Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 310

“Regal Bagos…?”

“I’ve seen him once before. He was an explorer with very useful Dragon Words [a language or magic system specific to dragons].”

“An explorer who betrayed his clan… This is getting interesting.”

After my words, the leader and Kagreus exchanged a few brief words.

It was all very meaningful to me, the listener.

Interesting?

Hearing those words from the leader of Orculys made me feel more than uneasy.

However, I shifted my gaze away from them.

And stared at one place.

“……”

The woman in the fancy dress, Lavi.

Her lips, which had been set in an aggressive line, were slightly parted.

Her eyes were filled with nothing but shock.

“H-How on earth did you…”

She was even stuttering, so she must have been truly surprised.

But there’s no room for sympathy.

This is a harsh world of competition.

Those who miss opportunities cannot become powerful.

Therefore…

“N-No way. There are less than ten people who know this story…”

I chuckled as I watched Lavi fall into confusion.

And like dealing with a naive little kid who has only seen the good side of the world, I said.

“You’re naive.”

She might be much older than me, but who cares?

She doesn’t know anything about me.

“……”

Lavi’s reaction was immediate.

Her lips were tightly shut.

Her face flushed, as if she was resentful of being treated like a child, and her gaze was fixed on me.

And a single question was deeply embedded in it.

“You are…”

Lavi soon blurted out the question.

“Who are you, anyway?”

Whether it was a name or a status, anything that could give her a clue about my identity would do.

She threw a very broad question at me.

“……”

The other members also watched the situation with interest, without interrupting the conversation.

Well, they just couldn’t ask first because of their pride.

They must have been just as curious about who I was.

Perhaps Lavi’s question just scratched their itch.

But…

‘Okay, the atmosphere is perfect.’

The answer I was going to give was already decided.

It might feel a bit cliché now, but a cliché means it has worked well so far.

I slowly started to speak.

“Well, I guess there’s no reason not to tell you.”

I could see the members’ concentration levels rise sharply at those words.

Really? Is he really going to tell us something?

Expressions filled with such anticipation.

I slowly looked at each of those expressions, as if admiring them, and continued.

“If you are worthy.”

“Huh…”

As my words echoed through the round table, the leader let out a gasp.

“So, you’re saying we have to prove ourselves to hear your name? To see if we’re worthy of being associated with you?”

The muscular middle-aged man, Kagreus, asked boldly.

And I didn’t stay silent.

“Fortunately, you understood correctly.”

I even affirmed his words.

Well, these days it’s the age of self-promotion, right?

There’s no need to be humble. It doesn’t get you anywhere.

“…Where did this guy come from?”

The Ruin Scholar burst into a hearty laugh at my arrogant words.

Come to think of it, it’s the first time I’ve seen him laugh.

He’d been sipping tea most of the time, looking bored.

‘This definitely got their attention—’

As I was smiling under my mask at the satisfying result, I suddenly felt a gaze from the side.

It was Auriel Gavis.

‘Geez, that’s a bit much.’

He was staring blankly at me.

Again.

‘What the heck is this guy?’

With that question in mind.

***

There was a brief incident, but the meeting continued with Auriel Gavis’s progress.

“Three months ago, the king’s envoy visited the lord of Noark. Unfortunately, they were completely tight-lipped, so we don’t know what was discussed between them.”

The leader, who was the last in this round, spat out that information and received the green light.

“Hmm! Interesting. It seems like this is the first time the royal family has directly interacted with them.”

“Perhaps, it’s because of that…”

Unlike the Ruin Scholar, who was muttering meaningful words, the information wasn’t very meaningful to me.

What good would it do to know about politics from 20 years ago?

The only thing I can learn from this information is this.

The royal family, as well as those who should know, were all aware of the existence of the underground city.

“Then, the next turn is…”

After one round was over, Auriel Gavis glanced at me.

And he clicked his tongue as if he was disappointed.

“This time, we’ll have to do it again without that friend. Is there anyone who wants to go first?”

It was Kagreus who raised his hand.

“I’ll go first.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“I think it’ll be easier on my mind if I go first. And there’s something I wanted to say.”

“Then go ahead.”

Soon, the second round began as the muscular middle-aged man, Kagreus, spat out information.

“I… I got another Genesis Artifact [powerful, unique magical item].”

It was such shocking information for a statement made while scratching his cheek.

I was stunned for a moment.

After all, it’s an item that disappears completely 20 years later, and no one even knows where it is.

But he said, ‘I got another one’?

‘Then that means he originally had at least one or more?’

I almost let out a gasp, but I barely managed to hold it in.

But was I the only one who was shocked?

“What? Is that true!”

The Ruin Scholar jumped up from his seat.

Lavi was just as excited.

“Which clan’s Genesis Artifact is it?”

“I can’t say that.”

“Then, at least how did you get it…”

“How did I get it… I can only say I was lucky.”

“How can you say you got that item because you were lucky…”

“Oh, don’t be like that. To be exact, it’s more like I got the right to borrow it once when I need it later.”

Wow, this guy is really amazing.

Only then did I realize that I had entered the world of high-level players.

In the game, getting one Genesis Artifact is still doable. You just have to clear the main character’s race episode and become the tribe leader.

What’s really difficult is getting the second Genesis Artifact.

You have to clear another race’s episode and get the ‘right to use’ it, or make a companion character a ‘tribe leader’.

And that means.

‘There’s a real chance of clearing it, isn’t there?’

As soon as I had that thought, I glanced at Auriel Gavis.

His expression hadn’t changed.

In other words, he knew this progress in advance.

But why did this old man call these guys ‘failures’?

“Anyway, the reason I’m revealing this fact here is one. As the Master said, we’ve been together for a long time, but we’ve never talked openly. But now we need to change.”

Kagreus continued while I was pondering.

“So, I got two. The Ancient Dragon is dead, so if Miss Lavi works hard, she might be able to bring one more.”

“…Why are you talking about that now?”

Lavi scolded Kagreus with a sharp voice and looked at me.

But I had already heard all the information I needed.

‘Yeah, so she was a Dragonkin [a person with dragon blood or heritage] after all.’

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was being thoughtless.”

Kagreus apologized like a man, and then continued to say what he wanted to say.

“Now there are three left. And if we sincerely join forces, I think we might be able to do something about it… What do you guys think?”

He seemed to be asking everyone, but Kagreus’s gaze was fixed on the leader.

‘Ah, come to think of it, these two were fighting last time.’

In a way, it can be seen as extending a hand of reconciliation.

Then, what would the leader’s answer be?

“……”

His answer was silence.

Kagreus opened his mouth as if trying to persuade him.

“I know your grudge against the king. But think rationally. Aren’t these relationships you’ve built in this world? Think about the family you left behind in your original world—”

“Stop.”

The leader cut him off with a firm voice.

And as if he had touched a nerve, he emitted a fierce killing intent.

Kagreus also wiped the smile off his face.

“You were a piece of trash after all. I thought at least your goal would be the same as ours.”

“……”

“The royal family is the mysterious destination? If you want to go back, you should help yourself more? I feel like a fool for even considering that.”

“Kagreus, please stop…”

“But Miss Lavi also heard it just now. That guy doesn’t even have the will to go back.”

“That’s not true. Or else, why would he still show his face here every time?”

“Isn’t it obvious? If he uses us well, it will help him kill the king. He must have only thought of using us like consumables and throwing us away. Isn’t that right?”

As Kagreus asked aggressively, the leader also opened his mouth with a cynical tone.

“You’re the same, aren’t you?”

“What?”

“You said you believed that Lord Ruin Genesis could complete the dimensional magic, but in reality, you were going around collecting Genesis Artifacts.”

“…What’s the problem with that? It’s natural that it’s better to have multiple methods, right?”

“But there was another reason why you opposed me when I tried to persuade Lord Ruin Genesis. If the goal is to collect all the Genesis Artifacts, a confrontation with the royal family is inevitable, but at that time, you stubbornly interfered with me.”

“Ah, you mean that.”

Kagreus said confidently, as if he had no intention of hiding it.

“I have a good sense, so I had a strong feeling that you were just a piece of trash who only talks big.”

“……”

The leader didn’t open his mouth anymore.

He just stared at Kagreus, emitting an even more intense killing intent.

I almost let out a gasp.

‘…The level of killing intent is different.’

It’s a world of difference from the Round Table members 20 years later.

Even though the killing intent wasn’t directed at me, my skin was tingling and my breathing was heavy.

That was when such time was passing.

“Hehe, it seems like everyone’s heads have gotten too hot.”

Auriel Gavis, who had been watching all along, stepped in to mediate.

And…

“It’s better to stop here for today.”

He threw out an unexpected remark.

“Everyone go back and rest, and let’s meet next time.”

…What?

Wait a minute, are we ending it here?

We haven’t even properly started yet?

If we’re going to end it, we should at least finish one round properly. I’ve already made the plans.

“No—”

Just as I was about to say something.

Flicker-!

My vision flickered as if a light was flashing.

And when I opened my eyes again.

“…Did you really go already?”

I saw Amelia’s familiar face.

Ha, so I really got kicked out.

***

“How much time has passed?”

“About 3 seconds since you closed your eyes.”

Three seconds…

It’s no wonder Amelia is looking at me with a strange look.

From her point of view, it would have been just a moment.

She probably wouldn’t understand.

“Here.”

As I reached for the side table because my throat was dry, Amelia grabbed the cup of water instead and handed it to me.

What is this?

“Ah, uh… thanks.”

As I awkwardly thanked her, Amelia also awkwardly turned her gaze away.

“So, what happened inside this time?”

“Ah, that…”

Sigh, where do I even start explaining this?

I had experienced too much to summarize it, so I just told her everything from the beginning. I thought she might find something I missed, but…

“Wait a minute, Auriel Gavis apologized? To such a ridiculous demand?”

“So?”

“…No, continue.”

It was when the story, which started with the power struggle with Auriel Gavis, had reached the Round Table.

Amelia’s eyes, which had been getting more and more meaningful, were now shining with a very clear light.

It was the same look I had seen several times at the Round Table.

“What the hell were you doing in your original world?”