Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 327

Some might call it foolish.

Because people are bound to die someday, and everyone in this world experiences loss at least once.

A tragedy that is all too common.

Some might even be surprised.

That the woman who seemed to have no blood or tears couldn’t overcome the death of her family and was heading towards destruction.

Some might call it weak.

That she alone couldn’t overcome something everyone else could in 20 years.

Even Amelia herself felt that it wasn’t wrong.

But……

Thud-!

Even so, her sister would surely say this.

Stroking the hair of her younger sister, who was always young and needed a lot of care, she would say, ‘You must have had a hard time.’

Leaving behind her regret.

Even leaving behind the blame for why she did such a thing, she would have hugged her tightly, saying she had worked hard.

Even if everyone in the world found her difficult to deal with, and some pointed fingers at her, calling her a cold woman who didn’t know emotions.

To her sister, she would only be a tearful, young sister.

Because she was the only person in this world who could see her that way.

Yes, it would have been like that for sure……

“I’m sorry……”

“Who are you apologizing to?”

Amelia closed her eyes, ignoring the pain coming from her abdomen.

“Sister……”

In the end, she couldn’t achieve anything.

She had been building her strength for 20 years to prepare for today, but she was no match for that man.

She had tried to talk to him to clear up the misunderstanding that she was related to the Rose Knights, but he didn’t even listen.

In the end, a battle broke out, and she desperately bought time so her sister could escape.

But, it was over here.

“What is it, were you seeing things?”

The man sneered and twisted his sword.

A burning pain flared up from the injured area.

“Do you think I’ll let her get away?”

The clear pain brought her mind back to reality.

“You have to see it too, what I had to go through.”

Soon, Amelia’s body collapsed as he drew his sword, and the man grabbed her by the hair and dragged her forward.

The events that would follow were all too obvious.

[Because I can show you what it feels like to lose.]

He would harm her sister in front of her eyes.

Just like that day.

Thud-!

Her chest heaved with each step.

Her consciousness blurred, and each time she opened her eyes, the scene in front of her changed.

“Looks like she didn’t get far.”

The man muttered.

“S, sister……”

“Go first! I’ll take care of it here……!”

The conversation that had also happened that day.

“Amelia……!”

The sword aimed at her younger self.

And……

Thud-!

The sister who embraced her younger sister.

“Sister……!!”

The man’s sword pierced her sister’s chest, just like back then.

‘In the end, I couldn’t change anything……’

Amelia finally realized.

That this was the end of her 20-year-long wish.

And that the ending where the two lived happily ever after only existed in fairy tales.

“That’s a good expression.”

In reality, only a foolish and weak human woman stood there.

Thud-!

Soon, the man pulled the sword out of her sister’s body. And at the same time, her consciousness blurred, and the scene changed again.

A dark sewer filled with the stench of blood.

KWA-AAANG-!

With a roar that filled the passage.

“Tsk, why are you even crying?”

Warmth was felt from her skin, which was growing cold.

“It’s not all over yet.”

Not over yet?

What on earth did he mean by that?

She didn’t know.

But……

“You’ve worked hard. Now leave it to me and get some rest.”

With those words, the tension that had been in her body was released, and her eyes closed.

“When you wake up, it’ll all be over.”

That was the last scene her consciousness allowed.

***

At the same time Amelia lost consciousness, I shouted loudly.

“What are you doing! Take your sister and run away!”

It was a shout towards Amelia from her childhood.

“Ah, ah……!”

Child Amelia seemed to be stunned for a moment at my instruction, then she started running, carrying her sister with her small body.

Okay, then I can leave the rest to the old man……

I shifted my gaze.

“You……!”

I could see Ruehenfraha looking around, unable to hide his panic. It seemed like he was checking if the ‘Knight of Light’ had come with him……

‘This bastard is really funny.’

“If that’s the case, just run away. What’s there to pick up that you came all the way here?”

He didn’t answer my question.

He just avoided my gaze with a strange expression.

“You… don’t tell me you got lost trying to find a way out and ended up here?”

It was a question I asked just in case, even though I thought there was no way that could be true.

To this, he replied briefly.

“……Fate just led me here.”

“Ha, fate my ass.”

I laughed because it was so absurd, but when I thought about it again, I realized that the word ‘fate’ wasn’t entirely wrong.

If things flowed as they were destined to, no matter how much you struggled, how was that different from fate?

While I was thinking that, he threw a question at me.

“By the way… did you come alone?”

“Yeah.”

I wasn’t even friends with the Knight of Light in the first place.

There was no reason to hide it, so I just affirmed it and then asked what I was curious about.

“Hey, but let me ask you one more thing. Why are you so obsessed with her?”

“…You don’t need to know.”

“Geez, so prickly.”

Saying that, I slightly moved my gaze to check on Amelia. Her injuries were healing quickly enough to be visible to the naked eye.

It was thanks to tearing another binding scroll before I intervened.

In short, with the 3-person binding, Amelia was also no longer affected by [Silence Order].

‘It would have been easier if she had been awake.’

It was a bit of a shame, but what could I do?

For the sake of acquiring a companion recruitment ticket (SSR), this much hardship was nothing.

Yes, so……

“Get out of the way. If you hand over that woman, you will—”

“What are you saying, you silence one-trick pony.”

I flicked my hand.

“Stop talking and come at me.”

This would be the last battle in this time travel.

***

“Haa, haa……”

The girl running through the sewer passage let out a hot breath. Her muscles, which had heated up to the limit, showed no signs of cooling down, and an even greater heat was transmitted from her soaked back.

“S, sister… are, are you okay……?”

Even while running with all her might, barely able to breathe, Amelia kept talking to Laura, whom she was carrying on her back.

“……”

No answer came back.

But the more that happened, the more she tried to ignore the unease and kept moving her feet. But was it because she was running with Laura on her back with a body that had reached its physical limit?

“Ugh……!”

Amelia, who had been running at a jogging pace, lost her balance and fell. It wasn’t because her foot had caught on something, but simply because her legs had given out.

“S, sister! Are you okay? Huh?”

Amelia checked on Laura’s condition before her twisted ankle. She was worried that her injury might have worsened from the fall.

“A, Amelia……”

Then, perhaps having regained consciousness from the impact, a voice flowed from Laura’s mouth.

“S, sister! I, I’m okay! It’s not much further now. Don’t talk and—”

“Go, alone……”

The weak voice that flowed out couldn’t continue to the end, but Amelia knew what the words that should have followed were.

She was telling her to go alone, leaving her behind.

If she had the strength to speak, she would have added all sorts of reasons, such as ‘I’m already done for,’ or ‘It’s more reasonable for you to live.’

But……

“Sorry, I don’t know what you’re saying.”

Amelia carefully supported Laura’s limp body, pretending not to hear.

Laura’s body, which was 15cm taller, felt unusually small.

Was it just her imagination, or did she feel lighter than before?

There was no way her stamina would have recovered by now.

“Blood……”

It was because of the blood she had lost.

The weight of life that had filled Laura’s body was leaving, and her body had become lighter by that much.

Amelia leaned her sister’s body against the wall and tore her clothes to compress the wound.

And she poured all the potions she had.

She had been too flustered by the thought of having to leave this place, but it was something she should have done a long time ago.

‘Why, why am I so stupid……’

She felt self-loathing.

Her sister, who was always calm, would have surely done what needed to be done accurately even in this situation.

“Kkeueuk……!”

As the wound began to heal due to the potion, Laura writhed as if in pain.

Veins were bulging thickly on her forehead and neck.

“S, sister! Just hold on a little longer……”

Amelia carried Laura on her back again.

However, just as she was about to lift her body up.

KWA-AAANG-!

The passage shook with a roar.

And……

Thududududu.

The ceiling collapsed, and rocks fell.

At the same time, Amelia’s body fell forward.

It was because someone had pushed her from behind.

Thud-!

Amelia, who had fallen forward, hurriedly turned around.

Then she saw her sister.

It was too surreal a sight.

The scene of her beloved sister’s lower body being crushed by a huge rock.

“Amel, ia……”

“S, sister……”

Amelia approached her as if possessed.

Then Laura shook off her hand.

“W, what are you doing!”

At the same time Amelia shouted.

Laura’s eyes, which were half-open weakly, turned towards her.

“There were, times when I, resented you, too……”

“I, I know. Even if it’s you, you would have. Anyway, I know, so stop being stubborn and—”

“Listen……!”

Amelia shut her mouth at Laura’s shout.

Her voice sounded like she was gargling, and it wasn’t even a loud voice that could be called a shout, but for some reason, she was frozen by the force that seemed impossible to refuse.

Thud.

Laura placed her hand on Amelia’s cheek.

And then, unlike before, she continued to speak in a very gentle voice.

“You, wished for it, didn’t you?”

“……”

“It’s always, what you, wished for……”

At those words, something flowed down Amelia’s cheek.

She didn’t know if it was sweat or tears.

However, one thing was certain.

Thump-!

Amelia’s heart began to beat as if it was broken.

Perhaps, even though she tried to deny it with her head, she might have known it all along.

“Why, why… are you saying such things……”

Laura’s words were missing herself.

As if this moment was the last.

“S, sister… don’t give up. You drank the potion, right? It’s just a little further now…… D, don’t worry about the rock. I, I’ll move it soon. I, I’ll definitely do it…… Okay?”

At Amelia’s plea, Laura bit her lip with a painful expression.

Of course, it was only for a very short time.

“Forget all the, painful memories, you had here.”

“……”

“A normal life… is finally, starting for you, too.”

Laura forced her convulsing jaw muscles up and smiled brightly.

And……

“……!”

It happened in an instant.

Thud.

Laura, who had reached out and pulled out the dagger that was fastened to Amelia’s waist, plunged the dagger in.

Into her own neck.

Thud-!

“N, no way……!”

Amelia hurriedly pulled out the sword.

And after pouring the little remaining potion on the wound, she covered the wound with both hands to stop the bleeding, even a little.

But……

“N, no way. No way, no way……”

It wasn’t enough.

The blood that had been gushing out stopped.

The blood that had been reacting to the potion with a sizzling sound was the same.

The warmth that had been transmitted through her fingertips disappeared.

The blood was only sticky, no longer hot.

“Ah, ah… ah, ah……”

Amelia realized.

Her sister was no longer here.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”

Amelia screamed like a madwoman and hugged Laura’s upper body.

And at that moment.

The ceiling collapsed once more, pouring out rocks.

Thududududu-!

Amelia saw this, but didn’t avoid it.

She intended to stay with her until the very end.

But, the cruel world didn’t even allow this.

“…Ugh!”

As if someone had grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her back, her body fell backward.

Thud-!

Her vision wavered, perhaps because the back of her head had hit the wall.

In her fading consciousness, Amelia looked at her sister, who was buried in the rubble.

It was then.

Thud.

The sound of someone approaching was heard from somewhere.

Amelia reflexively turned her head in the direction of the sound.

An old man was walking towards her.

“Wh, who……”

At Amelia’s murmur, the old man looked at her without any change in expression. However, if you looked closely, he also seemed like someone who was worried about something.

After a brief moment of silence.

“Sigh, how many requests do you have?”

Soon, the old man sighed and opened his mouth.

“Aurell Gabis. That is this old man’s name.”