Surviving game as a barbarian Episode 549

The Secret Chamber (2)

A giant hamster that speaks human language.

Even in this fantasy world filled with magic and various monsters, this was a rare sight.

Because monsters don’t usually talk.

There are some that do talk, but most of them just repeat their scripted lines.

And in that context—

[Let me go! I said let me go, you crazy traitors!]

……What is this guy?

I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes.

And with good reason—the monster is speaking in Ancient Language.

But is this really a coincidence?

Just as my suspicions were deepening—

“Jandel, is something wrong?”

“Is there a problem?”

Huh? What’s with their reactions?

Feeling something off, I voiced my question.

“Don’t tell me you guys can’t hear what this thing is saying?”

“…Huh? What do you mean?”

“I didn’t hear any words. Just unpleasant screeching.”

“Ah, me too!”

Hmm, what’s going on here?

As I stared down at the increasingly suspicious hamster, he stopped struggling and looked up at me.

[“You…! You can understand me, can’t you?”]

Looks like he can understand me as well.

I didn’t see any reason to answer.

So instead, I tightened my grip until the hamster couldn’t squirm, then tried speaking in Ancient Tongue.

“You.”

[Ugh…! Let me go…! You barbaric fool… do you even know who I am…!]

No matter how fiercely he spoke, I had no idea who he was.

Right, so…

“What’s your relationship with the Village Chief?”

I got right to the point.

I needed to confirm first whether this guy was a spy sent by the chief.

[…]

But the creature looked totally confused, so I dropped the village chief’s other name.

“Cornelius Brungrid. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard that name? He’s a monster who speaks Ancient Tongue, just like you.”

If he said he didn’t know, I was planning to call in a professional for interrogation.

[You insolent fool! I am no monster…!]

“Enough. Just answer the question.”

I tightened and loosened my grip once, and he opened his mouth in a panic.

[I-I don’t know! I don’t know! So stop squeezing! I’m gonna… I’m gonna throw up…!]

“You don’t know? What a shame. Then I’ll just have to find out myself.”

[F-Find out…?]

You’ll figure it out soon enough.

I called over Amelia, and she drew her dagger, checking its sharpness.

Perhaps he realized what was coming.

[W-Wait!]

“Remembered something?”

[“A-a monster that speaks Ancient Tongue—there’s only one it could be! The guy who rides a dragon”]

…Rides a dragon?

Well, the Village Chief’s title in his human days was “Dragon Knight,” but…

“Emily, hold on a second.”

I motioned Amelia to stand down and continued the conversation.

[I-I don’t know much…! But he came here once. A monster with blue skin and big eyes! He had tons of underlings, and he spoke Ancient Language too!]

It definitely sounded like the Village Chief.

Blue skin, massive round eyes—there couldn’t be another race with those traits that also spoke the Ancient Language.

‘That bastard Village Chief lied to me again.’

He said he could never leave this place, that he knew nothing of the outside world. It was all blatant bullshit.

“When did they come?”

[It’s been so long that it’s pointless to count.]

“I’ll decide what’s pointless. Give me a number.”

[I-I don’t know exactly! But the sky has opened tens of thousands of times since that monster last visited…!]

The sky opened.

Probably refers to the rainy season. Which explains why counting felt meaningless to him.

‘If the wet season happened 10,000 times… that’s about 833 years in outside-world time.’

But he said it’s been tens of thousands of times?

That means the village chief visited thousands of years ago.

Enough maths.

“What do you mean he rode a dragon?”

[Exactly that! Every time he came here, he brought that huge dragon loaded with his followers!]

[He used to come often. But at some point, he stopped…]

“What did the Village Chief do here back then?”

[The same thing you’re doing! Tearing out the books I worked so hard to organize and making a mess! Seriously—!]

“Wait, you organized the books?”

[…Yeah?]

What the heck is this guy?

So far, nothing he’s said sounds like a lie.

Honestly, at this point, my suspicion that he was the Village Chief’s spy had faded—replaced by pure curiosity about his true nature.

“Why do you organize the books?”

Motive matters most when you’re trying to understand someone.

But the answer that came back was very vague.

[“B-because… it’s what I’m supposed to do.”]

“What?”

[“Organizing the books… That’s my job. It’s been that way since I was born!”]

“So you exist to shelve books?”

[I-It’s not that grand, but… yeah, it’s what I have to do.]

It didn’t seem like it was hiding anything.

I kept pushing, but his answer didn’t change.

[Ugh! You idiot! Does everything need a reason?! It’s just how it is! That’s all! I have to organize the books!]

I mean, why do you have to organise?

When I asked again, the hamster looked confused, as if he had never thought about it before, and finally exploded in anger.

‘It really seems like he doesn’t even understand his own actions.’

No point interrogating him further.

Time for the next step.

“So, is there anything else here?”

[…?]

“You know, like special books, treasures, strange monsters, hidden spaces… Or something you want to hide from outsiders.”

[…]

“Nothing?”

My gentle prod made the hamster shriek,

[N-No! There’s nothing!!!]

A strong denial can sometimes be a strong affirmation.

“As I thought…”

[…!!!]

“There is something, isn’t there?”

I couldn’t help but start salivating.

***
I asked the same question again.

[I-I said there’s nothing!]

The hamster, like a parrot, kept denying.

And…

“Come on, just show me. I won’t take it.”

Me, ignoring him like a barbarian.

[H-How many times do I have to say it?! There’s nothing like that here!]

“Who said I’d steal it? I just wanna look. Stop being so annoying.”

[…]

Ugh, why is he so distrustful?

Clearly, reasoning wasn’t working.

So…

“Hey.”

I lowered my voice. The hamster flinched and looked up warily.

[…?]

“Do I look like your buddy? You not getting the situation here?”

[N-No, it’s not that… I just… there’s really nothing…]

“Then tell me something else.”

[S-Something else…?]

“Yeah, like—how do we get out of here?”

[…I don’t know.]

“The Village Chief’s weakness? Any secrets?”

[…]

“Then what do you expect me to do? I need something to justify letting you go. Or should I check if you drop an essence?”

[…]

Huh, look at him clamming up.

Must be something he really wants to protect.

Since intimidation wasn’t working, I changed tactics.

“Hey, then tell me about yourself.”

[…?]

“What are you? Why are you here? Where did you learn to speak?”

[Oh, that…]

Maybe this topic was easier. The hamster answered my questions quite willingly.

Well, not that the answers were substantial.

“So you’ve been here since birth and have always been able to talk?”

[Y-Yeah… That ‘Village Chief’ guy was the first unfamiliar lifeform I ever saw.]

“Does the Village Chief know about you?”

[Probably not. I tried talking to him since he could understand me, but… that idiot couldn’t comprehend my words.]

“Like how the others couldn’t hear you?”

[Speaking of which, what are you?! How can you understand me, and why aren’t you scared?!]

Why’s he suddenly acting cocky again?

“You’re the one who should explain, not me.”

[ … ]

“Whatever. Just answer this—what do you mean, people are scared of you? Do you have some kind of ability?”

[…I don’t know. It’s just how it’s always been. That ‘Village Chief’ guy immediately drew his weapon when he saw me. You guys weren’t much different… So I tried scaring you off, but…]

“Now you’re caught.”

[…]

“But why am I fine? To me, you just look like a regular rodent.”

[A r-rodent?! I’m not one of those!!]

“Then what are you? Do you have a species name?”

[W-Well… no, but…]

“Then do you have a name?”

[…I don’t need something like a name.]

“That’s what happens when you never go outside. Names exist for everyone’s convenience. Fine, I’ll give you one.”

[……You’re going to give me one?]

“Yeah.”

Having lived alone in this library for thousands of years without even a name, the little guy seemed pitiable. So, after some thought, I gave him a name.

“Hamsiki.”

[…?]

“Hamsiki. That’s your name now.”

[…]

“What? You don’t like it?”

[N-No… It’s fine…]

“I’m Bjorn, son of Jandel. Jandel is my family name, Bjorn is my given name. Just call me Bjorn.”

[B-Bjorn… Got it.]

Okay, now that introductions are done…

Time to resume our conversation.

[So… are we friends now…?]

Hamsiki asked out of the blue.

His voice was cautious, with a hint of nervousness.

I tilted my head, and Hamsiki averted his gaze and muttered.

[But… I heard that people who call each other by name are considered friends… That’s what I learned…]

“Where’d you learn that?”

[I don’t know. I’ve just known it since birth. Like my language.]

“Really?”

He is full of mysteries, but…

‘I think I know how to handle him.’

I released Hamsiki and helped him up.

Then, facing him, I extended my hand.

“Hamsiki, let’s get along.”

[…?]

“What, you don’t know handshakes? Friends do this. Don’t tell me you don’t know how to shake hands.”

[N-No! Of course I do!]

Hamsiki stretched his fluffy paw forward and spoke shyly.

[N-Nice to meet you…?]

Just how badly did he want to be friends?

No idea, but now that our friendship contract is sealed.

“Now, tell me. Where is it? The treasure you’re hiding?”

[…!]

Time to collect the friendship fee.

***
Hamsiki looked at me with betrayal in his eyes and backed away.

Tch, friends shouldn’t be like this.

“Hamsiki, let me remind you—friends don’t keep secrets.”

[B-But…]

“Do you not consider me a friend?”

[Eeep…!]

At my question, he let out a distressed squeak.

I didn’t say anything more and waited.

After a while…

[F-Fine… I’ll show you… B-But don’t touch anything! Got it?!]

“Of course.”

Maybe my answer brought him some peace of mind.

Because next, Hamsiki raised a finger like a pop star and struck a pose.

And in that moment—

Shwoooosh

Books on the shelves began to slide out one by one, partially pulled from their slots.

‘So it’s a mechanism where pulling the right books reveals a hidden space?’

As I watched blankly, lost in thought, the books finally stopped moving.

And then—

Rrrrrrrrrumble—!

A stone door that had been sealed shut slowly opened, revealing a hidden chamber.

 

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