Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 567

We’re searching through the empty village.

Actually, ‘looting’ is a more accurate word than ‘searching’.

Because the order given by the village chief, who had taken over the commander’s body, was just one thing.

“Gather everything found in the village in one place!”

Furniture, household goods, equipment, daily tools, etc…

There was no distinction of type.

Whether it seemed useful or not, it didn’t matter.

The order was to bring everything that was found.

So, what’s the reason the village chief gave such an order?

I’d guess it’s not because he couldn’t bear to see the things he’d collected while building the village go to waste.

The village chief isn’t the type of person to be sentimental about such things.

But even so, the reason for looting everything is one thing.

Because Jerome Saintred would have done it that way.

He would have taken everything in the name of the royal family, that’s for sure.

So, the village chief gave that order.

“The leaders of each group, please take this map and take charge of your assigned areas… !”

Thus, the exploration team divided into groups and looted the homes where the monsters, who once believed themselves to be human, lived and raised their children.

A tedious labor with no combat whatsoever.

However, there were some who welcomed this simple task.

“Items that embody the lifestyle of the first monsters capable of communication!”

“This will be great research material!”

“It’s a shame… It would have been nice to capture one or two alive and hear their stories directly…”

“Is there a chance that there might be one hiding somewhere?”

Mages who are crazy about research.

At least they placed a very high value on this task.

Oh, and that includes Raven too.

“Yandel, you said you’ve stayed here before, right?”

“So?”

“Later… if there’s a chance, could you tell me more about it in detail?”

“Sure, if there’s a chance.”

“Is that a promise? Then I’ll go. The break time is over. See you later.”

Anyway, our temporary Team 4 also received this mission and diligently searched our assigned area over and over again.

Even so, I felt strangely odd.

As Raven said, we have memories of living here.

“…That’s the mansion where we stayed.”

“Oh! That’s the open space where I sparred with Piarochichi!”

“It feels a bit eerie. The forge over there has its lights on, but there’s no one inside…”

“Something… it’s hard to express, but something… feels very strange. They were monsters, but there were many good ones…”

What exactly is it that distinguishes humans from monsters?

Appearance? Racial traits? The presence of experience points?

Then, is the village chief, who has regained his human body, human?

Conversely, if I were to transform into a monster through some event, or enter their body?

Then am I a monster?

I don’t know anymore.

I don’t even know if there’s any meaning in distinguishing them anymore.

“Yandel… are you okay? You don’t look good.”

“…Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“…If you say so, then I guess so.”

After that, we continued our assigned tasks, and when the search of our assigned area was complete, we joined the other teams at the center of the village.

It was already time for camp.

“The amount is enormous…”

“It can’t be helped. It’s a village where over hundreds of individuals lived.”

The village search and looting, which took all day, was over.

We searched the entire village, but there were no survivors in hiding.

After the day’s work was done, each team camped in a suitable empty house.

It was finally time to have a quiet conversation with my companions.

“We’ll… be in another room far away.”

“Yes. Please have a comfortable conversation.”

After that, the Armin exploration team and the Hecetz clan tactfully left, and as soon as Bersil used ‘voice control’ magic, Amelia quickly opened her mouth.

“So… what the hell happened?”

“Ah, that’s…”

“Don’t think I’ll believe that you two were plotting something together. If that were really the case, there’s no way you wouldn’t have said anything beforehand, knowing your personality.”

Without even giving me time to speak.

‘…Actually, she’s not wrong.’

It was very dangerous.

According to the goddess, my companions were ambushed and subdued at the same time I fainted.

The biggest problem was that there was no one to give orders.

What should I do? Is it right to fight here? But it’s the royal army? What decision would I have made if I were in that situation?

In that moment where a split-second decision determines the outcome.

Clan Anabada, without me, failed to make a timely decision, and as a result, they were all easily imprisoned.

‘…Still, thankfully, the result itself was good.’

However, the good result was not because of a good decision, but simply because things worked out well.

If they had fought to the end, someone would have died or been seriously injured.

Knowing that, she doesn’t believe me either.

There’s no way I would have relied on luck and not said anything.

“You’re right. There was no secret cooperation. Rather, Jerome Saintred tried to hand me over to the village chief.”

This much is the undeniable truth.

“It seems he tried to entice me with some royal treasure the village chief had. But I managed to resolve it well, and conversely, I was able to use it to capture the village chief.”

“…How did you resolve it well?”

Bersil cautiously opened his mouth, seemingly unable to understand, and I sighed inwardly and said.

“I received great help from Leatlas.”

This was also a clear truth.

Well, it was advice to try to resolve it with words, but…

At least it seems like it will be a great help in getting through this situation.

“Lady Leatlas… you say?”

“Could it be that the light that burst out and made you faint at that time…?”

“Anyway, I can’t talk about the details because of a promise with the goddess. But… as a result, things worked out well, and after escaping the village, I met Jerome Saintred and made a secret deal. I would forget that he tried to use me as a discardable piece, and in return, we would capture the village chief first.”

“…So that’s why he said it was a great contribution and that he would give you a reward.”

I then glanced around.

With the name of the goddess being invoked, and the circumstances of the commander trying to give me a reward, most of them seemed to believe my words without suspicion.

Except for one person, Amelia.

‘…She’s going to ask me relentlessly when we’re alone later.’

The thought alone makes my head ache, but there’s no helping it.

The fewer people who know the village chief’s secret, the better.

No matter how well I act, if the other party is the village chief, they can notice that I’ve shared the secret.

If that happens, that person will also become a target of the village chief’s possible ‘sudden actions’.

‘Above all… if things ever go really wrong, I can prove that I have no connection.’

Anyway, after answering a few more questions from my companions, this topic was over.

It was time to move on to the next stage.

“Everyone, could you please leave for a moment?”

“Ah… okay, you should rest too…”

“Misha, you stay.”

“…Huh?”

Misha, who was singled out by me, was as flustered as if she had been called out by her homeroom teacher.

After my companions left to rest and I was left alone, Misha sat on the chair and placed both fists on her knees.

And she cautiously asked first.

“W-what is it…? Suddenly calling just me separately…”

I didn’t want to beat around the bush and make her anxious, so I went straight to the point.

“The Stone of Rebirth.”

“… !”

Just mentioning those three words made her shoulders flinch.

I wonder how she’s been hiding it until now, but thinking about it, it’s all my fault.

I should have asked her more firmly earlier, even if it meant pushing her a little.

For some reason, it’s hard for me to do that with her.

“Did Baekho give it to you?”

There was no response like ‘How did you know?’

To my direct question, Misha answered briefly.

In a voice as small as an ant crawling.

“Yes…”

“What did he say when he gave it to you?”

“He said… to stay by your side… and if you die someday, to use it to bring you back to life…”

Yeah, I knew it.

I wasn’t surprised because I had been guessing it.

However, I was curious about a few things.

“Did you know that when using the Stone of Rebirth, the target loses all their memories from their previous life?”

“…What?”

Okay, judging by her expression, she didn’t know about that feature.

I immediately moved on to the next question.

“If you didn’t know, why didn’t you tell me beforehand? From what I’ve heard, it doesn’t seem like it would be harmful to me.”

“Because he said… if you found out… something worse would happen to you…”

“So you hid it from me? Because that bastard said so?”

“…”

Misha lowered her head and pursed her lips.

But as I stared at her, a very strange feeling arose.

My head was calm, not angry.

My heart kept beating, even though I was maintaining my composure.

That feeling was far from sadness.

What on earth is this feeling?

“I understand. Then you can go now.”

I wanted to end the conversation here because I couldn’t figure it out.

It was a consideration not to make her more uncomfortable.

But why is it?

“…”

Misha remained silent while sitting on the chair.

So I asked.

“Why aren’t you leaving? Go and rest. I’ve heard everything I need to hear from you.”

Misha slowly raised her head.

And she opened her mouth with difficulty.

“You… heard everything? Is that… the end?”

It was a strange question for me.

“Why, do you need something more?”

“…”

“I didn’t intend to blame you. You didn’t plot anything with malicious intent, and you were just doing it for me, right?”

Misha was silent for a long time after my calm answer.

How long did that time of silence last?

“I don’t…”

“…?”

“I don’t like that…”

Misha lowered her head and continued.

“Just… tell me. Anything is fine…”

A plea that even felt desperate.

At that request, my mouth opened without me realizing it.

“I just thought there was no need to talk more.”

It was a very strange experience.

I didn’t even know that my true feelings, which I didn’t even know, could come out through my mouth first.

“Because it’s hard for me to believe whatever you say.”

She was once the person I could trust more than anyone else in this unfamiliar world, but that’s not the case anymore.

Of course, it’s not entirely her fault.

Rather, if we were to assign blame, Baekho would have a much larger share.

“To be honest.”

“…”

“Even after hearing your story today, the first thing I thought was whether you were hiding something more.”

“…Oh, I see…”

I thought about saying sorry.

But it didn’t seem like I had anything to be sorry about, so I just kept my mouth shut.

Misha looked at me for a moment, then slowly got up.

And…

Tap, tap.

She moved silently.

Thud.

She closed the door and quietly left the room.

***

The next morning.

After the morning meeting, which was a daily routine, I had a one-on-one meeting with the village chief.

“Can’t we just get rid of the morning meetings that are just a waste of time?”

“We can’t. Jerome Saintred is a person who values routine.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“By the way, have you thought about the reward I mentioned yesterday?”

“Ah, about that, I’m thinking of postponing it. I don’t need anything right now.”

“If that’s the case. Tell me anytime.”

“I will. Anyway, the important thing is the future plan… what are you going to do now?”

“As I said before, I’m going to take my time to adapt to this body first.”

The village chief’s answer was unchanged.

However…

“Adaptation…”

In the end, that means he doesn’t trust me.

He’s probably trying to check what kind of essence he has while living in that body, whether he really ate the Iblis essence, and whether the [Heretical Altar] is actually installed in the city, etc.

“What about after you’ve adapted?”

“I’ll leave this place right away.”

In other words, if the Iblis essence is confirmed, he will immediately leave.

It was a time I was eagerly waiting for.

Well, that’s separate from my curiosity.

“But if you’re going to keep living in that body, why don’t you just join us when we escape? It’s impossible to erase the Iblis essence.”

Is it a professional habit as a player?

The thought that it’s too inefficient to forget the number of times just to leave a little earlier just doesn’t go away.

To be precise, it was too wasteful.

It’s not like I’m in a situation where I’m losing out.

“Besides, if you die alone and escape, the royal family won’t look kindly on you. You might not even be able to keep your commander position.”

“Hahaha, how interesting! I never thought you would give me such advice.”

“We’re on the same boat for now. We might have to cooperate with each other outside. By the way, your smiling skills have improved a lot?”

“I’m slowly adapting. To the human heart.”

“So, what’s your answer?”

“It’s the same as before. Once I’m done adapting, I’ll leave right away.”

Why is the village chief trying to do such an inefficient thing?

As I looked at him with that question in mind, the village chief forced a smile and opened his mouth.

“It’s been a little over 100 days since you entered this floor, right?”

“So?”

“You still don’t know anything about this floor.”

“…?”

“Of course, you will eventually leave this place someday according to the records… but there’s no way to know how long that will take.”

The village chief continued.

“This moment… I’ve been waiting for it for a very long time.”

This time, it wasn’t an emotion that seemed forced.

The village chief’s voice was filled with an intense emotion that I had never seen before.

Of course, that moment was extremely short.

“Haha, the values that people prioritize are all different, aren’t they? If I can leave this place even a day sooner, that’s valuable enough for me.”

The village chief then put on an artificial smile again, as if nothing had happened.