Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 335

‘You’re saying we can go back tomorrow? What do you mean by that?’

At my question, Amelia avoided my gaze.

‘It’s not certain, but I had a hunch about something from the beginning.’

‘From the beginning…?’

My mind went blank for a moment.

‘Could it be that the awkward expression she made every time we talked about returning was because of this?’

I realized that the discomfort I felt during our previous conversation wasn’t a delusion, but there were still things I didn’t understand.

‘If you had a hunch from the beginning, why didn’t you say anything earlier?’

When I stared at her, Amelia glanced at me once more before averting her eyes.

In the end, I had no choice but to ask directly.

‘Perhaps… you don’t want to go back?’

‘That’s…’

Amelia, trailing off, shook her head.

‘That’s absolutely not it. It’s just that I thought staying here a little longer wouldn’t be so bad…’

‘What? Why on earth?’

I couldn’t help but tilt my head, but when I calmly thought about it from Amelia’s perspective, it made sense.

‘Th, that’s—’

‘Ah, I see. I understand.’

‘You understand…?’

‘You were worried about leaving your sister behind, weren’t you?’

If we left, Laura would have to live alone for the next 20 years.

It was natural that she would want to help her live a better life from behind the scenes, and at least want to see what kind of life she would lead before leaving.

‘You could have just told me honestly. I didn’t know I hadn’t earned that much trust from you.’

‘Ah…’

‘We’re comrades, aren’t we? Just say things like that.’

‘…I will, I’ll tell you in advance next time.’

‘Okay.’

Having quickly resolved the misunderstanding between us, I moved on to the next matter.

Perhaps the most important thing in our current conversation.

‘So, what was this hunch that made you so confident that we could go back as early as tomorrow?’

‘Ah, you mean that.’

At my question, Amelia regained her composure and explained the method. I listened attentively, asking a few questions along the way, and then nodded.

‘Hmm, certainly…’

It was a plausible story.

No, to be honest, I had a gut feeling the moment I heard it.

Yes, this was it.

Our last remaining role.

***

The next morning.

After checking out early, we headed to a nearby restaurant.

Amelia said there was a place she wanted to go.

Well, I wanted to finish our business quickly and go back, but…

‘It’s a restaurant that will disappear in 20 years… Ah, of course, if it seems too much, we can just go straight away.’

How could I not go when she said that?

‘Well, we won’t have time to rest when we get back. She’s been working all this time and hasn’t had a chance to go out.’

Amelia even seemed embarrassed while making the request. It seemed she was ashamed of showing such ordinary desires…

It was a positive change worth supporting.

It meant that our bond had grown to the point where she could make such requests.

‘If there’s anything else you want to do, just say so.’

‘Then… would it be okay to stop by the Arandje Art Museum in District 9?’

‘…Art museum?’

‘There’s a painting I want to see. I… I wanted to see it, but later I couldn’t find it. It seems it was sold to some wealthy noble.’

Anyway, for this reason, after finishing our meal, we headed to the museum. Amelia stared at the painting she wanted to see for over 30 minutes without saying a word.

And…

‘…Would it be okay to look at some other things?’

‘Of course.’

After that, we went around the museum, admiring other paintings and sculptures.

To be honest, it was a bit unexpected.

‘I didn’t know she had this kind of hobby.’

Just by looking at her eyes, I could tell she was genuinely enjoying herself.

Well, that’s that, and this is this, though.

‘Amelia, sightseeing is good, but I’m starting to get hungry…’

As we were looking around, it had become midday, so we grabbed a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant.

And…

‘Yandel, could we stop by one more place?’

At Amelia’s request, we took a carriage again.

The place we arrived at was the Leatlass Order’s orphanage.

The very place where Dwalki had stayed in her childhood.

‘There’s a strange connection here.’

We didn’t enter the building, but sat on a bench across from it and watched Laura through the window.

Having recovered from her illness, she was sitting at a desk, doing paperwork.

I heard she got a job at the orphanage through the introduction of a priestess?

‘I thought she was just helping with odd jobs, but seeing her doing paperwork, it seems she can already read.’

I wondered if her memories hadn’t been completely erased, so I mentioned it to Amelia, but she just smiled bitterly and shook her head.

‘That’s not it.’

‘How can you be so sure?’

‘My sister… couldn’t read.’

‘…What?’

So, she was able to do administrative work after only a few weeks of learning from the priestess?

It was bewildering, but not an unbelievable story.

There are such people in the world, after all.

‘…She was a genius.’

‘I didn’t know it would be this much either. I knew my sister’s memory was exceptional, but…’

‘What about the priestess? Didn’t the priestess who taught her find it strange?’

‘That woman just thought it was part of the process of her memories returning. My sister thinks so too.’

Perhaps the true talent of these sisters wasn’t killing people.

It was just that the environment made them that way.

If they had been born into an ordinary family, how would Amelia have grown up? She seemed to like painting, maybe she would have become famous in that field—

‘What’s with that look?’

Ah, was I staring too intently?

‘…It’s nothing. More importantly, how long are you going to watch? It looks like your sister is about to leave work.’

‘It’s… time to go.’

As Laura finished her paperwork and put on her coat, we got up from our seats.

And…

Screech.

After picking the lock on the sewer, we stepped down into it.

After all, the only way to get to Noark was through here.

‘I didn’t think we’d be going there again. I hope nothing happens?’

‘It’ll probably be fine. There’s another way to sneak in, even if it’s not through the graveyard.’

In the past, we needed a Noark identity to enter legally through a broker, but now that we didn’t need it, we were sneaking in through a path Amelia knew.

It was a path connected to the lord’s castle?

‘But what’s going to happen to Noark in the future?’

On the way, we talked about Noark.

There had been a major incident involving the royal family, the lord of Orcullis, and even us, the fourth power, so I was curious about the situation afterward.

‘Noark is probably being dealt with by the next lord right now.’

‘Dealt with?’

Of course, I knew that it would somehow be resolved, but I was curious about the process.

‘How can it be resolved when they attacked the royal family and lost?’

‘Well, Orcullis needs this city too.’

I thought they could just take it, but after listening to the story, there was a reason.

‘To open the portal to the labyrinth in Noark, the bloodline of the lord’s family is needed.’

So, as soon as the next lord realized his father’s death, he killed all the family members except himself.

He was worried that they would make his weak brother a puppet and rule the city…

‘He’s a capable one. To make that decision right away.’

After that, the next lord negotiated a truce with Orcullis by giving up a certain portion, and gradually stabilized the city.

This is the whole story of this city for the next 20 years.

‘We’ve arrived.’

After passing through the sewer and arriving at the lord’s castle, we moved secretly, avoiding the guards, and left the castle. Then, we passed through the still-smelling streets of the city and arrived in front of a modest mansion.

‘Yandel, would you wait here for a moment? I’ll go alone.’

‘Okay.’

It was Amelia’s house.

***

There was no reason to knock, making a ‘knock-knock’ sound.

Her past self didn’t live with the door locked.

It was a feeling of giving up, letting things be.

Screech-

Amelia opened the door and stepped inside, looking around. It was just the basic early furniture, but that was more familiar.

This house, provided by the alchemist grandpa, was always like this.

Until she left this house as an adult.

‘……’

As if sensing someone’s presence, a girl who was crouching against the wall looked up at her.

‘Ms. Emily…?’

A different color appeared in her colorless pupils.

Amelia didn’t have mind-reading abilities, but since the other person was her past self, she knew exactly what she was thinking.

‘Ho, perhaps…’

A hopeful expectation.

A hope that her sister might be alive.

‘Your sister is dead.’

‘Ah…’

As Amelia stated it clearly, the girl lowered her head.

The different color that had appeared in the girl’s eyes had disappeared somewhere.

However, Amelia forcibly stood the girl up.

And spoke unilaterally.

‘You will soon enter the labyrinth again. And you will live a miserable life like before, meeting and killing many people.’

‘…So what?’

As if the provocative words had an effect, the girl, who had been like an empty doll, raised her head in protest, and Amelia stretched out her hand towards her.

‘Promise me, you won’t kill the barbarian.’

‘…Why should I?’

Amelia answered without a doubt.

‘Because later, the day will come when you think that keeping this promise was the greatest luck in your life.’

At those words, the girl shut her mouth tightly.

On the surface, there was no expression, but Amelia knew.

Her younger self was thinking after hearing these words.

She didn’t know why she was saying this, but at least.

It didn’t seem like this person was lying.

No, it felt like she was genuinely giving her advice for her own good.

Like her sister, who was no longer there…

Clench.

Amelia took the girl’s hand and intertwined their fingers. And she repeated the action of clenching and opening her hand three times.

It was an action that the sisters used when making a promise.

‘How… how do you know this…’

Amelia didn’t answer the girl’s question.

She just let go of her hand and turned her back, walking towards the door.

Thud, thud.

When Amelia stood in front of the door, the girl opened her mouth and let out a tired voice.

‘If…’

‘……’

‘If I’m in danger when I don’t kill that barbarian? Do I still have to keep that promise then?’

It was a question that was typical of her younger self.

Thinking of her sister, who had taught her the importance of promises countless times, she wouldn’t make a promise she couldn’t keep.

But Amelia said confidently.

‘Then you can do as you please.’

Because that would never happen.

Amelia opened the door and went outside.

And…

‘Ah, just one more thing.’

‘……’

‘Lock the door when you leave.’

Amelia quietly closed the door and turned her back.

She could see the barbarian waiting for her in a nearby alley.

‘Is the talk over?’

‘Yeah.’

The promise would be kept.

Even if they couldn’t understand our intentions, and even if they couldn’t prevent her sister from dying.

It was a fact that we had received help.

Her sister had taught her to always repay when someone helped her.

‘Amelia. But since a while ago, there’s a blonde kid over there looking at me… Shouldn’t we deal with him?’

Amelia turned her head, following the barbarian’s gaze.

Then she saw a familiar-looking boy.

‘Ah, why does he look so familiar, is that Gardweaver Drows, that kid?’

‘Yes, that’s him. He has another real name, though.’

Amelia said that, but she felt strange.

That boy would later tell her about the existence of the treasure called the Fragment of Record. And he would betray her right before she could take it, running away alone and becoming her enemy.

The scar on her ear was also from that time.

The oath she made with the lord and Noark that she wouldn’t kill anyone was also because of that. Well, there was a specific period from when to when, so it didn’t work in this era.

Anyway, the important thing wasn’t that.

‘It’s strangely, I don’t feel anything.’

Even after seeing that face, she didn’t feel any anger.

It was as if the old emotions of anger and hatred had disappeared from her heart.

‘Shouldn’t we do something about it?’

At his worried question, Amelia realized the reason for this peaceful emotion.

‘No, it’s okay. Leave him alone.’

‘Leave him alone?’

In the end, it was all a process.

Even the pain she had experienced by getting involved with that guy.

It was all to meet this man in the future.

‘…What, why are you suddenly smiling?’

‘I wasn’t smiling.’

‘You were?’

‘……’

Amelia completely ignored the persistent barbarian’s question and walked forward.

Then the barbarian quickly followed her.

‘Hey, but why isn’t this working?’

‘I don’t know, it’ll probably work soon.’

‘No, but what if it doesn’t work?’

‘Then we’ll just have to live here together. I don’t mind.’

‘Uh… that’s a bit… no, it’s not that I don’t like it…’

The barbarian trailed off, looking troubled.

Amelia couldn’t help but chuckle again.

A real smile, not the awkward smile she used to make in front of the mirror.

Whisk.

Amelia stopped walking and turned around, and the barbarian, who was following behind, bumped into her and they were pressed together.

And at that moment.

Flash-!

The world was filled with a pure white light.

***

‘Iron Mask…?’

It was purely by chance that the blonde boy found them. As he was wandering around looking for a drunkard to rob, they caught his eye.

He wasn’t wearing the iron helmet like the rumors said…

But there was no one in this city with such a massive physique. No, he thought there wouldn’t be many like him on the surface either.

Unless he was a barbarian.

‘More than that, the red-haired woman next to him…’

It was the famous Iron Mask and Emily.

The boy hid himself and observed them after seeing the woman enter the house.

Soon after, the woman came out of the house and joined the Iron Mask.

But did they feel his gaze?

‘……!’

The boy felt like he had made eye contact with them and shrank back.

It was at that moment.

A brilliant light burst out, brightly illuminating this dark underground city.

Flash-!

A flash that was like a fleeting moment.

As the flash subsided, chaos ensued in the deserted street. The drunkards jumped up, and those inside the buildings hurriedly opened their windows.

‘Wh, what was that! What was that light just now!’

‘……Magic?’

‘I hope nothing’s wrong with my body?’

Everyone was confused and looking for the cause of the situation.

However, a blonde boy hiding in the alley was different.

‘The Iron Mask disappeared…’

They had disappeared.

But the boy didn’t question the reason.

The boy, who had to survive in Noark from the moment he was born, simply followed his instincts and ran.

And…

‘……This stone! The light came from this stone.’

The boy picked up the stone that had fallen on his clothes, put it in his pocket, and quickly hid in the alley.

And how much time had passed?

‘Over there! The light burst out from over there!’

‘I saw it from that window over there, the light burst out and people disappeared!’

The guards who had come to the scene due to the commotion that had occurred at night began to investigate the situation and realized the identities of the man and woman who had been at the center of the light.

‘A man who looks like a barbarian and a red-haired woman?’

‘Iron Mask! It’s the Iron Mask! The very person the lord was looking for! Investigate the remaining traces!’

‘An identity plate! There’s an identity plate among the clothes!’

‘A 6th-grade explorer, Nivels Enche… Is this the Iron Mask’s real name? What about the woman’s identity plate?’

‘Unfortunately, it hasn’t been found!’

‘Captain, a kid said he picked something up here.’

‘What? Where did he go!’

The guards hurriedly ran to the alley where the boy had disappeared, but they couldn’t find the boy who had already disappeared.