Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Episode 391

Captain Barbarian (1)

The first-floor living room of the mansion equipped with Erwin’s CCTV.

Three women are curled up on the sofa, sipping tea.

“A special unit of thirty people? It’s the first I’ve heard of it.  It must mean that the operation is proceeding in utmost secrecy.”

At Raven’s murmur, Amelia added.

“Since the war has dragged on, it seems the royal family is looking for some strategy to turn the tide.”

“Yes, considering the high profiles the Marquis mentioned, it’s questionable if they can all work as one team.”

“But that part must be certain, since the Marquis is so adamant about it.’

“Then, it’s reasonable to assume they’re planning something major that requires that level of power.”

While the two spoke seriously, Erwin seemed uninterested in the situation.

“Mister, you said you don’t like things that are too sweet, right? Try this. I made sure to pick something mild.”

“Oh, thanks.”

As I was eating the peanut cookies Erwin gave me, Raven looked at me with a dissatisfied gaze.

She seemed displeased that I just explained the situation and then remained silent.

After swallowing what was left in my mouth, I spoke up.

“So, Raven, what are you going to do?”

“…What do you mean?”

“As I said, with me, Erwin, Amelia, and the Dragon Tribe woman from the Marquis, there are still two slots left.”

“Oh…”

“I’d like it if you joined us, too.”

At my straightforward suggestion, Raven looked away with a slightly troubled expression.

“I’d love to help on the front lines, but it’ll be difficult for me right now.”

A bit disappointing, but understandable.

“…Is that so?”

I tried not to show it, but she noticed my reaction and offered an explanation I hadn’t asked for.

“With so many operations, Commander Febrosk is constantly being called away, both in the city and on the battlefield. If I leave, there’ll be no one to manage the mage corps…”

Typical of her, always so diligent.

Well, maybe that’s why she’s such a reliable ally.

Not wanting her to feel unnecessarily guilty, I quickly wrapped up the topic.

“Why are you making excuses? If you’re busy, there’s nothing we can do.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“It’s nothing to understand; there’s no need for excuses.”

“…”

So, Raven’s recruitment was off the table.

How should I fill the remaining two spots?

While I was pondering, Amelia spoke to me in a subtle voice.

“Schuiz, do you think we might need a sailor in the team?”

“Well, since we’ll be moving on a large warship anyway, I don’t think we particularly need one.”

“…I see.”

Amelia nodded without further comment, but somehow the atmosphere was odd. Was she hoping to bring that basement sailor, Auyen, along?

No matter how much she enjoys sailing, there’s a time and place…

“I think it’s better to leave Auyen alone for a while. We may need him again once the war ends.”

“Understood. I was just worried because he hasn’t been eating well lately. Maybe I should increase his walks”

“…Yes, that might help.”

That settled the sailor issue.

“By the way, Raven, do you know anything about that dragon tribe woman?”

“No. The name ‘Ravien‘ is new to me. But I’ll go back and check. The commander might know.”

“Yes, please do.”

After finishing her tea, Raven excused herself, leaving the three of us to discuss who to recruit from the Marquis’s list.

Usually, Amelia and I disagreed on most things, but we quickly agreed on the first new member.

“First of all, I think we need a mage.”

“I agree. There are too many inconveniences without a mage.”

Filling the vacant mage role from Raven’s absence.

And

“What about the last spot?”

“A priest would be ideal, don’t you think?”

If possible, we wanted a priest for the final spot.

If that’s difficult, we thought it would be good to add a support-type character.

After all, I could tank on my own, Amelia could handle melee, Erwin would cover long-range, and the mage would take care of magic.

Having a support-type would be beneficial, as they could bolster the front line while offering flexibility.

It was all very logical, so we readily agreed.

“So for the mage, it’ll be this person, and this one for the priest. If no priest, this person would be the best support-type!” Erwin cheerfully pointed out names on the list.

And the problem here was…

“Oh, they’re all men?”

At my casual remark, the response was the problem.

“Well… There are too many women around you, Mister.”

“…What?”

Choosing only men just because of that?

I glanced sideways for help, but contrary to my expectations, Amelia nodded.

As if she agreed wholeheartedly.

“Certainly, it would be better to choose men.”

“……Why?”

“Because you can’t make sound judgments when there are women around.”

What is she talking about now?

I’m a man as cold as iron.

Whether it’s women or men, if I have to kill, I always crushed their heads equally.

The first player I killed in the Glacier Cave was a woman.

“Emily, I think you’ve misunderstood something, but why do you think that?”

I asked in frustration, and Amelia answered without a second thought.

“Because you did that to me too.”

What kind of image do I have with these people?

***

Ten days left until the labyrinth opens.

Amelia, who had been visiting the commercial city every day since returning, finally finished disposing of the loot.

In other words, we could finally tally up the final earnings from the latest expedition…

“It’s 350 million stones, not counting the change.’.”

An absolutely staggering amount of money.

At the same time, it was an income difficult to achieve with just magic stone income, no matter how many floors we climbed.

‘Well, we did loot an entire 6th-floor clan, so it’s only natural.’

Still, hearing the amount surprises me.

Moreover, the damaged ships didn’t fetch their full price, and we decided not to sell the biggest ship, keeping it for future use.

If we sold that ship, the total income would have tripled.

“Then what will we do with this cash?”

Amelia, who worked harder than anyone to dispose of the goods, asked my opinion, and I answered without hesitation.

“We’ll divide it equally, of course.”

“So each of us will take a little over 110 million stones.”

Amelia smiled at the thought of buying the weapon she’d had her eye on for ages.

But her smile didn’t last long.

“I’d rather you focus on repaying me first,” Erwin remarked, her voice cold.

It was a fair request, though it sounded harsh coming from a teammate.

Our finances had gotten a bit tangled since Amelia had used my demon-crusher as collateral in the bank to buy an essence, forcing Erwen to mortgage her house.

“We still have time before the debt is due…”

“I just think you won’t be able to repay it if you keep spending like that. Besides, it’s better to pay off debt early, isn’t it?”

“…How much?”

“Obviously, the entire amount. If I use my earnings from this expedition, it should just about cover it.”

“….”

With Erwin’s words, Amelia looked at me with a face like a sad puppy, hoping for help.

But what could I do here?

“…Let’s hold off on the weapon.”

“You promised me last time that I could change weapons.”

“But circumstances have changed. Didn’t you also agree to keep the largest ship for our use?”

“That’s because…we’ll need it, even if we don’t go to the sixth floor.”

“Yes, exactly. Just wait a few more months. I’ll chip in by then too.”

“…”

Though Amelia said nothing, her sigh indicated she understood.

What might cheer her up now? She doesn’t care much about food—

“Mister, there’s someone outside.”

Huh? Someone’s here?

Erwin’s words made me curious, so I went outside and saw a man from the Marquis’ house. A sturdy man, but wearing everyday clothes, so I couldn’t tell if he was a knight.

Our conversation was extremely brief.

“The Marquis has sent you a letter.”

“Ah, thank you for delivering it.”

After quickly returning inside, I checked the letter first.

True to the marquis’ style, or perhaps because it was addressed to a barbarian like me, it was short and to the point.

[The shaman issue has been resolved. I’ll send someone tomorrow morning, so come with them.]

Finally, it’s time for my Level 7 soul engraving.

****

The next morning.

As soon as the day broke, I left the house and rode in the carriage sent by the Marquis and headed to the imperial capital.

 

Normally, it would have taken six hours by carriage, but using the military transport system,  it was possible to leave in the morning and arrive in the morning.

‘It’s really convenient…’

So I arrived without even having time for a nap.

However, I couldn’t meet the Marquis this time.

He’d left for the palace before dawn on official business.

Well, the Marquis isn’t a shut-in, and as the chancellor of a country, he must be incredibly busy.

In fact, the reason we were able to have private meetings so frequently recently was probably because the Marquis was paying a lot of attention to me.

Even then, most of our meetings had been over dinner.

‘Well, it’s more comfortable for me not to see him.’

I followed the marquis’s guide to the third-floor office…

“…”

The chancellor’s son, Eltora, looked a bit awkward seeing me, but once the guide left, he greeted me courteously.

“…Thank you for coming such a long way, Baron Jandel.”

He spoke with respect, but he somehow gave off a timid vibe.

Ah, maybe because he doesn’t make eye contact when he speaks?

“The journey wasn’t tiring. I came comfortably. By the way, how’s your body? Fortunately, your facial bones seem to have healed well…”

“As you can see, I’m fine now.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Oh, and I apologize for my rudeness last time.”

I almost burst out laughing as I listened to Eltora’s words.

Of course, I know he’s just being polite.

But still, It’s a bit funny that the person who got beaten up in the middle of the night is the one apologizing for being rude.

“Forget it, it’s all in the past now. I’ve already settled that matter with the Marquis, so let’s not bring it up again.”

“Thank you for saying so. You’ve lifted a burden from my heart.”

“So where’s the shaman?”

“He is waiting in another room. When you leave, Renia—the maid outside—will guide you.”

So I just need to go and receive the Spirit Engraving.

Since there’s no rush, I decided to ask about a few things I was curious about.

“By the way, how did you bring in the shaman?”

“My father directly requested it from the barbarian chief. He asked to send a shaman because someone needed a spirit engraving.”

“Hmm, wouldn’t they find that suspicious?”

“Apparently not.  Just because they are Barbarians doesn’t mean they all have free access to the sanctuary, does it?’

“Ah, did he perhaps say I was a warrior exiled from the tribe?”

That was the first possibility that came to mind.

However, at my question, Eltora shook his head.

“He said you were a Barbarian born and raised in the city.”

“…I see.”

I accepted his words without further comment.

Come to think of it, that’s possible.

Barbarians aren’t so different from humans.

If they live in the city for a long time, they become influenced by urban culture and are less bound by tradition.

In extreme cases, I’ve heard there are quite a few who don’t send their children to the sanctuary but raise them themselves.

“Anyway, then there should be no problem. Thanks for handling it well.”

“Helping you is in our own interest, Baron.”

“Alright, see you next time.”

Having resolved all my questions, I ended the conversation and left the room. The maid waiting outside immediately guided me to the room where the shaman was.

“From here on, I am not permitted to guide you further.”

In other words, only I could enter beyond this point.

As I opened the door and went in, I was greeted by a room cleared of all furniture, filled with thick cigarette smoke.

In the center of the room was a space covered by a cloth, and I could see the silhouette of someone sitting cross-legged.

‘It’s been almost three years since I last met the shaman…’

As I approached slowly, I felt somewhat nervous.

No matter how much the Marquis had prepared, a shaman would likely recognize who I was.

Well, given that shaman’s personality, he might keep my secret from the tribe chief if I explained my circumstances.

But I couldn’t be sure—

“You’ve come.”

A voice came from beyond the cloth and I stopped walking.

“A fellow of my tribe raised in civilization.”

What? What’s with that childish voice?

Whoosh.

I pulled the cloth aside to reveal a tattooed Barbarian wearing an eye patch.

Though he’d had his eyesight intact the last time I saw him, I immediately recognized him.

The young apprentice I’d seen a few times when seeking out the shaman.

“Hehehe, are you trembling now that you’ve met the long-awaited shaman? The excited beating of your heart reaches me here.”

What is he saying now?

‘Anyway, I didn’t expect this situation.’

Where is the old shaman, and why is he here?