Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 206

Instant (2)

[It’s been a while, Miss Rainweilz.]

Amelia, having received a message from the city through the crystal orb, instinctively tilted her head in confusion.

It was because it wasn’t the familiar voice of the castle lord.

“…Alchemist Grandpa?”

[Ha-ha, it’s an honor that you recognize my voice.]

“…How did you manage to use the communication network?”

[I asked the lord. There’s something I need to ask you, and he allowed me to speak directly. Isn’t it more convenient this way? I get to hear your voice as well.]

“I see.”

It wasn’t unthinkable.

In Noahark, the alchemist was more important than the lord himself. If Grandfather asked for something, the lord had no choice but to comply.

Amelia quickly moved on to the main topic.

“So, what is it that you wanted to ask for?”

[Ah, it’s nothing much. But how have you been?]

“…You know that kind of talk doesn’t suit me.”

[Still haven’t let go of it?]

Amelia clamped her mouth shut, avoiding an answer.

Since her childhood, Grandpa was one of the few who knew her personal struggles.

[Miss Rainweilz, I have some idea why you accepted this mission. But it’s time to let go. Surely your sister would prefer..]

“Enough.”

Amelia cut him off coldly.

“Let’s stick to the matter at hand.”

Those left behind have their own duties to fulfill.

She doesn’t want to be interfered with, even by Grandpa.

[Very Well. Let’s move on to the matter at hand then.]

The alchemist then listed several items he needed, and Amelia made sure to write them down.

They were mostly alchemy ingredients like magi potions.

Nothing special, but hard to come by in the sealed-off Noahark.

[How long will it take to gather everything?]

“A few days should be enough.”

[Really? Could you get the Sleepblossom flower powder a little sooner?]

“I could send that to you right now, if needed.”

[Oh, you have some on hand?]

“…Knowing that, yet you ask.”

Sleepblossom flower powder has a sedative effect.

It was not very strong, but it had a penetrating resistance to poisons, and she had used it often.

Not on enemies, but on herself.

“I’ll place it in the two-way void space once our call ends.”

[Ha-ha, then today’s business is already concluded?]

Grandpa chuckled with a hint of reluctance.

As Amelia was about to end the call, a sudden question stopped her.

“But… what do you need the Sleepblossom flower powder for?”

Even as she asked, she felt strangely out of character.

Normally, she wouldn’t have asked such a question, especially if it was merely out of curiosity.

But today was different.

She felt like she was missing a critical piece of information.

[Ah, that?]

Grandpa’s voice soon flowed through the crystal orb.

[The dragon slayer, Regal Vagos. It’s for treating him. Oh, not for the medicine itself, but it’s easier to put him to sleep first.]

“…Could it be that you’ve found a way to restore his memory?”

[Not exactly. We’re planning to heal his damaged body first. As you know, we need a bit of strength in our situation.]

“I see.”

Amelia involuntarily sighed with relief.

As long as it wasn’t about restoring memories, whether he recovered or not wouldn’t affect her—.

[Ha-ha, but once his body is healed, we might try restoring his forgotten memories.]

Amelia stiffened.

[The methods are rather drastic, and with his current condition, it would be too much. Well, the success rate is only about fifty percent, given the limited samples.]

A 50% success rate.

Too small a chance to leave to fate.

However, it was not a significant issue.

As long as his body doesn’t recover, right?

“That’s fine.”

With those words, Amelia ended the call.

After ending the call, Amelia put the Sleepblossom flower powder into the two-way void space, as promised.

Coated with an extremely toxic substance that destroys biological tissue.

***

The second vine was severed.

It had been quiet for a while, so I had let my guard down.

‘What on earth is this bastard up to?’

A sense of urgency was creeping up on me.

After all, I wasn’t fully prepared to meet him yet.

I’ve grown a lot, but I’ve only gone from a fourth-floor explorer to a fifth-floor explorer

‘The sixth floor. I need to get to the sixth floor as soon as possible.’

There’s a chance I could consume its essence on the 6th floor.

My second core essence following [Gigantification].

If I can just get that, I might be able to stand a chance against him—.

“Mister!”

Huh?

“What have you been thinking about all this time?”

I was pulled from my thoughts by Erwin’s voice.

Perhaps it was because the peaceful times had been so long?

It was only the second vine that had been severed, not the last, but my mind was plagued with incessant, unpleasant images.

“Sorry. Where were we?”

“It wasn’t a discussion; I was asking what you wanted to order…”

“Ah, right.”

I glanced casually at the menu and ordered some snacks and beer.

“But nothing has changed here.”

Erwin mumbled as she watched the server walk away. I knew what she meant without having to ask.

“We’ve changed a lot.”

Currently, we were at a tavern called Fydenfus, where Erwin and I had our first exploration drink together.

It was inevitable that I would feel oddly nostalgic.

The barbarian, who had suffered endlessly alone on the 1st floor, had become quite a famous explorer in the city.

Although not exactly famous, Erwin had also made incredible progress, considering it was just after her first year.

The changes in her equipment alone spoke volumes.

“This is the first time we’re having a drink since then, right?”

“Ah, when I paid the first-year tax?”

That was right after I had moved.

I didn’t know where to meet her, so I came here.

I knew Misha wouldn’t like it if I invited her home.

After all, it was a shared living space for the three of us, and I couldn’t just do as I pleased.

“So, did everything go well on the exploration?”I asked Erwin

“…Yes, it’s pretty much the same.”

Once the drinks and snacks arrived, we began to converse in earnest.

The main topic was each other’s recent situations.

Unlike before, when we used to hang out every day, we don’t see each other as much anymore, so we don’t have a common topic.

“How’s the atmosphere in your clan? I’m curious about that too. Any new news?”

“Who knows? Even if there is, they don’t tell us…”

Erwin and her sister had joined a clan as mercenaries and were still engaging in labyrinth explorations with them.

Their area was the 5th floor.

However, we had only hunted in the Hellfire Gorge, so we hadn’t run into each other in the labyrinth yet.

“Speaking of which, it’s driving me crazy. Remember I told you before? Someone keeps bothering my sister. Now they’ve started on me too.”

“That’s tough.”

“Yeah, and he’s a high-ranking member, so I can’t just shoot an arrow between his eyes… Just have to bear it until I get what I need and leave.”

The more we talked, the more apparent it became how much she had changed.

She had been an explorer for just over a year now.

But she no longer seemed naive about the ways of the world.

In some ways, it was inevitable.

A year in the labyrinth was enough to see all sorts of things.

“So, what was it you wanted to talk about? You said you had something to say?”

“Ah, that…”

As it seemed a good moment to get to the heart of the matter, Erwin hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Remember? I said I still had a lot to learn from my sister…”

“I remember.”

Erwin had said she’d learn everything from her sister and join my team within half a year.

Well, more than half a year had passed since then.

I had never brought it up myself.

After all, there wasn’t a spot available, and…

“I thought you had changed your mind since you hadn’t said anything.”

I assumed the matter had been settled without much fuss.

But was that not the case?

Erwin vehemently denied my words.

“Hey, what are you talking about! How could I possibly do that? We were each other’s first night partners!”

Strictly speaking, my first night partner was Hans A.

Hers was some guy named Hatz Yeongin or something.

“So what did you want to say?”

“That… it might take a bit more time.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, everyone’s already in rank 5, aren’t they? There’s just no space for me to squeeze in… Honestly, it seems hopeless now… Oh, and now you’re all living under one roof…”” 

“What are you mumbling? Speak clearly.”

Prompted by my demand, Erwin downed the remainder of her drink.

“I regret it. Back then… why didn’t I accept your offer? I thought I’d catch up quickly, but the gap has only widened…”

Her words seemed more of a venting session than an actual request.

However, I got the gist of what she was trying to say.

She wanted to join our team but couldn’t ask to replace anyone, as she wasn’t even sure she could match the current members’ skills.

Hmm, at least she hadn’t changed her mind.

“Anyway. What I wanted to say is…”

“Stop.”

I cut her off midway.

There was a misunderstanding that needed clearing up first.

“I never intended to put you in the current team.”

“…What?”

Silence enveloped us momentarily.

The confusion was evident in Erwen’s eyes only moments later.

“What do you mean? You never said anything back then? I thought that was an affirmation…”

Erwen’s gaze darted around as if she was mentally shaken.

Well, that’s not what I meant.

Before the misunderstanding could deepen, I clarified firmly.

“Erwin, I’m going to start a clan.”

“A clan?!”

“Yes, but not right now. It will take a few more months. However, if you’re okay with it, I’d like you to join—”

“Yes!! I’ll join!!”

She responded before I could finish.

“No, you should hear the full details first—”

“It’s fine! I’ll join anyway!”

“…Well, if that’s the case. Anyway, keep this conversation a secret. I haven’t told anyone else in our team yet.”

“Oh, so I’m the first one you’ve offered this to…?”

Huh?

I tilted my head slightly.

“Isn’t that obvious?”

I hadn’t even mentioned forming a clan to anyone else. Misha and Aynar didn’t need to be asked, and Raven, being affiliated with the Mage Tower, would probably decline.

I’m not sure about Mr. Bear as well.

‘He seemed to have some bad memories associated with clans.’

It was while I was pondering this.

“Hehe, heeheehee!”

Erwin began to laugh in a peculiar manner.

***

The drinking session with Erwen, which started in the early evening, lasted longer than expected.

I’d originally planned to leave after hearing a little more about what she’d called me here for, but…….

“What? The clan master is bald?”

“Yes, seriously. When his wig fell off during a hunt, it was so hard to keep from laughing.”

Our conversation today turned out to be more enjoyable than usual.

Is it because I haven’t had a drink in so long?

It’s funny how trivial things seemed so humorous.

‘Ah, the kids must be waiting at home…’

I had that thought midway, but each time I considered leaving, Erwin brought up another interesting topic, and I missed the moment to stand up.

But now it was really time to go home.

“Uh, we should—”

“Oh, right!”

“Hmm?”

“Did I tell you about the new essence I absorbed?”

What? She got a new essence?

This was not something I could just ignore.

“It’s a really unique ability. It suits me well.”

“Stop beating around the bush and tell me. What did you get?”

I adjusted my seat and focused intently on Erwin’s words.

It was a grade 5 essence.

Since her veteran sister recommended it, it matched well with her, a bow fairy.

‘She won’t have to erase this later’

Thinking I should plan out Erwin’s training route once I get back, I asked her various questions about the essence she had acquired.

“Wow, do you know? Your eyes suddenly lit up.”

Of course.

After all, I was a player who loved this game more than anyone else.

“The essence is quite unique and talked about a lot. Naturally, I’m curious about what it actually feels like.”

“It’s kind of hard to explain, though. I can’t just show it…”

Hmm, that’s true.

As I nodded in understanding, Erwin hesitated before speaking up again.

“Um, so… Mister.”

Erwin glanced at me sheepishly, her face flushed with the warmth of the alcohol.

“Do you want to go upstairs for a bit and see the ability in action?”

…What should I do?

The next chapters gonna be intense, see you on Monday.