Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 315

Tick, tock, tick…

The second hand completed a full rotation, and the minute hand finally moved to the next mark, but I wasn’t summoned to the spiritual world.

I checked the date and time again, and even after waiting endlessly until morning, wondering if the clock was broken, the same thing happened.

Then, what on earth is going on?

Amelia and I discussed it all night, narrowing down the possibilities, and three remained.

Let’s organize them one by one…

1. A temporary error occurred by chance this time.

This is if the situation was purely coincidental and not caused by someone’s scheme.

The probability isn’t 0%.

Whether it’s an electronic device or a magical tool containing magical essence, it’s ultimately made by humans.

Although rare, there are cases where even a subspace ring malfunctions, and you can’t take out the items inside until it’s fixed.

Well, the possibility is still low.

This one is more reasonable.

2. Auriel Gavis banished me from the spiritual world.

This was a more likely guess than number 1.

Looking at the old man’s attitude, there’s no reason for him to banish me at this timing, but he’s a sly old man whose true intentions are impossible to know.

It’s possible that this is also some kind of scheme.

Anyway, moving on to the next one.

3. Auriel Gavis had an unavoidable circumstance.

This is also a very plausible explanation.

No, I thought this was the most likely of the three.

What kind of situation would have to occur for something to happen to that monstrous old man? I can’t even imagine…

But this is a world full of monsters.

Even that old man would have threatening adversaries.

For example, the royal family.

‘Okay, let’s just sleep.’

There was no way to find out what the answer was, so thinking about it any further was meaningless.

Therefore, I decided to wait until the 15th of next month, and after that, I went to the labyrinth once more.

[Hahaha! It went well this time too! If we keep doing this, we’ll all be rich soon!]

There wasn’t anything particularly eventful in the labyrinth.

Just like last time, I spent my time busy plundering the plunderers until the labyrinth closed.

The same was true when the 15th came around again.

[Couldn’t go this time either?]

[…Yeah.]

Even though the time had come, my mind was still in my body.

‘Ha, this is really unsettling…’

What on earth is going on?

The frustrating feeling grew bigger day by day.

***

The next month, morning.

‘Man, time sure flies.’

I forced a bitter smile and carefully folded the calendar in my hand, putting it in my pocket.

It’s been four months since I came to the past.

Swoosh.

As I got up from my seat and grabbed my coat, Amelia asked without looking at me.

“Are you going again today?”

“I have nothing to do here. What about you?”

“I’ll stay at the inn.”

After a dry conversation with Amelia, I left the inn.

Most of the conversations we have these days are like this.

Short, shallow, and always with an invisible edge.

‘Ha, this is so uncomfortable.’

It was bearable at first, but recently, with only a few days left until D-Day, it’s become much worse.

Because I still haven’t found a solution.

The community that I had hoped for didn’t open this time either.

‘…Did he really banish me?’

I’m starting to think about checking it out.

There’s an Orculius commander in this underground city.

If I ask him, I’ll know if I’m the only one who got kicked out or if the community server itself is down.

‘What am I even thinking? It’s not like anything will change if I do that.’

I sighed and walked through the streets of the underground city.

I’ve become quite familiar with this place.

Except for the alleys and the eastern district, which is the Orculius headquarters, I’ve memorized almost all the main roads.

“Ah, Captain! You’re here!”

As I arrived at the clan house located in the lord’s castle, Dumbo greeted me.

We’ve been to the labyrinth together three times now, so he wasn’t afraid or wary of me like before.

No, if you just look at what he does, he’s like a loyal subordinate.

“Come on, sit here! Want some booze?”

“Something light.”

“Haha, wait a moment! I’ll bring it right away!”

As I sat down in an empty seat, Dumbo quickly brought the alcohol and sat next to me.

Then, he started talking like a jukebox.

Most of it was him talking about rumors in the city or recent events, but he was a good talker, so it wasn’t boring to listen to—

“Oh, right, Captain. Have you heard about the barbarian heart?”

Suddenly, something I couldn’t just ignore came up.

“Heart? What are you talking about? Tell me.”

“Ah, you haven’t heard? Well, the rumor has already spread all over the surface. Barbarian hearts are used as magical materials and sell for a high price.”

“…What?”

The Magic Tower announcing that barbarian hearts are valuable magical materials is about 10 years from now.

It’s even much later than when the Fairy and Barbarian tribes fought a war.

But, that story is already circulating?

‘Could it be that the future has changed because of me? No, that can’t be…?’

I couldn’t believe it, so I asked Dumbo in detail, and this was the situation.

“Ah, it’s not something the Magic Tower announced. It’s just a rumor.”

“A rumor?”

“The commander requested the Melter Merchant Guild a few months ago. To spread rumors like that on the surface.”

‘What? This is ridiculous…’

I understood the whole situation without going into detail.

Of course.

Clan leader Felix Barker has only one motive for making such a request to the Melter Merchant Guild, which is Noahrc’s only merchant guild and connection to the surface.

“It seems the commander thought that if such rumors spread, the surface plunderers would fall for our tricks much more easily. Ah, I don’t think even the commander expected the rumors to spread this much.”

As if he thought I didn’t understand, Dumbo told me even the things I didn’t ask.

The rumors had spread all over the surface, and those rumors were being re-exported back to Noahrc?

When I heard that, I couldn’t help but swear.

“Damn it.”

“…Yes?”

“Quiet.”

“…”

At my word, Dumbo quickly looked at me and shut his mouth, and I calmly organized my thoughts.

My head was a mess.

It will probably be revealed as a false rumor soon.

But…

‘Maybe this could be the beginning…’

I can’t shake this thought.

Because of the false rumors that Felix Barker spread, some mages might start researching in earnest, and this might be why barbarian hearts are valued 10 years later.

So, in short…

‘Then, the cause of that crazy thing could have been me…?’

It’s just a thought for now.

But the problem is that it doesn’t feel like a leap of logic.

“Dumbo, I’m going now.”

“Yes? Yes!”

I wasn’t in the mood to socialize at the clan house.

But when I came out, I had nowhere to go.

So, I just wandered around the lord’s castle as if I was taking a walk.

“Are you the Iron Mask?”

An old man who was passing by suddenly stopped and spoke to me.

It wasn’t right to just ignore him.

This world is especially unkind to the elderly.

To survive to that age, they must have some kind of talent.

“Who are you?”

I cautiously asked back, and the old man chuckled and took out a small mana stone from his pocket.

And…

“I’m this kind of person.”

As he opened his mouth, the mana stone emitted light and turned into bread.

***

An alchemist.

A transformation-type mage with the innate ability to turn mana stones into bread or iron.

‘…I never thought I’d meet someone like this in the hallway.’

In some ways, an alchemist was a bigger deal than the lord or the Orculius commander.

No, at least in Noahrc, that was definitely the case.

As far as I know, there are only two alchemists here.

The lord can be replaced, but if the alchemist’s position is vacant, this city will collapse.

Not as a metaphor, but literally.

“Hehe, you look surprised, is this your first time seeing alchemy?”

Whether it was my first time seeing alchemy or not, I didn’t understand.

Who would have imagined that I would meet someone who is the very foundation of this city in the hallway like this?

‘Wait a minute, even if it’s inside the lord’s castle, there’s no way an alchemist would be wandering around alone…’

I carefully looked around, thinking that it didn’t make sense, and I could feel gazes from everywhere.

It was hard to see with my eyes, so it seemed like they all had ingested some kind of stealth essence…

“You’re more sensitive than I thought? Don’t worry too much. They’re just my guards.”

Sensitive or not, they were revealing their presence without trying to hide it in the first place.

A kind of warning not to even think about doing anything foolish.

“Ah, I haven’t told you my name yet. I’m Marfa Iphael. You can call me whatever you’re comfortable with, but if you have to choose, it’s better to call me by my last name.”

“…Iron Mask.”

“I know. It’s fate that we met like this, would you like to talk for a bit?”

“Sure.”

I accepted his offer without much hesitation.

I knew the name of this old man well from Amelia, unlike the other alchemist who was known to have a terrible temper.

‘The one who created the Blessing of Lethe.’

That alone was enough reason to have a conversation.

“Hmm, you’re a very cheerful friend as I’ve heard? Let’s go.”

‘As I’ve heard… So, it wasn’t a coincidence that we met, he came looking for me.’

Iphael started walking down the hallway first, and I followed him.

Even though we were passing through the restricted 3rd floor, no one stopped me because he was next to me.

And so, we arrived at the alchemist’s workshop.

“It’s okay now, everyone can leave.”

‘It’s similar to a mage’s lab, but also a bit different.’

As soon as I entered, I scanned the surroundings, and he chased out the guards who were hiding and offered me a seat.

“Sit down. If you want something to drink, just say so.”

“I’m fine.”

Normally, I would have demanded meat and tried to take the lead in the conversation, but this time I just skipped it.

If I was caught being rude, Amelia would definitely scold me.

This old man was the benefactor who took care of Amelia when she was young.

Therefore, I couldn’t just treat him carelessly regardless of his position.

Well, I couldn’t use honorifics because of the Barbarian’s pride.

“So, why did you call me?”

“I was just curious about what kind of person you were. It’s the first time those kids have talked so happily about their experiences in the labyrinth.”

I pretended not to know and asked back.

“Those kids?”

“Laura and Amelia. They’re lovely kids. I sometimes call them over when I’m lonely and ask them to keep me company while I give them snacks.”

“…I see.”

“I was a bit worried, but seeing you, those worries have disappeared. They’re pitiful kids, so please take good care of them in the future.”

“I will.”

I nodded and then cautiously asked.

“But if you’re going to ask that, wouldn’t it be better if you just took care of them yourself?”

“Hehe, it’s not easy to do that right now.”

He spoke vaguely and omitted the details, but I knew the situation to some extent.

‘Originally, he just gave them snacks, but after one alchemist died, he took them out of the team and raised them himself.’

Perhaps the attempts to take them out were unsuccessful before.

Currently, there are two alchemists in the city.

Since there is a clear substitute, he couldn’t wield absolute power.

“How are those kids doing these days?”

“They’re doing well. I’m trying not to make them do anything dangerous.”

“…I see.”

After that, the conversation naturally turned to the Rainwales sisters. The alchemist Iphael asked in detail how the children were doing, and I answered without hiding anything.

And then, I opened my mouth at the right time.

“By the way, can they hear our conversation over there?”

“If it’s the guards, you don’t have to worry about it. They can’t hear. Is there anything you’re curious about?”

“Is there a way to remove the restrictions caused by essence with alchemy?”

“Restrictions? If you’re talking about poison or something, it’s possible…”

He was answering my question without much thought, but then he trailed off and opened his mouth again.

“Are you perhaps talking about the [Unhealthy Contract]?”

“Maybe.”

I shrugged.

And was that enough of an answer?

“…That’s beyond the realm of alchemy.”

“I see.”

“Yes, unfortunately.”

Iphael gave a bitter smile.

I was just as disappointed, but I didn’t show it.

Well, if it didn’t exist in the game, it wouldn’t exist in this era either.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

Iphael seemed to like me and asked in a friendly voice, so I took the opportunity to ask about the Lethe’s Blessing pill.

But I got a strange reaction.

“Lethe’s Blessing? What’s that?”

“That… the pill that erases memories.”

“Ah, that! But that pill doesn’t have a name yet…”

Oh, I didn’t expect this…

“But Lethe… that sounds nice. The way it compares forgetting to a blessing is very romantic.”

At that, I sighed silently.

I wondered why it was ‘Lethe’ of all things.

“Okay, I was thinking about a name anyway, so let’s go with that?”

I never thought there would be a background like this here too.