Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 626

Corpse Collector, Abet Necrapeto.

A member of the Orculist, a criminal group that pursues a small elite, and one of the members of the now-vanished Round Table.

But he wasn’t the only familiar face.

“That’s… the Screaming Witch…!”

The black magician, Lilan Vivian.

“If it’s a knight with crimson armor… that must be him…!”

The Blood Knight, who gained notoriety for killing the Royal Knights Commander long ago and fleeing.

Not only were there the guys I fought fiercely in the Dark Continent, but also the executive-level criminals I only knew from information were visible everywhere.

Ah, of course, there were also completely unfamiliar faces.

I had done my research and studied the members of the Orculist, but there were still several unidentified figures I couldn’t place.

‘…Are they new recruits?’

That’s the feeling I got, but they didn’t feel easy to deal with at all.

No, they wouldn’t be easy to deal with in reality either.

It was Noark who monopolized the 8th floor and invested a lot in nurturing the next generation. I even knew their strength well, as I had faced some of them directly during the Ice Rock expedition.

The only good thing was that the leader with the tricky layered essence wasn’t visible. However….

“……”

The moment she faced them, Erwen’s eyes were filled with murderous intent.

To be honest, seeing that, I was a little worried about her making a rash move, but….

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about me.”

As if to reassure me, her murderous intent faded, and I heard a composed voice.

Maybe it was because a lot of time had passed since that day.

Or maybe it was because of the various incidents she had experienced in the time that had passed.

It seemed that Erwen was now able to skillfully control her emotions from that time.

“Even if it’s not today… I’ll kill all those guys someday.”

“……”

“So, it’s okay.”

Well, it didn’t seem like her emotions had faded, though.

That was a fact that didn’t matter much.

When you think about it, I’m not that different from her.

In fact, the royal family just sees me in a worse light because of my audacity, but in terms of resentment, it’s nothing compared to these guys.

The Dragonslayer, Regal Bagos.

That guy was a member of the Orculist.

Thud.

As the quiet standoff continued and the air grew heavier, I took a step forward.

Look at the number of them that have gathered now.

With that many troops having left the city walls, the royal family would surely notice if given enough time.

So, that means….

“Ah, have you already given up? That’s no fun… Hey? How about saying something—.”

I cut off the guy who was talking arrogantly and opened my mouth.

“Long time no see.”

“Heh heh, that big mouth of yours is finally opening—.”

“Toy Collector.”

“……”

If I could, I would want to charge in mindlessly like I did when I caught the lighthouse keeper in the Dark Continent, but there are too many restrictions right now.

Our goal right now is to escape.

In the first place, if he was determined to just run away, it would take forever just to get close to him.

‘…I need to get a movement skill soon.’

Therefore, I’ll postpone teaching him a lesson for now.

“Toy Collector, you say! Well, that’s not bad! After I kill you, I’ll treat you like a real toy!”

The guy forced his tension up as if he wasn’t affected by my personal attack at all.

Seriously, that doesn’t make you look more mature.

“Why don’t you try getting a new essence? If you search the world well, there will surely be an essence that only enlarges a specific area—.”

“Stop.”

“……?”

“Stop teasing this friend.”

Just as I was about to add more damage, a man joined the conversation. But seeing that the proud clown wasn’t saying anything, he seemed to be quite high in rank.

‘Who is he?’

While I was pondering, Amelia, who was standing behind me, whispered briefly.

“Roland Banozant. He’s the vice-commander of the Orculist.”

I didn’t recognize him right away because he looked so ordinary, but he was a very famous guy.

The Evil Eye, Roland Banozant.

A top-tier ability user who is said to have seized the second-in-command position by killing the previous vice-commander in one blow 10 years ago.

“Is that true? That he killed the previous vice-commander?”

“It’s true. It was revealed that the previous vice-commander was colluding with the royal family, and he was the one who executed him.”

“Hmm, I see….”

Anyway, thanks to that, I was less worried.

If the vice-commander is in the 7th district, then the commander must be in charge of the 13th district.

I won’t meet the commander today.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the vice-commander is easy to deal with.

“Yandel, it’s better not to talk to him if possible—.”

At that moment, I felt a magical wave between me and him.

“———!”

Amelia next to me was saying something, but I couldn’t hear her.

‘It’s not a sound control magic….’

It must be a skill.

I gave Amelia, who was worried, a gesture that I was okay, and then looked at the vice-commander again.

“It seems that the lady has introduced me, so I’ll save my words. Bjorn, son of Yandel. I have a proposal for you.”

“A proposal….”

As if to say he would listen, the vice-commander immediately got to the point.

“A storm that will swallow everything is coming soon. And a ship with holes can never withstand that storm.”

“Are you perhaps saying that the ship with holes is the royal family?”

“Of course. Otherwise, how could we be like this? Abandon the ship with holes and come to us.”

The vice-commander’s proposal was a little disappointing.

Should I say it was too obvious?

I was curious as to why he was blocking the sound to make a proposal.

“…Is it okay if I take some time to think about it?”

At my request, the vice-commander chuckled.

“That means you’re refusing.”

“No, why does it mean that? I just said I’d think about it.”

“You are a person of interest to us. We have done a lot of research on you. For you, saying you’ll think about it means you’re going to buy time, doesn’t it?”

“Uh….”

What is this guy?

I was momentarily flustered and speechless, but when I thought about it, it wasn’t an impossible situation.

Just like baseball players analyze pitchers’ habits.

These guys analyzed my usual habits.

But rather, that’s why.

“You didn’t do any proper research.”

“……?”

“That’s because if you had done proper research, you would already know, wouldn’t you?”

“……”

“What answer I’d give.”

Even at my sarcastic words, the vice-commander didn’t react much.

He just asked back briefly in the same tone.

“So, what is your answer?”

“It’s a refusal.”

“Why?”

“Well? Just because I feel like it?”

I answered vaguely like that because I didn’t want to talk about myself.

But did he have something in mind?

“It seems that the rumor that you cherish your comrades like your own life is true.”

He muttered indifferently.

“Riol Worb Dwarki. There’s a story that his death had a great impact on you.”

What is this crazy guy trying to say now?

“But it was the Dragonslayer who killed him, and that was a unilateral action. And it’s known that he died after clashing with the Rose Knights while chasing you.”

It sounded like mockery.

“Ah, you might not know about this? This is information that is treated as top secret even within the royal family, and….”

In some ways, it was like he was trying to persuade me.

“From what I hear, you were just busy running away at the time.”

It also sounded like a threat.

“But… aren’t you curious? Why the Rose Knights were there?”

How much does this guy know to be saying these things?

I couldn’t tell if his goal was persuasion or intimidation because I couldn’t understand the true meaning of his words.

No, maybe….

‘Maybe this guy is also testing me because he doesn’t know how much I know.’

While I was trying to maintain a poker face as much as possible, the skill was released, and the everyday noises around me were caught in my ears again.

Also, at the same time.

“You are smart, unlike other barbarians. You will surely find out the answer someday.”

The vice-commander said to me so that everyone could hear.

“So, I’ll let you go today.”

Only then did I realize why this guy had asked to talk to me.

He wanted to persuade me.

And in a very coercive way.

“Go on through. We have no intention of stopping you.”

This guy was a completely different type of person from the ones I had met so far.

‘Ha, I should have just charged in as soon as I saw him.’

The well has been poisoned.

***

After the vice-commander gave some instructions, a path leading to the city walls opened up like the parting of the Red Sea.

And as if that wasn’t enough.

“Ah, if you’re still uneasy, I’ll move far away to another place.”

He even offered to disappear.

At first, I couldn’t understand what was going on, but after calmly organizing my thoughts, I understood.

“What did you talk about with the baron…?”

“He suddenly opened the way after exchanging a few words.”

“……Are they not trying to trick us and ambush us from behind?”

“But, didn’t he also say that he would disappear?”

I was completely screwed.

Just like how a diplomat from Goryeo [ancient Korean kingdom] stopped an army with a few words.

This guy also cornered me with a few words.

[You are smart, unlike other barbarians. You will surely find out the answer someday.]

Just by leaving such a meaningful line for everyone to hear at the end, it was clear.

If we cross the city walls without anyone getting hurt in this state, the biggest damage will be to me.

The royal family will suspect me.

And the people will also suspect me.

That the Noark forces let us go must mean that there was some kind of deal.

Until now, I couldn’t investigate recklessly without a cause because I was also a noble, but this time, there will surely be a high-level investigation.

Even on my companions, including me.

And if that happens?

‘It’s over.’

My heart tightened at the clear ending.

Thump-!

Perhaps the vice-commander didn’t know whether I knew about the existence of the Rose Knights or not.

So, he must have tried to confirm it like this.

If it was revealed during the investigation that I knew, the royal family would take care of me instead.

And if I didn’t know, I would become hostile to the royal family.

Either way, it wouldn’t have been bad for him.

‘What should I do?’

Should I give a mindless charge order right now?

While I was pondering, he smiled and said to me.

“It seems that it’s difficult to decide with so many eyes watching. Then, we’ll be on our way.”

Seriously, he’s like that until the end.

“Wait.”

I stopped him for now and quickly organized my thoughts.

There was one contradiction in this guy’s scheme.

I understand well enough that they can benefit just by opening the city walls….

‘But is that why they’re going this far…?’

Honestly, I still don’t understand it well.

Why are they giving up the 7th district so easily?

Is it really because I’m worth that much to them?

What kind of expectations did they have for me?

It was at that moment when I was thinking about that.

“Ah.”

A possibility flashed through my mind like a bolt of lightning.

What if.

What if it wasn’t because I had great value, but the opposite?

For example, what if it wasn’t that my value was high, but that the value of this 7th district was low….

Yes, so….

‘These guys weren’t interested in the 7th district from the beginning.’

If I start with that premise, it makes some sense.

Then, was their real goal the 13th district?

I don’t know for sure, but according to my gut feeling, it doesn’t seem like the situation there would be any different from the 7th district.

Therefore, there is only one remaining candidate.

“How long are you going to keep thinking—”

“Bifron.”

“……!”

Yes, that’s the answer.

Heh.

Now I know what to do.