Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 702

“Anyway, what happened with that guy?”

At the repeated question, I hesitated for a moment. Was it right to tell her about the records I saw? It’s not like I can change anything now.

Wouldn’t it just make her uneasy? That thought initially stopped me, but my mindset quickly shifted.

After all, I learned one thing from watching Baekho.

“Amelia, there’s something you need to hear.”

You don’t have to carry the weight of the world alone.

In the end, I told Amelia about the ‘record’ Auriel Gavis had shown me.

[The evil spirit from another world, ‘————’, lost three companions and finally realized the path he had to take.]

A future where three companions are lost. After hearing this, Amelia didn’t question how absolute the ‘record’ was or anything like that.

She had experienced it firsthand with me, after all. She had fallen into the past and struggled to change history.

“Twisting it like we did back then… it seems difficult.”

That was Amelia’s first comment after a moment of silence, as if organizing her thoughts.

“I think so too. To use that method, I’d have to deceive myself. Not as an ignorant kid.”

I nodded in agreement, and Amelia grumbled very quietly.

“……I wasn’t an ignorant kid, though.”

What is she talking about? She was smart for her age, but compared to now, she was definitely an ignorant kid.

I chuckled, thinking of Amelia in her cute, younger days, when she asked me something with a serious expression.

“But is the future record certain?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said it didn’t mention an exact time. I was thinking that maybe it’s a ‘record’ that has already happened.”

Oh?

“Riol Worb Dwarki. Starting with that mage, haven’t you lost several companions so far? Of course, if you add them all up, it’s more than three fingers can count….

Maybe it’s referring to the three people who had the most impact on you.”

It was a plausible hypothesis. If it weren’t for what Auriel Gavis had said. [When I saw how it was recorded in the record stone, this is clearly an event.]

In short, it doesn’t mean counting one by one, but that three people die in one ‘event’. Of course, that’s just based on the pattern so far.

I don’t think there’s a 100% certainty in this world. But since it was said by an old man who had collected hundreds of fragment stones, it wasn’t easy to dismiss.

It seemed like Amelia, who had heard the words, felt the same way.

“…Then it’s highly likely that it’s a record that hasn’t happened yet.”

Amelia, looking serious again, continued to make various speculations. The most novel idea among them was this.

“It was definitely written that you ‘lose’ them, right? If that’s the case, there’s room for interpretation.”

It could literally mean losing a companion. In that case, no one has to die….

‘How great would it be if it really turned out like that….’ No matter how much I try to be optimistic, a bad feeling lingers.

Numerous past experiences are already telling me the answer through intuition. That it can’t be. That bad feelings always come true.

“……Yandel?”

“Ah, sorry. I was just thinking for a moment. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. They all make sense. But I still think it’s better to assume the worst rather than the best.”

“You mean, let’s prepare for the possibility of three people dying.”

“Yeah, though I don’t know if there’s a solution.”

Amelia didn’t respond to my negative and resigned words. Isn’t that right? No matter how much we struggle and try, in the end, the ‘record’ will be fulfilled—.

Thwack-! Then Amelia flicked my forehead. It didn’t hurt much, and I even wondered if her finger hurt more….

‘Why did she suddenly hit me?’ I looked down, bewildered, and saw Amelia looking somewhat angry.

“Why are you giving up already?”

“…Huh?”

“Wasn’t it you, Bjorn Yandel?”

“……”

“Back then, when even I had given up on myself, you were the one who didn’t give up until the very end and somehow found a way.”

Then, Amelia grabbed one of my shoulders and brought her face close to mine. And….

“So don’t make that face again, Bjorn Yandel. To that little kid who didn’t know anything, you are a hero who can do anything.”

The moment I heard those words, my body trembled for some reason. It was a strange feeling.

When the people of the city called me a hero, and whenever they had unspoken expectations of me in difficult times, I always felt burdened.

“……”

The word hero doesn’t sound burdensome today. Of course, it’s still a bit embarrassing.

I know better than anyone that I’m not a hero.

“……”

But. Still. Something. It’s hard to explain with my poor speaking skills, but. Thump-! It’s a feeling like I can do anything.

“……”

A feeling like it’s okay to do anything. Unfortunately, that feeling didn’t last long.

“Um… Mister…? Are you awake…?”

“……Ahem!”

Oh, that was close. ***

Starting with Erwen, the other companions woke up one by one, and the conversation with Amelia was temporarily suspended. In the end, I couldn’t even bring up the second record.

[·········On the day the fields burned, the ········· evil spirit ‘————’ was betrayed by a trusted companion······.]

On the day the imperial capital Karnon burned, I would be betrayed by a trusted companion. That was how I interpreted the record.

‘…Maybe it’s better not to say anything?’ I couldn’t say it today because the timing was off, but maybe it’s better to keep this to myself.

In the first place, I don’t even know if my interpretation is correct….

‘Even if it is… is it possible to change this?’ It seems even harder than the previous case.

Even if I knew who was going to betray me, what could I do? No matter how much I treat them well in advance or try to persuade them, their minds won’t change.

If it were a problem that could be solved so easily, it wouldn’t have become a ‘record’. ‘The things I’ve already talked about are enough to make things complicated, there’s no need to add this.’

Since it’s not the right time to talk about it anyway, I decided to think about whether to be honest and discuss it later.

After all, there’s a priority to everything.

“Somehow, I ended up waking everyone up….”

Thanks to Erwen, who made a fuss after finding me awake, I realized that all the sleeping companions had woken up.

“Bjoooorrrn—!!!”

“Yeah, yeah, Ainar. I’m glad to see you too.”

“Are you feeling okay? You were sleeping like the dead without even snoring, so everyone was worried.”

“I’m fine now. I was just a little tired, so don’t worry, Kaislan.”

“I’m glad you’re safe, Captain. The ladies… no, everyone was very worried about you.”

“But, Auyen, you look like you’ve gained some weight?”

“I, is that so? I’m sorry….”

“Well, there’s no need to apologize. You look much better now. Keep eating well.”

“Yes!”

After exchanging greetings and well-wishes, I quietly silenced the surroundings for a moment.

After all, even if we’re close, there are things that need to be said clearly. I spoke to all the members of our Anabada Clan.

“First of all, I want to apologize! I’m really sorry for making you come out to this dangerous place outside the wall because of me!”

At my sincere apology, the knight-turned-explorer, Kaislan, chuckled.

“What’s there to be sorry about? We’re all explorers.”

“If there’s a chance to explore outside the wall, we should naturally jump at it.”

James Kala, agreeing with Kaislan in a nonchalant way. Is it because they’re both former commanders of an organization?

They seemed to know what to say to make the atmosphere lighter in these situations. Well, I still have to say what I have to say.

“And thank you! If it weren’t for you, it could have been really dangerous, but thanks to you, I survived!”

As I bowed, laughter erupted from the surroundings for some reason. Hmm, it doesn’t seem like they’re making fun of me….

“…Why are you laughing?”

At my question, Lilis Marone shrugged.

“It’s just that the expressions of the opponents you fought looked like they were about to die, considering you said you survived thanks to us.”

“That’s right! They all looked like they were about to run out of breath?”

“I heard from the magic engineer that you had been fighting for several hours….”

“Bjorn is the invincible, strongest, greatest warrior!!”

……Is it because it’s been a while since we met? Looking at the members who are praising me, I feel a bit awkward but also at ease.

“Everyone, pay attention! I’m not done yet!”

When I quieted the surroundings once more, Bersil spoke to me on behalf of the people.

“You don’t have to. There’s nothing to be sorry or grateful for. It’s a natural thing.”

Oh… I’m grateful that you said that, but.

“I’m not trying to apologize or give thanks.”

I already finished that earlier, right? There’s no need to do it again.

“Huh? Then… Ah, are you going to have a meeting about the future?”

Well, I do have to do that.

“Wrong.”

I don’t plan to start a meeting right now. After all, these are the people who came all the way to the dangerous outside of the wall to find me, right? Yeah, it’s shameless to just move on with a few words.

“Then what are you going to do…?”

“Settling the spoils.”

“……?”

“Didn’t we get a lot this time! And there are many other things we got besides this! I’ll lay them all out, so just say the word if you need anything!!”

Save, share, exchange, and reuse.

That is the spirit of our clan. ***

The settling of spoils lasted longer than expected. That’s because most of the spoils we got this time were physical goods….

“I also have some things I don’t use, and I’d like to put them up as common property. So that anyone who needs them can use them….”

“Oh? Then me too!”

“I have a few things too….”

Not only the items we got this time, but also the members themselves took out items they didn’t use, and the scale gradually increased.

When all the items were organized, it reminded me of a small marketplace.

“It’s unique….”

“What’s unique about it?”

“Just all of this. Which clan in the world would have its members put out their own items so freely like this? They’re items that would fetch a high price if sold.”

Hmm… that’s true. I’ve never been in a clan, so I don’t know, but Bersil has been in a medium-to-large clan for a long time, so it must feel even stranger to him.

“Ah, is it natural since the captain himself is unique?”

“What are you talking about? You should go and see if there’s anything you need.”

“I was planning to do that anyway.”

After that, Bersil also entered the marketplace and started choosing items, and I was watching the companions from afar.

“So, what are we going to do from now on?”

Amelia, whose conversation was interrupted when Erwen woke up, approached me and spoke again.

“Well, for now, why don’t you go look at the items too?”

“Do you think I can focus on that after hearing that kind of story?”

Oh… that’s true.

“Do you have any idea what the situation might be? If three people are going to die, it’s usually a dangerous situation. Unlike you, I don’t know much about the outside of the wall yet.”

Whether it’s fortunate or not, the first thing that came to my mind as soon as I heard that question was this.

[A really, really terrifying monster.] The very monster that Baekho said appears outside the wall.

[It doesn’t seem to have a specific habitat. It appeared wherever we went. Every time it appears, thousands of people die without being able to do anything….]

Aside from its terrifying nature, the only thing I know about that monster is this.

The more people there are around, and the longer you stay outside the wall, the higher the probability of that monster appearing.

Shwaaaaaaa- Just like a floor boss that appears when the conditions are met.

The ‘Anabada Market’ that opened in the middle of the night lasted much longer than expected, and it ended around dawn.

‘This method isn’t bad either.’

It wasn’t like everyone got a core item at the market, but still, every member was able to upgrade at least one or two pieces of equipment.

‘Did the clan’s power increase by about 5% with just one market….’ It felt like a self-distribution, so I was a bit worried at first, but I’m glad I chose this method.

At this rate, I think we can hold another market later.

“Hehe… It’s a distribution method I’ve never seen before, but I like it.”

“More than that, isn’t it fun? The idea of sharing items that each other needs. It feels like we’re getting closer.”

“Maybe this will become our clan’s tradition in the future.”

Everyone is praising it, so it seems like there won’t be any problems if we continue to hold the Anabada Market in the future.

Well, I should keep in mind the advice of James Kala, who was the vice-commander of a large clan.

“But we need to be careful if the scale gets bigger. Right now, we’re only taking the items we need, but someday, a greedy person might join.”

Actually, I’m just aware of it, and I’m not too worried about it yet. It’s not like I’m so easy to deal with that I’d let such a guy run wild….

In the first place, I don’t think we’ll ever accept such guys.

“Alright! You might be tired, but everyone gather around!”

Everyone woke up in the middle of the night and stayed up until morning, but this level of fatigue is just a daily occurrence for explorers. Since it’s already dawn, we started the next schedule right away.

“There’s something we need to discuss together!”

It was a kind of leadership meeting. Of course, our Anabada Clan has a small number of people, so there’s no real leadership.

“As you all know, the magic circle that allows us to return inside the wall is broken.”

Anyway, before starting the full-fledged meeting, I took the time to brief the members on the current situation.

The magic circle is broken. The characteristics of the monsters that exist outside the wall.

And the existence of that ‘monster’ that made the Noark guys, who had left for the wide world, return to the city on their own.

As I was explaining the things we needed to know, it naturally led to the fact that the GM [Game Master] could fix the return magic circle if we had the materials….