Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 312

My body froze as if facing a natural enemy. My heart pounded as if it were about to break. Even though I thought about wanting to die every day, my body craved life. As if reading my mind, Baekho’s smile deepened.

“You know that Bjorn Yandel is a player, right?”

“I don’t know. What are you talking about—”

Misha denied it immediately, but Baekho didn’t even let her finish.

“Oh, so you did know?”

His voice didn’t sound like he was just testing the waters.

“…….”

Misha looked into Baekho’s eyes, trying to decipher his meaning.

And then…

She flinched.

She held her breath without realizing it.

His eyes, so empty that she couldn’t fathom what was hidden within, were fixed on her.

A sensation as if all her inner thoughts were being seen through and pierced.

Seeing Misha trembling without a word, he spoke.

“Bjorn Yandel, how did he die?”

His voice was indifferent, as if only seeking to confirm the facts.

However, Misha sensed an undercurrent of anger.

She didn’t know why.

Could it be that the two were close? No, that doesn’t make sense. Then why is he venting his anger at me—.

“It was said in the city that he died while buying time for you to escape…”

At that moment, the air grew heavy.

“Could it be that you killed him?”

An oppressive force pressed down, making it hard to breathe.

At the same time, the anger in Baekho’s voice became clearer.

“It makes sense, since you knew he was a wraith [a type of ghost or spirit]. So you just backstabbed him and took his assets, right? I heard the inheritance was also designated in your name? There’s plenty of reason to kill him, isn’t there?”

“That’s absurd—”

“Why is it absurd? You don’t even see us as people.”

A cynical and mocking tone.

At those words, Misha realized that the man had had a similar experience.

Is that why?

It felt like a blade was tearing through her heart.

Not just because she was afraid of the man…

Did Bjorn think this way when he looked at us?

Did he secretly worry and hurt, wondering if we would look at him with disgust if his true identity was revealed?

Was that why he drew a line in one corner of his heart?

And…

In his last moments alone, what was he thinking?

Just imagining it made her chest tighten.

Even if it was him, he must have been anxious and afraid.

That must be why he didn’t leave any words in his will.

He always smiled in front of us, but behind that smile, there must have been a deep loneliness.

But…

“Answer me. Did you do it?”

One thing is clear.

Even so, he cherished us more than anyone else.

That’s why Misha spoke with a steady gaze.

“There’s no way…”

Even though she knew that no matter what she said to this man, her voice wouldn’t reach him.

She answered.

“Not seeing him as a person… Bjorn… How could that be possible…”

At least she couldn’t.

That fact was regrettable.

She should have said this sooner. Then Bjorn wouldn’t have had to feel anxious when he looked at us.

“…….”

Misha closed her eyes.

She was no longer afraid of this mysterious man.

She just closed her eyes and endured the emotions that surged like ocean waves.

It was then.

“…You have good companions.”

Baekho said.

“Unlike me.”

Unlike his previous tyrannical demeanor, his voice was somewhat sorrowful.

Misha opened her eyes again.

The oppressive feeling that had been tightening her skin had vanished without a trace.

“You said your name was Misha Kalstein?”

“Y-yes…?”

As Misha answered, bewildered by the drastic change in attitude, Baekho smiled and continued.

“What would you do if I told you there was a way to revive Bjorn Yandel?”

His eyes curved into long crescents as he said that.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since I joined Felix Barker’s clan.

And…

Flames flared.

I am now sitting in front of a blazing campfire.

The place is the rocky desert on the second floor.

Behind me, four men and women are busily moving around, preparing for camp.

Ah, for reference, it was my order.

If I leave all the work to one of the beaters [a low-ranking member of a clan who does manual labor] as usual because it’s annoying, it’ll take a long time, right?

“Ugh, why do we have to do this…”

“Be quiet, they’ll hear you over there.”

They already heard you, you idiot.

I chuckled and looked at the four men and women preparing for camp. Then, the muscle-bound guy made eye contact with me.

He was the one who had the blood promotion match… no, the contest, as it’s called here, to prove his skills when he joined Felix Barker’s clan.

On the ground level, his explorer rank is 6.

In a no-skill match, his head was half-blown off by me in 3 seconds, and he barely survived with a potion.

But, what was his name again…

“Dumbo.”

“…It’s not Dumbo, it’s Derbon.”

Ah, that’s right.

I did make a mistake, but he’s getting all serious about it, which is a bit annoying.

It’s obvious that Derbon is also a fake name.

He doesn’t know what’s important.

“You’re still not getting it, are you?”

I got up from my seat and headed towards Dumbo.

Then, as if remembering the time he got beaten up, he started to tremble.

Why is he acting tough when he’s like this just standing in front of me?

“Dumbo.”

I put my hand on his shoulder and muttered.

With the weight of the title of the 3rd team leader of the Barker Clan.

“Do you think the team leader is a joke?”

I squeezed my hand tightly and continued.

“Your name is now Dumbo. It’s easier for me to pronounce. Understand?”

“…….”

“Answer.”

“…Fine.”

Tsk, he should have done that from the start.

After patting Dumbo’s shoulder to encourage him for agreeing to the name change, I sent him back to finish preparing the camp.

Then, I returned to the campfire and ate jerky.

Chew, chew.

After having three contests on my first day of joining, I became the leader of one of the three teams that day with the clan leader’s approval.

And in Noark, a place for real men, the team leader’s power is absolute.

Especially if it’s inside the labyrinth.

‘Hoo, is this the taste of power?’

While everyone was working, I was just chilling, and then a weakling came and said that the camp preparations were finished.

“Please rest. We’ll take the night watch…”

The weakling’s name is…

‘What was it?’

Anyway, he’s our team’s scout.

He’s not a guide, and his pathfinding skills are slightly below Rotmiller’s. However, he’s been a looter for a long time, so he knows the best places to loot.

“I’m not sleepy, so I’ll wait a bit. The first watch is that kid, right? If he falls asleep, I’ll just leave him and sleep, so you guys go to sleep first.”

“Ah, yes…”

After I gave permission to sleep, the weakling told his friends the news and went into his sleeping bag.

And…

“May I sit down?”

“Of course.”

A red-haired woman sat down in the chair opposite me.

She has a mature aura for her age, but she’s the young-looking beater of our team.

Amelia’s older sister.

“What was your name again?”

“Laura Rainwales, sir.”

Laura answered professionally, as if wary of me, the newly appointed team leader.

But that felt strange.

‘They look alike, but how can their auras be so different?’

Their overall facial features are similar.

However, the older sister gives a much gentler and more affable impression.

Even though I know about her past of cutting off the head of a successful explorer to save her younger sister when she was twelve, and even though she’s using such a stiff tone.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, I was just thinking you must have had a hard time too.”

“Ah…”

At my words, Laura slightly opened her mouth.

She probably didn’t expect me, who had been nagging at my team members like a real man, to say such a thing.

“Your younger sister is also a beater, right?”

“Yes, she’s working under Team Leader Martis.”

“Aren’t you worried?”

“…….”

At my question, Laura pursed her lips and glanced at me. She seemed curious about my intentions in asking this question.

However, perhaps she judged that ignoring the new team leader’s question was not wise?

“I’m not worried at all. I’m relieved because I believe Team Leader Martis will take good care of my younger sister.”

Laura gave a fake answer.

Hoo, this makes me feel like some kind of spy.

“It’s okay, tell me honestly. You’re sisters, right? It’s natural to be worried, isn’t it?”

As I persistently asked, Laura had no choice but to reveal a little of her inner thoughts.

“I am worried, but I believe that Team Leader Martis will not maliciously harass my younger sister or send her to her death.”

“Why?”

“…Because I have that much value to him.”

“Hmm? Tell me more. I’m the team leader of this team, so I need to know the situation.”

Laura seemed to hesitate for a moment whether to say it or not, but then she opened her mouth.

“I am a beater, but after many years of exploration, I have grown enough to do the work of one person.”

This is a known fact.

I heard that she has consumed four essences, although they are low-grade essences.

But Laura is still a beater.

Although she is treated well in the team for a beater, no matter how hard she works, she is in a position no different from a slave in the clan who cannot claim her share when settling loot.

“You gave up your share in exchange for asking them to take care of your younger sister.”

“Since I can’t have the money even if I earn it anyway. Actually, I was the one who brought her here when my father tried to sell my younger sister as a beater.”

“Why?”

“At least in this clan… she doesn’t have to go through those things.”

“You’re kind.”

Laura didn’t answer at that, and after that, there was a silent time.

It wasn’t an awkward time.

I sat quietly, looking at the fire and organizing my thoughts, and when my body felt tired, I got up from my seat.

“Then I’ll go to sleep now.”

“Yes.”

“It seems like you’ve been on watch for about an hour, so stay for another hour and then switch to the next person.”

“Yes? But my shift is…”

“If you do twice as much alone, how will you fight tomorrow because you’ll be tired? You said you could do the work of one person earlier.”

“…….”

“So, stay for an hour and then pass it on to the next person, and you go to sleep. If they complain, tell them I ordered it.”

With that, I went straight to my sleeping bag.

Laura said something as if she was in trouble, but she sighed and closed her mouth at my snoring.

‘Laura Rainwales…’

I kept thinking until I fell asleep.

How can I save this woman?

* * *

After finishing our first day of camping in the rocky desert on the second floor, we resumed our journey early the next morning.

On the second day, we were able to reach the Pilgrim’s Path on the third floor, and after passing through the Twilight Slope, a rocky desert route, we continued to move to the clan’s gathering place.

Cane Reed Field.

A hunting ground that encompasses a part of the western field from the Witch’s Forest, the center of the third floor.

When we arrived there on the fourth day, all the teams except us had already arrived.

“…….”

After a brief eye contact with Amelia, I headed to where the clan leader was.

“Did anything happen on the way?”

“No. Everyone is skilled.”

“Haha, they may be lacking compared to you in fighting, but they are friends who do their part well.”

Can this bastard not tell when someone is being sarcastic?

I chuckled and sat down in the empty chair next to him.

“Well, now that everyone is here, it would be good to move right away, but since there are some friends who are new to this, I’ll talk about it one more time.”

Clan leader Felix Barker briefed the plan for the future as naturally as flowing water.

Actually, there was no plan.

It was just to use this reed forest as a base and have each team scatter and loot.

“I’ll say it in advance, if you encounter an opponent that seems a bit difficult, contact another team through the scout. We’ll drop everything and rush to help.”

After quickly finishing the briefing, the clan leader asked if there were any questions, and I immediately raised my hand.

“But isn’t this too inefficient?”

“…Efficiency?”

The clan leader looked at me as if I were seeing something strange.

It seems that it was strange for me, a barbarian, to talk about efficiency…

I feel a little wronged.

Where is there a race that values efficiency as much as barbarians?

“If you have an opinion, speak up.”

As soon as the clan leader’s permission was given, I confidently opened my mouth.

“First of all, using beaters is a problem. Why do you do that?”

“As I said before, just having an assistant inside is a big advantage for those who are ambushing. It also reduces the consumption of combat supplies.”

“What are you talking about? That’s not what I was talking about.”

“Huh?”

Then what do you mean?

The clan leader glared at me with that meaning.

So, I also spoke as if teaching an ignorant human.

“If you do that, you can only kill ‘good’ explorers who let beaters in. And ‘good’ explorers are mostly poor.”

“…What exactly are you trying to say?”

“We should hunt those who loot like us. Then we can take all the equipment they looted!”

As I seriously explained the plan, there was a moment of silence.

And soon, laughter erupted.

“Hahahaha!”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Ah, I’m sorry if I offended you. I’ve been in Noark for over 10 years, but it’s the first time I’ve heard such an idea.”

“So what’s the answer?”

“It sounds logical at first glance, but your opinion is missing the most important part. We’re not God’s executioners, so how do we distinguish looters?”

Hehe, I knew you’d say that.

I grinned and opened my mouth.

“Now, listen. I have a way.”