Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 250, 251, 252

   

C250, 251, 252

Chapter 250: Gnometree (4)

At first, I thought it might be the GM again.

But if it were the GM, he wouldn’t borrow the same face he used before.

And the atmosphere emanating from the knights and the people around him was completely different.

In short, this guy was…

‘The real Hans A.’

Not the GM pretending to be Hans A., but the real Hans A.

Therefore, there was only one thing I had to do.

“…….”

I hold my breath…

“I have to apologize…”

…and ignore him, clenching my teeth as if I didn’t hear him.

And…

Tadat.

…I run.

“Wh, why are you running…!”

“Woo! I suddenly feel like running!!”

“Th, this…”

The real Hans A. was flustered by my mindless dash.

But there was no way I would stop.

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!”

The distance between us widened quickly, and he didn’t follow me.

Fortunately, he didn’t have that much tenacity.

‘…Did I avoid him?’

I reached the front of the annex in one breath and tried to calm my pounding heart.

I only heard his voice, I didn’t see his face.

Thanks to that, we didn’t make eye contact, and I held my breath, so the probability of air contamination was low.

…This should be enough.

Right, it will be fine.

“Welcome back, sir.”

A servant greeted me as I was catching my breath in front of the annex.

And as I entered…

“Nyaha, Bjorn, you’re back!”

…Misha greeted me with an excited expression.

It was the High-Tension (Alcohol) Mode.

Erwen, who was sitting quietly next to her, wasn’t much different.

“Mister… Hehe, hihihi!”

She called me in a gloomy voice and then let out a creepy laugh.

‘What’s going on here?’

The living room was filled with empty bottles, and the smell of alcohol was strong.

‘It hasn’t even been an hour since I left…?’

What happened here?

I looked around like a detective and then realized that Ainar wasn’t there.

“Where’s Ainar?”

“The warrior-nim is sleeping after getting drunk.”

It was the servant of the annex who answered my question.

I asked for her location, and it turned out to be the central courtyard of the annex, not a room.

Snore!

Ha, seriously.

I carried Ainar to her room and threw her on the bed, then came back down. Misha was chugging from a bottle, as if she was enjoying herself.

“Keuh…!”

I cautiously approached Misha, sensing a strange danger.

“Did something happen while I was gone?”

Although she had gotten drunk after drinking a little at our team drinking parties, this was the first time I saw her chugging like this.

“Something? Nyaha, something, my ass!”

“But why are you drinking so much…?”

“I just drank because I was happy!”

“I, I see?”

She drank because she was happy.

It seemed like I was worrying for nothing.

Her body must have felt refreshed after the hot spring, and there was good alcohol next to her for free.

There was no reason for her not to drink.

“Right, at first…”

Misha’s expression turned serious as she wiped the alcohol from her lips with her sleeve.

I involuntarily averted my gaze.

Erwen, who was sitting on the sofa with a relaxed posture, caught my eye.

For reference, she was staring blankly into space…

“Hehehe…”

…and giggling for some reason.

Is laughing her drunken habit?

“Hey, Bjorn.”

Misha grabbed my wrist and spoke.

“Uh, yeah?”

“About you rejecting me that day.”

Uh… she’s bringing that up now?

It was an uncomfortable topic, but the atmosphere wasn’t right for me to refuse.

Misha then bit her lip and asked,

“Was it because I can’t give birth to barbarians?”

Huh? What?

Did Ainar say something strange?

My mind went blank for a moment, but my barbarian body was good at dealing with crises.

“There’s no way.”

My mouth opened without hesitation.

And it wasn’t a lie.

The reason I rejected Misha that day wasn’t because I wasn’t attracted to her or because she was a beastman.

I had a reason I had to keep to myself.

“Right, that’s right…”

Misha, who was staring into my eyes as if trying to discern the truth, then opened a new bottle and chugged it.

And…

“Then it must be…”

…she looked at me and then looked away, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly, and then muttered,

“You… will… disappear someday… disappear…”

Misha trailed off and then lowered her head.

“Nyahaaan…”

As expected, she was way past her limit.

I let out a sigh I had been holding back and hugged Misha.

And I carried her to her room and laid her down on the bed.

Erwen was smiling when I returned to the living room.

“They’re finally… all asleep…”

What is she talking about?

“Go to sleep if you’re drunk.”

‘Neck Slice.’

“…Okay.”

I roughly knocked her out and threw her next to Misha.
___________________

It was late at night, and midnight was approaching.

Although I thought about cleaning up the empty bottles that were scattered around…

…I decided to just leave them.

It wasn’t my house.

They would clean it up after I left.

“Ha…”

I collapsed onto the sofa, which was a bit small for me.

My mind was racing.

It was because of what Misha said at the end.

[You… will… disappear someday… disappear…]

I knew what she was going to say.

She was probably going to ask if that was why I rejected her.

Of course, she wasn’t certain that I was an evil spirit.

No, she was probably more inclined to believe that I wasn’t.

She had seen me receive an oracle.

This was a city where it was known that evil spirits were the enemy of God.

But for God to help an evil spirit and even give him a sacred relic?

It didn’t make sense according to the world’s common sense.

It was just a sliver of anxiety that had taken root in her mind and came out because of the alcohol.

‘…But the good news is that it doesn’t seem like she’ll be hostile towards me even if I’m an evil spirit.’

I felt relieved by that fact.

I was also grateful, and I felt a sense of accomplishment, thinking that I hadn’t lived a meaningless life.

But the strongest emotion was self-deprecation.

‘What am I even hoping for?’

My top priority when I woke up in Bjorn Yandel’s body was my own survival.

I decided to somehow survive and adapt to this world, and then find a way to return to my original world.

But…

Wouldn’t it be bad to just live here?

Did I really have to go back?

There were fewer good things there anyway.

That thought had been growing stronger recently.

I could understand why players called the natives NPCs and distinguished them from themselves.

They needed to draw a line.

That this world wasn’t our world.

That we had a place to return to.

‘Enough.’

I forcefully stopped my endless thoughts.

Should I return home?

Or stay here?

I couldn’t make either decision yet.

I had made up my mind while watching the death row inmates who died because they couldn’t pay their taxes.

To decide after reaching at least the 6th floor.

‘It’s pointless to worry about it now.’

It wasn’t just the taxes.

The Dragonslayer, the Clown, Noark, the royal family.

There were many things that threatened my life in this world.

Whether I liked it or not, I had to become stronger.

After all, there was no point in doing anything if I wasn’t alive.

So, in that sense…

“Where are you going at this hour?”

“Ah, I’m just going for a walk. You don’t have to wait.”

I left the annex after telling the servant.

It was about time for everyone to be asleep.

[02:37]

A cool night air enveloped me as soon as I stepped outside.

But was it because we were right next to a mountain?

It felt a bit chilly.

Thud, thud.

As expected, there were few people on the street, but it wasn’t completely empty.

The brightly lit gambling house was still bustling with noise.

Well, it didn’t matter.

The place I was going to was outside this village.

‘It’s dark.’

A darkness that was almost like the labyrinth’s unfolded before me as I left the village.

The countryside in Korea was also like this.

An eerie nature greeted me as soon as I moved away from the lights.

‘It’s about time.’

I thought about lighting a torch, but I carefully moved forward, just in case.

After some time…

…the cave marked on the map I found in the annex appeared.

It was one of the tourist attractions here.

‘…There’s no one guarding it.’

I cautiously entered the cave, and the surroundings gradually brightened.

After all, this place was similar to the 1st floor.

It was a mystical cave with crystals embedded in the walls, emitting a blue light.

I moved forward without hesitation.

Although there were side paths, I just had to go straight from the entrance in the game.

Whoosh!

Indeed, a vast cavern soon appeared.

There was a rock in the center that vibrated at regular intervals.

‘Lignaracia.’

The origin of the name was from the ancient language, and it meant ‘blessing of the earth’, according to the map.

It was said to bring good luck if you touched it.

It was probably a superstition.

The real hidden piece wasn’t the rock.

Swoosh.

I opened my subspace pocket and took out my mace.

And I passed the rock in the center and clicked the interaction button on the wall with a mural.

Ah, it means I smashed it with all my might.

Kwaaang!

The wall crumbled and collapsed at my mace swing, imbued with the Ogre’s strength.

But I wasn’t worried.

This cave had a self-repairing magic circle.

It would be fixed in about 5 minutes.

‘Let’s go.’

I entered the passage that was revealed beyond the collapsed wall. There was a small space inside, just like in the game.

‘Judging by how it’s hidden like this, the one outside must be fake, and this is the real one.’

I placed my hand on the rock in the center.

It was an ordinary rock, unlike the one outside, which vibrated at regular intervals and gave off a mystical vibe.

But I felt something after a while.

「Imbued with the Earth Dragon’s energy. (1/3)」

A sense of fulfillment flowed into my body through my fingertips.

「Soul Power increased by +10.」

「Earth Resistance increased by +20.」

It was one of the hidden pieces that were quite beneficial.

Although there was a condition that you had to be a noble and be able to enter Gnometree…

…it practically gave you 30 stat points for free.

‘Most people who played the original version would probably know about this. They would have pressed the interaction key everywhere.’

Although it was just my guess, I thought there would be quite a few players who knew about this hidden piece.

Well, they probably wouldn’t know about this, though.

「The blessing engraved on your soul reacts.」

「Additional stat increase is increased to 30%.」

The stat increase rate from the Earth Dragon’s Blessing is upgraded from 20% to 30%.

‘I never expected to be the first to unlock this condition.’

It was definitely not a normal playthrough.

To become a noble at just level 5?

If it were a game, I would have definitely thought I was using a bug.

‘Anyway, should I go back now?’

I turned around to leave after obtaining everything, and then I froze.

It was only natural.

Rustle.

A man was standing in front of the wall, which was starting to repair itself as if time was reversing.

“Wow, you really were a player?”

It was Lee Baekho.
____________________

Countless possibilities swirled in my mind.

“…….”

Why was Lee Baekho here?

He had disappeared after that day.

Don’t tell me he had been following me all this time?

The answer was simple.

“Human relationships are strange, huh? I was following him, thinking he might be the GM in disguise again, and then you appeared.”

It was Hans again.

Lee Baekho had met Hans A. in Gnometree by chance and discovered me while following him.

And…

‘He must have been following me ever since.’

I could roughly picture the sequence of events.

Then what should I do?

The decision was already made.

“You’re saying that again. Aren’t you tired of it?”

It wasn’t a good idea to reveal my identity to Lee Baekho.

He was a fickle guy, just by looking at him.

Even if we were on good terms, he would pull out a knife and force me to choose if something didn’t go his way.

For example…

“It seems like that cat girl is starting to suspect something. Wouldn’t it be better to just kill her?”

Right, like that.

Although I felt cornered, I feigned ignorance.

“Now I understand why the chieftain called evil spirits evil beings.”

“Wow, you’re good at playing dumb, even in this situation.”

“This situation…?”

I put all my effort into making a confused expression.

But Lee Baekho just chuckled as if it was ridiculous.

“Right, this situation. The fact that you’re here is proof that you’re a player. Otherwise, how would you know about this hidden thing?”

Okay, I knew you would ask that.

I answered as if I had been waiting for it.

Subtly mixing in the truth.

“I’m a benefactor of the Dragonkin. I returned Dragonslayer to their tribe, and I’ve become close friends with the Ancient Dragon, ‘Lafir’. Even his daughter, the Dragon Shaman, is fond of me.”

It was an answer that implied I heard this information from them.

Lee Baekho tilted his head as soon as he heard it.

“…Uh, what? It’s true?”

Of course, it’s true.

I didn’t lie at all.

“Then you were the one who took down that Dragonkin bastard? Wow, this is amazing.”

Lee Baekho exclaimed as if he found it interesting.

I inwardly sighed in relief.

Although I had to reveal my hidden information to escape the situation…

‘Well, the ring broke anyway, right?’

It wasn’t that big of a loss.

The effect of the sacred relic was over, and whether I liked it or not, I would soon be reunited with him.

There was no need to hide like before.

“Indeed.”

He nodded after observing me for a while.

“It’s not that hard to believe. Right, they might tell you something like this if you made that much of a contribution? Well, it’s not that big of a deal.”

So it worked?

No, there’s no way.

It was too early to relax.

I didn’t let my guard down and waited for his next words.

That’s when, after a few seconds that felt like an eternity…

“But you know.”

…he asked.

With a smirk.

“Why are you answering so readily?”

My mind went blank.

“Last time, when I asked if you were a player, you clenched your teeth and didn’t answer.”

“…….”

“You’ve suddenly become very friendly.”

That damn bastard.

----------------------------------

Chapter 251: Gnometree (5)

There was no point in making excuses anymore.

He wouldn't be fooled, no matter how cleverly I tried to deceive him.

He would try to get a definite answer.

‘Damn it.’

Aside from the unpleasant feeling of being forced to choose, my mind was already meticulously calculating the options I had and their consequences.

What was the best choice for me?

“Hello? Aren’t you going to answer? I asked why you’re being so friendly.”

Ha, this bastard is nagging.

I wanted to go into Mindless Barbarian Mode and say something like, ‘I just felt like it, is there a problem?’

But…

‘I might actually die if I do that.’

I was weaker than him.

Therefore, I couldn’t just smash his head with my mace and say he must be crazy for being so suspicious after I stubbornly refused to answer.

He would be the one smashing my head.

“Ha, look at this bastard, he’s back to being unfriendly.”

Lee Baekho sighed in frustration and glared at me with his blue eyes.

“Why do you keep asking? You’re not even going to believe me anyway.”

I didn’t bother hiding my sigh.

But could it be that Lee Baekho also felt frustrated?

“No, but it feels different hearing it from you.”

Right, I know what you mean.

That’s why I tried to hide it until now.

‘Right, so you’re determined to get an answer.’

It was time to admit it.

Too much had gone wrong to resolve this situation without any sacrifices.

I had to give up what I had to give up.

For example…

“Manners maketh man.”

…my identity, which I had never revealed before, even though I had been suspected many times.

“Huh?”

Lee Baekho seemed surprised by my sudden change in attitude.

But I had nothing to lose since I had already made up my mind.

“Hey, wouldn’t it be polite to just pretend you don’t know and leave?”

“What? Really? You really were a player?”

Lee Baekho’s eyes sparkled as he heard the truth from me.

‘So you were really just curious.’

I was furious.

Did he even know?

That this was my first time speaking like this in Bjorn Yandel’s body.

‘But it feels good.’

I felt a strange sense of liberation and anger at the same time as I glared at him.

But could it be that this bastard’s sense of shame was broken?

“Wow, so you saw that movie!”

He was still focused on the topic he was interested in.

Did this guy really have no social skills?

“…You should apologize first.”

A bizarre scene of a barbarian lecturing a human about social norms and morality.

“Ah, sorry. But I suddenly feel closer to you since you saw that movie. It’s one of my favorites.”

Lee Baekho gave a half-hearted apology and then cautiously asked,

“…Did you see the sequel?”

What the hell is this guy?

His ability to not read the room was almost on par with barbarians.

“…I did.”

I answered.

Because I didn’t know when he would change his attitude again if I ignored him—

“Then why are you speaking informally to me?”

Huh?

“No, why are you speaking informally? Don’t you know about mutual respect? Are we invincible just because we’re both players?”

Lee Baekho suddenly turned serious and started releasing killing intent.

I felt like I was going crazy.

“…I’m not used to speaking formally.”

“Ah, so you’re from the West!”

So that’s how it can be interpreted.

I was talking about barbarians.

“Then let’s speak informally. Okay?”

Lee Baekho smiled brightly, as if nothing had happened, and offered a handshake.

Although he seemed like a manic-depressive…

‘I’m wide awake.’

…my mind felt refreshed.

Maybe this was his way of talking.

To take the lead based on his strength and then confuse you, not giving you time to think.

‘Don’t tell me he asked about the sequel to find out when I came here, and he just asked if I was from the East to confirm?’

It might be just a delusion.

But it was better to be safe.

‘Let’s keep Lee Hansu a secret.’

Actually, this was the last thing I was worried about.

If I was going to reveal that I was a player, wouldn’t it be better to reveal everything and be friends with him?

But I put that decision on hold because of one thing.

[It seems like that cat girl is starting to suspect something. Wouldn’t it be better to just kill her?]

It was just a suggestion earlier.

It was closer to him being nosy about a stranger he happened to meet.

But the moment I revealed that I was Lee Hansu…

…this would become his problem.

He cared about Lee Hansu.

No, the ‘Korean player’ who was one of the few in this strange world.

“But about me being a player…”

“Ah, don’t worry! I won’t tell anyone. Do I look like someone without manners?”

I barely held back from saying ‘yes’.

I knew better after talking to him.

Lee Baekho was like a ball that could bounce in any direction.

Therefore, I shouldn’t get involved with him.

At least not until I was confident that I could control him.

“By the way, I’m really glad you were honest.”

“…?”

“You’re becoming a noble, right? I was actually planning to kill you before you joined the royal family if you were really an NPC.”

My heart skipped a beat at his casual words.

“…What?”

“Why are you surprised? It’s not like I enjoy PK. Well, it’s fine if they’re not fated NPCs. They’re a bit troublesome for me too.”

I didn’t understand a single word he said.

I subtly asked out of curiosity, but Lee Baekho just drew a line, saying there were things like that.

Tsk, is it because he’s Bjorn Yandel from the West?

I think he would have answered if I were Lee Hansu from Korea.

“Ah, and I’ll give you one more piece of advice, just in case. It’s funny saying this to someone who’s already a noble, but don’t get too involved with the royal family.”

“Why?”

“The royal family isn’t interested in opening the ‘Gate of the Abyss’. No, they’re actually trying to prevent it. The disappearance of the Genesis Artifacts might also be their doing.”

The royal family? Why?

It was widely known that the key to saving this world was in the deepest part of the labyrinth, but was it all a lie?

I had many questions, but I knew Lee Baekho would just make an annoyed face and say,

“What are you going to do even if you know?”

It didn’t seem like he would answer even if I asked him who the GM was.

That’s when, as I was clicking my tongue in disappointment…

“So you’re… one of them?”

“One of them?”

“You know, the ones who want to just live here. I thought you might be one of them after seeing you risking your life for an NPC, but then your growth rate makes me think otherwise. Which one is it?”

“What will you do if I want to stay?”

“What do you mean ‘what will I do’? There are people like that. I’m not that narrow-minded. I don’t care as long as they don’t get in my way.”

I silently stared into Lee Baekho’s eyes.

It wasn’t a particularly meaningful action.

I couldn’t tell what he was thinking from those blue eyes.

‘Well, it doesn’t seem like he’s just testing me…’

I made a decision after a brief moment of contemplation.

“I don’t know.”

It was the most honest answer I could give.

“My goal was to return at first, but these days, I’m not sure if I have to risk my life for that.”

“Because of that cat girl?”

“…….”

I didn’t answer.

But was that enough?

“You remind me of my past self.”

Lee Baekho chuckled and said,

“But I’ll give you a piece of advice since you seem to have potential. Don’t expect too much from NPCs. You’ll regret it.”

I felt a chill run down my spine as I sensed a cold emotion hidden beneath his smiling voice.

What happened to him?

What the hell did he experience in this world to become a monster who was so broken and only wanted to ‘return’?

It was something I couldn’t understand for now.

“Then I’ll be going since I’ve satisfied my curiosity.”

Lee Baekho then turned around as if he was done. And he collapsed the wall, which had finished repairing itself, with a wave of his hand.

No, could you even call that collapsing?

Rustle.

The remains of the wall scattered into dust.

Lee Baekho waved his hand again, and even the dust disappeared without a trace.

‘…It’s a good thing I didn’t go into Mindless Mode.’

I felt dizzy, thinking that my head could have been turned into dust.

That’s when, as I was watching him leave…

“Ah, right.”

…Lee Baekho turned his head and looked at me.

And he delivered his last words.

“For reference, we’re strangers next time we meet.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t act friendly even if we meet by chance.”

“…….”

“I don’t build relationships in this world.”

Geez, this bastard.

He’s cold.
______________________

I left the cave and returned to the annex after Lee Baekho left, without even looking back.

And the next morning…

“Ugh, mister… I’m dying…”

…I spent the entire morning resting with the three of them, who were suffering from hangovers.

“Bjorn… when did you come back? Did you finish what you were doing yesterday?”

For reference, Misha seemed to have forgotten everything that happened last night, as she didn’t even remember me coming back to the annex.

It was a good thing.

[Was it because I can’t give birth to barbarians?]

It would have been awkward to talk to her if she knew she said that to me.

“Now that you’ve finished the request, can we just play without any worries?”

“Of course.”

Although I had planned a 2-night, 3-day trip just in case, all my business in Noark was done on the first day.

So the rest of the time was free.

“Ooh! We’re going to play!!”

We spent the entire second day playing until late at night.

It was a fun day.

Well, if it weren’t for the part where I fell into the water.

“Ainar!! I told you not to move like that!!”

It happened at the fishing spot.

We were fishing at night with lanterns, and the boat capsized because Ainar had a seizure after being bitten by a fish.

The problem was that no one could swim.

Well, how many of us had ever been to a place with such deep water?

‘I thought I was going to die.’

But thanks to that, I learned one thing.

I thought I was sinking because of my armor when I fell into the water in the ‘Glacier Cave’ before, but that wasn’t it.

Barbarians can’t swim.

It wasn’t a matter of skill, but rather that we didn’t have any other choice but to sink when we fell into the water.

Well, I was able to stick my head out of the water and call for help since I was in Gigantification (Transcendence) Mode…

‘I should look for a place where I can learn how to swim when we get back. Even if Ainar and I don’t learn, the others should.’

Anyway, Day 2 passed, and the next day…

…we woke up past noon after drinking all night, and we got into the carriage heading back to the city.

“Ugh, I wish we could stay for one more day…”

“I agree. Mister doesn’t drink much at home…”

“Ooh! Misha! Look, a horse is running!”

We enjoyed the natural scenery, which was rare in the city, as the carriage moved for several hours.

We then reached the southwest exit and returned the whistles we received when we entered.

‘Come to think of it, there was this.’

The whistle that would summon the patrol, one of Gnometree’s prides, no matter where or when you blew it.

I wondered what would have happened if I had blown it when Lee Baekho appeared, but it probably wouldn’t have changed much.

He wouldn’t have given me the time.

“Then I’ll rest, so tell me when you’re hungry.”

We arrived home in the evening and each went to our rooms to rest, and it was the same the next day.

Peaceful days of rest.

As always, those days passed by quickly.

And…

“I’ll be back later.”

…that day finally arrived.

[22:10]

Two hours left until midnight, when the labyrinth opened.

I finished preparing to go out and headed towards the Dimensional Plaza.

‘The royal family is sharpening their swords.’

According to rumors, the royal family was forming an army.

They were planning to get revenge by fighting in the labyrinth after being tricked.

The scale was unknown.

It seemed like they didn’t even send a request for cooperation to the clans, unlike during the last subjugation.

They were planning to handle it with the royal family’s own power.

‘I’ll get a sense of it when I arrive at the plaza. Just how strong the royal family is.’

Indeed, I saw explorers heading towards the plaza to check the situation, just like me.

Everyone was curious.

About the royal family’s true strength, which was only talked about in rumors, something no one had actually seen.

“Oh, Bjorn! Are you going to the plaza too?”

“I’m a bit concerned.”

I chatted with a few familiar faces I met on the way and moved together.

And after some time…

“…I didn’t expect this.”

…everyone who came here, including me, tilted their heads.

“I can’t believe there’s no one here.”

Well, it wasn’t completely empty.

Security guards from the Public Safety Department were occupying the plaza, preventing explorers from entering.

But that was all.

“Where’s the army?”

The rumored army was nowhere to be seen.

“Haven’t they arrived yet?”

“No way, my friend. The labyrinth opens in 5 minutes. If they’re not here yet, it just means there’s no army.”

“This is disappointing. Don’t tell me that fight was just a rumor.”

The explorers gathered near the plaza started to leave, disappointed.

It was the same for the explorers I met on the way here.

“Yandel, aren’t you leaving?”

“I’m going to wait and see a bit longer.”

“Hmm, then I’ll be going.”

I waited until the portal closed, just in case.

To summarize the result, there really was no army.

‘What? Are they aiming for next time, not today?’

Although I had many questions, there was nothing I could do by staying here.

So I also turned back.

That’s when…

Kwoom!

…I faintly heard a collapsing sound from somewhere.

Rumble!

And then the ground beneath my feet shook.

“Wh, what? An earthquake?”

The officials and guards around me froze with bewildered expressions.

But…

“…….”

…the few knights in the plaza were different.

They exchanged words with solemn expressions, as if they knew what was happening.

As if something they had been expecting had finally begun.

‘Right, this is it.’

I then looked down at the ground.

I had a hunch about where the royal army was.

Even though I couldn’t see them.

‘Empty house robbery.’

The war had already begun.

--------------------------------------

Chapter 252: Open World (1)

It was a minor earthquake.

Although the table shook, none of the glasses fell over, and I didn't hear anything breaking.

Only the chips piled on the table collapsed.

"An earthquake?"

He was startled by the sudden natural phenomenon, but...

...the nobles inside returned to their usual selves and continued gambling as soon as the tremors stopped.

Except for one person.

"Hey, Confucius, where are you going?"

"I suddenly remembered something I have to do. I'll fold this round."

The man flipped his cards over and left the table, taking only his chips.

And he took off his mask.

Although he enjoyed the concept of a gambling house where you could hide your identity with a mask...

'No matter how I think about it, that wasn't just an earthquake.'

Lee Baekho, who came out to the night street, sat down on the nearest bench and organized his thoughts.

Although the other nobles didn't seem to have heard it because of the noise inside, he clearly felt it.

The wave of energy that came from underground.

'It felt like a mixture of mana and divine power.'

He couldn't have been mistaken, as his Perception stat was high, and he had a talent for mana.

Then...

'They were talking about breaking the protective barrier, and they really did it.'

Lee Baekho soon reached the truth.

They were truly persistent bastards.

It wasn't a coincidence that they chose midnight, when the labyrinth opened, as the time to attack.

'...Empty house robbery...'

He didn't know the details since he was away from the royal palace. But Noark must have entered the labyrinth fully prepared.

They probably poured all their strength into it.

Without even imagining that their own tactic would be used against them.

'...If this goes well, those bastards down there might all die.'

It wasn't a positive situation for Lee Baekho.

He was even considering clearing the game with Noark if he had no other choice.

'Should I go down and help them?'

That thought briefly crossed his mind, but he chuckled and shook his head. It didn't suit his play style.

Actually, if it were this kind of situation...

'The royal palace must be empty now.'

Lee Baekho's lips curled up into a wide smile.
____________________

Jerome Saintred, the captain of the 1st Royal Knight Order.

A frown appeared between the brows of the protector of the royal family, the Knight of Light.

It was because of the news he had just received.

“The royal palace is under attack…?”

At first, he thought it was a counterattack from Noark.

But that didn’t make sense either.

They had been careful with security, gathering troops under the pretense of targeting the labyrinth and only revealing their true target, the Noark headquarters, two hours before departure.

And besides…

…the protective barrier had just been broken.

It meant that Noark didn’t have time to send enough forces to attack the royal palace.

“Have the orders to return been issued?”

“Not yet.”

“Then there’s no change in plans. We continue the expedition.”

Jerome led the army and quickly moved underground. And as time passed, he received news about the identity of the group that attacked the royal palace.

‘…I can’t believe it wasn’t a group.’

Only one person had dared to attack the royal palace.

He wondered if it was a solo act by the Ruin Scholar, whose threat level had recently been upgraded, but even that guess was wrong.

“Lee Baekho.”

Once a promising explorer, he was the one who caused that disaster after being revealed to be an evil spirit.

Of course, very few people knew about that disaster.

It was thoroughly covered up by the royal family, who valued his abilities, and he was given a new identity.

‘This is troublesome. How did he know? That even I would be away on an expedition?’

As far as he knew, Lee Baekho didn’t have any means of obtaining information. He used to communicate with an accomplice outside through the evil spirit gathering…

…but he was currently banned from the gathering.

It was also something the royal family had a hand in.

They subtly revealed Lee Baekho’s identity to the evil spirit called the GM, and when he didn’t ban him, they sent him to Noark and made him an enemy.

‘Then did he just guess?’

Jerome fell into deep thought.

He had heard that an earthquake occurred on the surface because of the aftermath of breaking the protective barrier…

…but there was one thing he couldn’t understand.

To deduce this situation from an earthquake?

That much was possible.

But acting on it was a different matter.

To gamble like that when he could be captured if his prediction was wrong?

‘…He would do that.’

Jerome couldn’t help but agree, even though it hurt his pride.

Lee Baekho was like a beast.

He would always bite his enemies if he had the chance, and he wouldn’t even hesitate to risk being bitten himself.

‘And at a time like this when the Rose Knight Captain position is vacant…’

Although he was worried about the situation on the surface, he hadn’t received orders to return yet.

Therefore, there was only one thing he had to do.

To fulfill his duty as a knight and carry out the King’s orders.

“We’ve arrived.”

The army passed through the underground labyrinth and reached the last gate to Noark.

A stone gate with dozens of ancient magic spells engraved on it.

It took them several hours just to break through this gate during the last subjugation.

“Fortunately, it seems like they haven’t fixed it properly yet. Begin.”

The mages started drawing a giant octagonal formation on the ground at Jerome’s order.

After some time…

Kwaaang!

…the magic circle emitted a bright light and shot a wave of pure mana towards the stone gate.

And…

Swaaaaaaaaa.

…the scenery of the underground city was revealed beyond the cloud of dust.

“Let’s go. It’s time to subjugate the evil rebels and restore peace to this city.”

Jerome drew the sword bestowed upon him by the King.

And he was the first to step forward.

“For the eternal prosperity of Lafdonia.”

There wasn’t a shred of hesitation in his steps.
____________________

The Dimensional Plaza, where the portal had closed.

But I lingered there for a while.

I thought I might be able to get some useful information from the knights.

But…

‘Tsk, I just wasted time.’

The knights didn’t even chat amongst themselves and disappeared as soon as the plaza was cleared.

Therefore, I also left.

I was planning to stop by a bar and hear what the other explorers thought about this, instead of going straight home.

‘Should I go to the bear-like man’s place?’

Hmm, that would be best.

First of all, it was a bar frequented by explorers.

And it didn’t have any partitions or private rooms, so it was perfect for eavesdropping.

Although he would definitely be angry if I said that to his face.

“Oh, Yandel, what brings you here at this hour? Without Misha?”

“I was just bored since I was out. Don’t mind me, you seem busy today. I’ll just drink quietly in a corner.”

“…Can’t you just call me? I’m sure my wife would be okay with it if you asked.”

The bear-like man, who I met at the bar, seemed to be looking for an excuse to slack off and made that request.

Geez, doesn’t he feel sorry for his pregnant wife?

“I want to be alone today.”

“…If that’s what you want. I’ll just bring you some snacks and drinks, right?”

“Ah, thank you.”

The bear-like man soon brought me a table full of meat dishes.

For reference, the alcohol was the bar’s signature, salted honey mead.

‘It tasted really strange at first, but it goes down smoothly once you get used to it.’

Anyway, that wasn’t my main goal for coming here.

I listened closely as I sipped my drink, and I could hear the conversations of the surrounding explorers and ordinary citizens.

As expected of a bar where rumors spread quickly, most of the talk was about the army the royal family was forming.

‘There’s nothing worth listening to.’

That the royal family intentionally spread false rumors.

That they were definitely afraid of Noark.

They were all baseless information, with their brains as the source.

Well, I wasn’t expecting to hear information from the Round Table at a bar, so I wasn’t disappointed.

My goal was just to gauge public opinion.

‘These days, even the citizens, not just the explorers, don’t have a good impression of the royal family.’

I then closed my ears and organized my thoughts, drinking.

And after some time…

…the bear-like man approached me and sat down, as if he had some free time.

“Yandel, what do you think?”

“About the army?”

“Yeah, you have great intuition in these aspects.”

I hesitated for a moment and then shared my guess that the army might be ‘robbing an empty house’ right now.

After all, I wasn’t sure yet.

I was curious about the opinion of the bear-like man, who was a veteran explorer.

“…So that earthquake earlier was because of that?”

“Do you believe it?”

“Isn’t that more plausible than that nonsense about the royal family being afraid of Noark?”

The bear-like man was quick to understand, perhaps because he had been to the royal family’s treasury once. He knew that the royal family’s hidden strength was much greater than he had imagined.

“…Maybe we’ll be able to enter the labyrinth next time.”

The bear-like man then expressed his hope that this cold war might end sooner than expected.

And he was also worried about the city’s economic problems.

“Yandel, if this continues, shouldn’t we use the cash we’ve saved instead of hoarding it? The prices will return to normal once the labyrinth is stabilized.”

I was a bit touched by his words.

Was it because he was a veteran explorer with a family to protect?

Ainar and Misha didn’t seem to think about these things at all.

“Just wait and see. We’ll know what’s going on tomorrow.”

“Right, I was being impatient.”

We then changed the subject and chatted about various things, drinking together.

That’s when…

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

…alarm bells rang from outside.

It was my first time experiencing this in over a year of living in this city. The alarm bells didn’t even ring when my carriage exploded and the GM and Lee Baekho caused chaos.

But they were ringing now?

Clank, clank, clank.

I hurriedly went outside, and I saw guards from the Public Safety Department running towards one place, their boots clanging.

I grabbed a random guard and asked what was going on.

Although he said he couldn’t tell a civilian…

…he immediately changed his attitude when I revealed my identity.

“My name is Bjorn, son of Yandel. I’m a noble who was bestowed the title of Viscount by the royal family. So answer me. What’s going on?”

“…We, we don’t know either. We were just ordered to go to Karnon for support. I heard from my colleagues that there’s a big fire.”

A large fire in Karnon, the Imperial City, at this time…

‘There’s no way it’s a coincidence.’

Then don’t tell me those Noark bastards invaded?

Well, I didn’t know.

But it was possible.

If they knew about the royal family’s plan to rob their empty house, they could have used this kind of strategy.

‘Ha, the royal family can’t do anything properly.’

That’s when, as I was sighing…

…the bear-like man spoke.

“A fire in the Imperial City, it doesn’t seem like an ordinary incident… I wonder if Raven is okay.”

Huh? Raven?

Why is she suddenly being mentioned?

‘Ah, she’s staying near the royal palace to learn magic.’

…Damn it.

I felt my heart pounding as soon as I realized it.

An ominous premonition washed over me.

This kind of premonition rarely failed, so my anxiety was even greater.

“I hope it’s just an ordinary fire—”

“Avman, I’ll be going now.”

“Where are you going in this situation? Yandel, listen to me. It’s best to just stay home in times like this.”

The bear-like man grabbed me as I got up from my seat.

But…

“Don’t worry, I’ll find her and bring her back soon.”

“Then I’ll come with—”

“What are you talking about? You have to stay with your wife.”

I told the bear-like man to close the bar and go to my house with his wife.

Misha would also be worried.

I had to at least tell them what was going on.

And I felt reassured knowing that all my teammates were together.

“…Be careful.”

I then parted ways with the bear-like man and climbed onto the roof of a military carriage heading towards Karnon, the Imperial City.

Although the soldiers inside made a fuss…

…they all quieted down when I revealed my identity.

And after some time…

“Viscount Yandel! We’re almost at Karnon!”

…the carriage arrived at its destination.

My body froze involuntarily.

“…….”

The sky was red, even though it was the middle of the night.

The tall, well-maintained walls were stained with black soot, and the air was filled with acrid smoke.

And…

…screams and roars mixed together, coming from beyond the flames or outside the fire.

‘Crazy, what the hell happened?’

Karnon, the city of nobles, was burning.

Trial

I like Korean novels (Murim, Dukes, Reincarnation, etc, etc, etc)

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