Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 245

What mistake did I make for her to act like this?

That thought didn’t even cross my mind.

That’s because Misha has been by my side the longest.

A barbarian who reads books.

A barbarian who knows how to scout.

A barbarian who pretends to be ignorant but is actually cunning.

A barbarian who always seemed to know things others didn’t, as if it were natural.

There must have been many suspicious things over time.

Well, until now, she might have just brushed it off, thinking there could be people like that…

But that day’s incident must have hit her hard.

She knows the most about me.

[Is there any reason to do what the enemy wants?]

I kept avoiding the answer with a barbarian-like excuse, but it must have seemed strange to Misha.

At least she knows that I only become stubborn when there’s a reason.

[If you don’t answer, will you kill that beastkin?]

Even when I heard those words from Baekho, I felt a deep sense of despair.

Perhaps Misha even sensed that.

That I was desperately holding back my answer, cornered in a dead end.

“…Disappear? What are you talking about?”

In the middle of the night, when everyone was asleep.

I pretended not to know anything as I answered Misha, who cautiously came to me, expressing her anxiety.

“Why would I suddenly disappear?”

“Ah, no, it’s just… yeah, just because of a nightmare.”

Misha changed the subject, using a dream as an excuse.

It seemed like she thought that if she voiced her inner anxiety, it might actually happen.

“A dream? If you’re really scared, you can sleep next to me!”

“N-no, it’s not that bad! Geez, fine! If you’re going to joke around, just go to sleep, you old barbarian!”

Misha soon left the room, asking what I was talking about, and I let out a silent sigh.

My chest felt heavy.

‘Suddenly disappear, huh…’

I know why she said that.

It’s because I secretly went into her room yesterday and read the book on her desk.

It was a book I had read in the library before.

A book that detailed several patterns and habits of spirits.

[Spirits are skilled at acting and are cunning. Also, they do not cling to relationships. If a crisis arises that could reveal their identity, they choose to cut all ties and hide their appearance.]

It was a passage I could fully relate to.

Isn’t it a fate where destruction is the only outcome if their identity is revealed?

First, they would try to distance themselves from those around them as much as possible, and if that doesn’t work, they would eventually try to change their identity.

And if even that option is blocked…

‘They’ll go to Noark.’

In fact, Noark is a city made up of such people. Criminals or spirits who can no longer stay in Lapdonia hide in the sewers, and Noark takes them in.

‘Even the clown is famous for joining Orculius as soon as his spirit identity was revealed.’

I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

My head was very complicated.

‘If it’s revealed that I’m a spirit…’

How would they react?

Would they feel betrayed and angry, saying they were deceived?

Well, I don’t know.

At least Misha was more anxious about me disappearing from her side, even if I were a spirit.

‘Damn Baekho.’

I finally admitted it.

I’m afraid of my true identity being revealed to them.

More than the guillotine I might be dragged to.

I’m more afraid of everything I’ve built collapsing.

Even if it’s just a sandcastle.

Whoosh.

I took out a magic tool from my subspace.

A magic tool that allows me to have secret conversations with others.

[Okay, if you want, I’ll erase the place where you are. Hans Chrisen is a spirit! The proof is in my backpack—]

For reference, it also had a recording function, so the dwarf I met in the Doppelganger Forest used it to corner Hans G.

Click.

When I pressed the groove at the bottom of the magic tool, the conversation they had back then was vividly replayed.

[Why are you so worried? They’re just NPCs anyway.]

[But, still, they’re companions we’ve been with—]

[That’s ridiculous. Do you think they’d think that way if they knew your true identity?]

Hans G couldn’t answer the dwarf’s words.

Because he knew it.

[What your companions thought of as friends is the real Hans. And as you know, the real Hans is no longer in this world.]

We are spirits.

No matter what kind of relationships we build here, they can only be fragile relationships built on lies.

[But… I think they are my real companions.]

Hans G answered that way that day.

But what was his actual behavior?

[Wh… why…]

[I’m, I’m sorry.]

When the dwarf, who was in danger, forcibly revealed his identity, Hans G poured flames onto the warrior’s body and clung to the dwarf.

In fact, he knew it himself.

That he could no longer return to the same relationship as before.

That the companion who was once precious would now consider him an ‘enemy’.

Click.

I pressed the button again to turn off the sound.

Suddenly, Takelan’s words came to mind.

[The day will come when you too will feel the same way as I do.]

His words were wrong.

If such a moment of despair comes to me as well.

It will be an even more terrible and miserable end.

***

Another two days passed.

There was nothing significant during that time either.

No more clues came out about the large clan that was suspected to be behind this assassination attempt, and in the end, that day’s incident ended with a half-hearted conclusion.

There was nothing more to dig into.

Oh, but thanks to that, the number of escort knights increased.

As it was proven that there was a force with malice towards the royal family targeting me, additional forces were deployed.

Well, a bit too much.

‘Ha, this makes it impossible to go anywhere.’

There are already three close escorts.

Of course, that’s only inside the house, and there are more than thirty knights on guard outside. Also, if I go out, all those personnel follow me.

Oh, even a court lady has been assigned.

“I will taste it first in case there is poison.”

Every meal, a knight who specializes in poison resistance tastes it first.

“N-no need to do that! Wh-why would I ever harm Bjorn…”

“It’s better to be sure. Hmm, it’s delicious. As expected, Ms. Carlstein’s skills are truly amazing.”

“E-even if you say that, it doesn’t make me feel better!”

Every meal, the court lady acted like that, so Misha didn’t seem to be in a good mood…

But still, seeing such inflexible behavior makes her seem more trustworthy.

‘Even if Noark sends assassins, I don’t have to worry with this much protection.’

After breakfast, Aynar went to the holy site, and Erwen went out to meet her younger sibling.

And so did I.

“…You’re going out?”

“It’s time for me to start working too.”

I’ve rested enough, so it’s time to get back to work and do the things I’ve been putting off.

“If it’s work, are you going to buy something again?”

“No, this time it’s for a different purpose.”

“Hmm?”

Usually, maintenance time was shopping time, but today is not for that purpose.

I did make a lot of money this time, but…

‘If I just leave it alone, its value will keep going up, so there’s no reason to shop now.’

First of all, the price of equipment has already started to plummet.

This is because the demand has decreased as many explorers, who were the main customer base, died.

On the other hand, food prices have risen.

Hoarding has begun due to concerns that the supply of magic stones may decrease from next month.

‘For now, let’s try not to spend cash and keep it.’

The currency here is not just a simple piece of paper created by social agreement.

It has real value.

Because it’s a world where they live on magic stones, a versatile substance that can be turned into iron and wheat by alchemists.

The value of the currency will not fall.

Unless the value of labor hits rock bottom.

‘I wonder if Hikurod is okay…?’

Suddenly, the dwarf came to mind.

Recently, it seemed like the blacksmith shop was doing relatively well, but in the current situation, it must be empty?

I feel sorry for him for some reason.

He invested all his assets to open a shop, and then that happened.

‘I’ll visit him later when I have time…’

I quickly got dressed and went out with Misha.

Outside, a carriage prepared by the knights was waiting.

It feels like an undeserved treatment, but…

“Please get in.”

I now got into the carriage familiar.

It’s not like I’m paying for it anyway, and they say it’s much easier to escort me this way, so what can I do?

“Where shall we take you?”

“To the Grand Temple of the Leatlass Church.”

As soon as I told the coachman the destination, the carriage departed.

“…The Leatlass Church? Why are you suddenly going there?”

Misha had a somewhat anxious look in her eyes.

I understood her feelings.

The religious forces here are like natural enemies to spirits.

‘Tsk, it seems she hasn’t completely let go of her suspicion.’

Misha had been reading books about spirits and saying meaningful things to me for a day or two, but soon after, those things had completely disappeared.

So I thought it was just a feeling, and she had concluded that I couldn’t possibly be a spirit.

‘…In times like this, it’s better to just leave her alone without provoking her, rather than doing something.’

So, I just continued the conversation normally.

“I’m thinking of asking for any spare priests if there are any.”

“…Spare priests? A-are you perhaps leaving the team?”

“What are you talking about?”

“But, even if a priest comes, we’re already five… Ah! Could it be that someone is…”

Ah, what is she even saying?

I sighed and said firmly.

“I’m not leaving the team, and no one else is leaving my team either.”

“Huh? Then why a priest…”

Misha still trailed off, as if she still didn’t understand.

I told her my plan for the future.

“Because we need to prepare to go up to the 6th floor.”

“Uh-huh, the 6th floor? Right, I see. But what does that have to do with this?”

“We’re going to create a clan.”

The 5-person team has reached its graduation point.

***

Even if it’s small, if it exceeds 5 people, it’s classified as a clan. It’s because the members must be divided into at least two teams.

“A clan? Then will we be moving with 10 people from now on?”

Well, it seems like that will be the case eventually.

But not right now.

‘Since Erwen can act as a scout, one priest should be enough for now.’

From the 6th floor, we also need to recruit one more explorer with a special position.

Then, for now, there will be a total of eight people.

‘At our current level, even if we split into four, we should be able to get up to the 5th floor without any problems.’

Well, I’m not too worried about this part.

If it doesn’t work out, meeting on the 2nd floor is also an option.

It will take time to join depending on the starting location, and it will be slower again with the penalty on the 4th floor…

‘It’s not like we’re a large clan.’

If the goal is not to control hunting grounds, a day or two difference is not significant for a small clan.

Rather, the problem is in other areas.

‘I wonder when the labyrinth will return to normal.’

If it doesn’t seem right, I plan to hold out for a few more months. In the first place, it will take that much time to finish preparing to go to the 6th floor.

“We have arrived.”

As I was organizing my thoughts, the carriage stopped in front of the Grand Temple.

Most of the knights waited in the carriage.

I went inside with only the three close escorts and Misha.

“Commander Crovitz is out on business.”

Instead of Paal Crovitz, whom I had a connection with, another holy knight greeted me.

His name was Sven Parav.

He was the vice-commander of the 2nd Holy Knight Order of the Leatlass Church?

“It is an honor to meet you like this, Baron Bjorn Yandel. What brings you to our church today?”

I briefly told him my plan for the future.

That I was planning to create a clan and, if possible, I wanted to take a priest with me.

To put it simply, I was immediately rejected.

“Hmm, even if you are a baron, that would be a bit difficult.”

Even the reputation of ‘Giant’ that I had recently gained, and the status of a baron, did not work in the church.

It was only a basic requirement.

To recruit a priest, merit points were needed.

‘Hah, why is it that this inflexibility is the same as in the game?’

Since it was something within my expectations, I asked about the ways to increase merit points and received a detailed answer.

‘Except for a few, they’re all similar to the game.’

In the end, it seems like the only answer is grinding.

Tsk, I should have done it in advance.

“Parav, was it? Thank you for today. I’ll come again next time.”

“Yes, we are always waiting for the hero’s visit.”

After finishing my short business, I said goodbye to Parav and turned around.

And just as I was about to open the door to the reception room and leave.

「The activation condition for the Blessing of the Stars has been met.」

The last vine that had been blocking the bad relationship with the Dragonslayer was severed.

“…”

Damn it.

It’s really one mountain after another.