Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 597

The Third Record (1)

Chapter 11 of the first basement level rift.

Well, by my standards, it’s chapter 3, but anyway.

The clear condition for this chapter is simple.

Rescue Erwen and me, then just survive in this city until nightfall, and that’s it.

For reference, I learned this information through the navigation function of the magician Gahwin Besilus…

“…You just know it intuitively? Can’t you explain it in more detail?”

“Huhu, I wish I could, but… my literary skills aren’t up to the task of explaining it further.”

“Then don’t explain it, just answer my questions. Yes or no only. You can manage that, right?”

“Well, since we have to wait until night anyway, go ahead.”

“Is it like hearing a voice in your head?”

“Hmm, it’s not like that.”

“Then does it only come to you when you see something?”

“That’s not it either. It’s more like every time the location changes, I just feel like I know what I have to do… Ah, of course, sometimes I get that feeling when I get clues or information.”

“I see.”

After bombarding him with questions like a twenty-questions game, I understood why this old man could only describe it as intuition.

‘It seems like his sixth sense stat is maximized when it comes to rift攻略 [Rift Strategy].’

If I had to explain it, that’s about as far as I could go.

Of course, there’s no denying it’s a convenient ability.

But my overall assessment was that relying on it too much could lead to a major setback.

“By the way… Baron Yandel, you have a very strong sense of curiosity, don’t you? I’m truly amazed. Hahaha…”

Gahwin Besilus said to me with a good-natured smile.

If I were to translate it directly, it could be shortened to:

‘Can you stop bothering me already?’

Why do all nobles like to speak so indirectly?

“Just one last question.”

“…What are you curious about?”

“Can you also know what happens if we leave the city without waiting until night?”

“This one doesn’t even need a yes or no answer. We can’t leave the city in the first place.”

“Can’t leave?”

“There’s a high-level dimensional magic that can’t be seen as a normal barrier magic surrounding this city. Others passed through it normally, but we can’t.”

“I see… Questions are over as promised. Thank you. Now rest.”

“Hahaha…”

Perhaps it was what he wanted to hear, Gahwin went to a corner and settled down without saying anything else.

Watching him carefully squat down while holding his back, I found it a bit funny and also puzzling.

‘Why does this old man’s appearance stay the same?’

Because of that, I can’t even get immersed.

My younger sister, Erwen, has become a child, but why is this old man just the same?

‘No, how did he even go to the academy in that state in the first place?’

It’s a situation where an old man in a school uniform is mixed in with young students. Didn’t anyone find it strange?

I was curious about the first chapter that Gahwin Besilus experienced, but I decided to ask about it later when I had time.

If I ask now, he seems like he’d hate it, and…

It’s not like I don’t have anyone to talk to.

“Archbishop Hesteia.”

“…Yes, Baron. What brings you here?”

“I just thought I’d have a little chat.”

I sat down next to the archbishop as if collapsing, and the archbishop moved to the side, creating distance as if he felt burdened.

“I have nothing more to say about my abilities other than what I said earlier…”

“It doesn’t matter. I didn’t come to ask about that.”

“Then…?”

The archbishop glanced at me with a questioning look.

It seems he thought I was going to bother him like I did with Gahwin earlier…

But that’s not what I want to ask about.

“There’s something I want to ask about the internal affairs of the Leatlass Order.”

“The internal affairs of the main order… you say?”

As I cautiously brought it up, the archbishop’s expression hardened in an instant.

If he was a kind, neighborhood grandpa just a moment ago, now he exudes a sense of pressure as if facing a business partner at a negotiation table.

“First… tell me what it is.”

An ambiguous answer that was neither a clear acceptance nor a rejection.

So, I also started by testing the waters a bit.

“I’m curious about Sven Parav’s position within the order.”

“Sir Parav’s position…”

The archbishop, who had been trailing off for a moment, stared at me.

“It’s hard to understand. Could you tell me exactly what you mean by that?”

A gaze too fierce for a religious person.

The archbishop didn’t seem to have any intention of answering such a simple probing question.

So, now there’s only one way left.

“Archbishop, it seems like you and the other members of the order hate and harass Sven Parav. So—”

“Did Sir Parav tell you that?”

“He didn’t say it, it’s just what I saw with my own eyes.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

The archbishop seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, then refocused his eyes and answered while looking at me.

“It must be a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding…?”

“That’s right.”

“But from what I saw—”

“Even if it looked that way to the Baron, it’s just a misunderstanding. So, I think it would be best if the Baron focused on what the Baron has to do.”

“Uh…”

“It’s an internal matter of the order anyway. Isn’t that right?”

Although his tone and expression were unpleasant, I didn’t show it much and took a step back.

“…I see.”

The first reason was that I was quite taken aback that the archbishop would react so strongly.

And the second reason was…

‘Since he’s reacting like it’s a sore spot, it’s even more suspicious.’

Just seeing that reaction was enough of a gain.

If they were just going to use him as a disposable pawn because he was possessed by an evil spirit, they wouldn’t have shown such a reaction.

‘Then there must be another reason…’

Hmm, what could it be?

As I was pondering, I noticed Gahwin leaning against the wall and glancing at me. It seemed like he was bothered by my conversation with the archbishop.

“Ahem.”

When our eyes met, Gahwin turned his head with an awkward expression and closed his eyes.

‘…Let’s rest a bit too.’

After that, I went to Erwen’s side and spent time resting.

And how much time had passed?

“Sir Besilus, it’s been well past nightfall, how much longer do we have to wait?”

When nothing special happened even after midnight, we discussed it and went up to the first floor from the basement.

It was because of Gahwin’s intuition that we should go up…

“You were hiding down here! I’ve been looking for you for a while!”

A knight who was wandering alone in the empty house discovered us… or rather, Gahwin, and approached with his arms wide open.

“Who are you…?”

“Haha! Who am I? Even if it’s been a while, can’t you recognize your friend’s face?”

The knight approached with a voice full of joy and took off his helmet.

“……”

Judging by his expression, Gahwin, who was playing the role of the older brother, still didn’t know who the other person was.

But…

“Mister. I’ve met that person before. That imperial knight who helped us when we escaped from the village. It’s that knight.”

“Haha, little miss, you don’t seem to have grown much since then?”

Erwen was acquainted with the unidentified knight.

And…

“Yandel, it seems like you’re in a similar situation.”

Coincidentally, I was also acquainted with him.

[Escort this girl. Ensure that she reaches her destination.]

Although his face was full of the passage of time, he was the knight who gave me the escort request in chapter 1.

Of course, this much isn’t very surprising.

Hiding Erwen in the cave and giving the escort request to me, a knight? That’s plausible enough. It’s also the same that he’s friends with Gahwin, who’s playing the role of the older brother.

What was truly surprising was what came next.

“Ah, since there are some people I’m meeting for the first time, I should introduce myself first.”

The knight cheerfully laughed and revealed his name.

“I am Ravigion Commelby Rapdonia.”

The moment we heard that name, which would never sound like a person’s name to the inhabitants of this world, groans like death rattles flowed out from everywhere.

“Ah…”

“Uh…”

“Hmm…”

…This old man is the Immortal King?

***

Immortal King, Ravigion III.

The very person who saved Rapdonia, which was just a small territory, from the end and turned it into the last fortress of the continent.

The village chief downplayed his achievements, saying it was all because he had ‘good friends,’ but the truth that he was a historical figure doesn’t change.

But…

“Everyone, feel free to call me Ravigion. An enemy of an enemy is a friend. A friend of a friend is also a friend, isn’t that right?”

Rather, that’s why this easygoing appearance feels very awkward.

Because the Immortal King in my head was a monster armed with charisma and exuding an imposing aura.

“Now, then—”

“Wait a minute! Can we… no, can we have a quick discussion?”

Gahwin, who was currently playing the role of ‘friend,’ couldn’t hide his confused emotions and interrupted him.

“A discussion…? I’ll step aside for a moment.”

“There’s no need… I can use magic.”

“Do as you please. But it would be best to finish quickly. We don’t know when the imperial army will come.”

“Don’t… worry. It’ll be over… soon.”

Gahwin, having obtained the knight’s permission, immediately used voice control magic and opened his mouth.

“D-do… do you all think it’s real? What he, he, he said…”

The first to respond was the archbishop.

“Perhaps it’s just someone with the same name. Ravigion III means there were also II and I, right?”

“Ah, ah… that’s right. That’s right…”

Has his mind finally started to work?

Gahwin muttered to himself as if organizing his complicated thoughts.

“I heard that the first lord and the seventeenth lord used the name Ravigion. The middle names are not known because they are from an ancient bloodline before the last fortress was built… yes, maybe it’s one of those two…”

Gahwin’s words felt like he was desperately gathering evidence to deny reality.

Of course, the village chief cut it off without any mercy.

“Sir Besilus, calm down. It’s already an era where witches have appeared, there’s no way it’s Ravigion I or II, is there?”

“Ah, ah…”

“If you’re really curious, ask what his wife’s name is. Well, if he’s impersonating the Immortal King, it wouldn’t mean anything.”

“T-then, I’ll turn off the voice control magic for now.”

With that, Gahwin turned off the magic.

However, since he was trembling and couldn’t even make eye contact, I spoke instead.

“Ravigion, what’s your wife’s name?”

“Ah… now that I see it, you were suspecting that I might be someone disguised as me?”

“Answer first.”

“Karnon. That’s my wife’s name. She’s taking care of the territory in my stead while I’m away. She’s also working on the things you asked for.”

“Things I asked for…?”

Gahwin tilted his head as if he didn’t know anything, and the village chief coughed and gave him a look.

‘Ah, come to think of it, he said that there were times in the previous chapters when he acted out of character and things went wrong…’

There was no need to give unnecessary discomfort to the Immortal King, who was presumed to be a helper NPC [Non-Player Character].

“Anyway, take this first.”

“What is this…?”

“Hmm… you’re acting strange today. Isn’t this the item you asked for? Calling me all the way out here.”

“Ah…! That’s right?”

Gahwin received the black gem with a bewildered expression.

And immediately.

Swaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-!

Black mist began to seep out of the gem.

I instinctively tried to step back at the sudden phenomenon, but my body wouldn’t move.

‘What, could it be betrayal?’

That possibility also flashed through my mind, but fortunately, the Immortal King’s expression was full of genuine concern.

“Actually… I still don’t know.”

“…?”

“Even if that item works properly and we arrive safely at the Great Demon Realm, and even if we finally face the Evil God.”

A story that started suddenly.

Even without the navigation function given to the magician, I could understand it immediately.

“There’s no guarantee that the Evil God will grant your wishes.”

This is the mission for the next chapter.

“I’ll be leaving before the imperial army arrives. I wish you good luck.”

With that voice, the world turned black.