Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 710

711. Special Force (2)

The possibility of an internal collaborator among the noble families wasn’t just a passing thought; it was a genuine concern.

They say you can know the depth of ten fathoms of water but not the heart of a man. Among the thousands of noble families, it wouldn’t be surprising if even one harbored ulterior motives.

“Are you really going to the marquisate?”

“Yes, because the marquis might be in league with them.”

Ah, of course, that was just a manner of speaking.

The marquis isn’t foolish. He’s practically acting as the king’s proxy and is the de facto [in reality] number one in the kingdom. Why would he bother joining forces with those guys?

I think the possibility is extremely low.

‘Hmm… but it’s not entirely impossible, is it?’

Honestly, I don’t think it’s completely out of the question.

The marquis, that guy, has more than a few suspicious aspects.

He’s hiding something.

That’s why I’m taking this opportunity to search his house.

“Um… c-could I use the restroom for a moment?”

Heh, that little rascal is clearly trying to slip away and contact someone.

“No.”

“B-but I really need to go urgently.”

“Is relieving yourself more urgent than saving this country?”

“……”

As expected, when I invoked the name of ‘the nation,’ Mumu couldn’t offer any rebuttal.

“Just wet your pants.”

“……”

With those words, the talk about going to the restroom completely stopped.

However, since there were signs that Mumu was trying to stray, I had also made a preparation in advance.

“Raven.”

“Yes?”

“I heard there’s magic that emits a disruptive wave to prevent external communication. Is it possible to do that while moving?”

“Unless there’s an auxiliary magical tool, it’s not possible over a wide area. Maybe a radius of about 3 meters?”

“We don’t need to block incoming signals, just outgoing ones from the inside?”

“Hmm, then we can use it over a wider area.”

Oh, really?

“Activate it immediately. Our mission this time is top secret.”

After that, Raven immediately used magic, and Mumu, who had lost his means of contacting the outside, awkwardly smiled with a very stiff expression.

“What are you grinning about by yourself? Let’s go.”

After ensuring the security of the special forces, we headed straight to the marquis’s residence.

But it’s like they say, ‘birds of a feather flock together’?

Even though I didn’t give any specific instructions, Raven made sure to stick right next to Mumu while moving.

“Wouldn’t it be better for me to go next to Baron Yandel?”

“No? I’m comfortable here. Why would you want me to go over there?”

“……”

Seriously, he should just give up and follow, but he keeps showing lingering attachment.

Usually, guys like that don’t live long.

Besides, it’s not like a lizard would give up its tail because it’s not precious, right?

“……”

As Mumu quieted down, the other members started whispering among themselves.

The content was very simple.

“Um… is this really okay?”

“Then why don’t you try to stop him?”

“But… what the baron said makes sense, doesn’t it? Since it’s a unit created by the prime minister, we don’t have to worry about the aftermath—.”

“No, what are you talking about! We’re going to ransack the prime minister’s residence!”

“Ah, right. That’s true.”

“……If this goes wrong, won’t we all be dragged to the courthouse?”

They were feeling a great deal of resistance to the idea of raiding the house of the marquis, who was practically the most powerful person in Lapdonia.

But……

“Still, let’s go for now. What else can we do?”

“…That’s true.”

Knowing well that the barbarian is closer than the law, they only expressed their anxiety by whispering among themselves and didn’t take any action.

“Um… Baron Yandel, what brings you here…?”

Having arrived at the marquis’s residence, the head butler, whom I’ve now become quite familiar with, looked at me with a questioning expression.

“I haven’t received any word from Marquis, but if you didn’t make an appointment—.”

“Today, I didn’t come as Bjorn Yandel.”

“……Pardon?”

“Today, I came here as the leader of the ‘Special Search Unit’ under the Military Command.”

As I revealed my new identity, the head butler looked even more bewildered.

Well, of course he would.

He doesn’t even know what kind of group the ‘Special Search Unit’ is in the first place.

“Um… what business does the Special Search Unit have here…?”

It would be unimaginable for the head butler.

Living as the head butler of the marquisate, which has the power to make even a tiger cower with a mere breath, his imagination must have become quite limited.

“The reason we’re here is simple.”

“……”

“We’re just going to do a little search.”

“……Pardon?”

With those words, I ignored the head butler’s questions and entered the premises.

Well, although there were some instances where the members hesitated and couldn’t easily move forward…

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you coming in?”

“……Yes.”

The members followed me quickly as soon as I turned around to look at them.

Of course, the marquis’s soldiers, who were initially confused, awkwardly blocked our path.

However, perhaps because I had caused a ruckus here before?

“U-um… Baron?”

“Y-you can’t do this here.”

“If Marquis finds out about this…”

The soldiers tried to resolve the situation through conversation rather than actively using force to stop me.

Seriously, if it could be resolved with words, I wouldn’t have come here.

“I am Bjorn Yandel, the leader of the ‘Special Search Unit’ under the Military Command! Everyone, step aside! If you block our path or interfere with what we’re trying to do, you will be considered traitors colluding with the Noarks and will be executed!”

Instead of being intimidated by the marquis’s name, I, who had trespassed, took a strong stance, causing confusion among the soldiers and even the head butler.

Has something really happened?

Is that why I came here knowing something?

Everyone was standing there, unable to do anything, with that kind of feeling.

‘As expected, there are some smart ones.’

Some of the soldiers, who were more discerning, rushed at me.

“This is the residence of Marquis Terserion, the prime minister of this country!”

“It is my duty to protect this residence.”

“Waaaaaaaah!!”

Of course, they were all knocked out with a flick to the forehead as soon as they charged at me.

You might wonder why they bothered to charge if they were going to be defeated so easily, but I valued them highly.

Well, isn’t it better to fight and get knocked out than not being able to stop me anyway?

At least they can keep their jobs.

Unlike those dazed guys.

“Uh…”

“Uh…”

The soldiers retreated with every step I took forward.

Looking at them, I suddenly had a thought.

I wouldn’t be surprised if dozens of people at the marquisate lost their jobs after I left.

Ah, of course, that wasn’t my concern.

In this day and age, where is there a lifelong job?

“W-w-we’ve really entered the residence…”

The members who followed me inside the building were trembling, worried about the aftermath.

It was time for me to show some leadership.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for everything. I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you.”

A hero who always keeps his word.

A warrior among warriors who never tells a lie.

Perhaps because of that image, the members’ expressions improved a little.

“From now on, all you have to do is one thing. Follow me and search this residence thoroughly, looking for anything suspicious.”

“……”

“Now, let’s search! This isn’t an opportunity that comes every day!”

After a short time to boost morale, we began the full-scale search of the residence.

Clang!

I smashed a statue with a hammer, just in case a ‘Noark’ [a potential enemy or threat] was hiding inside.

Thud.

I roughly tore down a picture frame, just in case a ‘Noark’ was hiding behind it.

“Hmm, not here either.”

“U-um… is this really okay?”

“It’s not just okay, this is how it’s supposed to be done. That’s what a search is.”

The royal search team members, who were receiving a lecture on what a ‘search’ is from a barbarian, turned pale, but perhaps because I had taken the first step so boldly.

“Ah! I don’t care anymore!”

“Tear it down! Since it’s a noble’s residence, there must be a secret passage somewhere!”

Like baby birds growing up watching their mother bird.

The search team members who followed me also threw away any thoughts of the aftermath and continued the search in my style.

Crash-

Clang.

Thud.

The marquis’s residence was quickly turning into a mess.

The head butler, who had greeted me at the beginning, watched the search process with a start, as if he had been struck by lightning.

The reactions were quite interesting.

“Ugh! That’s worth so much…!”

Starting with flinching as if his own money was disappearing.

“It’s not there! I’m telling you, there’s nothing behind that picture frame, so don’t tear it down!”

“That makes it even more suspicious. Tear it down… oh, it’s really not there?”

“Aaaaaaaaah!!”

He would burst into shouts of anger.

“I’m done for… I’m done for…”

He would lower his head and mutter to himself, as if he had a premonition of his future.

“Hurry, hurry! We don’t have time to look at everything in detail, so hurry up!”

From now on, it was a race against time.

Since things had come this far, the marquis must have already heard about what we were doing.

Yes, so…

First floor, second floor, third floor…

I was destroying the Terserion marquis’s residence more quickly and accurately.

But perhaps because I knew it was the precious residence where the marquis was born and raised, and where the marquis’s grandfather was also born and raised?

‘This…’

The stress relief is no joke.

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

So, I was even more excited to break things, and when no one was watching, I moved my hands faster than the eye could see, stuffing expensive-looking things into my pockets.

How long had it been since we started the search?

“I’ve finally found it.”

A space presumed to be the marquis’s study.

When I tore off the bookshelf attached to the wall, a hidden secret iron door appeared inside.

“Yeah, I figured there would be a hidden room somewhere.”

“What are you going to do? It looks quite sturdy.”

“What else?”

How many times has this kind of situation happened?

「The character has equipped the No.687 Siege Slaughterer.」

After quickly switching to my swap weapon.

Kwaaaang-!

I swung my iron mace at the iron door, and swung it again.

However, the door was so thick that it only dented with each swing of the mace, and showed no signs of breaking.

‘At this rate, it’s going to take quite a while…’

What should I do?

While I was pondering, one of our search team members stepped forward.

“Um… may I try?”

Ah, now that I think about it, there were quite a few knights among us.

“Go ahead.”

As I stepped aside, the knights began to slash at the iron door with their auras [magical energy].

I don’t know what kind of metal it was, but the door was somewhat resistant to the aura, but eventually, it was gradually cut, and the lock was cut off, and the door was opened.

“The prime minister’s secret space…”

I wonder what’s hidden beneath those stairs?

As I was about to go down, filled with curiosity.

“Baron, I won’t go in.”

“I-I feel the same way.”

Our brave members, who had diligently searched the residence, were now backing away.

The reason was very simple.

“We also value our lives.”

“You have to know not to see what you shouldn’t see to survive long.”

Well, I guess.

From their perspective, this might feel like a life-threatening situation.

Because they’re trying to peek at the marquis’s ‘secret.’

“I understand. Then I’ll go alone.”

“…Huh? Alone?”

Raven seemed like he was going to follow, but I shook my head and stopped him.

Thinking about it again, it seemed better for me to quickly go down there alone and take a look.

Therefore…

“I’ll be right back. Just stop anyone who tries to come down.”

With those words, I headed alone down the stairs hidden behind the iron door.

The stairs weren’t as deep as I thought, and soon a space appeared that was suitable for human habitation.

However, since I didn’t know how to turn on the lights, I took out a candle from my bag.

And…

Whoosh-!

As soon as I activated the barbarian candle mode after a long time, the stone chamber was brightly lit.

After checking the surroundings, I froze in shock.

Bookshelves located on both sides of the wall.

A small desk and chair for work.

If you only look at these, it might look like a normal secret study(?), but…

“Wow, shit…”

It was the first time in a long time that a curse word came out of my mouth.

Even if there was a secret plan to kill me hidden here, it wouldn’t have been this bad, but I couldn’t help it.

That’s because, on the bookshelves, on the desk, on the walls, and even on the ceiling that I had to look up at.

“…What the hell is this?”

Pictures of a woman were plastered all over the place.

Like a stalker’s room.

Oh