Surviving The Game As A Barbarian Novel 2025 - Chapter 442
C442: Giant Step(4)
When I opened my eyes, it was the middle of the night, and since there was nothing to do at this hour, I decided to go back to sleep.
I thought I had slept for two days…
“…I slept for three days?”
At first, I thought Amelia was joking.
I could still feel the fatigue in my body despite having slept for three days straight. onestly, I could have slept more if I’d wanted to, but I forced myself to get up…
‘But it really has been three days.’
“Still, I’m relieved you woke up. If you hadn’t woken up today, I was planning to forcefully wake you. Because I’ve had enough of stopping that fairy from making a big fuss.”
“…So where’s Erwin?”
“She went out for a bit.”
“Went out?”
“Said she’s going to the Sanctuary. Seems like that matter isn’t wrapping up as easily as she expected.”
She hadn’t specified what it was, but there was no need to ask.
It must be about her leaving the Pureblood Legion.
During my absence, she’d received considerable support from the Fairy race; to be free from all that, she’ll have to give up a lot.
Most obviously, the ‘Divine Tree Bow.’
Or else, the funds for purchasing this mansion—extorted by taking the Divine Tree Bow hostage.
‘Well, the real problem is the ‘pureblood’ itself.’
A fairy’s Pureblood is a kind of secret racial skill.
Only one person can inherit the pureblood at any given time, and the inheritor’s ‘Natural Affinity’ stat is insanely boosted. That’s how Erwin was able to contract with the Spirit King.
‘I need to get that resolved ASAP. Letting Erwin handle it all on her own doesn’t make any sense.’
I regret the time I spent sleeping.
It hasn’t even been a month since we survived Ice Rock and made it back, but I have no time to waste relaxing.
However…
Grrrrr—
“Go check the kitchen. There should be some food left.”
Right, let’s eat first.
***
After satisfying my hunger from three days of starvation, the first thing I did was organize my thoughts.
Lee Baek-ho, GM, Hyeon Byeol, Ragna, Auril Gavis, and the multitude of information I got from the Round Table…
I asked Amelia for some space, locked myself in my room and spent some time putting things in order.
‘Ha… My head’s about to explode.’
I felt like a student preparing for the first day of the term.
I had a lot of homework to catch up on, and I feel overwhelmed about where to start. So I decided to treat it like a game, setting priorities and sorting it out. What needed my immediate attention?
‘… … It’s a bit better when I organize it like a quest.’
After assigning the forced rankings, my head felt a bit clearer.
So, the quest that I need to complete today is…
“Amelia, how’s the clan formation going?”
Finishing the clan formation.
“The paperwork review finished yesterday, so all that’s left is to go in person and sign your name in the official registry.”
I actually considered resurrecting my old clan, but it was disbanded after I was declared dead, so I decided to create a new one due to the bureaucratic complications.
It’s a bit of a shame.
Clans with an older creation date do have certain advantages.
‘Well, maybe I can just use my noble title to push that around later?’
Negotiating with the guild is something I’m good at.
I changed and was about to head out to do the day’s chores when Amelia grabbed her coat and followed me.
“You’re coming along?”
“That’d be better. I took care of most of the formalities anyway.”
True, having two of us there might minimize any oversights.
Sigh, Raven used to handle these things for me
‘It will take a while to bring her over from the military.’
But that doesn’t mean I’ve given up.
Of course, Raven’s willingness comes first.
“Wait.”
“Hmm?”
“Put this on. Going out like that will cause a commotion.”
“Ah…”
I took the steel helmet Amelia handed me, put it on and stepped aside.
“It’s been a while. Going out together in broad daylight like this.”
Hmm, is it?
Now that she mentions it, I think the last time we went out together like this was when we visited the auction house to buy the ‘Bol-Herchan’ essence and then went to that art gallery.
After returning to the present era, we haven’t been in a position to walk around comfortably.
“Oh, there it is.”
Our house was in the centre of town, so it wasn’t a long walk to the local Guild branch.
We took a ticket and waited like other explorers, then handed over our IDs when our turn came.
And…
“Beep, beep, beep, beep… Hrrng!”
As soon as the clerk saw my ID, she nearly had a seizure, so we ended up moving to a private reception room on the second floor. The branch manager himself rushed out to wrap up the remaining formalities.
It was a strange feeling.
Leader: Bjorn Jandel
Deputy Leader: Vacant
Member: Vacant
Member: Emily Raines
Member: Aynar Pheneline
Member: Auyen Roklov
This was the minimum number of people that was required for the formation of a clan.
By the way, Erwin couldn’t join the clan because she was still in the ‘Pureblood Legion’ and hadn’t resolved that.
“P-Please visit us again soon!”
After receiving the branch manager’s lavish hospitality and leaving the guild, we headed for a nearby restaurant.
I was already hungry again, not surprising after three days of fasting.
“Amelia.”
“It was Emily outside, wasn’t it?”
Ah, right.
My mind is a blur from hunger.
“So, what did you want to say?”
“Ah, it’s nothing big, just curiosity: Why did you leave the slot for the First Member blank?”
I had left it vacant as she instructed, but she hadn’t told me why.
“What’s the reason?”
“Sometimes, impatience ruins everything.”
“…Huh?”
“When she withdraws from her order, tell her that we deliberately left the spot open. That will calm her down a little.”
“Uh…”
“Uh…”
Wait, what did I just hear?
“…You left it open for Erwin?”
I asked, unable to hide my shock, and Amelia looked a bit embarrassed as she averted her gaze.
Then…
“…She seemed upset.”
She muttered in a tiny voice, then changed the subject.
“Anyway, about the clan name.”
“Huh?”
“Is there a particular reason you chose it? I found out it means ‘a pack of beasts’ in an ancient language.”
She thought of an ancient language first, huh?
So, is this a success?
After a moment’s deliberation, I told Amelia the truth.
I didn’t want anyone to overhear, so I pulled her close.
“Actually, it’s not ancient, it’s Korean.”
Amelia visibly flinched at my whisper and quietly asked for clarification.
“Korean…? You mean, the language of your homeland?”
“Right.”
I nodded and went on to explain its meaning.
“To strive together for a better future with one heart and one will.”
“…Oh?”
“That’s what ‘Anabada’ means.”
For now, it’s also going to be our clan’s motto. As given the corner we had been driven into, we couldn’t afford to do anything else.
***
After we finished eating, Amelia said she had something to do and left.
It was obvious where she was going.
She’d visit the place her sister works, peek in from a distance, then come back.
Without ever daring to actually speak to her.
‘…Well, she says she’s satisfied with that, so I guess I can’t say much.’
Anyway, even though I’d wrapped up today’s quest, I didn’t head home; I headed somewhere else instead.
Because there was something I needed—no, something I wanted—to do.
Ding!
I push open the door to a modestly busy restaurant.
The second floor doubled as an inn, and the place sold food during the day and drinks at night, essentially operating as a pub.
“Welcome! Are you dining alone?”
As I entered, a bright-faced waitress, who seemed to be in her early twenties, greeted me with a big smile and led me to a table.
“What can I get you to eat?”
“Bring me something with plenty of meat, please. I walked a lot, and I’m hungry already.”
“Sure, just a mo—”
“Wait, is the owner not here today?”
“Oh, madam? The priest said she should start being careful, so she isn’t coming in these days.”
…Is she ill or something?
While slightly worried, I decided to clear up any misunderstandings first.
“I meant the male owner.”
“Oh! If you mean Urich, he should be in soon. About 30 minutes? But he’s not very punctual, so I can’t guarantee it!”
Okay, so I’ll be able to see him if I wait.
“Thanks for answering.”
As a token of appreciation for her time, I left a tip and sat at the table, passing the time.And after I had eaten all the food I ordered and placed an order for a second dish…
Ding!
The door opened, and the person I was waiting for arrived.
“You’re here? Urichfried!”
“Yeah, anything going on?”
“You’ve got someone here to see you.”
“…Someone to see me?”
As the waiteress conversed with Mr. Bear, he scanned the interior and froze when he saw me.
But did he realise the situation?
“Maila, no more customers from now on. If the people already here are done eating, let them go.”
“Huh?”
“Ah, and after you send off the guests, you and the chef can leave too.”
“Uh?”
“Try to keep people away from my table as much as possible.”
After quickly giving instructions to the waitress, Mr. Bear approached me briskly.
“…It really is you. Bjorn Jandel.”
“Been a while, Abman.”
And then…
“…”
“…”
A brief silence followed.
Abman was the first to speak.
“I’ve… heard the news.”
God, this awkwardness.
“I still don’t fully understand what’s going on, but it sounds like you’ve been through something major.”
“Ah, yeah… I guess so…”
“Have you already met the others?”
“Everyone except Misha.”
“I see… I see…”
Mr. Bear then seemed to think about something, and then spoke again.
“Actually, when I heard you were alive, I went to your house a few times. But there were too many people and you didn’t come out, so I just turned back.”
“You could have knocked. I’d have let you in any time.”
“Well, I guess my mind changed.”
“…?”
There was something odd in his tone. Or was it just my imagination?
Right, so…
“Abman, I never meant to deceive you all or anything.”
Let’s make this clear first.
“I couldn’t show myself for two years and six months because of—”
“That’s enough.”
“…?”
“Bjorn, it seems you’re under some misunderstanding. I’m not angry with you or anything. Sure, I felt betrayed, but that has nothing to do with this.”
He cut me off sharply, took my drink, and gulped it down before continuing.
“I just don’t want to hear it.”
“…”
“Whatever the reason you hid yourself. It might be because you were involved in something dangerous. It’s a story that doesn’t concern me anymore.”
Something felt tight in my chest.
“It doesn’t… involve you?”
“Sorry, but I should make this clear. If you came here today hoping to bring me back on your team, that’s impossible.”
So this is what it feels like to get rejected before even confessing?
I felt more curious than disappointed.
“From the way you speak, it doesn’t seem to be because of the clan you now belong to.”
“Yeah, that’s not the reason.”
“Would you mind telling me why?”
Upon my request, Abman sighed as if holding back a breath, then opened up.
“On the day your survival news reached me… my wife asked me. She was very worried, wondering if I was going to meet you.”
“I see…”
“Bjorn, do you know how long two years and six months can be? Long enough to make a man who once dreamed of seeing the end of the labyrinth reevaluate everything.”
He gave a lonely sigh and went on.
“So… what I’m trying to say is… we can’t go back to how it was. No matter how I look at it, if I keep adventuring with you, I might not live to see my kids get married.”
“Right… Got it.”
With that, I let go of even the slightest bit of remaining hope.
No, there was never any hope to begin with.
There was a reason why I hadn’t classified this visit as a proper quest.
I had no intention of recruiting him.
In fact, I had to hold myself back from recruiting him.
Because, well, think about it.
How can I ask a married guy with kids to join a clan that might end up fighting the royal family someday?
“…I’m sorry.” Mr. Bear spoke
“What Sorry? Let’s just have a drink.”
This was the real reason I had come here.
“Why? If we’re not going into the labyrinth together, does that mean we can’t have a drink together either?”
“…That’s not it.”
Soon, Mr. Bear lifted his glass, and we spent time chatting about trivial things.
Eventually the customers gradually left and even the employees had all gone home…
Until the sun set and night fell.
Laughing, talking, and sometimes even getting into serious arguments.
“…It’s gotten late.”
“It’s only just become night.”
“My wife is waiting.”
“Well then… can’t be helped.”
“I’m sorry. If my wife weren’t almost due, I could have stayed longer…”
..Almost due?
My head went blank for a moment, but I roughly understood the situation.
‘So, they’re having a second child.’
Strangely, I felt weird.
Now that I thought about it, I couldn’t be by his side when his first child was born. He used to talk about me being their godfather whenever we drank.
“It’s raining out. Take this with you. I’ll stick around to tidy up before I go.”
“…Ah, thank you.”
After a few more words, I put on the raincoat Mr. Bear gave me and stepped out into the street.
Pitter-patter—
The pouring rain.
‘It’s not that I’m sad.’
Maybe it’s because I drank too much?
I suddenly felt resentful of the two-and-a-half years that had slipped by without me.
Like I’d lost something precious.
But what good would it do now?
I just had to let it be.
Squelch, squelch.
I cut across the rainy street, moving forward.
Squelch, squelch.
Even though I was trying hard to steady my steps, my drunken body swayed now and then.
Maybe because I was swaying so much…
[Bjorn Jandel.]
The last few words we shared kept flashing through my mind.
[Stride forward boldly. Don’t waste time on a straggler like me.]
Common, there’s no such thing as stragglers in life.
[You can go as far as you want.]
I have no idea why everyone’s so eager to treat me like someone special.
But not knowing, I walked on.
I don’t know, but I kept walking.
Splish, splash—
Repeating over what I need to do tomorrow.