Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 242

The moment the prospective marquis leaned toward Bjorn Yandel, a man watching from afar chuckled.

‘The rumors were true.’

He’s worse than a scoundrel.

To pull such a stunt in front of the Prime Minister.

‘No, maybe he thinks the Prime Minister and the other nobles won’t blame him.’

Well, it’s not entirely incomprehensible when you think about it.

A noble who will soon become a marquis and a barbarian explorer who now holds the title of a junior baron.

The difference in status is clear, and…

Given the clannish nature of the aristocratic society, there have been many more blatant acts of bullying that have been tacitly accepted.

It’s a kind of ‘taming’ ritual.

However…

‘Still, I have to give him credit for his audacity.’

The prospective marquis isn’t a knight.

He only consumed a few essences to create an imposing figure.

Yet, he’s picking a physical fight with an explorer known for defeating a corpse collector…

‘Ah, come to think of it, he was injured, wasn’t he?’

Belatedly, the man recalled that Bjorn Yandel was suffering from the aftereffects of his last battle.

Wasn’t it said that poison had even seeped into his brain?

During the last banquet, he was sweating profusely just from walking normally.

Perhaps that’s why the marquis did such a thing.

‘…This is just going to ruin my mood.’

The man frowned involuntarily at the thought of what might happen.

The malice of the nobles hidden beneath the splendor.

A hero being humiliated in front of everyone.

It wasn’t the kind of scene he wanted to see on his rare outing—

“Huh?”

The man tilted his head.

It was because the result was completely unexpected.

Despite the prospective marquis’s trick, the barbarian’s body didn’t budge.

‘…Has he already recovered to some extent?’

Good.

It was at that moment.

The barbarian’s shoulder muscles, which couldn’t be hidden by his simple clothing, twitched.

And at that moment.

“Aaaack!!”

The prospective marquis fell backward as if a reaction had occurred.

“….”

Even the music stopped, and silence fell.

It was incomprehensible.

‘…He pushed the marquis here?!’

It was an act he would never have done if he had thought about the consequences.

The man, feeling a strange sense of vicarious embarrassment, felt even more dizzy.

It was good that his physical condition had improved and he wasn’t affected by the low trickery, but…

‘He should have just pretended not to notice.’

If it were the man, he would have said something like, ‘Haha, did my legs give out? I need to exercise more,’ and then retaliated later.

That way, there would be no risk.

Well, it was a very barbarian-like action.

‘…If it were that person, he wouldn’t have done it this way.’

Then, is he really a native barbarian?

The man was disappointed but kept watching the situation.

Still, you never know.

This could also be part of a bigger plan, and…

Even if it’s not that person, it’s the same.

Bjorn Yandel is someone who has shown such remarkable growth that he is suspected of being a player [a person who has knowledge of the game-like system of the world].

‘Let’s watch for now.’

It was when he was focusing his eyes with that thought.

“Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

The Prime Minister called out the barbarian’s name in a troubled voice.

He also already knew.

Not only the prospective marquis’s trickery but also how this barbarian had responded to it.

‘So, how are you going to get out of this situation?’

The man waited for the barbarian to open his mouth, not giving up hope for a twist until the end.

It didn’t take long.

Soon, the barbarian shouted as if he was wronged.

“…I, I didn’t do anything wrong!”

A protest without any logical defense, like a child throwing a tantrum.

“It’s true! I was just standing still, and he used me to do a somersault!”

He even openly blamed the marquis.

The man felt somewhat empty.

The Yandel veterans who said in the community that Bjorn Yandel couldn’t be a player came to mind.

Only then did he understand what they had said.

‘This is a modern person…?’

The man’s eyes turned cold as he looked at the barbarian.

***

The investiture ceremony was over.

To be honest, I don’t remember how it went.

It was boring.

The Prime Minister gave a speech, using all sorts of flowery language, and with the words, ‘I bestow the title on behalf of the royal family,’ I became a proper noble of this country.

And then the banquet began.

‘Damn it.’

It’s different from the previous banquet.

At that time, many nobles came to me to make acquaintances or out of simple curiosity, but…

“….”

Now, there’s no one around me.

Even Baron Martoang and the count who tried to arrange a political marriage are just watching from afar.

It’s a completely different treatment from the marquis and viscount over there, who are surrounded by many nobles.

Well, it’s not incomprehensible.

I got on the marquis’s bad side because of this incident.

‘Ha, because of some weirdo.’

Since it turned out this way, I comfortably grabbed a piece of meat with my hand and tore into it, recalling what had happened earlier.

[Bjorn, son of Yandel.]

How to overcome the situation where even the Prime Minister was looking at me as if scolding me.

My answer at that time was this.

The mindless barbarian mode that always came to my rescue when I was in trouble.

[…I, I didn’t do anything wrong!]

After all, those who should know already know that the marquis is at fault.

I just decided to be brazen.

In the first place, political speeches don’t suit a barbarian.

[It’s true! I was just standing still, and he used me to do a somersault!]

As expected, the Prime Minister couldn’t say anything to my words.

[…A somersault?]

This is what happens to guys who only hold pens at their desks.

No matter how smart and quick-witted they are, they have no experience with this kind of conversation.

[Marquis! You tell me! You just felt like doing a somersault!]

The nobles who had been taking my actions as a challenge changed their attitude as the mindless barbarian mode continued.

They realized it.

That a barbarian is a completely different species.

[…Cariot Cudo, tell me. Is that true?]

Soon, the Prime Minister looked at the marquis with a cold gaze and spoke, and the marquis was horrified and replied.

[T-that can’t be! That barbarian dared to push me—]

[Enough.]

[……?]

Seeing the marquis flustered at being cut off, the Prime Minister just stared at him with a gentle smile, without saying anything.

It was a silent pressure not to make things bigger.

[Y-yes, that’s… right…….]

In the end, the marquis had no choice but to admit that he wanted to do a somersault.

That action meant that the Prime Minister had sided with me in this incident.

As a noble, he had that much sense.

‘…Prime Minister, this old man is also suspicious.’

Anyway, whatever.

The investiture ceremony resumed as if nothing had happened, and it ended with the essence that had been decided two days ago being delivered to me in a luxurious box.

And now.

‘Should I just go back….’

Sitting alone at a large round table, eating meat, I started to feel the urge to go home.

‘Well, okay, let’s just eat one more plate and go.’

After making that decision, I asked the servants at each table to bring me another plate filled with meat.

How much time had passed?

‘Huh?’

Turning my gaze to the approaching presence, I saw a man instead of the meat plate I was waiting for.

“Haha, it’s nice to meet you, Junior Baron Yandel.”

The first noble to approach me at this banquet where I was being completely ostracized.

The barbarian’s instinct spoke the moment I made eye contact.

Something is suspicious.

No…

“I’m Hans from the Iphreia barony.”

This man is dangerous.

***

Hans Iphreia.

Or Hans I for short.

“…You’re more taciturn than I thought?”

He’s the youngest of the baronial family, so he doesn’t have a title, but still, I felt breathless.

Hans with noble characteristics?

Isn’t this a type of Hans I’ve never seen before!

“I am Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

I roughly introduced myself and tried to leave, saying I was busy.

But then.

“Hah, here it is. Junior Baron Yandel.”

The meat plate I had ordered in advance arrived.

The servant brought three plates piled high with meat, considering my appetite today.

“…Thank you.”

I couldn’t help but say thank you.

But what is this again?

“It’s the first… time…….”

The servant is staring at me with a somewhat moved expression.

“In all my time doing this job, I’ve never heard such words…….”

Ha, those noble bastards.

Soon, the servant told me to feel free to ask for anything and stood behind me, waiting for my next request.

‘…I was going to leave.’

Somehow, I felt like I would unintentionally hurt him if I did.

So, I grabbed the meat with one hand.

“You were still eating. If it’s not rude, may I join you?”

Normally, a noble would readily accept this request or refuse it indirectly.

But I am the barbarian of this city.

“That’s a bit uncomfortable.”

I bluntly said it was uncomfortable.

Then, Hans I’s eyes narrowed.

“Hmm, that’s a little different from what I heard.”

His words and gaze were somewhat meaningful.

So, I asked.

“Different?”

“Ah, such a slip of the tongue. I just thought you wouldn’t be bothered by something like this.”

What is this guy?

He’s the youngest of a baronial family without a title, yet he’s strangely relaxed.

And his name is Hans.

‘…Why did he approach me?’

I might need to test him.

After a moment of thought, I spoke naturally.

“You can eat a plate too. It’s a bit uncomfortable for me to eat alone.”

“Ah, that’s what you meant.”

At my words, Hans I ordered the food he wanted from the servant.

And so, a time for just the two of us was created.

“It’s nice to meet you. I was getting bored being alone.”

I extended my hand to him without wiping the meat grease off, and Hans I hesitated for a moment but took my hand.

He has a disgusted look on his face.

‘Hah, this makes him even more suspicious.’

What is the reason for staying here, even shaking hands with a hand covered in meat juice?

To find out, I opened my mouth.

Loudly enough that the pieces of meat I was chewing could fly onto his face without any awkwardness.

“Alright! Hans Iphreia, was it? I like you! Let’s be friends!!”

“….”

“Don’t you want to be friends?”

At my question, he awkwardly smiled, picking off the pieces of meat on his face one by one.

“No, of course not…….”

“Haha, I like you!”

Soon, the meal that he ordered arrived, and we ate together while talking.

Congratulating me on getting the title.

Talking about how nice the weather is today.

Most of it was just meaningless small talk, and at some point, Hans I didn’t even touch his plate.

That’s because the pieces of meat that flew from my mouth all landed on his plate.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

“…I don’t feel well.”

“Hmm, it’s uncomfortable for me to eat alone…….”

Words that meant to get to the point if he had one, or to leave if he didn’t.

So, how would this guy react?

The answer was simple.

“If you’re uncomfortable, then I’ll excuse myself.”

Hans I got up from his seat without hesitation.

And…

“Enjoy your meal.”

He immediately left.

‘What was he?’

Could it be that he really just wanted to be friends?

“….”

He just left, and now I feel even more uneasy.

***

Early evening, as the sun was beginning to set.

After sending Hans I away, I escaped from the palace as if running away and got into the carriage heading home.

After all, I had met Hans.

I had no idea what kind of incident I might get caught up in if I stayed in this place full of nobles.

‘Let’s eat the essence first.’

I asked Keplow, who had started close protection again as soon as I left the palace, for his understanding and opened the test tube bottle.

‘Come to think of it, this is the first time I’m eating it without breaking it.’

The situations where I consumed the essences of the corpse golem, the orc hero, and the manticore were all different, but in the end, I always broke the test tube before taking the essence.

It doesn’t matter anyway since they can’t be recycled.

Whoosh.

I put the opening of the test tube to my nose and took a deep breath, and the essence inside was absorbed into my body like smoke.

「’Bayon’s Essence’ permeates the character’s soul.」

Bayon, a Rank 3 monster.

The reason I ultimately chose this one was simple.

In fact, it would be more advantageous to take the essence of ‘Bol-Herchan’ right now to prepare for aura and increase combat power, but…

There’s a big difference in the difficulty of obtaining them.

‘Now that I’ve eaten this, I can just skip ‘The Immortal Land’ later and just collect experience.’

Bol-Herchan is a group entity and easy to encounter in the field, while ‘Bayon’ is difficult to encounter, and the characteristics of the field where it appears are also very tricky.

This essence selection was more forward-looking.

‘The characteristics of the essences are different, but there’s no significant difference in specs.’

Moreover, considering the effect of the next soul engraving, this is a more rational choice.

「Soul Power increases by +100.」

「Soul Regeneration increases by +30.」

「Strength increases by +25.」

「…….」

「…….」

A sense of fullness that seemed to rise from the depths of my chest.

The new vitality conveyed by the minor physical stats.

I enjoyed the afterglow for a moment and opened my eyes, and Keplow smiled and congratulated me.

‘It’s late today, so I can only go to the training ground tomorrow.’

Feeling disappointed that I couldn’t use my newly acquired power right away, I closed my eyes again.

How much time had passed since then?

Squeak.

The carriage suddenly stopped in the middle of the street.

Did a wheel fall off?

I opened my eyes thinking that.

“I feel magic power from below!”

Keplow, a knight of human origin with a talent for magic power unlike the barbarian, shouted.

And…

“You must get out—!”

A huge explosion occurred, and the surroundings were engulfed in flames.

Kwaaaaaaaang-!

The carriage was shattered in an instant.

Beeeep-!

Amidst the ringing in my ears, I heard the knights shouting.

“Assassins! Assassins are here!!”

Damn it.

***

「Bjorn Yandel」

Level: 5

Physical: 560.88(New +44.4) / Mental: 463.56(New +36) / Ability: 1972.2(New +315)

Item Level: 2,567(New -800)

Total Combat Index: 3,638.39(New +195.4)

Acquired Essences: Corpse Golem – Rank 7 / Orc Hero – Rank 5 / Ogre – Rank 3 / Manticore – Rank 5 / Bayon – Rank 3(New)