Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 386

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Baron Bjorn Jandel.

There was not the slightest tremor in the Marquis’ eyes as he said the name.

If Erwin or Amelia had looked at me with such eyes,  I would have honestly confessed all my wrongdoings before getting scolded further.

That’s how confident his gaze was.

But…

The Marquis is different from those two.

There’s nothing more naive than trusting the eyes of a politician who’s been through all sorts of trials and has been the kingdom’s second-in-command for decades.

“Perhaps the marquis is misunderstanding something?”

I maintained my ignorance, never ruling out the possibility that he was testing me.

Of course, he did not even pretend to hear me.

[“Listening to you speak formally feels strange. I still vividly remember you from the day of your title conferment ceremony.”]

“… Is this misunderstanding because of Erwin?”

[“I understand your position, so I won’t hold it against you for lying to my face. However…”]

The marquis leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk beyond the crystal orb.

[“It seems we’ll need to create a situation where you have no choice but to admit the truth if we are to have a proper conversation.”]

A situation where I have no choice but to admit it?

Is he planning to use a verification spell or perhaps one of the Numbered items related to misaligned trust?

Or maybe… torture?

Even while keeping a poker face, my mind ran through numerous possibilities, but all of my guesses turned out to be wrong.

[First, let me say this.]

The Marquis chose to engage in a “conversation.”

[Jandel, relax. I am one of the few people who know you’re not an evil spirit.]

Starting strong from the beginning.

***

When my identity was revealed, what shocked Amelia the most wasn’t anything else—it was this:

How could an evil spirit receive a noble title?

[Hmm… looking back now, it’s possible the royal family knew and turned a blind eye. After all, at that time, you were practically a hero in the city.]

Amelia had speculated, and I had found that theory somewhat plausible.

However…

‘If what the marquis just said is true, then they really didn’t know.’

Of course, there’s a chance the marquis knew everything and is just baiting me.

For now, I decided to remain silent and listen to what he had to say.

Sometimes, having the second move is more advantageous than striking first.

It’s not too late to decide and act after hearing everything.

[“There’s no point in pointing out the similarities between Bjorn Jandel and Rihen Schuiz That would be a waste of time, wouldn’t it?”]

“Yes, well, I’ve been mistaken for him a few times, so…”

When I nodded, the Marquis explained one by one the reasons he was convinced I was the baron Bjorn Jandel.

[Figuring out that you weren’t Rihen Schuiz was easy. I heard the truth from an employee who accidentally destroyed your records.]

A woman came and threatened him? His suspicions deepened from that point.

[Of course, at first I thought it didn’t make sense. But you know what’s most important in administration? It’s just looking at the numbers. No matter how logical and convincing a story is, if the numbers don’t add up, it’s a false story.]

[That was the case with you.]

Bjorn Jandel is dead.

The moment he denied that proposition, the Marquis said, all the pieces began to fall into place.

[You were too strong to be Baron Bjorn Jandel. But if given two years of time and support, it was entirely possible.]

[Then how could you have hidden from our eyes for so long. Simple. You weren’t in this city.”]

If not in this city, then where?

The answer was obvious.

[When you disappeared from Farune Island, you had contact with those from Noark, didn’t you?]

The timing was too coincidental.

Moreover, as a result of the investigation, it was confirmed that I reappeared two years later in the now-closed underground fortress.

That very fortress, known for having a path leading outside the city walls.

[And after the Blood Spirit Queen visited there, you appeared.]

Turns out it wasn’t just an excuse when the knight accused me of conspiring with Noark while smashing down my door.

At that time, I thought it was just a pretext.

[“Now, how do you feel after hearing my story?”]

The marquis grinned at me through the crystal orb.

It was certainly a convincing story to believe in.

In fact, it makes a lot more sense than me having traveled back in time for two years.

But…

Um…

My only impression after hearing the long story was this.

It didn’t seem like bait but rather something he genuinely believed.

‘Should I commend his imagination, or say he lacks it…?’

So this is how someone could interpret things.

***

I didn’t deliberate for long.

I have a habit of prioritizing my goals.

First priority: survival.

Second priority: reclaiming the identity of Bjorn Jandel.

Third priority: clearing myself of the suspicion of being an evil spirit.

I had already set these priorities when coming here.

And so…

As I headed here, I set these priorities.

Therefore…

“Indeed, being the Chancellor, you’re smart.”

I shed the guise of Rihen Schuiz and revealed myself as the barbarian.

It was for a simple reason.

As I said before, regaining the name of Bjorn Jandel is more important than clearing the suspicion of being an evil spirit.

It didn’t matter to me if he knew me as an evil spirit or a traitor.

These are issues that can be resolved through negotiations with the marquis.

‘If he intended to kill me as a traitor, he wouldn’t have called me here.’

“So, I am Bjorn Jandel. It’s been a while, Marquis.”

It was only now that I realized the power in my voice.

It wasn’t just the words themselves, but the confidence that surged the moment I cast off my human disguise.

Whew, now I finally feel alive.

[“Hahaha, I’m relieved. If you’d continued denying it, things would’ve gotten troublesome.”]

I smirked at the Marquis’ sharp words.

‘Things would have gotten troublesome, huh?’

Honestly, the reason I revealed my true identity was simple: the next step wouldn’t have been a “conversation” but the use of “items.”

And once he realized the items wouldn’t work on me,  it was obvious where the arrows would point.

Erwin, Amelia, Raven.

Once they were thoroughly investigated, it would only be a matter of time before the misunderstanding was cleared up.

So, I decided to admit the truth now and move on to the main point.

After all, tricking people had somehow become my specialty.

[Now then, let’s move on to the main issue.]

The Marquis lowered his voice, signaling the end of the small talk.

[Jandel, why did you align yourself with Noark?]

“Is that really important?”

[It’s not good to be uncooperative. You’re a smart man.]

“I wouldn’t say I ‘aligned’ with them. I stayed for a while to pursue my own goals.”

[…..]

The Marquis gave me a strange look, remaining silent.

I, on the other hand, stood tall and confident.

After all, I wasn’t exactly lying.

I did stay in Noark when I went back in time.

For six whole months.

And I even crushed the lord’s head in the end.

[It doesn’t seem like you’re lying…]

“Ugh.”

[…?]

“Oh, sorry. I had some air in my stomach.”

I really didn’t do it on purpose.

Actually, I’d been feeling bloated for a while.

[You must have been nervous.]

But did the sudden hiccup slightly change the atmosphere?

Perhaps because of that, the Marquis didn’t dig deeper and moved on.

[Anyway, can I understand that you’re not with them now?]

“Of course.”

[“Even so, I find it hard to believe. Why did you hide your identity if you weren’t a spy?”]

“The royal family declared me an evil spirit, didn’t they? I had to figure out why they did that before clearing my name.”

[“You were wary of us… I see. That could be reasonable.”]

The marquis nodded slightly, and I knew it was my turn.

After all, the best conversations involve a bit of give and take.

“Since we’re on the subject, let me ask. Why did you make such a proclamation? If it’s you, Marquis, you probably know the reason.”

[I can’t tell you in detail. Just think there were political reasons. Besides, we didn’t even know you were alive then.]

Phew, I was most curious about this part, but I couldn’t hear the most important thing.

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t disappointed, but I quickly moved on.

“Then let’s cut to the chase. What do you want from me? If you really thought I was a traitor, you’d have had me assassinated rather than brought here.”

[“The royal family doesn’t operate like that.”]

Nonsense; as if they don’t handle things that way.

If you just visit the palace, all sorts of shady things cling to you.

“Then does that mean you don’t want anything from me?”

[Actually, if you were a spy, we were going to win you over and use you in the war.]

See, as soon as I mention it, it comes out.

“Then that’s unfortunate.”

[“Hmm, I wouldn’t call it unfortunate. I think the current situation isn’t too bad either.”]

“Not too bad? How so?”

[“Wars always need heroes.”]

Look at that, declaring me an evil spirit, and now this?

The marquis’s shamelessness was infuriating, but that’s probably why he rose to his position.

[“Baron Bjorn Jandel, return to the embrace of the royal family.]

“And why should I?”

[“Because you need us.”]

“Really? I don’t see it.”

When I played ignorance, the marquis revealed his true intentions.

[“Whether or not you’ve cut ties with Noark, the fact remains that you’ve worked with them. We could execute you immediately.”]

“In short, if I cooperate, you’ll let it slide?”

[Not only letting it slide. We’ll help you regain your noble title and your original name.]

“What about the proclamation of me being an evil spirit?”

[If there’s a plausible story, people will be convinced.]

It seems the Marquis has already planned out how to execute this…

[You said it yourself—your time in Noark was for your own purposes. If you’re uncomfortable with it, just think of it as a deal.]

I felt a bit odd.

Or rather, uneasy.

I had braced myself to walk into the lion’s den, preparing for the worst of the worst.

‘But… could things really go this smoothly?’

Everything was progressing so favorably in my direction that it made my heart race and filled me with unease for no reason.

But still…

“[Baron, if you’ve made a decision, it’s time to give me an answer.]”

The options available to me were limited.

Even if the marquis and the royal family were plotting something sinister together, what could I possibly do at this point?

For now, I’d have to accept and figure things out on my own later.

“Fine. So tell me the details. How exactly will you restore my title, and what do you expect in return?”

As soon as I expressed my willingness, the Marquis nodded with satisfaction.

But just as he was about to speak—

Boom—!

A huge tremor arose from the direction of the garden.

I wondered what the commotion was, but soon enough, the Marquis explained the cause.

“Oh dear, it seems she has arrived. I didn’t expect her to act so recklessly.”

It was Erwin.

“[We’ll continue today’s conversation later. For now, go and calm her down before things get even more chaotic.]”

“…Alright.”

And with that, our conversation for the day came to an end.