Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 565

“If it’s Iblis…”

“Don’t worry. I’ve already confirmed that the [Heretical Altar] is set up inside the royal palace.”

It was just a guess, but I said it anyway.

Well, I was almost certain, so it wasn’t exactly a lie.

“…Amazing.”

“I thought you’d think so. The essence of Iblis isn’t common—”

“Not that, but that you made such a proposal.”

After hearing my proposal, the village chief didn’t say anything for a long time, and silence followed.

“…”

“…”

The quiet time wasn’t bad for me.

I was thrown into the situation as soon as I opened my eyes. I needed time to calmly organize my thoughts anyway.

‘Jerome Saintred…’

What would happen if I handed this guy’s body over to the village chief?

I did make the proposal, but I hadn’t thought deeply about the consequences.

So, let’s sort it out now.

‘…It’s not bad?’

The fact that the village chief would become the commander of the 1st Royal Knights was quite positive.

First of all, the royal family’s power would be reduced.

Also, since they had a secret connection, they could share information or trade when they needed each other.

The only problem was the ethical part…

‘That bastard was the one who backstabbed me first.’

If he hadn’t tried to hand me over first, this wouldn’t have happened. Or maybe, there could have been a world where we both joined forces to defeat the village chief.

If the village chief was really confident, he would have just knocked everyone down and taken my body.

[I was able to confirm it here. You were the one who was active in Noark under the name of Iron Mask decades ago.]

Moreover, Jerome was already convinced that I was the ‘Iron Mask,’ so I had to find a way to explain it or shut him up.

If that was known to the royal family, it would become a weakness—.

“I’ll ask you just one thing.”

When my thoughts reached that point, the village chief slowly opened his mouth.

“What happened after I was defeated by them?”

Yeah, I knew he’d be curious about that.

He probably wasn’t sure if I was telling the whole truth yet. He wanted to gather a little more information before making a final decision.

So, this time, I answered honestly.

“You’re executed as is. By Jerome’s hand. He strikes you seven times with a sword, and your head is chopped off.”

“That doesn’t make sen—”

“And one of my companions uses a resurrection stone on me, who was dead.”

That was the scene of the future I had seen.

“A resurrection stone… you have it?”

“Whether you want to believe it or not, that’s the truth.”

“…”

The village chief closed his mouth again as if organizing his thoughts, and I waited as if telling him to think as much as he wanted.

“If that’s true… it makes sense.”

“Which part?”

“If I really can’t achieve my goal as you said, then why you made this proposal to me.”

I thought he was curious about that inside. I thought he was a sly one, but I didn’t show it and opened my mouth.

“Anyway, as long as there’s a resurrection stone, your goal can never be achieved.”

There are two characteristics of the resurrection stone.

One is that resurrection is only possible immediately after death, and only for those whose corpses remain…

“Because when the resurrection stone is used, you lose your memories.”

Memory loss is the second.

In the game, when a resurrection stone was used, the character lost their memories, and various stats such as accumulated intimacy were reset.

It was a terrible system, even thinking about it again.

I used that precious thing to resurrect them, but both of the guys I revived ended up leaving the party.

“Certainly… this is troublesome.”

Fortunately, the village chief seemed to know the details about the characteristics of the ‘resurrection stone.’ If he didn’t know, it would have taken another age to explain.

“According to what’s written on the record stone, it’s clear that you will leave this place someday… but as long as that thing exists, it means that the person could be someone else, not me or you.”

Hearing that, I felt like I was almost there.

That’s because the biggest reason the village chief tried to take my body was because of ‘certainty.’

My body will leave this floor someday.

So, if he takes this body, he can escape this place 100%.

The existence of the resurrection stone broke that proposition…

“So, what are you going to do?”

Now, all that was left was his decision.

Would he take my body, which had the variable of the resurrection stone? Or would he use Jerome Saintred’s body to escape to the city?

I was a little anxious to just wait for an answer, so I added an option.

“If you want to take that guy’s body, I’ll help you.”

“You’re… a completely different person from what I’ve heard?”

“Well, I don’t know what you heard about me while investigating me, but this is self-defense. Didn’t that guy backstab me first?”

“That’s true.”

“So, what’s your answer?”

I swallowed hard and asked, and soon the village chief answered.

“It’s a rejection.”

…Damn it.

***

“Rejection… you said?”

I couldn’t understand at all.

I explained the rational reason why he should choose Jerome instead of me, but he rejected it? This emotionless guy wouldn’t have made an emotional choice…

“…What’s the reason?”

“It’s because of your existence.”

“…What?”

It was a bewildering answer, but I could understand his judgment after the explanation that followed.

“Even if I take that guy’s body, you’ll know my true identity, won’t you? If you go out and say something, the life I barely obtained will become difficult.”

He wants to eliminate the witness.

“So?”

“So, it’s better to kill you here and take that guy’s body. That’s my judgment.”

“…Are you stupid? I betrayed the Royal Knight Commander by helping you, why would I go around telling people about it?”

“You never know what might happen. Paradoxically, trust is not built on faith.”

It was ironic, but I felt room for negotiation in that one sentence.

Trust is not built on faith.

That means if I present something trustworthy, he might accept my proposal.

“So… what do you want?”

Indeed, the village chief answered my question without hiding his intentions at all.

“Your weakness.”

“…”

“Just as you can ruin me with a single word, if I have something like that, I can trust you and join hands with you.”

He’s trying to get the most out of me.

“What if I don’t have one?”

“Those who have nothing to hide don’t ask such questions.”

It was a confirmation bias, but this time, he was right.

In fact, as soon as I heard the word ‘weakness,’ several things immediately came to mind.

The evil spirit.

The incident where the Rose Knights were killed in Ice Rock.

And even the fact that I interfered with Jerome and stole the fragments of the record stone in Noark decades ago.

There were several things I could give if I wanted to.

Also, if I could avoid the future shown by the goddess by giving this, it wouldn’t be a waste.

But…

‘Who does he think he’s fooling?’

I answered firmly.

“It’s a rejection.”

Not an excuse that I don’t have a weakness, but a clear rejection.

“Rejection… you said?”

He asked as if he couldn’t understand, just like I did a moment ago, but my answer didn’t change.

The fact that he made such a proposal in the first place was proof.

That my proposal sounded very attractive.

Yes, so…

“As I said before, there are two options. Either accept my proposal, or reject it and do it yourself. That’s it.”

I said finally.

“There are no conditions.”

“…You’re very bold in a life-or-death situation.”

“All Barbarian warriors are like that.”

At my nonchalant answer, the village chief seemed to chuckle for some reason, and then answered without hesitation.

“Okay, let’s put our heads together now. How to take Jerome Saintred’s body.”

Whew, I almost got played.

***

After the negotiation with the village chief was successfully concluded.

We had a long conversation in that cave.

How to bring Jerome Saintred to this cave and take his body.

Actually, it didn’t take long to make this plan.

If the village chief and I cooperated, it wasn’t a difficult plan.

However, the conversation was longer in other parts.

“So, what was ‘that’ you promised Jerome? Tell me, we can be considered on the same side now.”

It was something I was secretly curious about.

What did he propose that made Jerome make such a decision to hand me over?

Surprisingly, the village chief answered coolly.

“It’s the Heart of Karui.”

“Karui…?”

The name of an ancient evil god suddenly popped out.

When I tilted my head, the village chief kindly explained.

Pointing to a black stone in the middle of the cave.

“That’s what I’m talking about. If you sacrifice a person’s life, it allows you to use one of the powers of Karui from mythology. The reason I can take other people’s bodies is all thanks to this thing.”

It was an item that didn’t appear in the game.

Well, it’s not surprising.

“So, why did Jerome want that?”

“Well, it’s one of the royal family’s treasures. Originally, this thing belonged to the Immortal King. If you think about it, the reason I’m in this state is all because I stole this thing.”

There was something more important to listen to than what crime the village chief had committed in the past.

“It was a royal family treasure? Could it be… is the reason the Immortal King enjoyed eternal life all thanks to this thing?”

“Ah, didn’t you know? The Immortal King has been passing on the throne by taking the body of his child after giving birth to them. That’s also the reason why the Immortal King always wore a mask.”

It was a hidden history of the great kingdom of Lapdonia.

‘I never thought the Immortal King had such a secret.’

Perhaps the reason the Founding King defeated the Immortal King and usurped the throne was not ‘liberation’ but simply because he wanted to save his own life.

‘Or maybe… it’s just that this thing disappeared and the Immortal King died.’

Anyway, from the perspective of the later Founding King, the value of this treasure would be immeasurable.

It’s understandable that Jerome’s eyes would be drawn to this.

His loyalty to the royal family was genuine.

“Wait a minute, then it doesn’t make sense, does it? If you disappeared with this thing, how could the Immortal King have lived for over thousands of years?”

The Immortal King lived a life close to eternal life as his reputation suggested, and passed away about 150 years ago.

“Well, I was a little surprised when I heard that story. But isn’t it the royal family? They must have found some means.”

“Yeah, that means you don’t know…”

The Immortal King. The Heart of Karui. The Founding King…

What kind of events happened during that time?

I was curious, but there was nothing more I could find out here.

“Is that all you’re curious about?”

“No, just one more thing. But then, what happened to the leader of the Silver Lion Clan that you sent to the library?”

“Ah, that? I sent one of the village warriors to monitor your movements. If I set a condition that I would take over their body for a month, the amount of sacrifice needed for the ritual would be greatly reduced… No, I don’t know why I’m explaining this to you.”

Ah, he noticed.

I was wondering why he was answering so well.

“The conversation is enough for now, let’s go up.”

The village chief forcibly ended the conversation and took the lead.

“Isn’t he waiting?”

Jerome Saintred.

It was time to make him pay for backstabbing me.