Surviving The Game As A Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 469

Pia (2)

The Chancellor of Lafdonia, and the second-in-command.

The Marquis of Terserion had been a long-standing concern for me.

After all, that old man was the one who tricked me with a smile and sent me on that suicide expedition.

It was obvious he would see me as a thorn in his side.

‘And there were many actions that didn’t make sense in the meantime.’

A prime example is my ‘promotion’.

As a marquis with immense power, he certainly could have stopped it if he had wanted to.

My promotion was approved and processed far too easily.

Moreover, it’s suspicious that he made his daughter, Ragna, carry out the ‘Evil Spirit Incorporation Policy’.

The marquis was an enemy shrouded in questions.

But…….

“I’ll try to summarize it as briefly as possible.”

Listening to Baekho Lee’s words, some of my questions were answered.

“First of all, the fact that the marquis declared Bjorn Yandel an evil spirit and implemented the Evil Spirit Incorporation Policy. It’s actually because of me.”

Baekho Lee had planned to use my reputation to bring the evil spirits into the open.

It was an absurd yet somewhat plausible plan.

Ragna alone had her perception improved because of me and became sincere about the policy, didn’t she?

There was no one more suitable than me to argue that good evil spirits also exist.

“Why do you want to bring the evil spirits into the open?”

“The players’ power needs to grow so we can all take down the royal family, right?”

Baekho Lee’s goal was to overthrow the royal family.

He had long thought that the royal family had to be taken down to break through the 10th floor.

“Then what about the marquis? There’s no reason for the marquis to agree to that.”

“Ah, that? I blackmailed him.”

“…Blackmailed?”

“Yes. The chancellor’s son is also a player.”

I was genuinely surprised here.

No wonder he was so easily selling out the royal family.

I had no idea there was such a background.

‘Starting as a direct descendant of a prestigious family from the beginning? Is this balance even real…….’

It’s a story that would make players who started in Noark [a starting area] feel so jealous they’d pass out.

Though it’s not something I need to worry about right now.

“The marquis must have thought it would be troublesome if it was revealed that his son was an evil spirit, so the blackmail worked.”

The marquis wanted to protect his son from Baekho Lee’s blackmail.

“He must have needed time. He doesn’t have any other children either. If his heir disappears, only the marquis remains, right? What do you think his relatives would think?”

“I don’t know, but they’d at least calculate their succession order once.”

“That’s right. Although no one would try to assassinate the marquis, the entire faction would be shaken.”

“I still don’t understand. Wouldn’t it be better to just give it to another relative than hand it over to an evil spirit?”

“I told you, the marquis needed time. I heard he’s been working hard every night anyway, right?”

This was information I didn’t particularly want to know.

Seriously, how old is that man?

Is this his last hurrah?

‘Maybe bringing Ragna was also a kind of Plan B…….’

As I was thinking that, Baekho Lee suddenly apologized.

“By the way, I’m sorry, hyung. The marquis putting you in the expedition, it’s probably because of me.”

“…What are you talking about?”

“If you came back alive and it was known that you weren’t an evil spirit, it would cause problems in carrying out the Evil Spirit Incorporation Policy I requested, right? So he must have tried to get rid of you. Without anyone knowing.”

But that attempt failed, and Bjorn Yandel was declared alive in front of everyone.

“After that happened, he contacted me saying he had no other choice.”

It was ambiguous to call it the marquis’s fault, so Baekho Lee decided to just remove Bjorn Yandel from the plan.

After all, wasn’t it declared that he wasn’t an evil spirit?

He judged that he could no longer be used as a card.

But…….

“At that time, he asked me if I could kill you. I can’t go into details, but he said you might become a big problem in the future.”

I was genuinely creeped out.

Putting aside the fact that he was plotting such a sinister thing as soon as I returned.

“At that time, I said I’d think about it. The conditions the marquis offered weren’t too bad.”

“Was that why you said last time that it was a relief that you found out now……?”

“Ahaha… You’re really quick to catch on.”

……I almost died.

Without me even knowing.

“But as a result, you found out it was you, right? I already told the marquis properly. That the request was rejected. And not to even think about touching Bjorn Yandel in the future.”

“…….”

“How is it? I think I’ve made a proper down payment.”

It was undeniable.

At least until his son’s problem was resolved, it meant that the marquis couldn’t directly harm me.

‘I guess I’ve taken a load off my mind for now…….’

It was an unexpected gain, but I opened my mouth as calmly as possible.

“So? What else is there besides that?”

The moment you’re satisfied, your share decreases.

***

After that, Baekho Lee confidently talked about the options he could offer me besides the down payment.

But unexpectedly, there wasn’t much substance.

“If there’s anyone you want to kill, just tell me. I’ll completely destroy them!”

“Really? Then kill the marquis for me.”

“Uh, that’s a bit… That guy revives in the royal palace even if you kill him.”

“…Revives? What are you talking about?”

“Ah, you don’t know about that. I guess it’s because it’s an item that wasn’t in the game? Anyway, there’s such a treasure of the royal family, and it’s in the marquis’s hands right now.”

“Then what about Count Alminus?”

“He always has that golem next to him, so it’s difficult. He’s a guy specialized in defense… If I had enough time, I think I could break through, but it’s a bit… difficult in the city.”

What is this guy?

He was so confident, but.

“Then who can you kill?”

I asked as kindly as possible, thinking it would be faster to ask this, but for some reason, Baekho Lee lowered his head and mumbled.

“No, really… It’s the guys you mentioned who are weird… Why do you only pick those kinds of guys…….”

Of course, the time Baekho Lee was discouraged was extremely short. The guy who quickly recovered opened his mouth again with energy.

“Ah! Then how about this? I heard you’re doing the Dreadfear raid? I could help you with that—.”

“I don’t need it.”

“Huh?”

“It’s going to attract attention, why would I want to let people know that you and I are close?”

“Uh… Wouldn’t it be okay if I disguised my identity?”

“No. I can catch it without you anyway.”

“…….”

Baekho Lee was speechless.

At this rate, it seemed better for me to say what kind of support I wanted.

“What about money?”

“How much do you need?”

“About 1 billion stones?”

“E-even for me, that’s a bit…….”

“Then 500 million stones?”

“I don’t have much on hand right now either…….”

“……100 million stones.”

“…I’ve had a lot of expenses lately.”

What is this guy, how come he has less money than me?

“Then give me equipment. What kind of Numbers items do you have right now?”

“Uh… They’re all core items, so I can’t give them to you.”

What does this guy even want to do?

He can’t give me money or equipment.

“Baekho, do you know what a water rocket is?”

“…….”

Baekho Lee couldn’t say anything.

“What about essences? It would be nice if you could mine some for me. For example, Bellarios.”

“Hyung… That place is a battlefield right now……?”

“Baekho, are you the type who always looks for reasons why things can’t be done first?”

“…Ah, okay! I’ll try. I’ll mine it from the next entry!”

Yeah, why are you acting weak when you can do it?

‘I didn’t know I could skip the Bellarios grind like this.’

It’s not a bad gain.

Then, it’s time to move on to the next option.

“Baekho, there are a few things I want to ask you, will you answer them?”

“Yes! Anything!”

“How did you find out that I was Bjorn Yandel?”

“That? Thanks to the GM [Game Master]. The GM called me as soon as the ban was lifted that day. He said you threatened him to lift my ban?”

What the hell… That happened?

“I was really surprised when I heard that. Was Hansoo hyung that powerful? I didn’t understand, so I pretended to be on your side and tested him, and the GM guy leaked information little by little?”

The GM, even in front of Baekho Lee, generously displayed his usual pushover nature and leaked information.

“Hyung, I heard you’re going around the Round Table wearing a lion mask or something?”

Starting from the fact that I was active as a lion in the Round Table—.

“That was okay. But then he suddenly asked me?”

He even blurted out the most important thing.

“Why haven’t you appeared for over two years? What are you two plotting? He asked me indirectly like that…….”

Baekho Lee grinned.

“That’s when I got the feeling.”

It was natural that he noticed my identity.

The long hiatus of the Lion and the return of Bjorn Yandel, which coincided exactly.

In fact, there were people in the Round Table who suspected me because of that.

“I see.”

I felt like my stomach would burst if I heard more about the GM, so I moved on to the next question.

“Then what was it with the Scholar of Destruction when the capital was on fire? You both disappeared together.”

It was something I had been secretly curious about.

What happened between the two of them that they are now colleagues?

“Ah, that?”

Baekho Lee shrugged and answered.

“It’s nothing much. He said he was an evil spirit from another world, and that his goal was also to open the gate of the abyss, so let’s be friends in the future? I needed a mage anyway, so I just agreed.”

“Oh, really?”

I answered as nonchalantly as possible.

It was a simple reason.

Just like how Baekho Lee had noticed right away when I lied in the past.

I could feel it instinctively.

“Yeah. I was worried because he’s old and has a few missing teeth, but he’s quite skilled?”

Baekho Lee.

Why on earth is this guy.

“Hmm, is that so?”

Is he lying to me?

***

A skilled liar hides lies within the truth.

According to that logic, most of what Baekho Lee said now would be true.

Therefore…….

“What about future plans? It’s simple! You and I will join forces and take down the royal family or the labyrinth, pow pow pow! Ah, that’s a joke. First, what we’re going to do is—.”

I threw out any question, and while Baekho Lee was answering, I meticulously analyzed each word he had said a moment ago.

[He said he was an evil spirit from another world.]

This is a fact that I also know.

[His goal was also to open the gate of the abyss.]

This is the same.

[He said, let’s be friends in the future?]

It must be true that he sought cooperation.

Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to move together.

Yes, then…….

[I needed a mage anyway, so I just agreed.]

This is the only remaining candidate.

Based on this, the conclusion is as follows.

‘Baekho Lee joined hands with the Scholar of Destruction not because he needed a ‘mage’.’

In other words, there was another reason.

The important thing is that Baekho Lee hid that from me.

Why?

‘Because it was information that I shouldn’t be told.’

For a moment, I had let my guard down at Baekho Lee’s clumsy appearance, but then I became alert.

Baekho Lee, this guy is really not easy.

‘What else is he hiding?’

Come to think of it, Baekho Lee has given me almost nothing.

At best, I only managed to get a promise that he would ‘mine essences’ after badgering him.

Ah, should I add that he would return Misha?

‘……He’s a guy with a lot of schemes in many ways. Does he even really want to help me in the first place?’

I really don’t know.

“The royal family is the biggest problem in this plan. The players are all hidden right now, right? So they’re not really uniting from the outside, and we need to bring them all into the open first—.”

Is Baekho Lee my enemy or my ally?

***

After talking for a bit longer, it was time for Baekho Lee to leave.

He still had a one-hour log-out limit.

“Hyung, if you meet the GM later, please ask him about that. He must have taken the initial type of pill at first, right? If there’s a way to increase the stay time, please let me know.”

“Okay.”

“Yes. Then I’ll go! See you next time!”

In the end, I didn’t even get to ask what the ‘record stone’ was until Baekho Lee left.

It’s a bit strange to say this, but things are going well for now, aren’t they?

I decided that I could start digging into Baekho Lee’s secrets after I got Misha back.

“Oppa, did the talk go well?”

After Baekho Lee left, I spent time talking with Hyunbyeol, who was waiting outside.

“Yeah, thanks to you.”

“Don’t get too close to him. He’s not someone you can trust.”

“I know.”

“……That’s a relief then. Actually, the reason I asked you about oppa was also a test.”

“…A test?”

“Yes. He keeps giving off the nuance that he knows about oppa’s identity, right? I tested how tight-lipped he was. Well, he must have noticed, because he didn’t say anything in the end.”

“……Is that so.”

It was hard to believe that the purpose was a test, but since there was no evidence, I just let it go.

And how much time had passed since then?

“Hyunbyeol, I’m going to go now.”

I slowly wrapped up the conversation and got up from my seat.

“You seem to leave at this time every time?”

That’s because the Round Table always opens at this time.

“Then see you next time.”

“Yes.”

After leaving the chat room, I immediately entered the Round Table.

I put on the navy suit I always wore and put the lion mask over my face.

With that, all preparations are complete.