Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 474

The two sisters were staying together in the room I arrived at after leaving the temple hall.

Pen, the Dragonkin shaman who had given me the Dragon’s Blessing.

And Lavien, my former expedition teammate.

“…You’re here?”

Dragon Kid Pen glanced at me as I knocked and entered, then turned her gaze away with a sulky look.

‘She’s acting like a teenager going through puberty.’

Still, if I try to see her as cute, it’s not too bad.

According to Dragon Uncle and Lavien, she had been very depressed after I was reported dead.

Saying things like, ‘He said he’d come back to tell me new stories…’ and so on—.

“…Huh? What did you just say?”

“Did you… hear that again…?”

“No, I’m asking what you just said.”

When I lowered my voice and asked again, Pen’s eyes showed a hint of fear, but she raised her voice.

“Why, why…! I just said that looking at your face, there’s no way I could have mistaken you for someone else!”

It was a blatant lie.

I clearly heard her say ‘that ugly face,’ not just ‘face’.

“Penitasaurus.”

“…It’s Penitas-ea-uros, okay?”

“I’m telling you again because it seems like you’ve forgotten in the past few years, I’m not ugly, I’m just manly looking. Got it?”

After saying that, I just stared at her, and she finally replied.

“…Okay.”

Yeah, she’ll admit it in the end, so why is she acting up?

Now that the pecking order was settled, I greeted Lavien next to her.

“Anyway, it’s been a while for you too, Lavien.”

“You two… seem closer than I thought?”

“Close? I only saw her once when I received the blessing before.”

“Still, you were probably the last one for Pen. Meeting someone from outside the clan.”

Well, I guess so.

How many outsiders would come to this Dragon Temple?

After taking a seat at the table where the two sisters were sitting, I asked about something I was curious about.

“But looking at your reaction earlier, it seems like you knew I was coming, is that right?”

“…Yeah. I heard it from Father.”

“When exactly?”

“While you were talking with Yandel. Father’s voice can be heard anywhere.”

So, besides the space-moving Dragon Words, he also has a voice message function? Dragon Uncle’s talents are more diverse than I thought…

“So, how much did you hear?”

“How much did I hear? It was just that you were coming and to wait for you. Oh! He also said there was good news, and that you would tell us.”

Huh, that old man.

“So, what is it? The good news?”

Pen looked at me with curious eyes.

When I avoided her gaze, Lavien, who met my eyes, shrugged.

It was hard to understand the Dragonkin’s sensibilities.

Why would they entrust such an important event to an outsider like me?

‘Well, it’s not that difficult.’

It would be ridiculous to delay it here, so I just told them the truth.

“I’ve dealt with the Dragonslayer and brought back the heart.”

There were many things that happened in the process, but in the end, it was a story that could be summed up in one sentence.

“…What?”

However, the Dragon Kid seemed unable to understand this one sentence, so I repeated the same words again.

“It’s exactly as I said. I gave the heart to your dad, so you’ll be able to recover soon.”

“…S, sister?”

“It’s true, you can believe it, Pen.”

“……”

Even with her sister’s verification, Pen still looked confused. Was it too sudden of a gift to be purely happy about?

“……”

Eventually, Pen was dazed for a long time before finally coming to her senses and opening her mouth.

“………Thank you.”

It seemed like I had to take back what I said about her not being properly educated.

Both Dragon Uncle and her.

They really do give thanks properly.

It makes me feel awkward.

“Of course, even if you recover, there won’t be many big changes right away. There are various circumstances.”

“…Circumstances? What do you mean?”

I took the opportunity to directly tell them what Dragon Uncle and I had agreed on.

That my killing the Dragonslayer was to be kept a secret for the time being.

So, even if you recover, you have to stay hidden in this temple until then…

And that the Ancient Dragon had agreed to it as well.

“I’m sorry. There’s probably no one as sick of this place as you are, but to ask you such a favor—.”

“It’s okay.”

Pen interrupted my apology.

“I don’t really mind staying here.”

It wasn’t an empty promise, but a voice filled with sincerity.

Of course, it wasn’t something I couldn’t understand.

“Well, yeah? If you get meals on time and just play around without any worries every day, life here isn’t so bad—.”

“What are you talking about, you idiot.”

“…Oh, wasn’t that the reason?”

Pen looked at me and let out a deep sigh.

“There’s no way that’s it, is there? I’m sick of this place too. I want to smell the wildflowers, and I want to run around aimlessly in the wind. But…”

Pen trailed off, then clenched her small fists and said.

“Now, Father doesn’t have to always be here because of me. He can go wherever he wants and see whatever he wants.”

It was an answer I had never expected.

“So, that’s enough for me.”

Family, huh…

I was a little curious.

“Yandel, thank you for saving Father.”

What would it feel like to have a family like this?

***

After that, Pen said she needed some time to think alone and left the room to rest, leaving just Lavien and me alone.

It wasn’t bad.

I had something to say to her anyway.

“Lavien.”

“I’m listening, go ahead.”

“Why is it so hard to see your face?”

“What… do you mean?”

Um, did I put it too indirectly?

I thought it was a sensitive topic, but like a barbarian, I decided to ask directly.

“I mean, why didn’t you attend the after-party? Looking at you now, it doesn’t seem like you’re that busy.”

“I heard that Titana Akuraba didn’t attend either.”

“Well, that’s true.”

I nodded and continued.

“But that old lady is really busy.”

The answer came after a slight pause.

“…I was busy too.”

“Yeah, is that so? Then there’s nothing I can do.”

“So, is that all you were curious about?”

Lavien, who had returned to a more comfortable voice as she calmly nodded and sipped her tea.

Did she really think I’d fall for that?

“Lavien, I’m okay, so tell me honestly. Have you changed your mind?”

The subject was omitted, but there was no one here who wouldn’t understand what I meant.

“No. My mind hasn’t changed.”

“Really? As soon as I returned to the city, it seemed like you were trying to distance yourself from us—.”

“That’s because we didn’t have the same thoughts from the beginning.”

Huh, look at this girl?

“We didn’t have the same thoughts from the beginning, huh…”

When I shot her a look that demanded an explanation, Lavien finally opened her mouth with a reluctant voice.

“Of course, I’m sad when I think about the members who died in that cold place. I also feel anger towards the Marquis who caused it, and even towards the royal family.”

“And?”

“That’s all. Not everyone in the world is like you, Yandel.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a misunderstanding that Lavien seemed to be distancing herself from us after returning to the city.

The reason was also not different from what I had expected.

“No matter how much affection we’ve built up, if you put it bluntly, we’re just people who went on one expedition together.”

Unless they were family.

It’s not like family died.

And that’s why.

“If you ask me if it’s worth risking everything to take revenge for that incident, my answer is ‘no, it’s not’.”

Lavien put aside her emotions and made a realistic decision.

In fact, this was a normal reaction.

Even if a family member died, most people wouldn’t even dream of revenge if the opponent was the king.

“I see… Thank you. It must have been awkward, but thanks for telling me your thoughts honestly.”

“…I’m sorry for saying this. But, there must be at least one more survivor who thinks the same way as me. It’s just that everyone is afraid to speak up because of the atmosphere.”

Well, that’s probably true.

People can be hot and cold, and cold and hot in an instant.

“I’ll take your advice.”

“…That’s unexpected. I thought you’d yell at me for being a traitor.”

“It’s not like that would change your mind, would it? If it could, I would have yelled a hundred times.”

“I… guess so…”

Lavien just stared at the floor like she was frustrated.

She had said everything she wanted to say, and the conversation ended without any argument.

“……”

She couldn’t keep her eyes still, as if she wanted to say something right away.

I kind of knew how she felt.

I was similar to her once.

“Lavien, since I’ve taken your advice, let me give you some advice too.”

“Go ahead.”

“If everyone had been as rational as you that day, none of us would have made it back alive.”

There is no right answer in this world.

There is only choice.

***

“Come find me if you change your mind later. I’ll welcome you anytime.”

As I was about to leave the room after saying that, Lavien muttered something.

“…Father is still in a meeting.”

“Ah, right.”

In the end, I awkwardly fidgeted and sipped tea to pass the time, then used Dragon Uncle’s Dragon Word to teleport home.

I had left early in the morning, so when I returned, it was just past noon…

“Uncle! You’re back!”

“…You came early. I thought you might be late.”

Amelia and Erwen, who were apparently at home, quickly came out to greet me.

“Ah, it ended earlier than I thought. But what happened here?”

I pointed to the ground with my finger and asked.

The empty lot, which had been overgrown with weeds before I left, had been remodeled.

It was divided in half as if a line had been drawn, one half was a garden full of greenery, and the other half was a training ground.

“This…? It just happened. It looks a bit ugly, but… there’s no other way, right?”

“Since one person can’t have it all, the only way is for the two of us to share it.”

They had been fighting for days over whether to make it a garden or a training ground, and in the end, they had come to this kind of compromise.

“Yandel, have you eaten?”

“I just ate a few snacks. What about you guys?”

“Not yet!”

“Then we can eat together.”

I thought about eating out together for the first time in a while, but I was told that Auyen was already preparing a meal.

At first, I didn’t understand what that meant.

“That guy is cooking…?”

“Didn’t you know? The dinner you ate yesterday was also prepared by him.”

“…I thought it was bought from outside… No, but there’s no kitchen here, is there?”

Amelia looked at me as if I was pathetic at my sharp question.

“It’s been a while since we turned one of the rooms on the first floor into a kitchen. You still didn’t know that?”

“……”

“Yandel, I know you’re busy, but you need to pay some attention to your house.”

I had nothing to say.

I haven’t had a proper rest at home recently.

Anyway, as I followed Amelia, one of the empty offices on the first floor had been turned into a kitchen.

“Ah, you’re here, Commander!”

Auyen, wearing a white chef’s uniform, greeted me. When I glanced to the side, the finished dish was on a white plate.

“Uncle, come here. If you sit down, this person will take care of everything.”

“Oh… is that so?”

Auyen, what is his job?

Navigator, coachman, and now a chef.

‘…He’s good at everything except fighting?’

I realized once again that strength is the best.

If I didn’t have strength, this guy wouldn’t be here smiling and cooking.

“How is it? Does it suit your taste?”

“It’s perfect. The seasoning is just right. And there’s a lot of meat.”

“The ladies instructed me to always prepare plenty, just in case the Commander comes.”

“…The ladies?”

“Ah…”

Auyen flinched as if he had made a mistake at my question.

However, he seemed to know that it was a mistake, so I didn’t point it out and focused on my meal.

And how much time had passed?

“Leave it to me. I’ll clean up.”

When the meal was over, Auyen collected the dishes.

It felt very strange.

Being treated like this in my own house, it felt like I had become a noble, or something?

“Uncle, you don’t have any other plans for today, right?”

“That’s right? I had the whole day free just in case.”

“Then… would you like to have some tea in my garden?”

“Oh, sure.”

“Tersia, I’ll have black dragon tea.”

“Ha… do you really have no shame?”

Erwen spoke harshly, but she brewed the tea leaves, and after that, the three of us enjoyed tea and snacks together while talking.

The wall that blocked the outside world felt cozy, and the lazy afternoon sun was warm.

It was a time of rest that I was enjoying for the first time in a long time.

‘This is nice…’

Erwen was chattering about this and that next to me, and Amelia would chime in from time to time, and they would argue, but it all felt comfortable.

But was it because I was too tired?

“Family, huh…”

I didn’t realize my thoughts had slipped out of my mouth.

It was a small mumble that wouldn’t be heard if you weren’t listening carefully.

But…

“…?”

“…?”

The two who had been arguing stopped talking at the same time, and silence fell.

“…Yandel, what did you just say?”

“Yes. What did you just say, Uncle?”

The two of them, forgetting their fight, asked me in unison.

“…Nothing.”

I felt a little embarrassed and tried to brush it off, but the two of them were persistent.

“It wasn’t nothing. You clearly mumbled ‘family, huh…'”

“I heard that too. What did you mean by that?”

Ha, how did I end up saying that?

I think the words came out while I was thinking about the Dragon Kid, who was the most impressive person today…

“Just.”

I sighed and answered.

“I was just wondering if this is what it would feel like to have a family.”

It was an honest answer, as it was.

The two, who had been persistently asking for the reason, fell silent when they heard my answer.

“……”

“……”

This is really making the atmosphere weird…

As I was about to open my mouth to change the subject, Erwen suddenly changed her gaze and broke the silence by muttering quietly.

“…The left wall.”

The left wall?

What is she talking about all of a sudden?

Just as I was wondering, Amelia added an explanation.

“Someone is watching us.”

What?

“Tersia, let’s count to three and go out together.”

“Okay.”

Without me having to do anything, the two women counted to three in their heads and shot out like arrows, moving to the wall.

And…

“…E, eek?!!”

They quickly finished their cooperative hunt and brought back someone who had been hiding near the wall like a trophy.

“I don’t know if I should call this… a welcome face.”

Amelia’s reaction was a bit strange.

“……”

Erwen’s expression was colder than ever.

“Ah, ahahaha…”

The prey, who was pinned to the ground, gave me an awkward smile.

“O, long time… no see. Biyorn… ouch!”

The prey, who had been pronouncing each word clearly, made a painful expression as if she had bitten her tongue.

“……”

“……”

“……”

It was Misha.