Surviving The Game as a Barbarian (Novel) Chapter 382, 383, 384

   

C382, 383, 384

Chapter 382: We (1)

What the hell is he doing here?

Initially, I couldn't even process the situation.

Thump, thump, thump.

My heart pounded even harder than when I was fighting the Deep Sea Giant, and my head felt like it had been slammed by an 8-ton truck.

I only came to my senses when he spoke.

"Wow, you really killed it alone?"

Even though we had only spoken a few times, I could never forget his voice and tone.

'Lee Baekho.'

As I finally registered the reality of the situation, I noticed the old man standing next to him.

'The Ruin Scholar.'

There were two of them.

'I thought they were enemies... now they're companions with Baekho?'

My mind raced.

Forget being companions, what were they doing here? Were they after me? No, what happened to Erwen and Amelia?

I had told them to wait until I returned.

"That's strange. I've never heard of anyone like you."

"Not heard of him? You know that guy who was making headlines recently?"

The Ruin Scholar cut Baekho off, and he nodded with an 'Ah!' expression.

"Right, that's him. He looks similar, too."

"We can't be sure yet, but..."

"We can find out. Hey, are you that Schuitz guy?"

It was unbelievably rude for a first-time encounter, but I actually felt relieved.

'...They weren't specifically looking for me.'

Lee Baekho's target wasn't me.

And if that was the case...

'Their target must be this space itself.'

I had been wary of the 'competitor' who had cleared the rock island event.

Maybe it was them.

'Then this encounter was purely coincidental...'

I was lost in thought when...

"Aren't you going to answer?"

Damn, he's so rude.

"How about you reveal your identity first?"

He smirked, as if he liked my defiant tone.

"Lee Baekho. You?"

"You can probably guess."

"Wow, it's amazing to meet a celebrity here."

"Celebrity?"

"I heard you fought four of Noark's guys at once? And that you fell from the sky? And that the Blood Spirit Marquis is obsessed with you? Of course you'd be famous."

I couldn't deny it.

The higher you climbed in the labyrinth, the smaller the population became.

On the 7th floor, everyone knew each other, so the appearance of a nameless, faceless powerhouse would naturally attract attention.

"Wait, does that mean the Blood Spirit Marquis is here too?"

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen the mage. They probably didn't run into each other because of the teleportation magic."

I breathed a sigh of relief at their conversation.

It meant Erwen and Amelia were safe.

"So, what's your business?"

I asked as I slowly walked towards the essence. If a fight broke out, I would absorb it immediately.

It would be helpful, even if it wasn't the color I wanted.

"Stop right there."

Lee Baekho spoke in a playful tone.

"Don't touch the essence."

'Essence?'

It was a clue that could help me analyze the situation.

Lee Baekho's target was the Deep Sea Giant's essence.

Normally, that would be the end of my deduction... but my survival instincts, honed by countless battles, wouldn't let me ignore the inconsistency.

'Why would he come all the way here for an essence he could easily obtain on the 9th floor?'

There were two possibilities.

[You cleared the 10x version, right? Maybe you'll be as strong as me in 10 years. I've already reached my limit...]

Unlike what he had said before, maybe he wasn't that strong yet.

Or maybe he couldn't go to the 9th floor.

Thud.

I stopped walking.

I didn't want to provoke him by getting any closer.

But...

"This is my loot."

I couldn't just obey his orders.

I had to assert myself.

I spoke in a slightly aggressive tone, and Lee Baekho raised his hand, as if telling me to calm down.

"Whoa, whoa, why so sensitive? I just stopped because I thought we could make a deal."

"A deal?"

"Yeah, I need that red essence. If you don't need it, how about we trade?"

It was hard to believe.

I couldn't help but ask,

"Why would you want to trade?"

Lee Baekho's attitude was clearly condescending.

But then why was he offering a deal?

There was a much easier way.

"You want me to just kill you and take it?"

Lee Baekho gave an unexpected answer.

"Honestly, I'm pissed that I came all the way here for nothing... but you didn't cheat or anything, and it'd be pathetic to whine about you getting here first."

"...What if I refuse?"

"Well? I'll just come back later."

It was a perfectly reasonable response.

I couldn't help but be speechless, but it wasn't that hard to understand.

His ultimate goal was to return to Earth.

He must have drawn a line somewhere.

Just like I had in the past.

"Fine."

It was surprisingly peaceful.

I had expected a fight, but it seemed like it wouldn't come to that.

The offer itself wasn't bad either.

"What will you give me in exchange for the essence?"

He thought for a moment and then placed an item on the trade window.

"A Deep Sea Giant essence."

"...?"

"I've been farming them lately. I have blue and green..."

What?

I immediately cut him off.

"Green."

Another piece of good news.

At least for now.

______________________

"What, you wanted that?"

"The green one is more expensive. And we can save on the cost of a test tube."

Lee Baekho nodded, as if he understood, and took out a test tube from his subspace pocket.

"But how do I know it's really a Deep Sea Giant essence?"

"If I was going to scam you, I wouldn't have offered a deal."

He glared at me as if he was offended by my suspicion.

"So, are we trading or not?"

"...I'll trust you."

As soon as I agreed, Lee Baekho tossed the test tube towards me.

It was a concept I still couldn't understand, throwing a test tube...

But I caught it.

"Okay, move aside. The old man is scaring me."

I stepped aside, and the Ruin Scholar approached the test tube and inserted the essence.

The deal was done.

'He didn't obtain it for himself. Then he must be planning to give it to a companion.'

I observed them quietly, thinking, and Lee Baekho spoke to me.

"Schuitz, right?"

"Yes."

"You're back to your usual self? Just be comfortable."

"This is comfortable."

"Whatever. I have a question for you."

He got straight to the point.

"Are you Bjorn Yandel?"

This guy really doesn't have a reverse gear.

Thump!

My heart skipped a beat, but I kept my composure.

I just responded with a question, as if I had heard something strange.

"Why would you ask that?"

"A nameless, faceless guy suddenly appears, and the Blood Spirit Marquis calls him 'mister' and follows him around? That's a bit suspicious, don't you think?"

It was a reasonable question.

Even the Round Table members had suspected me for the same reason.

"So, what's your answer?"

He stared at me intently.

I knew what he was doing.

'He's using a lie detector.'

Lee Baekho had a lie detection skill.

'If I stay silent, he'll interpret it however he wants. He might even get aggressive.'

I quickly analyzed the situation.

There were two possible lie detection skills that Lee Baekho could have.

One could distinguish between truth and lies, and the other could only detect lies.

Some might think they were the same...

But they were different.

I had Auril Gabis' gift.

If it was the latter, and the skill didn't react to my answer... he would believe me.

'...I might even be able to figure out what essence he has.'

I didn't hesitate.

"I'm not Bjorn Yandel."

I met his gaze and answered, and he chuckled.

"Really? Too bad."

His tone and expression suggested he didn't doubt my answer at all.

Thanks to that, I could figure out one of the essences he had.

If it was the former, he wouldn't have been so easily convinced.

He would have been suspicious, wondering why his skill didn't react.

'I had a hunch from our previous conversation, but this confirms it.'

This gave me an advantage in our future interactions.

But I wasn't satisfied yet.

"Can I ask you a question too?"

"Sure, give and take."

"..."

"Yeah, you can ask."

I had earned a question.

I hesitated for a moment.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

There were countless questions I wanted to ask.

What was he planning to do with the Stone of Resurrection?

Why was he companions with the Ruin Scholar?

And...

[That woman is one of Lee Baekho's companions now.]

How did Misha become his companion?

Where was she now?

What had he done to her?

"..."

I swallowed all those questions.

If I asked, he would become even more interested in me.

It wasn't the right time.

I didn't even know how he would react if I revealed my true identity.

I didn't know what his plans were.

So...

"Lee Baekho."

I called his name.

And as he smiled, seemingly pleased that I had pronounced it correctly, I asked,

"Since we're talking about Bjorn Yandel..."

"Yeah?"

"Why did you spread the rumor that he's an evil spirit?"

Lee Baekho's smile faded.

"You already knew who I was, didn't you?"

"Of course. You're famous."

"Really? Well, I guess everyone knows by now."

He was briefly surprised, but he didn't seem suspicious.

"So... the Blood Spirit Marquis found out that I was the one who spread the rumor?"

"That's right. So, what's your answer?"

He thought for a moment, tapping his fingers on his waist.

And as he was about to answer...

"They're coming."

The Ruin Scholar, who had finished transferring the essence, spoke up.

Lee Baekho's expression changed.

"Really? Then we should get out of here."

"Do we have to?"

"Yeah, the old man will be pissed. And Meowmeow told me not to mess with her former companions."

"...Okay, let's use the Multiple Teleportation spell."

I felt relieved at their conversation.

But also angry.

'Meowmeow' must have been referring to Misha.

The realization that Misha had become Lee Baekho's companion hit me hard.

But...

"Wait."

I suppressed my emotions and spoke.

"You haven't answered my question yet."

"Ah, right. You asked why I spread the rumor?"

Lee Baekho looked at the Ruin Scholar, and he sighed and nodded.

I felt a strange sense of familiarity from that sigh.

It felt like I had seen it somewhere before...

Swaaaaaaaaaa!

A blue magic circle appeared, centered on the Ruin Scholar.

'What?'

It was so sudden that I couldn't process it.

'Are they ambushing us?'

That possibility flashed through my mind.

"Ah! Come on, old man!"

Lee Baekho shouted in his usual dramatic tone.

"We're in the middle of a conversation, and you activate the teleportation spell? Now I can't answer!"

"..."

"Schuitz, right? Sorry, I'll tell you next time. It's not because I don't want to answer, really. Okay? Okay—"

Flash!

Lee Baekho's voice vanished as a bright light engulfed the room.

I was speechless.

It was so absurd that I couldn't even be angry.

Clench.

Yeah, he was Korean too.

I had been played.

'Wait...'

I quickly came to my senses and smashed the test tube.

「Character's soul has absorbed the [Deep Sea Giant's Essence].」

...Thankfully, the essence was real.

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

Chapter 383: We (2)

"Mister!!"

Erwen appeared in the distance as soon as I finished checking the essence. She was bringing the remaining members with her.

It seemed like they came because I wasn't returning.

But I told them to wait.

"Are you done? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Erwen reached me first and checked my body for injuries, worried.

Amelia was standing a distance away with the mage and the navigator, making sure they couldn't hear our conversation.

But...

'She's really trying her best to keep them alive.'

That's what I felt from Amelia's actions.

Maybe sometimes, ignorance is bliss.

The more they knew about us, the lower their chances of survival.

She was trying to protect them by keeping them in the dark.

And maybe that's why she sent the two of them away earlier.

'Anyway, it seems like they don't even know that Baekho and the Ruin Scholar were here.'

Thankfully, they had followed my orders and waited.

Or maybe it was fortunate they didn't?

If a fight had broken out, having more allies would have been better. With the [Challenger] field effect active, we couldn't escape during battle.

Erwen and Amelia were no longer just companions I had to protect.

They were capable fighters who could hold their own.

"We felt a strong magic wave on the way here. What was that?"

Erwen cautiously asked about the multiple teleportation magic.

I thought for a moment and decided to lie.

"I don't know."

"Really? Well... I heard that special magic waves occur in rifts and such."

As expected, she didn't question me.

She must have thought it was normal in a special field with little information. Or maybe she just trusted me completely.

It made me feel a bit guilty.

But...

'This is better.'

The Ruin Scholar was the one who killed Erwen's sister.

Not just as an accomplice, but directly. If I told her about Lee Baekho, I would have to mention the Ruin Scholar as well...

There was no need to unnecessarily shake her mental state.

'And there's no reason to talk about Lee Baekho if I'm not going to tell her about the Ruin Scholar.'

After a short conversation with Erwen, Amelia approached us with the mage and navigator.

She asked, omitting the subject,

"Schuitz, did you get what you wanted?"

"Yeah, I was lucky."

I decided to explain the details of the trade later.

__________________

After the conversation ended, we resumed our exploration.

We hadn't had time to visit the other areas because we came straight here.

There would be plenty of monsters in the other areas.

Some I hadn't encountered yet, some with valuable essences.

So...

Thud.

I took a step forward.

"I'll go first. Follow me."

The hunting method was the same as before.

I would clear the path, and they would follow behind and collect the magic stones.

But...

'I should test out my new essence.'

I had obtained a new essence, so it was time to experiment.

I still wasn't used to the increased stats.

'It's definitely 3rd-grade. The stat increase is noticeable.'

The Deep Sea Giant's essence had some unique stats, making it even more unfamiliar.

[Deep Sea Giant]

Strength +55, Physical Resistance +35, Natural Regeneration +35, Magic Resistance +35, Darkness Resistance +55, Endurance +40, Adaptability +70

The physical stats were evenly distributed, typical for a 3rd-grade essence, and they were all valuable.

But they weren't particularly rare.

They were good stats, but you could find them in most essences.

'Adaptability' was different.

'In the game, it just reduced the duration of debuffs...'

It felt different in reality.

Of course, that effect was still there...

Thud, thud.

But it felt like the 'Adaptability' stat made it easier to move underwater.

I had always been comfortable moving underwater, but now I barely felt any resistance unless I focused on it.

Well, it wouldn't be this easy if we were in the actual sea, not in this special field that nullified the effects of water.

'Let's check the passive skill.'

I activated [Gigantification] to test the passive skill that I hadn't had time to experiment with.

The Deep Sea Giant's passive only activated when you used a transformation-type ability.

「Character has cast [Gigantification].」

「Character's size increases, and physical stats and threat level increase proportionally to the size.」

[Gigantification] increased my size by 1.77 times and also increased my 'threat level', which helped attract monsters.

「Character has used a transformation-type ability.」

「[Primordial Cell] effect reduces the Soul Power consumption of the skill by half, and the highest stat is increased by 1.5 times.」

And then the [Primordial Cell] effect was added.

My highest stat right now was...

「[Transcendence] effect increases the effect of [Primordial Cell] by 1.5 times.」

「Character's Strength is increased by 2.25 times.」

This was the difference between my current build and the standard Shield Barbarian build.

Since I had the Ogre essence instead of the Steel Giant (4th-grade) essence, my Strength was higher than my Physical Resistance.

'This will make it harder to unlock the 3rd stage of [Evolved Hide].'

Of course, it wasn't a major problem in the long run.

I could just focus on increasing my Physical Resistance after obtaining the Bellarios essence.

「Size increases proportionally to Strength.」

I activated [Transcendence] and used [Gigantification] again.

Swoosh.

I looked down, and the ceiling of the submerged building, which I had to look up at before, was now clearly visible.

'I must be over 6 meters tall.'

I would have to measure it properly when we got back, but that was my rough estimate.

Even though my height had decreased because of the Gachabon essence, I was still much bigger than before.

However, my Strength didn't seem as high as it should have been for my size.

It was because the 2.25x Strength multiplier had been reduced to 1.5x by [Transcendence].

'Well, at least the other stats have increased, so it's not a complete loss...'

The real drawback of using [Transcendence] actively was the increased Soul Power consumption.

75% and 50% were a big difference.

'But with my current MP pool, I can maintain [Gigantification] indefinitely without [Transcendence].'

In [Dungeon and Stone], MP regeneration speed was proportional to your total MP. And I was currently level 7, with a decent amount of Soul Power from various sources, making my MP pool comparable to most ability users.

'I'm finally on track.'

I maintained [Transcendence] to get used to my new height.

Even though we were underwater, the feeling of being 6 meters tall was exhilarating.

'...I wonder how big I'll be if I remove the Gachabon essence.'

It was too early to think about it, but I couldn't help but imagine.

My base height would increase from 185 centimeters to 225 centimeters, and then [Gigantification] would be applied...

I would probably be big enough to wrestle the 3rd-floor boss, Riakis, without looking out of place.

Crack, crack, crack!

I indulged in that fantasy as I swung my hammer.

[Transcendence] could only enhance one skill at a time.

And in my current state, there wasn't much difference between killing the monsters with reflected damage and killing them directly.

「Character has cast [Swing].」

I didn't even bother defending and just focused on swinging my hammer.

「Liumobidic defeated. EXP +6」

The monsters were obliterated by my massive Demon Crusher, enhanced by my increased Strength.

However, I could feel my MP draining rapidly from spamming [Swing].

So...

「Character has cast [Soul Dive].」

I activated a skill.

[Blade Torrent], [Life Spring], and the transformation skill [Giant's Blood]... among the seven active skills of the Deep Sea Giant, this was the one associated with the green essence.

This skill was unique.

It didn't consume MP.

Or rather, it was the opposite.

Breathe in.

As I took a deep breath, an empty feeling filled me.

「Soul Power is regenerated proportionally to the amount consumed.」

It was an MP recovery skill that didn't consume MP.

However, it had a cooldown.

I think it was around 30 minutes in the game.

It might seem insignificant, but it was a great skill.

I could use it in emergencies, and it significantly reduced the time I had to spend resting to recover MP during hunts.

'And most importantly, it counters that bastard...'

Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.

And his Dragon Speech, Soul Silence.

This skill countered it.

Even when my Soul Power was drained, I could recover with a single skill.

'Then I'm more than prepared.'

I grinned as I smashed the sea monsters that were swarming towards me.

I remembered the vow I had made.

[Can we win?]

The day I felt a deep sense of loss for the first time after waking up in this body.

I had swallowed my helplessness and made a promise.

I would survive.

And when the time came... when I no longer needed luck...

[We'll meet again, Dragonkin.]

I would find him.

Crack!

That time had finally come.

__________________

Five days after entering Atlante.

I had finished hunting all the monsters that only appeared in this area. But I continued hunting.

There were still other islands to explore...

'But the magic stone income is amazing.'

This was a special field, after all.

Special fields were usually difficult, but they also offered high rewards. And for me, hunting here was actually easier than on the 5th floor.

'Well, I wouldn't come back here just for the magic stones...'

Anyway, I continued my high-speed hunting spree, and I even managed to obtain a 4th-grade essence, filling one of my two test tubes.

'It would have been better if it was a Deep Sea Giant essence.'

One 4th-grade essence was a decent reward, but I was still a bit disappointed. It wasn't like there was only one Deep Sea Giant in Atlante.

I had encountered them several times while exploring the area, but none of them dropped an essence.

Well, it was to be expected.

Unlike the one we had encountered in the whirlpool-filled temple, the field monsters didn't have a drop rate bonus.

"Schuitz."

I was lost in thought when Amelia approached me and sat down.

She clearly had something to say.

But it wasn't to suggest a break...

"The labyrinth closes tomorrow."

Ah, she was reminding me of the schedule.

A typical Amelia-style curt statement, but I could read between the lines.

She glanced at the sleeping navigator and mage.

"What are we going to do?"

It was a much more direct question than before.

She must have been frustrated by my silence.

"We'll kill the mage."

That decision was easy.

I hadn't planned on keeping him alive anyway.

Mages were troublesome.

They were arrogant, proud, and held grudges.

And most importantly...

"It would be difficult to control him once we're back in the city."

"I see. Okay. Then what about the other one?"

Amelia glanced at the navigator, and I immediately stood up.

And...

Whoosh!

I stood over the sleeping mage, raising my hammer.

It was a familiar scene.

I had experienced it once before, when I woke up to find Hans A standing over me with a weapon.

But I was different from him.

I wouldn't fail.

Crack!

The mage didn't even have time to scream before his skull was crushed.

"Gasp!"

The navigator woke up, startled by the sound.

And...

"I-I'll keep my mouth shut! I'll quit being an explorer, too!"

He immediately prostrated himself, his head bowed.

It was a bold move, considering the blood-stained hammer in my hand.

'...It's a shame to kill him.'

I looked at Amelia.

She didn't say anything, but I could see the greed in her eyes.

So...

"Amelia."

"What is it?"

"Can you keep an eye on him in the city?"

"Don't worry about that."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I've already poisoned his meals and only given him enough antidote for one day."

It was a terrifyingly calm statement.

Meanwhile, the navigator, oblivious to his fate, flinched.

"Eek...!"

I thought for a moment and then made my decision.

"Nguyen Lokrob, right?"

"...Yes!"

"Listen to her. Do you understand?"

"Yes! Of course!"

We had gained a veteran navigator (unpaid).


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

Chapter 384: We (3)

「The labyrinth is closed.」

「Character is being transferred to Lafdonia.」

The sunlight of the city after almost two months.

Having spent the last few days in the dark depths of Atlante, the light felt even brighter.

'Humans need sunlight.'

I briefly looked up at the gloomy sky of the city and then headed towards the checkpoint.

"You're here!"

Erwen was already there, waving at me.

We joined the line, and Amelia arrived soon after.

"You're late."

"It took longer than expected."

She answered, glancing at the navigator standing awkwardly next to her.

"So he really did wait at the 7th District plaza?"

"He doesn't lie."

It was a bit absurd to be so sure after just a few days...

But I didn't say anything.

"...But was there any trouble?"

"None. He waited patiently for me."

Amelia sounded proud.

Was she really that happy that he had followed her orders?

The navigator, Auyen Lokrob, seemed to be having a delayed realization...

"Hehe..."

He forced a smile as soon as our eyes met.

It was a bit pitiful...

But then again, he was one of the ones who attacked us first, so it was his own fault.

"It's our turn."

We reached the front of the line, exchanged all the magic stones we had gathered for money, and then passed through the checkpoint.

And then we entered the crowded streets.

We changed our formation here.

Amelia was at the back, with the navigator right in front of her.

"Haha... I-I won't run away..."

"You might get lost."

"I've lived in the 7th District for 20 years..."

The navigator mumbled, but he didn't stray from the formation until we reached the house.

And...

"This... is it...?"

The three-story detached house.

The navigator gasped as we entered the garden.

But he seemed to sense something was off.

"But... why are the windows all..."

He trailed off, staring at the boarded-up windows.

"Don't worry about it. It's for security."

"Ah, yes..."

He didn't say anything more, but his eyes were filled with curiosity and fear.

What kind of people live in a house like this?

'It seems like he already knows who Erwen is...'

I would have to confirm it later.

We entered the house, and after a brief discussion, we decided to give the navigator one of the spare rooms.

It was in the basement.

"...The basement? Did we have a basement?"

I looked at Erwen, and she blushed.

"I specifically looked for a house with a basement. Just in case..."

Hmm, is that so?

I had heard that rich people have panic rooms...

Creak, creak, creak.

I watched as Erwen removed the carpet and activated a hidden mechanism, revealing a staircase.

We descended the stairs, and a spacious room, designed as a storage area, appeared.

It was completely empty, and at the far end, there was a thick iron door with a lock.

Click.

Erwen unlocked the door, revealing a room with a large bed.

There were even shackles on the wall.

"This... isn't this a prison...?"

The navigator's face turned pale.

I felt the same way.

I had goosebumps as soon as I saw the basement.

Well, it wasn't my problem anymore.

"...A prison? It's a normal room."

"..."

"Look, there's even a bathroom and a shower. You can use it all you want, no one else will."

"..."

"Ahem, then I'll go upstairs. I'm suddenly feeling a bit sick..."

Why is my heart racing?

I don't have claustrophobia.

I quickly pushed the navigator into the room and closed the door, and Erwen immediately locked it.

Click.

"Wait! Wait a minute!"

The navigator pounded on the door, but we ignored him.

"I'll keep the key."

"Okay."

Amelia took the key, and that was the end of the navigator's housing issue.

She would take care of his meals and everything.

'I've been meaning to ask this...'

"Amelia, is there really such a poison? You said he'll die if he doesn't take the antidote every day. I've never heard of it."

It sounded like something out of a martial arts novel.

It was a classic cliche, the evil sect using poison to control their subordinates.

If it was real, it would be useful in various situations...

"Schuitz, you're so naive."

"...Huh?"

"There's no such poison. Thankfully, he doesn't know much about poisons."

"Ah..."

So it was a bluff.

I had a hunch, but I had to confirm...

"What?!"

Erwen suddenly flinched.

"That poison... it's not real...?"

She sounded disappointed.

I asked her if she needed it for something, but she avoided my gaze.

"J-just in case..."

Just in case what?

I wanted to ask, but I knew she wouldn't give me a straight answer, so I let it go.

__________________

We all rested in our rooms on the first day back from the labyrinth. And then, from the next day onwards, we were busy.

We had a lot of loot to process.

"Erwen, you should come too."

"What? Me? You can handle it—"

"You won't even do that much for Schuitz?"

"...That's not what I meant."

From the second day, Erwen and Amelia were constantly out, exchanging the loot for money. I spent most of my time guarding the house.

"I've prepared your meals in the basement. Make sure to eat on time."

That was my daily routine, except for visiting the basement three times a day to deliver meals.

But on the third day, we had a visitor.

"Raven."

"I was going to come yesterday, but I was busy. Can I come in?"

"Of course."

She entered the house and looked around.

"Where are the others?"

"They're out, selling the loot."

"Hmm..."

She mumbled, a strange look in her eyes.

I asked her if something was wrong, and she shook her head.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking... they're doing the work I used to do."

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't have anyone else to ask."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault. And besides, it's not something you should apologize for."

"Thank you for saying that."

I led her to the living room, and we sat down facing each other.

We talked about our recent experiences.

"How was it?"

"It went well. You?"

"It's the same here. This war isn't ending anytime soon."

"I see."

"..."

It felt different from when we were companions.

There was a distance between us.

We hadn't seen each other for almost two months.

Thump, thump, thump!

A tremor came from the basement.

"What was that sound?"

"Ah, we had some plumbing work done recently. Don't worry about it."

I lied to her about the reason for the noise. I couldn't tell her we were holding someone captive.

Thankfully, Raven didn't seem suspicious.

We continued our conversation, and she told me about the recent events in the war.

But the most important information came at the end.

"Oh, and about what you asked... you know, about the integration proposal."

"You found out who brought it up?"

"Yes. It was Viscountess Peprok."

"Peprok...?"

What?

I couldn't help but be surprised.

It was a familiar name.

Ragna Ritanyel Peprok.

Maybe it was just a coincidence... but I couldn't shake off the feeling.

I had checked before, and there was no noble family named Peprok in Lafdonia.

"Raven, what's the viscountess's full name?"

"Ragna Peprok. That's what I heard."

"...What?"

It was really her?

She was missing a middle name, but...

"...Do you know her?"

"Maybe. Can you tell me more about the Peprok family?"

"They're a minor noble family. They lost their title a while ago, but they were reinstated last year."

What? Then it made sense that I couldn't find them when I checked before.

They had been reinstated after I left for the past.

Could it really be Ragna?

I was lost in thought when...

"I looked into it because it didn't make sense. How could a minor noble family regain their title and rise to a position where they could participate in the royal council meeting in such a short time?"

Raven continued, her voice lowering.

"The answer was simple. They had a backer."

"Who?"

"The Prime Minister of Lafdonia, Marquis Terserion."

"...What?"

My head spun.

Forget about the Viscountess being Ragna, if Raven's information was correct, it meant that the Viscountess was part of the Prime Minister's faction.

"Then... the Prime Minister must be the one who proposed the integration..."

I mumbled, and Raven shook her head slightly.

"No, it's not that simple. He actually strongly opposed the proposal, calling it absurd. The other nobles were surprised and quickly dropped the topic."

"Maybe it was just a performance."

"Performance...?"

"A staged act. He showed his anger to prevent the other nobles from even considering it."

"Ah..."

Raven looked at me, surprised.

"You seem knowledgeable about politics...?"

"Not really. I'm just interested in people."

Of course, it was just speculation.

I didn't have enough information.

"Raven, can you look into Viscountess Peprok?"

"I will. I'm curious too."

"Thank you."

"I'll be going then."

"Okay, be careful."

That was the end of our conversation.

And a week later.

One sunny afternoon, while Erwen and Amelia were out in the commercial district exchanging the loot for money...

Boom!

Knights bearing the royal family's emblem stormed into the house, smashing the front door.

"Lihen Schuitz, you are under arrest for colluding with Noark."

Well, it was bound to happen.

Trial

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

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