Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 311

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Round Table (5)

“Regal Vagos…?”

“I encountered him once before. He was quite the explorer with extremely useful skills.”

“An explorer who betrayed his tribe… now this is getting interesting.”

After I finished speaking, the Orcules Leader and Kagureas exchanged a few brief words.

It was enough to make me feel something ominous.

Getting interested, huh?

Hearing such words from the leader of Orcules left me with an indescribable sense of unease.

But I took my gaze off them.

And I focused on one place.

“……”

A woman in a dazzling dress, Ravi.

Her lips, which had looked at me so aggressively before, were now slightly parted.

Her eyes were filled only with shock.

“H-how did you…?”

The fact that she was even stuttering showed how much she was taken aback.

But there was no room for sympathy here.

This is a world of cold-blooded competition.

Those who miss opportunities cannot become predators.

Therefore…

“N-no way. Fewer than ten people in the world know this story…”

I smirked as I looked at the confused Ravi.

And like someone dealing with a naive child who has only seen the good side of the world, I said:

“You’re naive.”

She may be older than me, but who cares?

After all, she knows nothing about me.

“……”

Ravi’s reaction was immediate.

Her lips clamped shut.

Her face flushed with anger at being treated like a novice, her eyes fixed on me.

And in those eyes, a deep-seated question.

“Who…?”

Ravi finally voiced her question.

“Who on earth are you?”

Whether it was my name, status, or anything else—she asked such a broad question as if any clue about my identity would suffice.

“……”

The other members also watched the situation with interest, not interrupting the conversation.

They were probably just as curious as Ravi about who I was, although they were too proud to ask.

Ravi’s question was likely scratching their itch.

But…

‘Okay, this atmosphere is perfect.’

I already knew what I was going to say.

It might seem cliché, but clichés have been working well so far.

I started speaking leisurely.

“Well, it’s not like I can’t tell you.”

I could see their focus sharpen immediately.

Really? Is he really going to say something?

Their faces were full of anticipation.

I slowly looked at each of their eager faces, then continued.

“If you’re worthy.”

“Hah…”

As my words echoed around the table, the Orcules Leader sighed in response.

“So you’re saying we need to prove ourselves to hear your name? That we have to be worthy to associate with you?”

The muscular middle-aged man, Kagureas, asked confidently.

And I didn’t remain silent.

“Fortunately, you’ve understood correctly.”

In fact, I affirmed his words.

These days, it’s all about self-promotion, right?

There’s no need to be humble when there’s nothing to gain from it.

“Where on earth did such a person come from…”

The Ruin Scholar burst into laughter at my arrogant words.

Come to think of it, it was the first time I’d seen him laugh.

He had spent most of the time sipping tea as if he were bored.

‘I guess I’ve successfully grabbed their attention—’

As I was smiling under my mask, satisfied with the outcome, I suddenly felt a gaze from beside me.

It was Auril Gavis.

‘Man, that’s intense.’

He was staring at me blankly again.

And once more, I could see the question in his eyes.

‘Who the hell is this guy?’

***

Although there was a brief incident, the meeting continued under the guidance of Auril Gavis.

“Three months ago, the king’s envoy visited the Lord of Noark. Unfortunately, because of strict secrecy, it’s unknown what was discussed between them.”

The Orcules leader, who had the final turn in this round, shared this information and received the green light.

“Hmm! Fascinating. It seems this is the first time the royal family has engaged in direct interaction.”

“Perhaps that’s why…”

Unlike the Ruin Scholar, who murmured something cryptic, the information wasn’t that significant to me.

What would I gain from knowing about political matters from 20 years ago?

There was only one thing I could glean from this information.

Everyone who mattered, including the royal family, was aware of the existence of the underground city.

“Now, the next turn…”

After one round ended, Auril Gavis glanced at me.

Then, with a look of regret, he clicked his tongue.

“We’ll have to go again without this friend. Does anyone want to go first?”

Kagureas raised his hand.

“I’ll go first.”

“Oh, will you?”

“I think I’d feel better if I went first. Plus, there’s something I want to say.”

“Then go ahead.”

The second round began as the muscular middle-aged Kagureas shared his information.

“I’ve acquired another Creation Relic.”

For such a shocking piece of information, he said it rather casually while scratching his cheek.

For a moment, my mind went blank.

This was an item that, 20 years later, would have vanished without a trace, with no one knowing its whereabouts.

But now, he says he’s obtained ‘another one’?

‘So, he already had at least one, to begin with?’

I nearly gasped in disbelief but managed to hold it back.

But was I the only one shocked?

“What? Is that true?”

The Ruin Scholar sprang to his feet.

Ravi was equally astonished.

“W-which clan’s Creation Relic is it?”

“That I can’t tell.”

“Then at least tell us how you obtained it…”

“Even if I told you how… all I can say is I got lucky.”

“How can you say it was just luck that got you such an item…”

“Oh, don’t be so harsh. Strictly speaking, it’s more like I’ve earned the right to borrow it once when needed.”

Wow, this guy is truly incredible.

It was only then that I realized I had entered the world of the true veterans.

In the game, obtaining one Creation Relic was doable. Just clear the main character’s tribe episode and become the chief.

But the real challenge was obtaining a second Creation Relic.

You either clear another tribe’s episode and obtain the ‘right to use it,’ or make a companion character the ‘chief.’

And that means…

‘Does that mean it’s actually possible to clear?’

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I glanced at Auril Gavis.

His expression remained unchanged.

Which meant he was already aware of this level of progress.

But why did this old man call them ‘failures’ despite such accomplishments?

“Anyway, I’m sharing this information for one reason. As the Master said, we’ve spent a long time together, but we’ve never really opened up to each other. But now, things need to change.”

Kagureas continued as I pondered.

“So, I’ve acquired two. Since the Ancient Dragon is dead, if Lady Ravi works hard, she might be able to get another one.”

“Why are you bringing this up now?”

Ravi scolded Kagureas with a sharp voice, glancing at me nervously.

But I’d already heard all the information I needed.

‘So, she’s from the Dragon-tribe, huh?’

“Oh, I apologize. I didn’t think it through.”

Kagureas apologized like a man, then continued to speak.

“Three remain. And I think if we genuinely pool our efforts, we can manage to obtain them. What do you all think?”

Though he seemed to be addressing everyone, Kagureas’s gaze was fixed on the Orcules Leader.

‘Ah, come to think of it, these two were fighting last time.’

In a way, it could be seen as an attempt at reconciliation.

So, what would the Orcules Leader’s response be?

“……”

His answer was silence.

Kagureas opened his mouth to persuade him.

“I know you harbor a grudge against the king. But think rationally. Isn’t this a bond we’ve built in this world? Think of the family you left behind in the original world—”

“Enough.”

The Orcules Leader cut him off with a firm voice.

And as if Kagureas had touched a nerve, he began to emit a killing intent.

Kagureas, too, wiped the smile off his face.

“So you are trash after all. I thought at least our goals were the same.”

“……”

“You say the royal family is the endgame? If you wanted to return, you should’ve been helping us. Instead, you’re just using us as disposable tools to kill the king, aren’t you?”

“Kagureas, stop it…”

“But Ravi, you just heard him too. He has no intention of going back.”

“That’s not true. If that were the case, why would he keep showing up here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He thinks he can use us to kill the king. He’s just planning to throw us away afterward, isn’t he?”

Kagureas asked aggressively, and the Orcules Leader responded with a cold smile.

“You’ve hidden your true intentions as well, haven’t you?”

“What?”

“You said you believed that Lord Ruinzenes could complete the dimensional magic, but you were actually gathering the Creation Relics.”

“…What’s wrong with that? It’s only natural to have multiple options.”

“But, when I tried to persuade Lord Ruinzenes, you opposed me for a different reason, didn’t you? If your goal is to gather all the Creation Relics, then clashing with the royal family is inevitable, yet you hindered me at every turn.”

“Ah, you mean that.”

Kagureas spoke boldly, as if he never intended to hide anything.

“I have a good intuition, you see. I had a strong feeling that you were a piece of trash who just talks big.”

“……”

The Orcules leader didn’t respond further.

He simply locked eyes with Kagureas, emitting an even more intense killing intent.

I couldn’t help but be amazed.

‘…The level of their killing intent is on another level.’

It was a world of difference from the members of the Round Table I knew 20 years later.

Even though that killing intent wasn’t directed at me, my skin tingled and my breathing felt heavy.

As the tension continued to build…

“Haha, it seems everyone’s heads have gotten a bit heated.”

Auril Gavis, who had been watching quietly, finally stepped in to mediate.

And then…

“It would be best to stop for today.”

He made an unexpected suggestion.

“Let’s all go back and rest. We’ll continue next time.”

…What?

Wait, you’re ending it here?

We haven’t even properly started yet?

If you’re going to end it, at least finish the round. I had planned everything out.

“No—”

I was about to protest when suddenly—

A flash—!

Like a flickering light, my vision blinked.

And when I opened my eyes again…

“…Did it really only take that long?”

I saw Amelia’s familiar face.

Ah, I’ve really been kicked out.

***

“How much time has passed?”

“About three seconds since you closed your eyes.”

Three seconds…

No wonder Amelia was looking at me with that peculiar expression.

For her, it must have seemed like just a moment.

She probably couldn’t even imagine what had happened inside.

“Here.”

When I reached out to the side table for a drink, Amelia handed me a glass of water instead.

What’s this?

“Ah, um… thanks.”

As I awkwardly expressed my gratitude, Amelia also turned away uncomfortably.

“So, what happened there?”

“Ah, that…”

Where do I even begin?

I had experienced so much that I decided to tell her everything from the start, thinking she might notice something I’d missed…

“Wait, Auril Gavis apologized? To such a ridiculous demand?”

“And?”

“…Nothing, continue.”

As I recounted the story that began with my power struggle with Auril Gavis and led to the Round Table, Amelia’s gaze grew increasingly meaningful.

It was a look I had seen many times at the Round Table.

“What were you doing in your original world?”