Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 432

In a tavern in District 7, a place always bustling with explorers.

It was a place where cheap liquor flowed freely, empty bottles were constantly being kicked around, and fights between drunks erupted at the slightest provocation.

Bang—!

The tavern door burst open.

Well, in any world, there are always people who love to talk, especially if it makes them money.

‘Extra! Extra!’

‘What is it, a newsboy?’

At the boy’s appearance, the owner, with a menacing look, rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward.

‘Hey, our tavern is off-limits to peddlers.’

‘No, it’s an extra!’

‘An extra, my foot. It’s probably just news about the triumphant return.’

‘Ha ha, hey! Do you think we, who are getting drunk here from midday, would be interested in that kind of talk?’

‘For someone who doesn’t care, you’ve been awfully annoyed since earlier, haven’t you? Saying the whole city is making a fuss over something not so great.’

‘Alright, alright, kid, come back when you’re older.’

The owner then lifted the boy by his shoulders and headed towards the door.

And at that moment…

‘You stupid idiots!’

‘Ha ha ha!’

‘Bjorn Yandel has returned alive…!’

‘Ha ha, ha…?’

A moment of silence fell over the tavern.

Of course, that silence was brief.

‘That kid must have heard some strange rumor and is making a fuss.’

‘How can someone who died more than two years ago come back alive?’

‘Besides, isn’t he a wraith?’

‘That’s why I’m saying he came back alive, and he’s not a wraith! While you guys were just drinking yourselves to death here! The outside world is in an uproar because of this!’

The boy’s cry, which sounded so wronged and sincere, made the owner hesitate.

And then…

‘Wait a minute, I’d like to hear more about that story.’

An explorer showed interest, and the owner put the boy down.

‘Ugh, the smell of alcohol is terrible…’

The boy, brushing off his crumpled collar, headed to the table where the explorer was, and the explorer tossed a coin as if paying the price upfront.

‘Tell me this first. Is it confirmed that Bjorn Yandel came back alive?’

‘Of course, it’s confirmed. The Iron Chancellor himself acknowledged it in front of thousands of nobles!’

‘…The Iron Chancellor?’

‘Well, how it happened is…’

The boy trailed off, glancing at the nearby explorers who were pretending not to listen but had their ears perked up. The explorers sighed and threw coins.

And that’s how the story began in earnest.

If you removed the boy’s embellishments, it was a story that could be summarized quite briefly.

‘So… Bjorn Yandel was said to be dead to disguise himself while carrying out a royal mission, and the announcement that he was a wraith was also a necessary step during the mission, right?’

‘More than that, if it’s Richen Schuetz… isn’t that the man called the Blood Lord’s man? The one who was in charge of the expedition!’

‘I knew it, I wondered what was going on when someone whose name wasn’t even properly known led those prominent people.’

The return of a hero, firmly etched in people’s memories even after time had passed.

Intrigued, the explorers at the tavern paid to listen to what had happened at the triumphant return ceremony.

And how much time had passed?

Crash—!

A sound of something breaking came from the table in the farthest corner, and the explorers glanced at each other and turned their gaze in that direction.

Thump, thump.

A large woman, reeking of alcohol but with a clear gaze, was walking over.

‘Um… w-what’s going on all of a sudden…’

The explorers around her held their tongues at the aura the large woman was emitting, and only the boy, while looking around, asked what she wanted.

The woman’s lips opened.

‘Boy, I was listening to your story over there.’

‘…I-is that so?’

‘Is it true? That Bjorn Yandel was alive? That he was Richen Schuetz?’

Her eyes and voice seemed desperate.

The boy, while questioning this, answered diligently.

‘…Y-yes! That’s right!’

‘I see… so that’s how it was…’

After that, the woman muttered as if possessed, took out money from her pocket, handed it to the boy, and left the tavern.

The boy’s eyes widened as he checked the amount he was given.

‘10,000 stones…?’

A huge sum of money that a storyteller who goes around bars had never received before.

The people around him also stirred.

‘They’re giving this much money for a story?’

‘…I didn’t know there was such a rich person in this cheap bar.’

‘Who is she…?’

‘Hey, why have you been quiet since earlier?’

Just as everyone was getting curious about the identity of the woman who had passed by, a man quietly murmured.

‘Crazy…’

‘You mean you know who she is?’

‘How many blonde female barbarians are there? And how many of them carry such a huge greatsword on their back?’

‘No, so who is that person?’

‘The Bladed Tempest, Ainar Fnellin.’

As the man spoke her identity, the eyes of those around him widened once again.

‘What, was that woman one of the Seven Powers?’

‘No, more than that… if it’s the Bladed Tempest, she was Bjorn Yandel’s former comrade!’

‘Could it be… that’s why she was so interested…?’

‘That makes sense now!’

‘What, so even his former comrades didn’t know that Bjorn Yandel was alive?’

The tavern, which had started to buzz again.

The customers were eagerly sharing their thoughts on the new topic and continuing the conversation.

Only the owner of the store was wearing a grimace.

‘That woman… she left without paying for her drinks…’

***

The triumphant return ceremony, which was like a storm, ended, and we all scattered and returned to our respective homes.

I wondered if they would hold us back longer, but it seemed the Marquis didn’t intend to push things that far.

‘So far, it’s gone well…’

Our mansion, which we had returned to after a long time.

I went up to my room on the second floor, unpacked my luggage, and recalled the triumphant return ceremony from yesterday.

‘For now, he acknowledged it more coolly than I thought.’

Right after I made an unagreed-upon announcement in front of thousands of nobles, the Marquis naturally continued the event and sorted out the situation.

That my death was actually a disguise, and that it was all to carry out a secret royal mission.

Even the announcement that I was a wraith was not true.

The content that was originally supposed to be announced in two months when the supporting documents were ready was brought forward and spoken in front of everyone.

Well, the Marquis had no choice.

‘If he had denied my words in that situation, the prestige of the royal family would have been ruined.’

That was what I was aiming for.

What good is it to hold a grand triumphant return ceremony?

It would be talked about for about a month and then gradually forgotten. I judged that this method was the best to be more engraved in people’s minds and to receive attention.

For some reason, the royal family is very sensitive to public opinion.

‘Okay, then at least for a few months, they won’t be able to frame us with false charges…’

One way or another, the first step was taken well.

The next step is to maximize our influence within the given time. Even if the events in the labyrinth are exposed, we need to make them think that eliminating us would be a bad move.

‘There’s a lot to do in the future…’

I finished changing my clothes while thinking just that far, and when I came down to the first floor, the living room was a mess.

‘…Emily, what’s going on here?’

‘There was an intruder while we were gone.’

‘…Huh?’

‘Every time I went out, the strand of hair I left on the doorknob was gone. Just in case, I searched everywhere except your room, but fortunately, I didn’t find any listening devices.’

‘Wait a minute, if there was an intruder, shouldn’t we check the recording crystal first?’

In our house, there are CCTVs [Closed-Circuit Televisions] that Erwen bought installed in the living room and the entrance.

But…

‘Ah, I already broke that. Anyway, the recording only lasts for a day, and it’s not that difficult to manipulate. Maybe they’ve already interfered with the magic circuit, so I couldn’t leave it alone.’

‘…I see.’

‘But whoever it was, they were clumsy. They came into an empty house and didn’t even touch the basement.’

‘Basement…? Ah, the navigator!’

Only then did I remember one person I had forgotten.

Auyen Lockrove, the navigator from the raiders we acquired during the last labyrinth exploration.

‘I heard Amelia was giving him plenty of food when we were in the training camp…’

It’s already been several days since the labyrinth was closed.

Then, has he been starving all this time?

‘Is he okay?’

‘I checked, and he’s fine, just a little thin. I like them thinner anyway.’

No, I don’t think that’s the problem…

‘Besides, his obedience has unintentionally increased. This incident exposed that the daily antidote he had to take was a lie, but he has become even more dependent on us.’

‘Oh…’

‘Do you want to go see him? He said he was hiding quietly when he heard noises upstairs and asked to be praised.’

‘Ah, no… I’m fine…’

‘Hmm, I think you should show some interest instead of leaving it all to me.’

‘…Later.’

Anyway, he’s said to be fine, so I decided not to think about Auyen. After that, Amelia went to my room and searched, and after the work was done, all three of us gathered in the living room.

‘So, is the house safe now?’

‘For today, at least.’

‘Haa… somehow, coming home makes it feel like it was all a dream.’

Erwen, who seemed to have relaxed, slumped on the sofa.

‘Yandel, if it’s safe, isn’t it okay to open it now?’

‘Ah, you mean the subspace.’

‘Yeah…’

Amelia’s eyes, as she said that, were like a child in front of a Christmas present.

Well, I guess I’m no different?

What kind of items could be in the subspace that the Rose Knights member had?

‘Okay, let’s count one, two, three, and open it together.’

I quietly counted the numbers.

And it was when I counted to two.

Knock knock.

A visitor had arrived.

I put the subspace aside for later and checked who it was. I was on guard as soon as I heard the knock, but fortunately, it was a welcome face.

‘Raven.’

‘I’m sorry to bother you when you’re busy. I heard the news and couldn’t stay still.’

‘Come in for now.’

After that, Raven came into the living room, sat on the sofa, and poured out various questions.

Was regaining your identity something that was planned?

Do you have any plans for the future?

And…

‘I’m glad you’re safe, really…’

Soon, the topic of the expedition came up.

‘Yandel… are you okay?’

‘Okay?’

‘Many people died… I was also at the Palace of Glory on the day of the triumphant return… I saw you apologizing in front of the bereaved families, and I saw you calling out each of their names…’

‘…Is that so.’

‘I was worried. Yandel… are you really okay?’

Okay, what should I say to that?

I paused for a moment and then patted Raven’s delicate shoulder with an exaggerated laugh.

‘Why wouldn’t I be okay? I came back alive like this.’

‘…What happened there?’

An expedition where only ten people returned alive.

There were so many things that happened that could never be explained in a few short words.

But…

‘Nothing. It was as the Marquis said.’

It would be better not to tell Raven.

She’s a woman who had to feel a great sense of guilt just for helping me as a member of the military.

Moreover, this time she’s not even directly involved.

I can’t burden her with the fight against the royal family.

That’s a burden that only we have to carry.

‘Somehow, I feel like Yandel is more distant today. No, actually, it’s been like that since before…’

‘It’s just your imagination.’

‘Yes. I guess so?’

And so, the air became a little awkward.

In that situation, Raven sipped her tea without saying anything else, and then got up from her seat.

No, to be precise, it was when she was about to get up.

Bang bang bang!

A sound of impact that was too excessive to be called a knock erupted from the entrance.

What is it? A thief?

I got up, thinking that, and at that moment.

‘Bjorrrrrrrn!’

A familiar voice was heard.

‘Bjorn! Come out right now! Are you really alive!’

It was a visit from a comrade I had been waiting for.

It was truly magical.

‘Bjorrrrrrrn!’

I was so depressed, but as soon as I heard that voice, the corners of my mouth went up without me even realizing it.

Heh.

Right, I’ve regained my name now, haven’t I?

The time of separation has already been long enough.

So…

‘Now, all that’s left is Misha and Bear Uncle.’

It’s about time for us all to gather again.

***

Clink, clink.

The sound of cutlery echoed monotonously on the dining table.

Lee Baekho, who was chewing on the end of his spoon, carefully opened his mouth.

‘Hey, Meow.’

‘…I told you not to call me that.’

‘You don’t like being called by your surname, and you told me not to call you by your name, right?’

‘Don’t you understand? Just don’t call me.’

‘Wow, you’re so cold-hearted…’

Lee Baekho muttered that and glanced to the side.

It was an ordinary meal like any other day, but everyone was awkwardly eating, watching his every move.

Except for one person.

‘Meow.’

‘……’

‘But aren’t you going outside?’

‘……’

‘You’re not a real cat, and you never go out except when you go to the labyrinth. Look, your skin has gotten so pale—’

Clack—!

The red cat-kin woman slammed her spoon on the table, agitated.

And…

‘I’m done eating.’

After clearing only her own bowl, she headed to her room on the second floor via the stairs.

Thud.

Even the sound of the door closing was faintly heard from afar, and Lee Baekho let out a long sigh.

And he looked at the others at the meal and asked for their opinions.

‘She… still doesn’t know, does she?’

The first to answer was the Ruin Scholar.

‘We can’t hide it forever.’

‘Yeah, I know that, but… until then, everyone, please be careful with your words. Okay?’

At those words, the Guide nodded.

‘…I will for now.’

‘Okay, then that’s the end of the meal for today. Everyone, do what you have to do.’

Lee Baekho smiled and got up from his seat first, leaving his bowl on the table.

And…

Thud.

The moment he returned to his room.

‘……’

His expression, which had not lost its composure in front of his comrades, turned cold.

It couldn’t be helped.

‘Bjorn Yandel is alive…’

In fact, his feelings for Bjorn Yandel were not that bad.

Well, he’s a fellow wraith, after all.

It felt like seeing a promising junior.

Somehow, seeing him reminded him of the old days.

That’s why he took in Misha, who was like a cat drenched in rain. Was it because he was curious about her devotion even after knowing he was a wraith?

The feeling of regret that the two had been torn apart was definitely genuine.

But…

‘Interesting.’

It was too late, way too late.

Now, he can’t purely welcome his return.

Because if he’s not careful, the Ice Swordsman he’s been diligently raising for two years might return to the wrong guy.

Ah, of course, strictly speaking, it’s closer to returning to the original owner…

‘If that’s the case, he should have come back sooner. Coming now is just a nuisance.’

Lee Baekho was seriously contemplating.

‘Should I… just kill him?’

Eliminating anything that hinders his goal without being swayed by emotions.

That was Lee Baekho’s long-standing rule.