Surviving game as a barbarian Episode 574

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Today’s roundtable proceeded differently than usual.

A truth-or-dare-style game: If someone asked a question, the others had to answer honestly.

“Pssit… As if I’d waste such a precious opportunity like that.”

Honestly, I was a little curious too.

What would the roundtable members most want to ask the “Lion”?

Well, I’d find out soon enough.

“Then… I’ll go first…?”

In the oddly quiet atmosphere, Fox was the first to speak up.

“Do you… really know who we are?”

At first, the question seemed unexpected, but thinking about it, it made sense.

After all, I was the one who revealed the Clown’s identity at the Round Table, and I’d also bluffed that I knew the Queen’s identity too.

But in truth, all I knew were their nicknames.

“Sigh…….”

The Clown, who had also heard the Fox’s question, suddenly let out a deep sigh.

“Do you even realize how invaluable this opportunity is? Wasting it on such an obvious question!”

The Clown seemed to take it as a given—no, as an absolute truth—that I knew who they were.

Annoyed by his tone, Fox snapped back.

“And how would you know whether it’s obvious or not?”

“…Pfft?”

“It’s my choice to ask whatever I want. Stop interfering like this. It’s annoying.”

Her voice turned cold and sharp.

Now that I think about it, this was Fox’s true personality.

When I first joined the roundtable, she had been the first to glare at me with killing intent.

Well, back then, there had been a reason for it.

‘Ah, those were the days…’

Anyway, that was all in the past.

In the end, Fox joined Clan Anabada and became my comrade.

Of course, Fox didn’t know that yet.

“…Why are you getting so angry? It was just a joke.”

The Clown tried to smooth things over, caught off guard by her anger.

But Fox ignored him completely.

In the midst of this tension—

“Ahaha… Then, it’s my turn now!”

Wolf, uninterested in their bickering, spoke up.

“I’d like to know where and how you met the Witch of the Earth.”

The Witch of the Earth…

That was a little unexpected. I’d assumed Wolf would ask something related to Auril Gavis again.

Tap. Tap.

Out of habit, I drummed my fingers on the armrest and shifted my gaze from Wolf to the next person in line.

A gesture to move on to the next question.

Goblin met my eyes and hesitated before speaking cautiously.

“Um… I’m not sure how to ask this, but…”

“Pssst! Don’t you know Mr. Lion’s personality? Stop being so hesitant and just—”

“Are you married… or currently dating multiple women……?”

The moment Goblin finished the question, an indescribable silence fell over the roundtable.

“…Huh?”

The Clown made a dumbfounded noise, as if doubting his own ears.
The others were similarly stunned.

Everyone went blank for a second, and then finally understood the question.

Their reactions varied.

“What kind of bizarre question is that…”

“…Goblin, are you stupid?”

“…Pssit! Hahaha! Hahahahaha!!”

Some were disgusted, others insulted him, and a few burst out laughing.

Some even speculated on why Goblin might’ve asked such a thing.

“Are you bringing this up because of that conversation we had about our masks being tied to who we are?”

Fox muttered.

The Clown snorted dismissively.

“Ha! That ridiculous theory? That Mr. Lion chose the mask because he’s popular with women!”

It was the first I’d heard of this.

Apparently, it was a private conversation I hadn’t been a part of.

“Popular with women…? What does that even mean?”

Queen seemed unaware, too, suggesting that it was from the early days of the roundtable.

Since the Queen didn’t know either, I could only assume it was from the time when the original members were present.

“If you’re curious, why don’t you use your turn to ask him directly? Psssit.”

“No thanks. I get the gist. So, it’s my turn now, right?”

The Queen smoothly deflected the Clown’s bait and started her turn.

“My question is simple. Have you ever met the New World King in person?”

A weighty question.

Her question immediately raised all the red flags in my mind.

She must have countless questions about me—yet she picked this one. There had to be a reason.

“Why this? What is she trying to find out?”

Meeting with the King…

This topic had come up twice before in the roundtable.

Queen and Wolf had both admitted to meeting the King in person.

‘Is meeting the King that important?’

Hmm, it feels like there’s more to it.

Or maybe she’s trying to deduce my identity based on who’s met the King.

“Hmm… Now it’s my turn, right?”

While I was organizing my thoughts, Butterfly’s turn came.

“What should I ask…?”

With a playful tone, Butterfly trailed off before making an unexpected decision.

“I’ll just pass.”

“Huh? Butterfly, don’t you realize how valuable this opportunity is? Mr. Lion is a mysterious figure who knows everything and can answer anything!”

The Clown was shocked, but Butterfly remained firm.

“But… even if I ask, I doubt Mr. Lion would answer my question anyway.”

“Huh? What makes you say that without even trying—?”

“Intuition. And experience.”

“…?”

“Men usually don’t like women who put them in awkward positions.”

Though she was answering the Clown, it was clear that her words were directed at me.

‘In other words, she’s saying her question would undoubtedly put me in a difficult spot…’

Anyway, with Butterfly skipping her turn, it was now Black Mask’s turn.

What would she ask?

Honestly, I had little interaction with her, so I wasn’t sure. Maybe she’d skip like Butterfly—

“Bjorn Jandel.”

…Huh?

Why bring up that name?

I was startled but kept my composure and listened closely.

“Bjorn Jandel and… Misha Karlstein…”

What? Did she know about the “Stone of Resurrection” incident too?

Just as that thought crossed my mind—

“…Were the two of them really in a relationship, as the rumors say?”

Black Mask’s question left me stunned.

‘What the hell…?’

First of all, why ask me that?

Do they know I’m Bjorn Jandel?

Even if she did, why ask that?

What’s the point?

“Sigh… All these questions are just garbage.”

Annoyed that even Black Mask had “wasted” her question, Clown let out a sigh.

Like his would be any better.

“Whatever, since everyone’s done, I’ll go now.”

Whatever he asks, I’m definitely not answering.

As I steeled myself, the Clown looked at me and spoke cautiously.

“Then… here I go Mr. Lion.”

Uncharacteristically tense, his voice trembled slightly.

“If… just if…….”

He swallowed hard before finally asking.

“If I were to abandon everything and ask to serve under you… would you accept me?”

What the hell is wrong with this guy?

***

The Clown’s declaration that he wanted to become my subordinate brought a strange silence to the Round Table.

“Of all the questions to ask…”

“You made such a fuss over us, only to ask something like that?”

“What a waste. He could’ve just talked to Mr. Lion privately afterward…”

Given his past antics, the members weren’t kind in their reactions.

Of course, Clown paid them no mind.

“So… would you answer?”

No laughter. No sarcasm. A sincere question.

A deadly serious question, without a hint of his usual mocking laughter.

Like some finale to a reality dating show.

“Surprised” didn’t even begin to describe it. We were way beyond that.

He didn’t know who I was.

He didn’t know what I wanted to do.

To him, I was just a mysterious, powerful figure shrouded in secrecy.

And yet, he was willing to abandon everything to serve under me?

‘What kind of messed-up mentality does this guy have?’

Like some teenager idolizing a gang leader?

Who knows? In any case, the round ended with the Clown’s question.

I’d been asked a total of six questions.

Butterfly passed, but it was still the most questions asked in one session so far.

Most of them were weird, though.

“……”

“……”

As the time for answers arrived, everyone fell silent and stared at me.

Which questions would I answer?

They all hoped theirs would be the one.

Especially Clown.

‘Ugh, the pressure…’

Avoiding eye contact, I racked my brain.

Which answer would be the best?

[Where and how did you meet the Witch of the Earth?]

[Have you ever met the New World King in person?]

I’d skip these two.

In Wolf’s case, even I wasn’t sure how exactly to answer, and I didn’t understand Queen’s intent clearly.

[Are you married or dating multiple women?]

[Were Bjorn Jandel and Misha Kalstein really in a relationship?]

Answering these would just make things awkward…

[Do you really know who we are?]

[If I abandoned everything to serve under you, would you accept me?]

That left two options.

If I had to eliminate one, the choice was obvious:

‘I don’t actually know all their identities.’

Saying “I know some of you” would just break the mystique.

So, only one choice remained…

Tap. Tap.

After scanning the table, I locked eyes with the Clown and spoke a name.

“Abet Necrapheto”

The real name of the corpse collector behind the Joker mask.

Then I stared him down and answered firmly.

“I will never accept you.”

He looked as if the ground had collapsed beneath him.

“Why… not?”

Simple.

“I don’t keep insects as pets.”

No matter how friendly he acts at the Round Table, I will never consider him human.

[“My sister… she’s not moving anymore. She can’t speak. She’s cold and stiff. And I… I couldn’t do anything for her yet…”]

He is my enemy.

***
Fwoooooosh!

Even when the green light confirmed I was telling the truth, the Clown said nothing.

He just stared blankly into space.

“Hey… are you oka—”

Unable to bear it, the Queen tried to speak to him, her voice filled with concern.

“Psssit, Psssit…….hahaha…”

Out of nowhere, he began to laugh like a lunatic.

“Pffft… A bug, huh…”

Maybe I went too far with the wording?

That thought crossed my mind—but I had no choice.

People like him only understand harsh truth.

“You truly are… something else, Mr. Lion…”

After laughing for a while, the Clown looked up at me.

“I used to have some pride in myself, you know. Pssit…”

It was the classic behavior of someone trying to act unfazed.

“A bug! Even if you meant it, to call me that! So, in your eyes, everyone must be nothing but bugs. Pssit—hahaha…”

Laughing—trying to pretend the wound doesn’t hurt.

“You think laughing means you’re not hurt?”

“Heeh… Looks like someone’s broken. What do we do?”

“Tch, why’d you even ask that in the first place……?”

Watching the Clown laugh like he’d lost his mind, the other members each muttered their own words of pity.

Well, not that I particularly cared.

‘I just wish we’d hurry up and start the next round already…’

Should I step in here?

Just as I was considering it—

RUMBLE—

The roundtable room suddenly shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck.

And then—

Creeeak.

Mid-session, the door opened from the outside.

This phenomenon had only happened once before.

When the Master—the one who created the ‘Observer of the Roundtable’—had entered.

That old man, already confirmed to be Auril Gavis.

‘It was exactly like this last time.’

So, what would happen now?

I slowly turned my head in the direction of the opening door.

“Heh heh, some unfamiliar masks here, I see.”

An old man wearing a white mask looked around at us with a hearty chuckle.

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