Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 718

People in this world often say that talking to a barbarian is like talking to a wall. They use that expression because even if you explain things calmly and logically, they don’t understand properly… But in my opinion, that expression suits this knight more than any barbarian. It really feels like I’m talking to a wall.

‘Knight, what’s your name? I’ve never heard of anyone like you.’

‘……’

‘If I follow you, can I really meet the Founding King?’

‘……’

‘Rumor has it he’s sick in bed? I guess he’s actually healthy?’

‘……’

Tch, what a show of gravitas for a knight. When Raven asked where we were going earlier, he answered diligently. I even had Raven try talking to him, wondering if he was a womanizer, but sadly, the result was the same.

‘Um… I’m sorry to be so forward, but is His Majesty the King really in good health…? Ah! I don’t mean to imply that he’s not… I’m sorry.’

‘……’

‘See? It doesn’t work… Don’t make me do it anymore.’

After that, the knight walked ahead without saying a word, and we quietly followed behind him. Of course, we were silent, but our minds were racing.

‘Judging by the fact that there are no windows, it seems like we’re underground.’ Since it’s called the ‘Audience Chamber,’ the location is likely the ‘Immortal Palace,’ one of the 12 palaces where the king is known to reside. The center of the city, Karnon. The royal palace at the center of Karnon. And the Immortal Palace, located in the very center of the 12 palaces within the royal palace. Ah, they call it the Founding Palace now, right?

‘I didn’t know there was a place like this underground…’

Even as I followed the knight, I carefully observed my surroundings. My intention was to memorize the path and look for an escape route in case of an emergency, but there was nothing to gain. There was nothing of note. Thud, thud. We just keep walking through an empty passage. Of course, I did learn a few things in the process.

‘It’s a spiral structure.’

I didn’t realize it at first, but we’re not walking straight. The passage is slightly curved, and as a result, we’re going in a circle. In other words, it’s like going up a spiral staircase… ‘Wouldn’t it be better to just install an elevator at this distance? I saw they were using good elevators earlier.’

‘……’

Secondly, there are no elevators here. In other words, the only way to get to the place where the elevator we came out of is to walk aimlessly through this long passage. Then why would they design it so inconveniently? It’s not like the royal family is short on money. No, it would be much more economically beneficial to install another elevator. After thinking about it for a moment, I found the answer.

‘……It’s for defense purposes.’

If someone from the outside were to invade, this long passage would buy more time than any trap or obstacle. Sometimes, the most primitive methods are the safest.

‘……’

After walking through the passage for over three hours without any conversation, the long spiral passage ended, and a large hollow space appeared.

‘This is…’

Raven looks up, dumbfounded. The space itself was nothing special, but a structure in the center was drawing our attention. A test tube. A transparent test tube, very similar to the one we saw in the ‘Pantelion Laboratory’ on the first basement level, was standing in the center of the hollow space. The only difference from the one in the lab was its overwhelming size, incomparable to even a decent floor master. Other than that, it was mostly similar to what we saw in the lab. Hundreds of wires were connected to the bottom of the test tube, and the inside of the test tube was filled with a mysterious liquid.

‘Follow me.’

The knight who had been guiding us finally opened his mouth after we had been staring blankly. ‘His Majesty is waiting.’ Though he said that, it ultimately meant not to pay attention to unnecessary things. Therefore, I skipped the pointless question of what it was. Ding-! Following the knight, an elevator appeared on the opposite wall of the hollow space, and we went up in it. And… Ding-! When the elevator doors opened again with a sound, I finally realized that we had arrived.

‘…A humble servant greets the master of the new era.’

To the very ‘Audience Chamber’ that I could never reach even after thousands of tries.

***

The throne is located on a raised platform. Looking at that throne, I feel very strange.

‘……’

‘……’

The throne that I had always seen empty while participating in numerous official events, from investiture ceremonies to promotion ceremonies. The very throne that even the prime minister, who was called the second-in-command of the kingdom and handled state affairs on behalf of the king, did not dare to sit on. For the first time, someone is sitting on that throne. Is that why? Thump-! The moment I see that, the heart of a warrior who has been through thick and thin tightens with tension. Well, it’s nothing compared to Raven next to me.

‘G-g-g-g-g…’

‘……’

‘I greet His Majesty the King…! A humble servant… ah, no, a h-h-humble servant greets His Majesty the King…!’

As soon as Raven confirmed that ‘someone’ was sitting on the throne, he prostrated himself on the carpeted floor. Although his belly was facing the ground, it was no different from a dog lying on its back with its belly exposed. I have no intention of resisting you and I submit. A gesture that expresses this short sentence more clearly than anything else.

‘Hey, Yandel! What are you doing…!’

Seeing me standing still, Raven urges me with a small shout while his forehead is on the floor. And only then did I realize my ‘rudeness.’ Well, I haven’t had to experience this because I started as a barbarian… Swoosh. The reason why barbarians are forgiven for speaking informally and not following etiquette, regardless of whether they are nobles or not, is only one. It’s because their ancestors made a great contribution in the past and received permission. From the king sitting on the throne.

‘H-hurry!’

It goes without saying, but even a barbarian will die if they speak informally to the king. Therefore… ‘…A humble servant greets His Majesty the King.’ I kneel and bow my head, performing the ceremony that I had seen countless times but never done myself. Well, I am a titled noble. I don’t need to prostrate myself like Raven… Thanks to that, with my high field of vision, I was able to scan the interior of the audience chamber, even if only with a sidelong glance. Thick silk cloth hangs down around the throne, obscuring the king’s face. There are no windows, perhaps out of concern for assassination or external observation, and there is only one entrance, except for the elevator we came up in. For reference, two knights are standing guard in front of it. Unlike the nameless knight who guided us here, it was not difficult to distinguish their affiliation through the patterns on their armor.

‘The Royal Guard.’

The elite military group that can only be seen inside the Immortal Palace, with each individual possessing combat power equivalent to at least a 3rd-grade monster. Is it because the full throne is so unrealistic? It was only after seeing the Royal Guard that I truly realized it. ‘Right, I’m really in the Immortal Palace…’

The first thing I did after realizing this was to lower the priority of all plans for escape and any physical conflict. If this is really inside the ‘Immortal Palace,’ using ‘force’ should be saved for the very last resort. I’ve entered the Immortal Palace quite a few times while playing [Dungeon & Stone]. 99% of those experiences were when I was taking the rebellion route… ‘But I never even got to see the king’s face…’

Putting aside the insane specs of the Royal Guard, this Immortal Palace has all sorts of gimmicks to deal with external enemies, and if they are fully activated, it’s game over. Even with better specs and numerous companions than I have now, I couldn’t avoid annihilation in the Immortal Palace in the game. In some ways, this place is more difficult than the 10th floor. Especially in that I couldn’t clear it no matter what I tried. Of course, since the king is right in front of me, I might be able to find a way out if I take him hostage… The words left by the previous tribal chief flashed through my mind. [Is there anyone in this world who does not fear him? If the day comes when you meet him, you will understand me.] After all, it doesn’t seem easy to take the king hostage. That’s because the knight who guided us is now standing in front of the king as if he’s guarding him—.

‘Speak.’

Then, breaking the long silence, the king’s voice was heard. It was a slightly unexpected voice. […I don’t remember. What age he was, whether he was a woman or a man, even the voice that pierced my ears…] The previous tribal chief must have said that. ‘How did you enter the forbidden place?’ What I heard was clearly the voice of a ‘young man.’ It didn’t sound old at all, nor did it sound sick or weak. ‘Tell me everything, my servants.’ A ruler’s voice that makes you think of nothing but obedience. Raven quickly answered.

‘We did not know that it was a forbidden place, nor did we enter with any intentional purpose. The circumstances that led us to enter that place are…’ Raven’s explanation was long and verbose, but one point was clearly captured. As soon as they realized that the capital was under attack, they headed to the 5th basement level to catch the wicked Noark. They escaped, and we were swept into the ‘forbidden place’ by the collapse. All of the explanation included an excessive amount of detail about how much we tried to fulfill our duties as subjects. Well, it was a pointless act in my opinion.

‘……’

‘……’

An uncomfortable silence after Raven’s explanation. The Founding King’s voice continued after a short pause. ‘My servant, Baron Bjorn Yandel.’ …I’m not a Baron, but a Baron, but I didn’t bother to correct him and listened quietly. Well, I’m a barbarian who knows the atmosphere to that extent—.

‘As your king, I command you.’

…Huh?

‘Kill the woman next to you.’

…What?

***

The king’s sudden command. It goes without saying, but I had no intention of following that command. Even though I know that he is a being capable of taking away all my positions, everything I have achieved in this world, and my companions that I wanted to protect so much.

‘……’

There’s no way I would do that. I just looked around, not knowing what to do. But was that enough for the king? ‘Take the woman out.’ As soon as those words were spoken, the Royal Guard members at the entrance approached us. When I reflexively stood up, the knight standing in front of the king gave a short warning. ‘Stay still. His Majesty only wishes to have a private audience with you.’ I glanced at Raven, and Raven nodded frantically. An expression of desperate plea not to cause any trouble, as he was fine.

‘……’

In the end, I stood still in an awkward posture, and two members of the Royal Guard led Raven out of the audience chamber, finally creating a private audience with the king. Ah, of course, that guard knight is still there… But he’s like a wall anyway. At that level, it’s okay to consider it a private audience. Thump, thump, thump, thump. The king didn’t say anything and just stared at me from behind the cloth, but a feeling that something was screwed up dominated my whole body.

‘……Ha, should I have just pretended to follow the order? Now that I think about it, it feels like he was testing me.’

As that belated regret filled my head, then. ‘Haha, don’t be so scared.’ The king’s words continued, and my mind went blank. ‘You were chosen by her, right? If I kill you, she’ll be angry, so how could I do that?’ His tone, which sounded much more relaxed than before. The meaningful wording of ‘her’ and ‘chosen.’ None of that mattered. ‘Bjorn, son of Yandel.’ The ‘language’ itself was the problem. ‘Since we’ve met, let’s just talk frankly.’ The Founding King was speaking Korean.