, but now that it’s daytime, many people are filling the streets.

Surprisingly, it gives me a sense of stability.

“…”

There are no monsters here.

There are no humans who will harm me.

Even if I fall asleep on the street, I’ll be able to wake up fine. No, maybe someone will even offer me a helping hand.

There are laws, rules, and leisure here.

Of course, I know that this is a distant other world, and that their ideologies, culture, social systems, and almost everything else are barbaric compared to the 21st century.

But even so, it’s peaceful.

At least compared to the labyrinth I was in for 7 days.

“…”

I wanted to feel that stability even more, so I kept walking.

Maybe because the adventurers had just poured out, my blood-soaked appearance wasn’t particularly noticeable.

No one was looking at me strangely.

But as I kept walking, I wanted to wash up.

So, I went into the first inn I saw, got a room, and washed up.

It was a bit strange.

That more red blood came out than dirt when washing a human body.

“…”

After washing my body thoroughly for about an hour, the clothes I was wearing felt too dirty.

Damn it, I should have bought clothes and then washed up.

I felt like I wanted to take a nap, but I went back out to the street to find a clothing store.

But why is it?

No one is looking at me strangely, but I feel embarrassed for some reason.

I’m still shirtless, and I’m still wearing pants stained with dirt and blood, no, my body is much cleaner now…

I felt like I had become a barbarian again.

Why?

“Welcome!”

When I entered what seemed to be a clothing store, a friendly employee approached me.

Even though I’m a barbarian in rags, he’s smiling brightly.

I haven’t seen such a professional employee even in Seoul…

“A top? If you want a custom-made one, it’s in the building next door… Ah, you’re looking for something to wear right away? I don’t know if we have anything that fits, but I’ll take a look.”

With the help of the employee, I was able to buy a shirt that was so tight it felt like it was about to burst, and a pair of black cloth pants.

The price was 2,500 stones in total.

I don’t know if I was ripped off or not.

I’ve never bought clothes without any function in the game, so I don’t know.

“Please come again!”

Now that I looked somewhat human, I returned to the inn.

I felt it when I saw the official who was exchanging magic stones, and I also felt it when I was talking to the employee just now, but this city has a strangely modern atmosphere.

This Lapdonia.

Most of the buildings are made of stone, and all of them are tall.

No, it was hard to find a building with less than three floors on the main street, and when I was washing up, water came out of the faucet.

Maybe living in this city is more doable than I thought.

“…”

I arrived at the inn and lay down on the bed.

As I recalled the events of the past 7 days, I realized that I was no different from Hans.

When I first fell here, surviving was my only goal.

But what about now?

I ended up saying the words I had been holding back countless times.

“I want to go home.”

I want to go back.