Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

It was a completely unexpected offer, but not a bad one.

If I put aside emotion and look at things realistically, Versil’s absence had created a mage-shaped hole in our clan.

Of course, there was still Riris Marone…

But if we planned to carry out further expeditions, we’d inevitably need to split into at least two teams, given our current headcount. That meant additional magical support was essential.

And in that situation, a high-ranking mage like Raven…

A Raven who, after dodging my recruitment hints several times, was now bringing it up herself?

“I mean, I’m all for it, but…”

Still, there were things I had to confirm.

Whether she joined our clan or not, I already considered her a comrade.

“What the hell’s going on?”

Setting aside the recruitment talk for now, I asked as cautiously as I could.

“Are you… okay right now?”

Maybe it was because I’d just heard she lost her mentor? I was worried about Raven’s sudden change of heart.

“…I’m okay.”

“Then why are you suddenly saying you’re quitting the Mage Corps…?”

Raven paused at my question, but then, as if she had made up her mind, spoke in a bitter voice.

“Because I want to take revenge with my own hands.”

“…Revenge? You mean the one who killed your mentor?”

“Yes.”

…So that’s what it was.

It was a motive I could fully understand.

There’s not much the ones left behind can do.

“Who is it?”

“One of the members of Orkulis. He showed himself for the first time in this war. He hasn’t been given a title yet.”

After that, Raven told me that not much was known, but the bastard’s skill level was far beyond what you’d expect from a new recruit, and he seemed to hold considerable rank within Orkulis.

‘A super rookie that suddenly appeared out of nowhere, huh…’

Ah, though I didn’t bother wondering where a guy like that came from.

Because I already knew the answer.

‘Back during the Ice Rock expedition, the ones chasing us felt just like this.’

In the past, Noark had spent over a year pushing through the 8th floor. As a result, they’d produced countless high-level explorers in a short time.

They overwhelmed others with brute firepower, armed with high-grade Essences reaching up to Tier 2.

Well, that didn’t mean they were flawless—there was still a lack of lower-tier Essences.

Anyway, the guy who killed Raven’s mentor was probably one of those products…

“Sigh…”

I decided to just say it outright.

“Raven, if revenge is your goal, it’d be better for you to stay in the Mage Corps. Our top priority is survival. Which means if the royal family tries to push us to the front lines, I’m going to do my best to avoid that. You get what I’m saying?”

“I understand. But my decision hasn’t changed.”

…What?

“Even when you tried to avoid it as much as possible, we still had to fight that much, right? We even went up against a Ma’an this time.”

“Well… that’s true? But—”

“My intuition is telling me. That sticking with Yandel is way more likely to get me my revenge than staying with the Mage Corps.”

I tried to say something, but Raven raised her hand to stop me and continued.

“And besides, if I stay in the Mage Corps, I’ll still have to follow orders from above, right? Even if that bastard shows himself, if no orders come down, all I can do is sit in the back and suck my thumb.”

“……”

“So… what are you going to do?”

With Raven’s logic, which actually had some basis, I couldn’t find a good reason to object.

Nor did I have much motivation to.

If there was one thing that bothered me, it was what Riranne Vivian had said to me previously.

[“Oh, I don’t know if you realize, but she used ‘Future Sight’—a first-tier black magic spell.”]

That woman had claimed she saw Raven betraying me on the day Karnohn went up in flames.

And while the Palace of Glory really had been blown apart by a thunderstrike during this war, in the end, Karnohn itself didn’t burn.

‘Raven’s betrayal… huh.’

If Vivian’s words were true, then bringing Raven into the clan might be dangerous—

‘…Or maybe it wouldn’t change anything?’

Thinking about it again, that made sense.

If something’s bound to happen, then it’ll happen whether I bring her in or not.

“Fine. I’ll accept you. But first, submit your resignation to the Mage Corps.”

“It’ll probably take about a month to finalize everything.”

“That’s fine. We don’t even know when the labyrinth’s going to open yet.”

With that, the matter of Raven joining was settled.

Then I turned to Misha, who had been wearing a strange expression for a while now.

“Do you have any problem with Raven joining?”

Misha flinched and shook her head.

“Ahaha… no way! Arururu’s an amazing mage, isn’t she? Uh, always welcome! Totally welcome…!”

“Yeah…?”

…But why does her smile look so forced?

I stared at her, suspicious, and Misha frantically waved her hands like she was innocent.

“I really don’t feel uneasy or worried at all! Seriously!”

Uneasy and worried, huh…

“……”

All I asked was if she had a problem…

***

After finishing the meal and a bit of drinking, we chatted for another thirty minutes or so before naturally wrapping things up.

Besides Raven’s joining, there wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy.

Well, except maybe one thing…

‘It’s strange, that guy too.’

Misha wasn’t the only one acting off after Raven’s joining was confirmed.

Bear Uncle also gave me and Raven a peculiar look.

Like he had something he wanted to say, but in the end, never said it before we parted ways.

That left a strange aftertaste…

‘Well, if it was important, he would’ve said it.’

Unless he brings it up himself, I can’t exactly force it out of him.

If it comes up later, I’ll deal with it then.

“We’re running a bit late… next up is over there!”

“I’ll find it myself, just give me the address.”

“That’s no fun—”

“Efficiency over entertainment. Come on, hurry.”

And with that, I moved on with the schedule Misha had planned, finishing lunch and drinks.

We went to a pottery studio for a hands-on pottery session, then caught a play and circus near the plaza.

And after sunset, once night had fallen, we stopped by a pub that doubled as an inn…

“Do you… remember this place?”

When Misha said that near the end of our meal, it finally clicked in my memory.

“Isn’t this the place we came to ages ago?”

We didn’t come here to do anything shady. It was during the early days, when we came to sell off our gear, and ended up staying here after missing the last stagecoach.

Living room, bedroom, and bathroom all separate.

Windows, terrace, Arttian soap from the workshop…

We were so shocked by the condition of the inn that we swore to work hard and make money—

“Hey, Bjorn…?”

“Speak.”

“Should we sleep here tonight…? It’s late, and… it brings back memories—”

What is she talking about again?

“Don’t joke around.”

I cut her off firmly, in case she was misunderstood.

Of course, Misha probably just meant it literally—just sleep—but I couldn’t do that anymore.

If our relationship were still as clean as it had been back then, maybe. But now, under the same circumstances, I wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully.

So…

“I… wasn’t joking though…”

“Enough. Let’s go home now.”

That concluded our outing, and we returned to the Sanctuary.

Getting back took quite a while, and on the way I reflected on the last two days.

Amelia’s outing and Misha’s outing were very different.

Amelia’s was about escape, freedom, time alone… Misha’s felt more like nostalgia and connecting with others.

Maybe that difference was how the two dealt with stress.

Some people are comforted by solitude, others by laughter and chatter with people.

Not that it applies to me the same way, of course.

‘They both have childlike sides in that sense.’

Kids do that.

They think if they give something they like to their mom, she’ll stop being sad. So they offer their favorite toy or candy.

But really, what makes Mom happy is that feeling.

Thud—!

“…Ugh! Why the hell’d you hit me, you crazy barbarian fossil!”

Now this really feels like old times.

I chuckled and spoke honestly.

“Thanks for today.”

“…Huh? Thanks for what?”

“You dragged me out, even forcing it a little, because you thought I might be feeling down.”

“I mean, why are you saying thanks and then hitting me in the back—?”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff. Anyway, thanks. For real.”

“Well… if that’s how you feel, then good…”

After that, a moment of silence passed before Misha cautiously opened her mouth.

“But… uh… was it really that obvious…?”

Did she really think it wasn’t?

I wanted to ask, but held my tongue.

“Go get some sleep now, it’s cold. Make sure you cover up.”

“I’m not a kid, you know…?”

“Alright, I’m heading off first.”

“Ah… yeah! Go rest up!”

After parting ways with Misha, I went inside, washed up, changed clothes, and lay in bed.

But sleep didn’t come. So in the end, I went outside again and wandered the streets like I did yesterday.

By coincidence, my steps led me to the same place.

[Brown Rotmiller]

[Versil Gowland]

[James Carla]

The gravestones of the three we lost in this war.

Unlike yesterday, the drunk dwarf wasn’t there rambling.

Even Shabin and Sven Parab, who sometimes came by, didn’t show up today.

“Sigh…”

Maybe it’s because this is my first time really being here alone?

It felt a little unfamiliar.

Not that that’s a bad thing.

Shhhhhh—!

I sat blankly in front of the tombstones, letting the cold wind wash over me.

Unlike that dwarf, I didn’t bring any booze.

Alcohol clouds the mind and turns your eyes away from reality.

Unless I’m laughing and drinking with people, I usually avoid drinking alone like a pitiful wretch.

‘I kind of… want to try a cigarette though.’

As I sat there sighing endlessly, I thought of cigarettes, despite never having smoked in my life.

If I’d known I’d become a barbarian, I should’ve at least tried one.

“You guys…”

Suddenly, I wanted to ask the ones who went before me.

What was the thing you most wanted to do? What were you most curious about? What was the thing you regretted most at the end?

‘…Not that it means anything now.’

They’re gone.

Rotmiller at least had a chance to leave behind a final message. The other two didn’t even have that.

So I don’t know what I should do.

“Sigh…”

Another sigh escaped my mouth.

Everything felt stifling.

It was so overwhelming that when I turned away from one problem, I was immediately confronted by another I’d been avoiding.

[The evil spirit from another world “————” lost three comrades and finally realized the path he had to walk.]

That’s what the record stone said.

But in reality, that wasn’t true.

I hadn’t realized anything yet.

‘Labeling Ibaekho an enemy?’

Was that the path I was meant to take?

No matter how I think about it, that doesn’t seem right.

‘Then becoming king, like the Marquis said?’

Hmm, that’s just as absurd…

At most, it’s some idle fantasy, like maybe that future could exist—not some epiphany or conviction.

‘Then what the hell is it…?’

In the gloomy graveyard, under the cold night wind, I kept thinking and thinking.

But no answer came.