Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 563

The question of how I noticed. The answer is simple. First, the establishment of the relationship between the two was too quick. [Go ahead and try it. That execution.] [Annihilate! You can kill all except the leader!] Less than five minutes after encountering each other, a battle situation unfolded, and the village chief fled with the monsters. And then the chase began. There was something strange there too. [He went that way? Turn the entire army!] The main force immediately chased after me as soon as I broke away. As if they were only watching my movements. Of course, this is just my feeling. But even if they happened to see my sudden action, it still doesn’t make sense. Because if it were Jerome, who is obsessed with missions, the guy who showed hostility towards the village chief, calling him a ‘traitor’… Even in that situation, he wouldn’t have stopped the pursuit to complete the mission. ‘…Well, up to this point, it was just a feeling that something was off.’ The final nail in the coffin was Jerome’s one request. [Could the Baron possibly take the lead?] He asked me to be at the very front. That guy who was so obsessed with ‘missions’ that he would protect me as the top priority when I fainted during the battle with the Prophecy Wolf Kashan. Also, that guy who treated his subordinates’ lives lightly for the sake of the mission. He’s trying to put me in a place where anything could be waiting? Feeling extreme discomfort here, I racked my brain and came up with one possibility. The problem is that the hypothesis was correct. “It was a story unknown to those who had ties with the Baron. It seems there were more rats besides them.” Jerome then coldly glances at his subordinates. He seemed to think that someone else had helped me notice this situation. Well, that would make sense of my attempt to secretly escape during the chase. ‘Anyway, those who have ties with me must be referring to Raven or Kaislan….’ My hypothesis has already been proven correct. Therefore, I thought about what kind of conversation the village chief and Jerome might have had. The place is this island. The time was definitely when we were sleeping, when only the night watchmen were on duty. If I were to guess, the two met secretly and talked at that time. And in that process, the village chief offered something. Something so important that Jerome Saintred judged it to be more important than the ‘mission’. “What the hell was it? What did the village chief promise that made him switch sides overnight?” I asked directly, but Jerome didn’t seem to have any intention of giving a straightforward answer. “The conversation ends here. Baron, I’ve answered as you wished, so please go ahead and descend below.” It was not persuasion or advice. “This is an order from the commander.” An overbearing tone as if there was no reason to hide his true intentions any longer. “What if I refuse?” “I will judge it as disobeying the royal order.” Honestly, I was a little taken aback. There are almost 200 witnesses in this place, yet he’s acting so openly. ‘Does he have the confidence to silence everyone…?’ Well, there would be many ways. Money, honor, fame, power, etc., etc. The means of persuasion that the royal family can use are almost limitless, and even if there are opponents who cannot be persuaded, there is no problem. Because they can silence people in ways that aren’t just gentle. “…….” I bit my lip and glanced at my companions for a moment. But did they sense my gaze? “Yandel, don’t even think about it. We’re already all prepared.” Amelia sticks close to my side and speaks with determination. “Even if you hate fighting, there are times when you have to fight. You were the one who said that, right, Bjorn?” Ainar, whose fighting spirit had been greatly diminished, also took out his weapon and stood behind me. “It’s earlier than expected… but it was something we were going to experience someday.” Bersil also seemed to have made up his mind to fight to the death, no matter what happened. However, Müll Armin was a bit unexpected. “We will also fight alongside the Baron. It would be a way to repay even a little of your kindness.” That guy, not even afraid of the crime of treason, dares to say that he will oppose the royal army. “U-uh… w-we… well… I don’t know what’s going on, but… maybe… try to talk it out first…” On the other hand, White Hekts didn’t seem to have any intention of showing that much loyalty. Well, that’s actually the typical reaction. As if the other side was also starting to waver at my taking a position of hostility. “If what the Baron says is true… does that mean the Count has joined hands with that monster…?” “There must be a reason… but even so, to send the Baron to his death, is this okay?” “Moreover, wasn’t our mission to rescue the Baron and return? Something is wrong here.” The achievements I have made so far. The fame of a hero and the title of a noble. And even the favor I’ve worked so hard to build up. It’s not enough to disobey orders yet, but these three factors are creating a division. In fact, even if an order to kill us right now were to be given, they would all hesitate and not be able to swing their weapons. The breakthrough lies there. It’s still a hole as narrow as a needle’s eye, but. Whether it grows bigger or smaller depends on what I do from now on. Yes, so… “I, Baron Bjorn Yandel, declare!” I lower the shield that was covering my whole body as if on guard and shout. “I swear on the honor of a proud noble and warrior who supports the Laphedonia royal family! I fear nothing for the sake of the royal cause! Even if it means sacrificing my life!” In my hand, as I shouted that, ‘Misaligned Trust’ was tightly gripped. Of course, it stopped working every time I spoke. But since it’s not visible from afar if I cover it well anyway. “For the boundless future of the royal family, I am always ready to rush out and burn this body!” I complete the logic by showing a nobility that is thoroughly made of lies. “But! I don’t know! Whether that is really for the royal family! Or if you have other intentions and made a wrong judgment!” It was like a kind of poison. A poison that slowly seeps into the inside without being noticed and leads to destruction. “How dare you… doubt my loyalty to the royal family?” “You didn’t explain properly, so of course I have to! Explain it so I can understand! Then I, Bjorn, son of Yandel, will go down there anytime! Even if it means using me as a disposable pawn!” A strategy of clinging on like a water ghost no matter what. “…….” The longer Jerome Saintred remains silent, the more the suspicion that has taken root within the exploration force begins to sprout. But has he finally realized that? “Speak, Jerome Saintred! What’s down there, and what kind of deal did you make with the village chief?” To my question, he finally gave an answer. “…I cannot disclose military secrets. But I can say this much for sure. That all of this is for the sake of the royal family!” “I can’t believe it!” “…Why can’t you believe it? Isn’t ‘Misaligned Trust’ working? Everything I just said is the undeniable truth—.” “It could be your delusion that you’re doing it for the royal family!” “…….” Okay, looking at his expression, if I push him further here, he’ll definitely spill something more… If I can just refute him properly one more time, it doesn’t seem impossible to completely turn the public opinion around. “Now speak! How does me going down there benefit the royal family?” Under that judgment, I was possessed by the loyal subject mode and was shouting loudly when suddenly a voice echoed in my head. […You’re wrong. Opposing him here will only lead to the worst outcome.] A compassionate voice, somehow mixed with a sigh. [Why didn’t you just run away, making things so difficult…] While I was wondering whose voice this was. Flash-! From somewhere, a brilliant silver light burst out, and my mind went blank. *** 「The Observer of Fate intervenes.」 「The power of the stars has been cast on the character through the medium of Sven Parav’s stigma.」 「Traces of the stars are deeply engraved on the character’s body.」 「The character’s divine resistance is permanently increased by +100.」 「All healing and beneficial effects containing the power of the Leatlass Church are reduced by half.」 「Be careful. If you receive the power of God one more time, the fragile mortal body will collapse…」 *** When I opened my eyes, I was in that place. No, to be precise, should I say that I was watching that place from a little distance away? “Now speak! How does me going down there benefit the royal family?” Me, shouting loudly as if scolding. And… “…….” Jerome, his face red like a boiling kettle. ‘What is this…’ For some reason, I was watching that scene from a third-person perspective. And the moment I questioned that phenomenon. [Watch. There will be an answer at the end.] The voice I heard earlier echoed in my head again. My head was dizzy as if I was drunk. Was that why? Before I knew it, the question disappeared, and the thought that I had to follow that instruction filled my head. “Why can’t you speak! Don’t you know too? That what you’re trying to do is not for the royal family at all!” As I watched, the situation became even more dramatic. I constantly pushed him with words, and he finally couldn’t stand it and shouted. “How far are you going to insult the royal family! You traitor!” “Ha! A traitor! I’m not trying to disobey the king’s orders, I’m just questioning your judgment—.” “Ha! Did you really think I wouldn’t know? That you are a traitor pretending to be Bjorn, son of Yandel?” “…What?” The ‘me’ that I saw was noticeably flustered at that sound. Since the target was me, it wasn’t difficult to understand his inner thoughts. He thought he had been caught as an evil spirit. But… “I thought it was strange from the first time I saw you, but I was able to confirm it here. You are the one who was active in Noark decades ago under the name of Iron Mask.” “Uh…” “You must have been a spy sent by Noark, pretending to be a barbarian who had just come of age, and have been active until now. During the two years and six months that you disappeared for a special mission, you were actually just returning to your hometown.” “Uh-uh…” “But how dare you lie about doing it for the royal family? I don’t know how you neutralized ‘Misaligned Trust’….” “Neutralized? I didn’t do anything like that—.” “Then take your hand away and show it clearly? Look! It doesn’t stop every time you speak!” “…….” That was game over. “If I can hand over a traitor like you and gain the royal family’s benefit, I will do the same thing a hundred or a thousand times.” “…….” “What are you doing! Seize that impudent traitor! If there is anyone who tries to help him, judge them as traitors and kill them! I, Jerome Saintred, will take all responsibility!” Jerome, who exposed the fraud using ‘Misaligned Trust’ and instantly created a ‘justification’ that I couldn’t properly refute, launched a full-scale attack. And… “Everyone, hide behind me!” With the Hekts Clan and the Armin Exploration Team out of the picture, the Clan Anabada members desperately fought back, and the world stopped. “What happens next…?” Something answered the words I muttered without realizing it. [Three of your precious companions die. And eventually, it connects to the future I showed that child.] Only then did I realize who the owner of the voice was. The goddess of the stars who governs fate, Leatlass. It was the first time that I, an atheist, had met and talked with a real god in this distant other world, but it didn’t give me any emotion. The only thing that mattered was one thing. “Then what should I have done? It’s obvious that those guys were up to something, should I have just gone down?” The answer. Just as a human being driven to a dead end always seeks the name of God, I also sought an answer from God. But… [I told you. Watch until the end.] With those words, the stopped world began to rewind as if time was going backwards.