Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 292

It was evening when I returned to the lodgings.

“You’re late.”

Ugh, you scared me.

I definitely locked it before leaving, so how did she get the door open?

‘She could have at least turned on the light…’

As I lit the lamp, I saw Amelia sitting on my bed.

Um, what should I say in this situation?

She seems to be in a bad mood…

‘Since when did I start caring about that?’

I’m just as down as she is.

So, I just stared at her, as if telling her to speak if she had something to say. Amelia slowly got up and brushed past me.

“You need to be at the location by midnight, so get ready and come out.”

Right, it’s about time to leave.

I need to quickly get my gear on.

Bang.

After Amelia left the room, I put on the gear I had stored in the corner of the room, one by one.

Swish.

Boots made from second-stage wyvern leather.

Click.

A one-piece belt with expandable pockets for storing potions and scrolls.

‘It feels empty.’

I didn’t buy greaves or a breastplate.

It’s impossible to get a full set from looting five bandits.

I decided to focus on the shield and weapon instead.

And what I made was a mace with 100% idium content, a third-stage metal.

‘Good grip.’

A large battle shield made of fifth-stage adamantite.

‘Yeah, a shield should be this size.’

Both were so heavy that the budget Amelia gave me was completely used up just buying these two.

So, the helmet is just a normal steel one.

Well, at this point, the expected defense value from steel is almost non-existent…

‘It’s not like I bought it for defense anyway.’

When I ordered this equipment three weeks ago, I was very worried about the future.

That’s why I made a solid iron helmet.

Similar to the one I used in the beginning, with only a T-shaped slit for visibility.

Of course, there are differences.

Since the blacksmith is different, there are differences in design…

‘Is it because the slit is narrower than before? It’s really uncomfortable.’

The area where my face is exposed is much smaller.

I’ll be meeting many people in the labyrinth, and I thought there might be problems if my face was exposed.

‘Actually, I wonder if this even matters now…’

I sighed and shook off my 잡념 [잡념 – japnyum, meaning ‘idle thoughts’ or ‘distracting thoughts’].

Then, after looking in the mirror once, I went outside.

Amelia was sitting on a chair at the end of the hallway, as if she had finished preparing.

“You’re finally out.”

What do you mean, ‘finally’?

It hasn’t even been 10 minutes.

“…You.”

Amelia turned her head and looked at me, then froze.

And then, she asked in a tone as if she was interrogating me.

“Where did you get that helmet?”

“I had it custom-made. Is there a problem?”

“…Custom-made?”

After hearing my answer, Amelia stood silently for a long time.

Her expression was coldly stiff, and her eyes were sharp.

Just like when she first saw the ‘Nibelz Enche’ ID on Parune Island.

Ah, of course, the situation was different in many ways back then.

“Why are you acting like that after talking to me first?”

“…Never mind, it’s nothing.”

Then and now, this selfish woman didn’t say the reason.

But…

“We don’t have time, let’s move.”

Now, I felt like I knew the reason.

***

At the rendezvous point in front of the sewer, a broker wearing a black robe was already waiting for us.

It felt very strange.

Like I was an illegal immigrant, or something?

“……”

“……”

The broker didn’t say any greetings, and neither did Amelia. The broker took out a hand from under the robe and placed a money pouch on it, and that was it.

“I’ll say it one last time, but once you go down, it won’t be easy to come back up to the surface.”

After the calculation was done, the broker gave a formal warning.

It was a bit absurd.

If he was going to say that, he should have said it before taking the money.

He definitely wouldn’t give a refund, it seemed.

“That’s our problem.”

“Heh heh, if that’s the case.”

When Amelia spoke coldly, the broker laughed unpleasantly and took out a key to open the sewer gate.

And then, he guided us inside.

“Follow closely so you don’t fall behind.”

The journey to Noark was longer than I thought.

It was only after walking for hours through the maze-like sewer that an entrance appeared.

“Well, this is as far as I go. If you go inside and follow this map, you’ll see a door. Show this pass to the guard, and they’ll let you in.”

The broker handed over what would be our identification pass and used some kind of magic tool to open the entrance.

Clunk.

A stone door, disguised as a normal wall, slid open to reveal stairs leading underground.

Just as we were about to go down.

“May I ask you just one thing?”

The broker, who had been silent except for necessary words, asked.

“It’s rare for a barbarian to go down to Noark. What’s the story? It’s not a love escape, is it—”

“Enough.”

Amelia cut him off firmly.

“If your role is over, go now.”

A tone that reeked of professionalism.

It seemed like she had naturally mixed in killing intent…

“…I was rude, unlike myself. Go ahead. I need to make sure the door closes.”

When the broker backed down, Amelia strode down the stairs, and I slowly followed behind her.

Clunk, Thud-!

Soon, the sound of the door closing echoed.

Sigh, it feels like I’m going to hell.

“Wait, hold on. We need to look at the map first.”

I tried to unfold the map after going down the stairs, but Amelia stopped me.

“There’s no need. I already know the way to the castle.”

Ah, right. She’s from here.

Anyway, after giving up my role as a guide for the first time in a while and just following her, we arrived at our destination.

A vast common area that was hard to believe was underground.

A stone gate, much larger than the gates of the Lapdonia Royal Palace, was visible from afar.

“Hahaha, don’t just stand there, come here!”

Only one man was standing in front of the gate, a human male with a physique as sturdy as a barbarian.

Amelia quietly said to me.

“Don’t do anything that will get you in trouble. Despite his lighthearted tone, he’s one of the strongest in this city.”

“Do you know him?”

“If you’ve lived in Noark, you can’t not know him.”

Hmm, is that so? He doesn’t look that strong…

Anyway, I handed the pass I received earlier to the man in front of the gate.

“Oh ho! It seems those guys brought some decent people for once? Nice to meet you. I’m the gatekeeper, Lex Aures!”

“……”

“Ah, is your real name a bit awkward? Don’t worry. No one uses their real name here anyway. Have you decided on a new name?”

Lex Aures, who introduced himself as the gatekeeper, asked for our names, and we told him the names we had decided on in advance.

Amelia’s was ‘Emily’.

And mine was…

“Bjorn, son of Thor.”

I just took out the alias I used before.

‘Nibelz Enche’ is also an alias, but I thought it would be better to make a new one, just in case.

Of course, it didn’t really matter.

It was just to write the name on the pass. They don’t usually ask for names in the city anyway.

“Heh heh, it’s been almost five years since a barbarian name was engraved on a pass.”

When the gatekeeper returned the pass, the aliases we had said were engraved on it.

“Is there anything else left to do?”

“No, the entry procedure is over. Go that way.”

“…Wasn’t that door supposed to open?”

“Hahaha, it’s a waste to open and close that big door just for two people, wouldn’t you say?”

The gatekeeper opened a side door next to it.

Clunk.

Looking at the stone door sliding open, I was reminded of my first day here.

Yeah, it was exactly like this back then.

Thud.

The door fully opened, and a strange city came into view.

“Emily, and Thor Bjorn.”

“Thor is the family name, and Bjorn is the given name.”

“Hahaha! Ah, right? Anyway! Welcome to Noark!”

So, I ended up coming here after all.

***

People often think of Noark as a den of criminals.

That’s natural.

It’s where those who have committed crimes that prevent them from living on the surface flow into. It’s even the hideout of ‘Orculiss’.

But…

“It’s surprisingly normal.”

There are no bloodstains on the walls, the streets are clean, and the expressions of the people passing by aren’t that dark.

“I don’t know what you were expecting, but this is still a place where people live.”

Hey, a newbie can be curious.

“Follow me.”

I followed Amelia, a local, and looked around the city. And I asked about things I was curious about.

“What are those stones embedded in the ceiling?”

“They’re magic tools. They emit light using magic stones as a raw material.”

“What are those moving doll-like things?”

“They’re golems called patrolmen. They all belong to the city lord.”

“Ah, and is there a market here?”

“There is, but it’s not big. There’s only one alchemist in this city. Most of the food is distributed in a few standardized items.”

Oh, I see.

“Then, when you want to eat something?”

“You can apply at the alchemy workshop by giving them magic stones. But it takes about two days, and the price is much higher than on the surface. Are you done with your questions?”

“…For now.”

“That’s good. I think we’ve already attracted attention because of you.”

“Huh?”

“We’re being followed. Let’s pick up the pace.”

Amelia increased her speed without asking me, and I quickly followed behind her.

“Followed? We’ve only been here for less than 10 minutes?”

“Barbarians are especially rare in this city. They must have noticed right away that we came down from the surface today.”

I roughly understood what she was saying.

Isn’t Noark the place where even rumors of demons living there have spread on the surface?

I can imagine how tempting the pockets of newcomers from the surface would be. They would definitely have all their assets from the surface.

But…

“Didn’t you say this is also a place where people live?”

Amelia tilted her head at my question.

“What’s so strange about that? Isn’t it natural for there to be people like that in a place where people live?”

Oh, is that so?

“I guess that’s true.”

I couldn’t logically refute it, so I just coolly accepted it.

It’s not like Lapdonia is that different in the first place.

In Lapdonia, the types of people who wander around the outskirts at night were one of three things.

Criminals.

Explorers who have the power to protect themselves.

Or those who have a belief in non-possession.

“So, what are we going to do now?”

“We’re going to go to the back alleys where the patrolmen’s eyes don’t reach.”

“Huh? Back alleys?”

I thought I had misheard for a moment, but Amelia gave a reasonable explanation.

It’s taboo to touch ‘ordinary people’ born in Noark, and the city lord will find them and punish them, but everything else is OK?

“They’re the kind of guys who specialize in targeting newcomers, so they’ll have a lot of things.”

Sigh, she should have said that first.

As expected, the locals have a different mindset.

Right, in any case, farming comes first.

Thump.

We entered an alleyway and wandered around for a while, naturally stopping at a dead end.

And when we turned around…

“Where do you think you’re going? You can’t go far.”

A group of about a dozen looters appeared as if they had been waiting for us.

“Did you think you could escape by going into the alley?”

“I can’t believe you came here on your own. That’s why they call them newbies.”

“We’ve all been through this when we were newbies, so don’t resent us too much.”

The city’s veterans were already excited at the thought of robbing the newbies.

It’s like watching a dead game right before the server closes.

Tsk, newbies should be embraced.

“Huh?”

I looked around their group and froze when I found a human male.

However, it wasn’t certain yet, so I needed to confirm.

“You there.”

“Me?”

When I pointed at him, he came forward, curious. The guy, who had a physique as big as a barbarian, was wearing a shiny breastplate.

It was a breastplate made of a material I couldn’t mistake.

“…It’s made of lythium.”

“Huh, so what?”

What do you mean, ‘so what’?

Haven’t you heard of ‘pocketing’?

It’s common sense for veterans to give items to newbies, right?

I was already embarrassed because I was shirtless, so this is perfect.

“Take it off.”

“…?”

“Before it gets bloody.”

It’s time to evolve into a civilized person.