Chapter 2534 - SB 45

Alchemists.

Beings capable of transforming magic stones into matter.

Even in Lafdonia, there weren't many people with this profession, so they were considered a crucial resource.

It was even more so in Noark, which was much more impoverished.

"Good morning, Miss Marlene!"

"Are you running errands for the Alchemist? It looks heavy. I'll carry it for you."

That was why everyone in the city treated Marlene kindly.

She was the only apprentice of the Alchemist.

Someday, after inheriting all his knowledge, she would be responsible for this city.

'Grandfather's body isn't what it used to be…'

Honestly, it would be a lie to say she wasn't burdened by this position.

But there was no one else who could do it.

So she had no choice but to be responsible and do her best.

It wasn't a position with only duties.

"Grandfather!"

"I told you to call me Master."

"Okay. Master! So, what about that item? Did it arrive?"

"Of course, it's here. There are quite a few, so take what you need."

The Alchemist tossed a two-way subspace pocket, and Marlene caught it and checked the contents.

The items she ordered were inside.

"Please tell them thank you!"

"Okay."

Marlene whistled as she transferred the items to her personal bag.

It was a clear privilege.

If it weren't for her position as the Alchemist's apprentice, she wouldn't have been able to use a two-way subspace pocket, a strategic item, for personal use…

…and the infiltrators who went to the city wouldn't have even listened to her request in the first place.

"Wow, Grandfather! Try this. This bakery makes amazing cookies!"

"I told you to call me Master. Ah, the cookies are delicious."

"But what's that? It looks similar to an elixir, but that can't be…"

"Haha, you have a good eye."

"Huh? Is, is it really an el, elixir?"

Marlene, who was casually eating a cookie, jumped up.

After all, an elixir?

It was something even her master had only made five times in his entire life because the ingredients were so expensive and the production process was so difficult.

'He said he already used two…'

There were only three elixirs left in Noark.

And one of them was currently in her master's hand.

What was the reason?

The master smiled and told her as Marlene's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"You should also follow me and learn. We're going to give the Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos, an elixir today and try to restore his memories depending on his recovery."

"Regal Vagos, that mister…?"

Marlene involuntarily frowned.

"Why? Don't you like him?"

"…He just looks scary."

"Don't judge people by their appearance. It's because of his injuries. I heard he was quite handsome before he was burned. Well, I don't particularly like him either."

"R, really? I'm not the only one?"

"Haha, you always only hear what you want to hear."

"Because it's not just his appearance. He's so rude. And he even talks informally to you…"

"That guy."

An awkward silence fell, and then Marlene heard the details from her master.

The reason why that Dragonkin received such a precious elixir was simple.

Well, at least on the surface.

"They said they need to replenish the Corpse Collector's forces since they were significantly weakened this time."

"Is he that strong? I heard he was weakened by the curse."

"His Dragon Speech is still special. He can't use it freely, but… they expect him to be able to use it a few more times after taking the elixir."

The captain of Orculus personally requested an elixir from the Lord, and the Lord granted it.

It was a one-sided demand, but they couldn't help it.

They were also responsible for what happened to the Dragonkin.

They tried to treat him, but his condition worsened for some reason.

"Tsk, I still don't know what happened. There was no reason for that to happen."

"I think he's just acting! He's trying to frame us and gain the upper hand!"

"…I don't think it's an act, but I understand what you're trying to say. The Lord shouldn't be manipulated by them forever."

Orculus was like a poisoned chalice.

They knew it was harmful, but they couldn't let go.

"Alright, then let's go now that we're ready."

Marlene then followed her master to the Dragonkin's room.

"Groaaaaan…"

He couldn't even speak properly, lying in bed.

His limbs were stiff, and he could only move his eyes.

"I know your hearing is fine, so I'll just speak. You must be happy. The Lord has bestowed an elixir upon you."

"Groan…"

"Then let's begin right away."

For reference, there wasn't much to the treatment process.

After all, an elixir wasn't an ordinary item.

"...."

Carefully feeding him the elixir so that he wouldn't spill it was the entire process.

The Dragonkin was able to sit up and speak after waiting for about 10 minutes after consuming it.

However…

"Damn it, what the hell did you guys do?"

…that was the first thing he said.

"No, what kind of bullshit did you do to make me worse after receiving treatment?!"

Marlene wanted to say something, but she barely held back, remembering what her master said before they came.

"Haha, that's why I brought the elixir. Be understanding."

"Ha, if you weren't an alchemist…"

"Alright, then let's move on to the next step since your body seems to have recovered."

"Next step?"

"What we were going to do back then. We couldn't because you suddenly collapsed, but we have to try to restore your lost memories now."

"Is it… safe?"

"It might fail, but it won't harm your body."

"…I'll trust you."

The Dragonkin nodded arrogantly. Marlene was annoyed, but she couldn't say anything when her master was just standing there.

"Here, drink this. It's a potion called 'Curse of Lethe'. Ah, and it might hurt a bit, but you'll be able to endure it in your current state, so don't worry too much."

The Dragonkin took the potion with a dubious look and swallowed it.

"…It's bitter."

"Lie down now, the pain will come soon."

The Dragonkin obediently followed his instructions and lay down on the bed again.

And after some time…

"...!"

…the Dragonkin, who had been sweating profusely and groaning in pain, opened his eyes again.

"How is it? Have your memories returned?"

"…I don't know. I think so."

"It might take some time."

"It's a strange feeling. I can clearly remember things from when I was young."

"That's because it's that kind of potion."

"More importantly, do you have anything sweet? I want something to cleanse my palate…"

The master looked at Marlene at the Dragonkin's request.

It was a sign for her to give him something if she had it.

"…I'll get it."

Marlene quickly returned to her room and brought the cookies she had left behind.

But her master was gone when she came back.

"Your master was summoned by the Lord. So, what about the food?"

"Here…"

Marlene handed him the few cookies that were left.

She didn't want to, but what could she do?

'They were from Amelia…'

The Dragonkin, as if he wasn't satisfied with just one, ate several cookies in one bite.

And after some time…

"Ugh… my head!!"

…the Dragonkin suddenly clutched his forehead.

As if he was remembering 'that day's memory'.

"Th, that's right…! It, it was him…!"

The Dragonkin then looked into the distance and cheered.

But his joy didn't last long.

"Keu, keugh!"

He coughed violently with a pained expression.

It wasn't like something was stuck in his throat.

His skin, which was already red and blotchy from the burns, was swelling grotesquely.

'Gr, Grandfather didn't say there were side effects like this?'

Marlene's mind went blank at the unexpected situation.

And at that moment…

"You!!"

…the Dragonkin suddenly reached out towards Marlene.

It was a gesture filled with clear hostility.

Marlene, who had only ever learned alchemy, couldn't even react.

But…

"Ugh!"

…his hand didn't reach her.

Because the Dragonkin lost his balance and fell off the bed as he was getting up.

"Keugh!"

Saliva dripped from his wide-open mouth.

If she wasn't mistaken, there was also blood mixed in.

Then what the hell happened?

"You… what, what did you put in the… cookies…"

"No, no? They're just ordinary cookies…"

Marlene answered in confusion, and the Dragonkin completely collapsed.

"…Da, damn bitch."

He was still looking up, his neck veins bulging.

Of course, it didn't last long.

Thud.

He limply lowered his head.

"Dr, dragon blood… is… incompatible with cinnamon…"

He was allergic to cinnamon.

______________________

「The activation condition for the Star's Blessing has been met.」

______________________

The third vine disappeared.

I didn't know why.

I guessed that maybe he was struck by divine punishment while making another evil plan.

After all, it was a sacred relic imbued with divine power.

Anyway, the reason wasn't what I should be concerned about.

'Damn it.'

Now that Dragonslayer bastard could come after me at any time.

It meant I had even more to worry about.

'It's only been a month since the second vine broke.'

How did this happen?

I couldn't help but sigh.

After all, I wasn't fully prepared yet.

'I think I can handle him if he comes alone…'

The problem was that there was no guarantee he would come alone to take revenge.

What if he came with the Clown bastard?

Or if he brought a lot of subordinates?

'And it seems like the barrier will be broken soon.'

The royal family had even found a way to break Noark's barrier.

If travel between the surface and the underground became possible, I might even encounter the Dragonslayer in the city, not in the labyrinth.

Of course, that wasn't something I should be worried about right now.

'Why here…?'

I let out a silent sigh and glanced around.

"Bjorn, don't tell me…!"

Misha, who knew what the vine ring meant, was just shocked.

But what about the knight?

"…?"

He seemed confused, wondering what the hell was going on.

However, the paladin was different.

"…It's a sacred relic of our church. And a type I've never seen before."

Sven Parab, the vice-captain of the 2nd Paladin Order of the Leathlas Church, narrowed his eyes.

As expected of a religious person, he recognized it as a sacred relic.

"Don't tell me the oracle that came down before…"

"Stop."

"Ah… I apologize."

The paladin shut his mouth, realizing his mistake, as I cut him off.

But it was already too late.

"Then the protagonist of that oracle…"

"…The foundation of an escort mission is confidentiality, so don't worry too much."

Don't worry, my ass.

They would tell their superiors everything.

'…Ha, this is annoying.'

Three knights and one vice-captain.

Only four people knew the secret, but it was obvious that the number would increase.

Just how long would it take for it to reach the chieftain's ears?

'…They won't really kick me out of the tribe, will they?'

Well, I didn't know.

But it would definitely cause trouble.

The chieftain already seemed displeased with me becoming a noble. It was a hassle to persuade him, using the excuse that it was for the tribe.

'…It will take a long time to reach the 9th-stage engraving.'

It was frustrating.

Especially since there was nothing I could do about it right now.

They would all say they would keep it a secret in front of me.

"Then I'll be going now."

Therefore, I just left the Grand Temple without saying anything.

What could I do about it now that it had already happened?

'I have no choice but to take over the tribe as soon as possible.'

Everything would be solved if I became the chieftain and changed the tribe's traditions.

And in that sense…

"Misha, you go back home."

…I had something to do.

"Huh?"

"I'm going to stop by the sanctuary for a bit."

Strike while the iron is hot, right?

I immediately parted ways with Misha and headed towards the sanctuary.

The knights didn't follow me inside.

Because the barbarian tribe still maintained the tradition of prohibiting other races from entering.

"Then we'll wait here."

"I'll be out around evening, so rest nearby."

"Yes."

A forest, a sight that was rare in the city, appeared as soon as I entered through the open gate.

But could it be because of my warrior's body?

For some reason, this place felt more like home than Lee Hansu's room, which I went to every time the community opened.

'The air here is nice.'

I soon reached the residential area of the sanctuary as I was walking along the overgrown path.

Huts built haphazardly without any standards.

"Bjorn, son of Yandel, is a warrior blessed by the ancestor god and is invincible!"

"He's a god and invincible!"

"Now, I'm going to tell you the story of how Bjorn defeated the most evil spirit in the world, the Corpse Collector, so listen carefully!"

"Li, listen carefully? What does that mean?!"

"It means open your ears and listen!"

I saw young warriors receiving early education in a nearby clearing.

For reference, the instructor was…

'Ainar.'

Ainar was different from when she was outside.

Her shoulders, which were always slumped in front of Misha, were now broad, and her expression was filled with confidence.

And she was carrying four backpacks.

After all, the number of backpacks was a symbol of success in the barbarian tribe.

She probably wanted to show off in front of her juniors.

It seemed like she liked that position, as it had become her daily routine to go to the sanctuary every morning.

'…Let's just pass by.'

Although I thought about greeting Ainar…

…I gave up because I felt like I would be drained.

I had another reason for coming to the sanctuary today.

I had to conserve my energy.

Swoosh.

I arrived at the chieftain's house and opened the tent, entering.

It's one of a barbarian's advantages.

There's no need to knock.

"Oh, it seems like your body has recovered."

"It has."

"What brings you here?"

As expected of a man at the top of the barbarian tribe, the chieftain got straight to the point.

I always liked how straightforward it was here.

I didn't have to hold back either.

"I have something to say."

"Say it."

Honesty is a virtue in barbarian society.

"I'm here to inherit the chieftain's position."

I said it without hesitation.

"Inherit…"

The chieftain answered, taking out an axe that was leaning against a corner.

"Don't beat around the bush, come at me."

-x-X-x-

The chieftain told me that day:

[If you want my position, become stronger, warrior. And prove that you're worthy. I'll be watching you.]

That he would hand over his position to me if I proved I was worthy.

Then how do you prove it?

I didn't bother asking.

Because there was only one way for a barbarian I knew.

"Let's move!"

"…You're a wise warrior."

The battle that was about to take place inside was moved to the outdoor clearing thanks to my insight.

And…

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!"

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!!"

…the battle began with battle cries.

Kwaaang!

The chieftain swung his axe, the one he used to behead 'Orm, son of Kadua', mercilessly, and I fought back, using all the skills I had learned.

But to summarize the result…

"I won."

…I lost after about an hour of fighting.

The reason for my defeat was my lack of specs.

After all, the chieftain was a similar type to me.

If our positions were completely different, there would have been variables, but there wasn't a single unexpected turn of events since I was weaker than him.

'As expected, it's still not enough.'

I cleanly accepted my defeat.

Of course, the result might have been different if it wasn't a spar.

I couldn't use dirty tricks like spraying [Acidic Fluid] in his eyes, distracting him with nonsense, or biting his neck when he was on the ground.

In short, I fought with my ultimate moves sealed.

Then what about the 'proof'?

"You're still lacking."

The chieftain then said to me,

"Become stronger if you want my position."

Tsk, I thought the cutoff line was around the 6th floor.

I'm already at that level, aren't I?

Don't tell me I have to defeat him to inherit the chieftain's position—

"To the point where you can't even compare to an old man like me."

Ha, as expected.

To defeat an 8th-floor explorer…

'It will take more time.'

I dismissed my impatience.

It was also one of the advantages of being a barbarian.

I didn't lose anything even if I failed to inherit the position.

No, I actually gained a lot.

Although my body was wrecked to the point where I had to drink several potions as soon as the fight ended…

'But I've caught up a lot.'

It was different from back then when I was knocked out with a single punch.

We fought for almost an hour.

And…

'I confirmed six of his essences.'

I confirmed several of the chieftain's essences.

And I also memorized some of his fighting habits.

I would be able to fight him much more easily next time.

And…

"He fought the chieftain for an hour!"

"Look! That stingy chieftain is drinking a potion!"

"He might look fine on the outside, but he's not. As expected, Bjorn, son of Yandel, is a great warrior…!"

The barbarians who were watching the spar didn't seem disappointed by my defeat.

Well, I'm just a 1st-year, right?

"I thought it would take at least 5 more years."

"Hmm, maybe the chieftain will change sooner than we thought."

Even the elders were nodding in satisfaction.

Therefore, I gained a lot even though I lost.

On the other hand, the chieftain didn't gain anything.

'Yeah, so I actually won, right?'

I regained my motivation after my mental victory.

I got up and looked at the chieftain.

He seemed curious about what I was going to say, as I had been silent the whole time.

"You're not discouraged, are you?"

"There's no way."

I chuckled.

And I said,

"One more time."

It wasn't every day that I could fight someone without worrying about dying.

____________________

I fought the chieftain three more times after that, and I lost every time. However, the spar time increased with each fight.

It was thanks to Lee Hansu's strength, not Bjorn's.

I'm good at self-reflection.

After all, I've experienced many failures in my life, and what I always wanted was to know the reason for my failure.

Finding the reason was my specialty.

'He has a lot of tricks, as expected of someone with a lot of experience.'

The difference between the chieftain and me wasn't just specs.

His skill as a warrior.

His situational awareness honed by experience.

His instinctive intuition that allowed him to catch openings even in the midst of battle, where thinking and reacting was too slow.

They were all things I had to learn.

It wasn't efficient to just be a meat shield after absorbing the Ogre's essence.

I had to become a better fighter.

It was also the way to protect my companions.

'If my allies are in danger, I can just eliminate the enemy to make them safe.'

It was like a destiny.

A new destiny for me as a tank.

"…You look like you've realized something."

"Ah, thank you. I'm learning a lot."

"Haha, that's what being a chieftain is all about!"

What is this man talking about?

He doesn't seem like it, but he's weak to compliments.

"Can I come back again?"

"Anytime."

The sun was setting.

The barbarians, who had enjoyed the good show, all went about their business as the spar between the chieftain and me ended.

"Bjorn! Are you going home?!"

"Not right away. I'm going to look around for a bit."

"Really? Can I come with you?"

Well, there was no reason why she couldn't.

I moved with Ainar after the spar.

We didn't have a specific destination.

We just walked aimlessly in the opposite direction of the city walls.

"It's been a while since I've come this far."

A dense, unkempt forest greeted us as we left the campsite.

The forest where the souls of countless warriors, including the elder who performed the 'Soul Succession' ritual on Ainar, were playing.

But I continued walking.

"There's nothing but the barrier that way, why are we going there?"

"I'm suddenly curious about that barrier."

We reached the place I wanted after walking for about an hour at a slightly faster pace.

Thud.

An invisible wall appeared, as if to say this was the last point allowed.

The forest continued beyond it.

"Eek! Bjorn! Wh, what are you doing! If the protective barrier is damaged, we're all doomed!"

Ainar was startled and tried to stop me as I knocked on the wall with the back of my hand.

Well, it's a world where we'll all die if it's gone.

'Right, at least that's what they say.'

It was a question I had after visiting Bifron.

Was the world outside the wall really in the state that the royal family claimed?

That's when…

"Kekeke, warrior, it's been a while."

…I turned around at the presence behind me, and an old barbarian with an eyepatch was standing there.

"Shaman!!"

"Right, it's been a while for you too. Ainar, the second daughter of Frenelin."

It's amazing every time I see him.

How can he walk around so well without eyes?

"What brings you here? Very few warriors come this far."

"I just came because I was bored. What about you? What are you doing here?"

"Kekeke, what else would a shaman do in the forest?"

The shaman said so and showed me his hand, which was covered in white powder.

It was bone dust.

And not animal bones, but human bones.

"You were holding a funeral."

The last step of the funeral was for the shaman to crush the bones of the deceased after their body was left in the forest to decompose and then scatter them throughout the forest.

"Do, don't tell me it was Tohal's third son, Kiduba's, turn today?"

"He's still far from returning to the forest."

In other words, it meant we had to wait longer for the elder who acted as Ainar's mentor to decompose.

"…I see."

"I'm about to go back, how about you guys come with me?"

The shaman asked, and I answered that I would stay a bit longer.

"Really? If that's what you want."

The shaman turned around without hesitation.

And…

"Everything has its order."

"...."

"Warrior, it's not time for you to be curious about what's beyond that yet."

…he left after those meaningful words.

___________________

"Huhu, come to think of it, it's been a while since we were alone together."

"Really?"

"How about a spar? You haven't been playing with me lately, saying your body isn't well."

Ah, so he's talking about a spar.

It seems like my fight with the chieftain earlier sparked his competitive spirit…

These damn barbarians.

"I'm not feeling up to it today, let's do it tomorrow."

"Alright. You already know, but I'm quite patient."

Uh, yeah, yeah.

I casually nodded and continued observing the protective barrier. I felt a strange sensation because of what the shaman said.

But there was nothing I could figure out.

'Phew, I wonder if I would have been able to discover something if I were a mage, not a barbarian.'

In the end, we turned back without any gains.

Although it was quite a distance from the protective barrier to the city walls, the way back wasn't boring.

After all, Ainar was a chatterbox.

And she especially loved barbarian talk.

About equipment, about who fought whom and who won, about where they were making sturdy and stylish backpacks these days.

Or…

"Ah, did you hear? Karon is going to be a father soon?"

"What?"

I was genuinely surprised.

"How? He didn't say anything in the labyrinth."

"Huhu, it seems like he was meeting women as soon as he entered the 3rd floor. Ah, and he only heard about the pregnancy from the woman a few days ago, so he wouldn't have had time to tell you."

I then heard the details from Ainar.

The woman was a warrior from the tribe.

Well, it was only natural.

Humans can't give birth to barbarians.

Although mixed-race children weren't impossible, they would still be human.

And barbarians preferred their own kind.

Their standards of beauty were different from other races.

'And most importantly, there's no ideological problem with pregnancy.'

In human society, it's considered proper to get 'married' and then have children.

But there's no such thing in barbarian society.

The children are raised in the sanctuary, and women consider giving birth to be a matter of pride.

And there are even practical benefits.

Although it's less than for humans, the royal family grants a two-year tax exemption.

'And the pregnancy period is short.'

Although it varies from person to person, it takes an average of 4 months to give birth, and the recovery is very fast.

That's probably why barbarian women are so open to childbirth.

Although it's a bit strange to say this about childbirth…

Is childbirth always a noble process?

Regardless of pride, if the economic aspect isn't resolved, the birth rate will inevitably decline.

"Come to think of it, don't you have any thoughts?"

"…Huh?"

"About children. I heard the female warriors in the tribe are after you…"

Ah, so that's what they were after.

No wonder they kept touching my muscles, saying how good they were. I thought they were genuinely complimenting them…

"I'm not thinking about it yet."

"Hoo, why? I know it's a bit strange for me to say this, but we're late bloomers. There are even female warriors who are younger than us who have already given birth!"

Could it be because it's my first time having this kind of conversation?

I was scared for the first time since coming to this world.

Of barbarians.

"...."

Ainar, seeing me subtly trembling, said triumphantly,

"Ah! Don't tell me it's because of Misha? Don't worry! Misha will understand. We're barbarians! She can't even give birth to anything but beastmen anyway!"

Ainar seemed different.

She said she was a cat person in front of the bear-like man, but she was actually thinking like this.

"I'm fine. What about you?"

I changed the subject since it was uncomfortable.

It's the technique of 'Shifting Flowers and Connecting Branches', using the enemy's strength against them.

"Me, me?!"

Ainar couldn't hide her flustered expression as the arrow was turned back on her.

The reason was simple.

"I, I can't even if I want to. What warrior would like a small woman like me…?"

Geez, those damn beauty standards.

I had unintentionally stabbed Ainar in her weak spot.

But just as I was about to apologize…

"And… I don't want to either."

Huh?

"Th, that's right!! After being with you, all the other tribesmen seem young and unmanly!"

Ainar shouted as if she was frustrated.

I was also flustered and said she could just find someone among the older tribesmen, but…

"I don't like older men!!"

…I received an unexpected answer.

'She doesn't like older men, and her peers don't feel manly…'

It was a troublesome preference.

But to be honest, it was a good thing for me.

If she suddenly got pregnant and couldn't enter the labyrinth for a few months, it would affect me too.

'Uh, but how did the conversation even get here?'

The 29-year-old Lee Hansu had turned 30 in this world.

But…

"Anyway, tell me if you change your mind! I'll introduce you to a good female warrior!"

…this kind of talk was still uncomfortable.

_________________

Two days later.

I went out alone after breakfast and a warm-up spar with Ainar.

Ah, 'alone' wasn't exactly right.

"We've arrived at our destination. We've already searched the inside of the store, but please be careful."

The knights' excessive escort, which I was now used to.

"Right, thank you."

I casually expressed my gratitude and got off the carriage, then entered the meeting place.

It was a tea house I had visited about three times before.

"Oh, Mr. Bjorn! Over here, over here!"

Shabin Emure, a 7th-grade administrative official, waved at me from a corner table.

Ragna, the librarian, was sitting next to him, looking quiet.

The members of our regular friend gathering were all gathered as I sat down.

"First of all, thank you for coming. You received the Viscount title, so I was really worried about whether it was okay to call you out like this."

"You're worrying about strange things."

"That's right, Shabin. Do you think this man would change just because he became a noble?"

Ragna said arrogantly as she sipped her tea.

She was right this time.

I didn't intend to flaunt my noble title.

But…

'Right, the Viscount title isn't something to be burdened by.'

Her natural behavior showed how good her family background was.

Well, I didn't know exactly what kind of family, but…

Judging by how she didn't even react to the knights surrounding me…

'I'm even more curious. What kind of family is she from?'

I then turned my gaze towards Shabin.

Unlike Ragna, he was subtly looking at the knights.

Well, it must be uncomfortable.

Let's just get to the point.

"So what's the reason you called me out today?"

"Heh, were we only supposed to meet if there was a reason?"

"You have a habit of twitching your nose when you lie."

"Huh? Re, really? I didn't know that!"

Well, of course, she didn't.

"It was a lie."

"Ah…!"

Ragna chuckled, looking at Shabin's dumbfounded expression.

"It's rare to see her like this."

"That's only for you. This is nothing to a barbarian."

Indeed, most people, regardless of age or gender, make that kind of expression when I start acting like a barbarian.

"Enough, so? Tell me what you want."

Shabin regained her composure at my words and said,

"I'd like to request something from you, Viscount Yandel, on behalf of the Administrative Office."

Hmm, a part-time job…

Although I wasn't short on money, money in this world was always lacking, no matter how much you had.

"Tell me, what kind of request is it?"

I should at least hear her out.

-x-X-x-

The request Shabin made was quite simple.

"Just deliver this letter to Baron Nertobin."

The mission was to deliver a letter.

The reward was 3 million stones.

But there was one condition.

"Ah, for reference, you have to deliver this letter directly to the Baron before he leaves Gnometree."

That was the reason why a simple delivery mission had such a hefty reward. It was practically impossible for an explorer to enter Gnometree.

It was a district where only nobles could enter, except for the workers who worked on the farms.

"I understand the request. So tell me the details."

Although the sweet scent of an easy mission was already wafting towards me, I didn't get ahead of myself and calmly checked what I needed to confirm.

What was this letter?

They could just send it to the Baron's house when he returned to the city, so why were they paying such a large sum to have it delivered?

Shabin answered my questions without hiding anything.

"I can't tell you the contents of the letter. And the reason why we're asking you to do this is because it's clear that the Baron won't read our letter even if we send it to his house."

The Administrative Office had something important to tell the Baron.

But the Baron was ignoring them.

So they obtained information that the Baron was currently enjoying a vacation in Gnometree and came up with a plan to hand-deliver the letter to him.

"Gnometree is practically a vacation spot for nobles. And they can only bring three escorts with them. It won't be a burden for you, Mr. Bjorn, since you can just approach him naturally and hand him the letter."

Hmm, that's true.

I nodded in understanding.

Indeed, it was troublesome for a noble to visit another noble's house in the city. They had to have dinner together and greet their family.

It was impossible to just meet briefly and hand over a letter.

'Then is the condition of delivering it in Gnometree for my sake?'

That thought briefly crossed my mind, but it probably wasn't the only reason. They wouldn't add a condition for my sake.

"So, what will you do?"

Shabin then handed over the decision to me, and I pretended to contemplate for a moment before answering,

"I'll accept it."

3 million stones just for delivering a letter in this situation where there was no other source of income?

There was no reason to refuse.

'And I was planning to visit Gnometree anyway.'

"Ah, just so you know, I'm just delivering the letter, whether he reads it or not."

"Yes, as long as you fulfill the request, there won't be any problems with the payment, so don't worry about that."

Okay, then my last worry was gone.

I signed the contract Shabin brought and received the letter.

With that, the official business was over.

We chatted for about an hour and then disbanded, and I returned home.

And…

"Misha, pack your bags."

"Huh?"

"Let's go on a trip."

We started preparing for a trip.

__________________________

We decided on a 2-night, 3-day trip.

Although it wasn't a distance that required us to stay overnight, we also needed time to find the Baron there.

And…

'There's also a place I have to visit.'

Honestly, I wanted to take a more leisurely trip, like 5 nights and 6 days.

But the labyrinth was opening soon.

Well, we had already agreed to skip it this time…

'It would be better to see firsthand how much force the royal family is deploying.'

"Gn, Gnometree!! Wow! I can't believe I'm actually going there!!"

Although it was a sudden suggestion, Misha was excited and packed her bags as soon as she heard that our destination was 'Gnometree'.

For reference, we could only take three people with us.

So I decided to take Ainar and Erwen and go on a family(?) trip together.

"Is, is it okay for me to… join you?"

"What are you talking about? Don't come if you don't want to."

"I want to! I'll go pack! How long are we staying there?"

Erwen, who pretended to refuse but then quickly got up and went to her room to pack, looked happy for the first time in a while.

Well, there hadn't been many joyful events for her recently.

"Hey! I told you to pack properly!"

"I am…"

"You're only packing underwear? What about your toothbrush and towel? Huh? Are you going to ask me to lend them to you every time?"

Misha then helped Ainar pack, and the preparations went smoothly. And the next morning…

"We'll escort you to the front."

…we headed towards Gnometree, escorted by the knights.

We arrived well past noon.

"Viscount Bjorn Yandel. Confirmed. Please come this way."

We went through a simple identification process at the gate and then entered.

Ah, the escort knights didn't follow us.

Because there was a rule in Gnometree that only allowed three escorts.

'I feel a bit sorry for them.'

Actually, the knights wanted to fill all three spots themselves.

But I firmly refused and gave those spots to Misha, Erwen, and Ainar.

It would be difficult to move freely with knights around.

And besides, it was a place where I didn't have to worry too much about assassins.

"If there's any threat to your safety inside, please don't hesitate to use this whistle. The Gnometree patrol will come to your aid."

Since Gnometree was the district with the strictest security after the royal palace, the knights didn't force us to cancel our trip, even though they were disappointed.

"Wow…"

The scenery of Gnometree, which we entered through the double gates, was so breathtaking that even I was speechless.

A straight road stretched out before us.

A refreshing green landscape unfolded on both sides, and the gentle breeze carried the scent of unripe grains and fruits.

"Oh! Look over there! It's fairies!"

We continued sightseeing as the carriage moved. The most common sight was fairies working on the farms.

After all, they were specialists in agriculture.

The fairy tribe sent fairies who had learned special spirit magic to Gnometree and received a huge amount of support.

'Geez, I'm envious…'

The vast wealth that came from Gnometree. It was also the reason why they could implement an interest-free tax loan policy for their tribe members, unlike barbarians.

"Erwen, how many years do you guys lend?"

"Three years."

"Wow, I'm envious. We only got two years. They don't really pressure us to pay it back, but after that, we have to take care of everything ourselves, whether we live or die."

For reference, all races except for barbarians and humans had this tax loan policy.

It wasn't just fairies who earned money like this.

Dwarves had signed an official contract with the royal family, having their architectural skills and metallurgy recognized. The windmills and watermills we saw were probably all built and maintained by them.

Ah, and beastmen…

[Moo—!]

"Mi, Misha! What the hell is that strange monster?!"

"Ah, it's your first time seeing one? It's a cow."

"Cow?"

"It's the meat you said was the most delicious. Ah, I've never had a natural one either…"

Beastmen were active in the livestock industry.

They were naturally good at communicating with animals, and thanks to the fact that there were enhancement-type Spirit Beasts that increased the growth and breeding rate of livestock.

'But it's the Dragonkin who are really making the money.'

If the other races were all working class, the Dragonkin were a bit different.

They were practically nobles who owned land.

After all, the agricultural district, Gnometree, was built on the Dragonkin's sacred grounds.

'…Why are barbarians the only ones who have nothing?'

I felt a sense of deprivation as I organized my thoughts, but what could I do?

Fighting was our only characteristic.

Rumble.

The carriage arrived near a mountain in the center of Gnometree and then started circling east.

And after some time…

"We've arrived."

The coachman, who was also acting as a guide, informed us that we had arrived at our destination.

It was a residential area called 'Kiarbys', a historical vacation spot for nobles that existed even in the game, which was set 150 years in the past.

"Please come this way."

We first headed towards our accommodation with the help of the coachman.

It was a place the Administrative Office had reserved for us…

'Nice.'

…and it was much better than I expected.

We had an entire annex to ourselves, and we even had five servants.

I wonder how much this cost per night?

"Please have dinner first. We've prepared it for you."

We ate first since we were hungry.

And…

"You're saying there's a hot spring…?"

…I immediately went to the outdoor hot spring and relaxed after hearing the servant's words.

'Ah, this is it.'

I should come back here even if I have to pay for it when winter comes. I came out after enjoying the hot spring for about an hour, and Ainar was waiting for me.

"Bjorn, why did it take you so long to wash up?!"

"Where are Misha and Erwen?"

"They're still in there. I don't understand. It's just warm water…"

It seemed like Ainar couldn't appreciate the true value of a hot spring.

Phew, these barbarians.

"Enough, just rest and play with them when they come out."

"Huh? What about you?"

"I have to go to work. Why? Do you want to come with me?"

"Ah, no… I'll just stay here and rest!"

She retreated, as if disgusted, and I chuckled and left the annex.

And I first looked around.

'This is truly luxurious.'

As expected of a place designed as a vacation spot for nobles, it was full of luxurious facilities.

Hot springs, horse riding grounds, fishing spots, and so on.

If it were the modern world, I wouldn't have thought of this as luxurious, but it felt different here.

'They're not just eating natural meat, they're playing with it…'

99% of the people in this city ate meat and bread made from magic stones. Just look at Ainar, she had never even seen a real cow before coming here.

But what about this place?

There was even a place where they released pheasants and deer for hunting.

'Hmm, then I guess I've seen enough…'

I headed towards my destination with the letter.

There was no need to ask around and find out where he was staying. There weren't any titled nobles who were staying in rented accommodations like me.

Most of them spent their vacations in villas they owned.

"He said you can come in."

I arrived at the villa and sent word, and I soon received permission to enter.

Phew, at least he didn't tell me to get lost.

"I was actually hoping to talk to you sometime, so this is a good opportunity. Haha, it's good to see you, Viscount Yandel. But what brings you here so suddenly?"

"Ah, I have something to deliver."

"Something to deliver?"

The Baron immediately opened and read the letter I handed him.

And he made a strange expression.

"Those Administrative Office bastards are really desperate. To even ask you to do this."

"Well, I don't know the details."

"Hmm, and you still agreed? Why would someone like you do that?"

The Baron muttered as if he couldn't understand.

Honestly, the answer was that I immediately accepted because they were offering 3 million stones as a reward…

…but it seemed embarrassing to say that, so I made an excuse.

"I owe them a favor."

"Haha, you can just pretend you don't know them later."

Wow, is this a noble's mindset?

I was impressed in a bad way, but I couldn't say that to his face.

"A warrior never forgets a debt."

"Hmm… that's true. Haha! Interesting. A noble whose loyalty is guaranteed? Maybe many nobles will want to be friends with you."

After the letter was delivered, the Baron offered to have a meal together, but I refused and left.

In the small world of nobles, if you become friends with just anyone, there would be consequences.

'Anyway, the request is complete.'

It ended so easily that I wondered if it was really okay to receive 3 million stones just for this.

Then I was free for the rest of the trip.

'I'll go there later when it gets darker…'

I checked my remaining schedule and headed back to the annex.

That's when…

…I saw a familiar emblem among the knights escorting the young nobles.

I felt cold sweat running down my back as soon as I saw it.

'Aiphreya Baron family.'

The family of the 'him' who used magic to knock me unconscious and borrowed his face and identity to meet me.

'…It can't be. He said he was the youngest son? It must be his older brother.'

Even if my hopes were dashed, it was the same.

It was proven by quantum mechanics.

No one knows what's inside a box until it's opened.

Whether there's a cat or something else inside is only proven after 'observation'.

Fortunately, I hadn't checked inside the box yet.

So…

'Let's go.'

I fixed my gaze on the ground and quickened my pace.

That's when…

"Wa, wait! Are you Viscount Yandel…?"

…I heard a familiar voice from behind.

"Pl, please wait a moment! I, I heard you had a hard time because of that evil mage who disguised himself as me. I have to apologize…"

It was the real Hans A.

-x-X-x-

At first, I thought it might be the GM again.

But if it were the GM, he wouldn't borrow the same face he used before.

And the atmosphere emanating from the knights and the people around him was completely different.

In short, this guy was…

'The real Hans A.'

Not the GM pretending to be Hans A., but the real Hans A.

Therefore, there was only one thing I had to do.

"...."

I hold my breath…

"I have to apologize…"

…and ignore him, clenching my teeth as if I didn't hear him.

And…

Tadat.

…I run.

"Wh, why are you running…!"

"Woo! I suddenly feel like running!!"

"Th, this…"

The real Hans A. was flustered by my mindless dash.

But there was no way I would stop.

"Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!"

The distance between us widened quickly, and he didn't follow me.

Fortunately, he didn't have that much tenacity.

'…Did I avoid him?'

I reached the front of the annex in one breath and tried to calm my pounding heart.

I only heard his voice, I didn't see his face.

Thanks to that, we didn't make eye contact, and I held my breath, so the probability of air contamination was low.

…This should be enough.

Right, it will be fine.

"Welcome back, sir."

A servant greeted me as I was catching my breath in front of the annex.

And as I entered…

"Nyaha, Bjorn, you're back!"

…Misha greeted me with an excited expression.

It was the High-Tension (Alcohol) Mode.

Erwen, who was sitting quietly next to her, wasn't much different.

"Mister… Hehe, hihihi!"

She called me in a gloomy voice and then let out a creepy laugh.

'What's going on here?'

The living room was filled with empty bottles, and the smell of alcohol was strong.

'It hasn't even been an hour since I left…?'

What happened here?

I looked around like a detective and then realized that Ainar wasn't there.

"Where's Ainar?"

"The warrior-nim is sleeping after getting drunk."

It was the servant of the annex who answered my question.

I asked for her location, and it turned out to be the central courtyard of the annex, not a room.

Snore!

Ha, seriously.

I carried Ainar to her room and threw her on the bed, then came back down. Misha was chugging from a bottle, as if she was enjoying herself.

"Keuh…!"

I cautiously approached Misha, sensing a strange danger.

"Did something happen while I was gone?"

Although she had gotten drunk after drinking a little at our team drinking parties, this was the first time I saw her chugging like this.

"Something? Nyaha, something, my ass!"

"But why are you drinking so much…?"

"I just drank because I was happy!"

"I, I see?"

She drank because she was happy.

It seemed like I was worrying for nothing.

Her body must have felt refreshed after the hot spring, and there was good alcohol next to her for free.

There was no reason for her not to drink.

"Right, at first…"

Misha's expression turned serious as she wiped the alcohol from her lips with her sleeve.

I involuntarily averted my gaze.

Erwen, who was sitting on the sofa with a relaxed posture, caught my eye.

For reference, she was staring blankly into space…

"Hehehe…"

…and giggling for some reason.

Is laughing her drunken habit?

"Hey, Bjorn."

Misha grabbed my wrist and spoke.

"Uh, yeah?"

"About you rejecting me that day."

Uh… she's bringing that up now?

It was an uncomfortable topic, but the atmosphere wasn't right for me to refuse.

Misha then bit her lip and asked,

"Was it because I can't give birth to barbarians?"

Huh? What?

Did Ainar say something strange?

My mind went blank for a moment, but my barbarian body was good at dealing with crises.

"There's no way."

My mouth opened without hesitation.

And it wasn't a lie.

The reason I rejected Misha that day wasn't because I wasn't attracted to her or because she was a beastman.

I had a reason I had to keep to myself.

"Right, that's right…"

Misha, who was staring into my eyes as if trying to discern the truth, then opened a new bottle and chugged it.

And…

"Then it must be…"

…she looked at me and then looked away, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly, and then muttered,

"You… will… disappear someday… disappear…"

Misha trailed off and then lowered her head.

"Nyahaaan…"

As expected, she was way past her limit.

I let out a sigh I had been holding back and hugged Misha.

And I carried her to her room and laid her down on the bed.

Erwen was smiling when I returned to the living room.

"They're finally… all asleep…"

What is she talking about?

"Go to sleep if you're drunk."

'Neck Slice.'

"…Okay."

I roughly knocked her out and threw her next to Misha.

___________________

It was late at night, and midnight was approaching.

Although I thought about cleaning up the empty bottles that were scattered around…

…I decided to just leave them.

It wasn't my house.

They would clean it up after I left.

"Ha…"

I collapsed onto the sofa, which was a bit small for me.

My mind was racing.

It was because of what Misha said at the end.

[You… will… disappear someday… disappear…]

I knew what she was going to say.

She was probably going to ask if that was why I rejected her.

Of course, she wasn't certain that I was an evil spirit.

No, she was probably more inclined to believe that I wasn't.

She had seen me receive an oracle.

This was a city where it was known that evil spirits were the enemy of God.

But for God to help an evil spirit and even give him a sacred relic?

It didn't make sense according to the world's common sense.

It was just a sliver of anxiety that had taken root in her mind and came out because of the alcohol.

'…But the good news is that it doesn't seem like she'll be hostile towards me even if I'm an evil spirit.'

I felt relieved by that fact.

I was also grateful, and I felt a sense of accomplishment, thinking that I hadn't lived a meaningless life.

But the strongest emotion was self-deprecation.

'What am I even hoping for?'

My top priority when I woke up in Bjorn Yandel's body was my own survival.

I decided to somehow survive and adapt to this world, and then find a way to return to my original world.

But…

Wouldn't it be bad to just live here?

Did I really have to go back?

There were fewer good things there anyway.

That thought had been growing stronger recently.

I could understand why players called the natives NPCs and distinguished them from themselves.

They needed to draw a line.

That this world wasn't our world.

That we had a place to return to.

'Enough.'

I forcefully stopped my endless thoughts.

Should I return home?

Or stay here?

I couldn't make either decision yet.

I had made up my mind while watching the death row inmates who died because they couldn't pay their taxes.

To decide after reaching at least the 6th floor.

'It's pointless to worry about it now.'

It wasn't just the taxes.

The Dragonslayer, the Clown, Noark, the royal family.

There were many things that threatened my life in this world.

Whether I liked it or not, I had to become stronger.

After all, there was no point in doing anything if I wasn't alive.

So, in that sense…

"Where are you going at this hour?"

"Ah, I'm just going for a walk. You don't have to wait."

I left the annex after telling the servant.

It was about time for everyone to be asleep.

[02:37]

A cool night air enveloped me as soon as I stepped outside.

But was it because we were right next to a mountain?

It felt a bit chilly.

Thud, thud.

As expected, there were few people on the street, but it wasn't completely empty.

The brightly lit gambling house was still bustling with noise.

Well, it didn't matter.

The place I was going to was outside this village.

'It's dark.'

A darkness that was almost like the labyrinth's unfolded before me as I left the village.

The countryside in Korea was also like this.

An eerie nature greeted me as soon as I moved away from the lights.

'It's about time.'

I thought about lighting a torch, but I carefully moved forward, just in case.

After some time…

…the cave marked on the map I found in the annex appeared.

It was one of the tourist attractions here.

'…There's no one guarding it.'

I cautiously entered the cave, and the surroundings gradually brightened.

After all, this place was similar to the 1st floor.

It was a mystical cave with crystals embedded in the walls, emitting a blue light.

I moved forward without hesitation.

Although there were side paths, I just had to go straight from the entrance in the game.

Whoosh!

Indeed, a vast cavern soon appeared.

There was a rock in the center that vibrated at regular intervals.

'Lignaracia.'

The origin of the name was from the ancient language, and it meant 'blessing of the earth', according to the map.

It was said to bring good luck if you touched it.

It was probably a superstition.

The real hidden piece wasn't the rock.

Swoosh.

I opened my subspace pocket and took out my mace.

And I passed the rock in the center and clicked the interaction button on the wall with a mural.

Ah, it means I smashed it with all my might.

Kwaaang!

The wall crumbled and collapsed at my mace swing, imbued with the Ogre's strength.

But I wasn't worried.

This cave had a self-repairing magic circle.

It would be fixed in about 5 minutes.

'Let's go.'

I entered the passage that was revealed beyond the collapsed wall. There was a small space inside, just like in the game.

'Judging by how it's hidden like this, the one outside must be fake, and this is the real one.'

I placed my hand on the rock in the center.

It was an ordinary rock, unlike the one outside, which vibrated at regular intervals and gave off a mystical vibe.

But I felt something after a while.

「Imbued with the Earth Dragon's energy. (1/3)」

A sense of fulfillment flowed into my body through my fingertips.

「Soul Power increased by +10.」

「Earth Resistance increased by +20.」

It was one of the hidden pieces that were quite beneficial.

Although there was a condition that you had to be a noble and be able to enter Gnometree…

…it practically gave you 30 stat points for free.

'Most people who played the original version would probably know about this. They would have pressed the interaction key everywhere.'

Although it was just my guess, I thought there would be quite a few players who knew about this hidden piece.

Well, they probably wouldn't know about this, though.

「The blessing engraved on your soul reacts.」

「Additional stat increase is increased to 30%.」

The stat increase rate from the Earth Dragon's Blessing is upgraded from 20% to 30%.

'I never expected to be the first to unlock this condition.'

It was definitely not a normal playthrough.

To become a noble at just level 5?

If it were a game, I would have definitely thought I was using a bug.

'Anyway, should I go back now?'

I turned around to leave after obtaining everything, and then I froze.

It was only natural.

Rustle.

A man was standing in front of the wall, which was starting to repair itself as if time was reversing.

"Wow, you really were a player?"

It was Lee Baekho.

____________________

Countless possibilities swirled in my mind.

"...."

Why was Lee Baekho here?

He had disappeared after that day.

Don't tell me he had been following me all this time?

The answer was simple.

"Human relationships are strange, huh? I was following him, thinking he might be the GM in disguise again, and then you appeared."

It was Hans again.

Lee Baekho had met Hans A. in Gnometree by chance and discovered me while following him.

And…

'He must have been following me ever since.'

I could roughly picture the sequence of events.

Then what should I do?

The decision was already made.

"You're saying that again. Aren't you tired of it?"

It wasn't a good idea to reveal my identity to Lee Baekho.

He was a fickle guy, just by looking at him.

Even if we were on good terms, he would pull out a knife and force me to choose if something didn't go his way.

For example…

"It seems like that cat girl is starting to suspect something. Wouldn't it be better to just kill her?"

Right, like that.

Although I felt cornered, I feigned ignorance.

"Now I understand why the chieftain called evil spirits evil beings."

"Wow, you're good at playing dumb, even in this situation."

"This situation…?"

I put all my effort into making a confused expression.

But Lee Baekho just chuckled as if it was ridiculous.

"Right, this situation. The fact that you're here is proof that you're a player. Otherwise, how would you know about this hidden thing?"

Okay, I knew you would ask that.

I answered as if I had been waiting for it.

Subtly mixing in the truth.

"I'm a benefactor of the Dragonkin. I returned Dragonslayer to their tribe, and I've become close friends with the Ancient Dragon, 'Lafir'. Even his daughter, the Dragon Shaman, is fond of me."

It was an answer that implied I heard this information from them.

Lee Baekho tilted his head as soon as he heard it.

"…Uh, what? It's true?"

Of course, it's true.

I didn't lie at all.

"Then you were the one who took down that Dragonkin bastard? Wow, this is amazing."

Lee Baekho exclaimed as if he found it interesting.

I inwardly sighed in relief.

Although I had to reveal my hidden information to escape the situation…

'Well, the ring broke anyway, right?'

It wasn't that big of a loss.

The effect of the sacred relic was over, and whether I liked it or not, I would soon be reunited with him.

There was no need to hide like before.

"Indeed."

He nodded after observing me for a while.

"It's not that hard to believe. Right, they might tell you something like this if you made that much of a contribution? Well, it's not that big of a deal."

So it worked?

No, there's no way.

It was too early to relax.

I didn't let my guard down and waited for his next words.

That's when, after a few seconds that felt like an eternity…

"But you know."

…he asked.

With a smirk.

"Why are you answering so readily?"

My mind went blank.

"Last time, when I asked if you were a player, you clenched your teeth and didn't answer."

"...."

"You've suddenly become very friendly."

That damn bastard.

-x-X-x-

There was no point in making excuses anymore.

He wouldn't be fooled, no matter how cleverly I tried to deceive him.

He would try to get a definite answer.

'Damn it.'

Aside from the unpleasant feeling of being forced to choose, my mind was already meticulously calculating the options I had and their consequences.

What was the best choice for me?

"Hello? Aren't you going to answer? I asked why you're being so friendly."

Ha, this bastard is nagging.

I wanted to go into Mindless Barbarian Mode and say something like, 'I just felt like it, is there a problem?'

But…

'I might actually die if I do that.'

I was weaker than him.

Therefore, I couldn't just smash his head with my mace and say he must be crazy for being so suspicious after I stubbornly refused to answer.

He would be the one smashing my head.

"Ha, look at this bastard, he's back to being unfriendly."

Lee Baekho sighed in frustration and glared at me with his blue eyes.

"Why do you keep asking? You're not even going to believe me anyway."

I didn't bother hiding my sigh.

But could it be that Lee Baekho also felt frustrated?

"No, but it feels different hearing it from you."

Right, I know what you mean.

That's why I tried to hide it until now.

'Right, so you're determined to get an answer.'

It was time to admit it.

Too much had gone wrong to resolve this situation without any sacrifices.

I had to give up what I had to give up.

For example…

"Manners maketh man."

…my identity, which I had never revealed before, even though I had been suspected many times.

"Huh?"

Lee Baekho seemed surprised by my sudden change in attitude.

But I had nothing to lose since I had already made up my mind.

"Hey, wouldn't it be polite to just pretend you don't know and leave?"

"What? Really? You really were a player?"

Lee Baekho's eyes sparkled as he heard the truth from me.

'So you were really just curious.'

I was furious.

Did he even know?

That this was my first time speaking like this in Bjorn Yandel's body.

'But it feels good.'

I felt a strange sense of liberation and anger at the same time as I glared at him.

But could it be that this bastard's sense of shame was broken?

"Wow, so you saw that movie!"

He was still focused on the topic he was interested in.

Did this guy really have no social skills?

"…You should apologize first."

A bizarre scene of a barbarian lecturing a human about social norms and morality.

"Ah, sorry. But I suddenly feel closer to you since you saw that movie. It's one of my favorites."

Lee Baekho gave a half-hearted apology and then cautiously asked,

"…Did you see the sequel?"

What the hell is this guy?

His ability to not read the room was almost on par with barbarians.

"…I did."

I answered.

Because I didn't know when he would change his attitude again if I ignored him—

"Then why are you speaking informally to me?"

Huh?

"No, why are you speaking informally? Don't you know about mutual respect? Are we invincible just because we're both players?"

Lee Baekho suddenly turned serious and started releasing killing intent.

I felt like I was going crazy.

"…I'm not used to speaking formally."

"Ah, so you're from the West!"

So that's how it can be interpreted.

I was talking about barbarians.

"Then let's speak informally. Okay?"

Lee Baekho smiled brightly, as if nothing had happened, and offered a handshake.

Although he seemed like a manic-depressive…

'I'm wide awake.'

…my mind felt refreshed.

Maybe this was his way of talking.

To take the lead based on his strength and then confuse you, not giving you time to think.

'Don't tell me he asked about the sequel to find out when I came here, and he just asked if I was from the East to confirm?'

It might be just a delusion.

But it was better to be safe.

'Let's keep Lee Hansu a secret.'

Actually, this was the last thing I was worried about.

If I was going to reveal that I was a player, wouldn't it be better to reveal everything and be friends with him?

But I put that decision on hold because of one thing.

[It seems like that cat girl is starting to suspect something. Wouldn't it be better to just kill her?]

It was just a suggestion earlier.

It was closer to him being nosy about a stranger he happened to meet.

But the moment I revealed that I was Lee Hansu…

…this would become his problem.

He cared about Lee Hansu.

No, the 'Korean player' who was one of the few in this strange world.

"But about me being a player…"

"Ah, don't worry! I won't tell anyone. Do I look like someone without manners?"

I barely held back from saying 'yes'.

I knew better after talking to him.

Lee Baekho was like a ball that could bounce in any direction.

Therefore, I shouldn't get involved with him.

At least not until I was confident that I could control him.

"By the way, I'm really glad you were honest."

"…?"

"You're becoming a noble, right? I was actually planning to kill you before you joined the royal family if you were really an NPC."

My heart skipped a beat at his casual words.

"…What?"

"Why are you surprised? It's not like I enjoy PK. Well, it's fine if they're not fated NPCs. They're a bit troublesome for me too."

I didn't understand a single word he said.

I subtly asked out of curiosity, but Lee Baekho just drew a line, saying there were things like that.

Tsk, is it because he's Bjorn Yandel from the West?

I think he would have answered if I were Lee Hansu from Korea.

"Ah, and I'll give you one more piece of advice, just in case. It's funny saying this to someone who's already a noble, but don't get too involved with the royal family."

"Why?"

"The royal family isn't interested in opening the 'Gate of the Abyss'. No, they're actually trying to prevent it. The disappearance of the Genesis Artifacts might also be their doing."

The royal family? Why?

It was widely known that the key to saving this world was in the deepest part of the labyrinth, but was it all a lie?

I had many questions, but I knew Lee Baekho would just make an annoyed face and say,

"What are you going to do even if you know?"

It didn't seem like he would answer even if I asked him who the GM was.

That's when, as I was clicking my tongue in disappointment…

"So you're… one of them?"

"One of them?"

"You know, the ones who want to just live here. I thought you might be one of them after seeing you risking your life for an NPC, but then your growth rate makes me think otherwise. Which one is it?"

"What will you do if I want to stay?"

"What do you mean 'what will I do'? There are people like that. I'm not that narrow-minded. I don't care as long as they don't get in my way."

I silently stared into Lee Baekho's eyes.

It wasn't a particularly meaningful action.

I couldn't tell what he was thinking from those blue eyes.

'Well, it doesn't seem like he's just testing me…'

I made a decision after a brief moment of contemplation.

"I don't know."

It was the most honest answer I could give.

"My goal was to return at first, but these days, I'm not sure if I have to risk my life for that."

"Because of that cat girl?"

"...."

I didn't answer.

But was that enough?

"You remind me of my past self."

Lee Baekho chuckled and said,

"But I'll give you a piece of advice since you seem to have potential. Don't expect too much from NPCs. You'll regret it."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I sensed a cold emotion hidden beneath his smiling voice.

What happened to him?

What the hell did he experience in this world to become a monster who was so broken and only wanted to 'return'?

It was something I couldn't understand for now.

"Then I'll be going since I've satisfied my curiosity."

Lee Baekho then turned around as if he was done. And he collapsed the wall, which had finished repairing itself, with a wave of his hand.

No, could you even call that collapsing?

Rustle.

The remains of the wall scattered into dust.

Lee Baekho waved his hand again, and even the dust disappeared without a trace.

'…It's a good thing I didn't go into Mindless Mode.'

I felt dizzy, thinking that my head could have been turned into dust.

That's when, as I was watching him leave…

"Ah, right."

…Lee Baekho turned his head and looked at me.

And he delivered his last words.

"For reference, we're strangers next time we meet."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't act friendly even if we meet by chance."

"...."

"I don't build relationships in this world."

Geez, this bastard.

He's cold.

______________________

I left the cave and returned to the annex after Lee Baekho left, without even looking back.

And the next morning…

"Ugh, mister… I'm dying…"

…I spent the entire morning resting with the three of them, who were suffering from hangovers.

"Bjorn… when did you come back? Did you finish what you were doing yesterday?"

For reference, Misha seemed to have forgotten everything that happened last night, as she didn't even remember me coming back to the annex.

It was a good thing.

[Was it because I can't give birth to barbarians?]

It would have been awkward to talk to her if she knew she said that to me.

"Now that you've finished the request, can we just play without any worries?"

"Of course."

Although I had planned a 2-night, 3-day trip just in case, all my business in Noark was done on the first day.

So the rest of the time was free.

"Ooh! We're going to play!!"

We spent the entire second day playing until late at night.

It was a fun day.

Well, if it weren't for the part where I fell into the water.

"Ainar!! I told you not to move like that!!"

It happened at the fishing spot.

We were fishing at night with lanterns, and the boat capsized because Ainar had a seizure after being bitten by a fish.

The problem was that no one could swim.

Well, how many of us had ever been to a place with such deep water?

'I thought I was going to die.'

But thanks to that, I learned one thing.

I thought I was sinking because of my armor when I fell into the water in the 'Glacier Cave' before, but that wasn't it.

Barbarians can't swim.

It wasn't a matter of skill, but rather that we didn't have any other choice but to sink when we fell into the water.

Well, I was able to stick my head out of the water and call for help since I was in Gigantification (Transcendence) Mode…

'I should look for a place where I can learn how to swim when we get back. Even if Ainar and I don't learn, the others should.'

Anyway, Day 2 passed, and the next day…

…we woke up past noon after drinking all night, and we got into the carriage heading back to the city.

"Ugh, I wish we could stay for one more day…"

"I agree. Mister doesn't drink much at home…"

"Ooh! Misha! Look, a horse is running!"

We enjoyed the natural scenery, which was rare in the city, as the carriage moved for several hours.

We then reached the southwest exit and returned the whistles we received when we entered.

'Come to think of it, there was this.'

The whistle that would summon the patrol, one of Gnometree's prides, no matter where or when you blew it.

I wondered what would have happened if I had blown it when Lee Baekho appeared, but it probably wouldn't have changed much.

He wouldn't have given me the time.

"Then I'll rest, so tell me when you're hungry."

We arrived home in the evening and each went to our rooms to rest, and it was the same the next day.

Peaceful days of rest.

As always, those days passed by quickly.

And…

"I'll be back later."

…that day finally arrived.

[22:10]

Two hours left until midnight, when the labyrinth opened.

I finished preparing to go out and headed towards the Dimensional Plaza.

'The royal family is sharpening their swords.'

According to rumors, the royal family was forming an army.

They were planning to get revenge by fighting in the labyrinth after being tricked.

The scale was unknown.

It seemed like they didn't even send a request for cooperation to the clans, unlike during the last subjugation.

They were planning to handle it with the royal family's own power.

'I'll get a sense of it when I arrive at the plaza. Just how strong the royal family is.'

Indeed, I saw explorers heading towards the plaza to check the situation, just like me.

Everyone was curious.

About the royal family's true strength, which was only talked about in rumors, something no one had actually seen.

"Oh, Bjorn! Are you going to the plaza too?"

"I'm a bit concerned."

I chatted with a few familiar faces I met on the way and moved together.

And after some time…

"…I didn't expect this."

…everyone who came here, including me, tilted their heads.

"I can't believe there's no one here."

Well, it wasn't completely empty.

Security guards from the Public Safety Department were occupying the plaza, preventing explorers from entering.

But that was all.

"Where's the army?"

The rumored army was nowhere to be seen.

"Haven't they arrived yet?"

"No way, my friend. The labyrinth opens in 5 minutes. If they're not here yet, it just means there's no army."

"This is disappointing. Don't tell me that fight was just a rumor."

The explorers gathered near the plaza started to leave, disappointed.

It was the same for the explorers I met on the way here.

"Yandel, aren't you leaving?"

"I'm going to wait and see a bit longer."

"Hmm, then I'll be going."

I waited until the portal closed, just in case.

To summarize the result, there really was no army.

'What? Are they aiming for next time, not today?'

Although I had many questions, there was nothing I could do by staying here.

So I also turned back.

That's when…

Kwoom!

…I faintly heard a collapsing sound from somewhere.

Rumble!

And then the ground beneath my feet shook.

"Wh, what? An earthquake?"

The officials and guards around me froze with bewildered expressions.

But…

"...."

…the few knights in the plaza were different.

They exchanged words with solemn expressions, as if they knew what was happening.

As if something they had been expecting had finally begun.

'Right, this is it.'

I then looked down at the ground.

I had a hunch about where the royal army was.

Even though I couldn't see them.

'Empty house robbery.'

The war had already begun.

-x-X-x-

It was a minor earthquake.

Although the table shook, none of the glasses fell over, and I didn't hear anything breaking.

Only the chips piled on the table collapsed.

"An earthquake?"

He was startled by the sudden natural phenomenon, but...

...the nobles inside returned to their usual selves and continued gambling as soon as the tremors stopped.

Except for one person.

"Hey, Confucius, where are you going?"

"I suddenly remembered something I have to do. I'll fold this round."

The man flipped his cards over and left the table, taking only his chips.

And he took off his mask.

Although he enjoyed the concept of a gambling house where you could hide your identity with a mask...

'No matter how I think about it, that wasn't just an earthquake.'

Lee Baekho, who came out to the night street, sat down on the nearest bench and organized his thoughts.

Although the other nobles didn't seem to have heard it because of the noise inside, he clearly felt it.

The wave of energy that came from underground.

'It felt like a mixture of mana and divine power.'

He couldn't have been mistaken, as his Perception stat was high, and he had a talent for mana.

Then...

'They were talking about breaking the protective barrier, and they really did it.'

Lee Baekho soon reached the truth.

They were truly persistent bastards.

It wasn't a coincidence that they chose midnight, when the labyrinth opened, as the time to attack.

'...Empty house robbery...'

He didn't know the details since he was away from the royal palace. But Noark must have entered the labyrinth fully prepared.

They probably poured all their strength into it.

Without even imagining that their own tactic would be used against them.

'...If this goes well, those bastards down there might all die.'

It wasn't a positive situation for Lee Baekho.

He was even considering clearing the game with Noark if he had no other choice.

'Should I go down and help them?'

That thought briefly crossed his mind, but he chuckled and shook his head. It didn't suit his play style.

Actually, if it were this kind of situation...

'The royal palace must be empty now.'

Lee Baekho's lips curled up into a wide smile.

____________________

Jerome Saintred, the captain of the 1st Royal Knight Order.

A frown appeared between the brows of the protector of the royal family, the Knight of Light.

It was because of the news he had just received.

"The royal palace is under attack…?"

At first, he thought it was a counterattack from Noark.

But that didn't make sense either.

They had been careful with security, gathering troops under the pretense of targeting the labyrinth and only revealing their true target, the Noark headquarters, two hours before departure.

And besides…

…the protective barrier had just been broken.

It meant that Noark didn't have time to send enough forces to attack the royal palace.

"Have the orders to return been issued?"

"Not yet."

"Then there's no change in plans. We continue the expedition."

Jerome led the army and quickly moved underground. And as time passed, he received news about the identity of the group that attacked the royal palace.

'…I can't believe it wasn't a group.'

Only one person had dared to attack the royal palace.

He wondered if it was a solo act by the Ruin Scholar, whose threat level had recently been upgraded, but even that guess was wrong.

"Lee Baekho."

Once a promising explorer, he was the one who caused that disaster after being revealed to be an evil spirit.

Of course, very few people knew about that disaster.

It was thoroughly covered up by the royal family, who valued his abilities, and he was given a new identity.

'This is troublesome. How did he know? That even I would be away on an expedition?'

As far as he knew, Lee Baekho didn't have any means of obtaining information. He used to communicate with an accomplice outside through the evil spirit gathering…

…but he was currently banned from the gathering.

It was also something the royal family had a hand in.

They subtly revealed Lee Baekho's identity to the evil spirit called the GM, and when he didn't ban him, they sent him to Noark and made him an enemy.

'Then did he just guess?'

Jerome fell into deep thought.

He had heard that an earthquake occurred on the surface because of the aftermath of breaking the protective barrier…

…but there was one thing he couldn't understand.

To deduce this situation from an earthquake?

That much was possible.

But acting on it was a different matter.

To gamble like that when he could be captured if his prediction was wrong?

'…He would do that.'

Jerome couldn't help but agree, even though it hurt his pride.

Lee Baekho was like a beast.

He would always bite his enemies if he had the chance, and he wouldn't even hesitate to risk being bitten himself.

'And at a time like this when the Rose Knight Captain position is vacant…'

Although he was worried about the situation on the surface, he hadn't received orders to return yet.

Therefore, there was only one thing he had to do.

To fulfill his duty as a knight and carry out the King's orders.

"We've arrived."

The army passed through the underground labyrinth and reached the last gate to Noark.

A stone gate with dozens of ancient magic spells engraved on it.

It took them several hours just to break through this gate during the last subjugation.

"Fortunately, it seems like they haven't fixed it properly yet. Begin."

The mages started drawing a giant octagonal formation on the ground at Jerome's order.

After some time…

Kwaaang!

…the magic circle emitted a bright light and shot a wave of pure mana towards the stone gate.

And…

Swaaaaaaaaa.

…the scenery of the underground city was revealed beyond the cloud of dust.

"Let's go. It's time to subjugate the evil rebels and restore peace to this city."

Jerome drew the sword bestowed upon him by the King.

And he was the first to step forward.

"For the eternal prosperity of Lafdonia."

There wasn't a shred of hesitation in his steps.

____________________

The Dimensional Plaza, where the portal had closed.

But I lingered there for a while.

I thought I might be able to get some useful information from the knights.

But…

'Tsk, I just wasted time.'

The knights didn't even chat amongst themselves and disappeared as soon as the plaza was cleared.

Therefore, I also left.

I was planning to stop by a bar and hear what the other explorers thought about this, instead of going straight home.

'Should I go to the bear-like man's place?'

Hmm, that would be best.

First of all, it was a bar frequented by explorers.

And it didn't have any partitions or private rooms, so it was perfect for eavesdropping.

Although he would definitely be angry if I said that to his face.

"Oh, Yandel, what brings you here at this hour? Without Misha?"

"I was just bored since I was out. Don't mind me, you seem busy today. I'll just drink quietly in a corner."

"…Can't you just call me? I'm sure my wife would be okay with it if you asked."

The bear-like man, who I met at the bar, seemed to be looking for an excuse to slack off and made that request.

Geez, doesn't he feel sorry for his pregnant wife?

"I want to be alone today."

"…If that's what you want. I'll just bring you some snacks and drinks, right?"

"Ah, thank you."

The bear-like man soon brought me a table full of meat dishes.

For reference, the alcohol was the bar's signature, salted honey mead.

'It tasted really strange at first, but it goes down smoothly once you get used to it.'

Anyway, that wasn't my main goal for coming here.

I listened closely as I sipped my drink, and I could hear the conversations of the surrounding explorers and ordinary citizens.

As expected of a bar where rumors spread quickly, most of the talk was about the army the royal family was forming.

'There's nothing worth listening to.'

That the royal family intentionally spread false rumors.

That they were definitely afraid of Noark.

They were all baseless information, with their brains as the source.

Well, I wasn't expecting to hear information from the Round Table at a bar, so I wasn't disappointed.

My goal was just to gauge public opinion.

'These days, even the citizens, not just the explorers, don't have a good impression of the royal family.'

I then closed my ears and organized my thoughts, drinking.

And after some time…

…the bear-like man approached me and sat down, as if he had some free time.

"Yandel, what do you think?"

"About the army?"

"Yeah, you have great intuition in these aspects."

I hesitated for a moment and then shared my guess that the army might be 'robbing an empty house' right now.

After all, I wasn't sure yet.

I was curious about the opinion of the bear-like man, who was a veteran explorer.

"…So that earthquake earlier was because of that?"

"Do you believe it?"

"Isn't that more plausible than that nonsense about the royal family being afraid of Noark?"

The bear-like man was quick to understand, perhaps because he had been to the royal family's treasury once. He knew that the royal family's hidden strength was much greater than he had imagined.

"…Maybe we'll be able to enter the labyrinth next time."

The bear-like man then expressed his hope that this cold war might end sooner than expected.

And he was also worried about the city's economic problems.

"Yandel, if this continues, shouldn't we use the cash we've saved instead of hoarding it? The prices will return to normal once the labyrinth is stabilized."

I was a bit touched by his words.

Was it because he was a veteran explorer with a family to protect?

Ainar and Misha didn't seem to think about these things at all.

"Just wait and see. We'll know what's going on tomorrow."

"Right, I was being impatient."

We then changed the subject and chatted about various things, drinking together.

That's when…

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

…alarm bells rang from outside.

It was my first time experiencing this in over a year of living in this city. The alarm bells didn't even ring when my carriage exploded and the GM and Lee Baekho caused chaos.

But they were ringing now?

Clank, clank, clank.

I hurriedly went outside, and I saw guards from the Public Safety Department running towards one place, their boots clanging.

I grabbed a random guard and asked what was going on.

Although he said he couldn't tell a civilian…

…he immediately changed his attitude when I revealed my identity.

"My name is Bjorn, son of Yandel. I'm a noble who was bestowed the title of Viscount by the royal family. So answer me. What's going on?"

"…We, we don't know either. We were just ordered to go to Karnon for support. I heard from my colleagues that there's a big fire."

A large fire in Karnon, the Imperial City, at this time…

'There's no way it's a coincidence.'

Then don't tell me those Noark bastards invaded?

Well, I didn't know.

But it was possible.

If they knew about the royal family's plan to rob their empty house, they could have used this kind of strategy.

'Ha, the royal family can't do anything properly.'

That's when, as I was sighing…

…the bear-like man spoke.

"A fire in the Imperial City, it doesn't seem like an ordinary incident… I wonder if Raven is okay."

Huh? Raven?

Why is she suddenly being mentioned?

'Ah, she's staying near the royal palace to learn magic.'

…Damn it.

I felt my heart pounding as soon as I realized it.

An ominous premonition washed over me.

This kind of premonition rarely failed, so my anxiety was even greater.

"I hope it's just an ordinary fire—"

"Avman, I'll be going now."

"Where are you going in this situation? Yandel, listen to me. It's best to just stay home in times like this."

The bear-like man grabbed me as I got up from my seat.

But…

"Don't worry, I'll find her and bring her back soon."

"Then I'll come with—"

"What are you talking about? You have to stay with your wife."

I told the bear-like man to close the bar and go to my house with his wife.

Misha would also be worried.

I had to at least tell them what was going on.

And I felt reassured knowing that all my teammates were together.

"…Be careful."

I then parted ways with the bear-like man and climbed onto the roof of a military carriage heading towards Karnon, the Imperial City.

Although the soldiers inside made a fuss…

…they all quieted down when I revealed my identity.

And after some time…

"Viscount Yandel! We're almost at Karnon!"

…the carriage arrived at its destination.

My body froze involuntarily.

"...."

The sky was red, even though it was the middle of the night.

The tall, well-maintained walls were stained with black soot, and the air was filled with acrid smoke.

And…

…screams and roars mixed together, coming from beyond the flames or outside the fire.

'Crazy, what the hell happened?'

Karnon, the city of nobles, was burning.

-x-X-x-