Surviving the Game as a Barbarian Chapter 449: Expansion (2)

When I returned ho after eting Ragna, I found two unexpected guests waiting for .

“Oh! Mister, you’re back! Your friends are here waiting for you.”

“Friends…?”

I tilted my head and entered the living room. Two n, who had been enjoying refreshnts on the sofa, stood up and greeted .

“Is that… is that really Bjorn Yandel?! It really is Bjorn Yandel…!”

Hikurod Murad.

The dwarf.

And…

“…It’s been a while. I heard you were alive, but it’s still hard to believe.”

Brown Lotmiller.

It was a reunion with familiar faces.

Well, I had seen the dwarf before, when I secretly visited his forge.

It was a rather shocking experience.

[Tsk, tsk… I explained everything so nicely because you looked rich, but to think you were just window shopping.]

I didn’t expect to be scolded for just browsing.

“It’s good to see you both. I was planning to visit you soon. Sorry for the delay.”

“Haha! Don’t apologize, my friend. I heard you’ve been busy lately.”

“How did you know?”

“Well, news travels fast when you’re a celebrity! I hear everything even when I’m stuck in the forge.”

“…I see.”

I felt a bit uneasy.

He knew about everything, from my visits to the families of the fallen explorers to the promotion ceremony, and even my recent eting with the other survivors in Comlby.

He had even read about our reunion in the newspaper.

“That’s why we waited to visit you. I wanted to co sooner, but Lotmiller stopped . He said we should wait until things cald down.”

“I see…”

I nodded at Lotmiller in gratitude and sat down on the sofa. Erwen, who had been watching our reunion, approached .

“What can I get for you, Mister?”

“Just water, please. Cold.”

“Okay!”

As Erwen went to the kitchen, the dwarf leaned closer and whispered,

“Did you know how surprised I was? I ca here, and not only was the Blood Spirit Marquis here to greet us, she even served us tea with a smile!”

“…Ah, so this is your first ti eting Erwen?”

Lotmiller nodded, and the dwarf shook his head.

“I’ve t her once before. She ca to see after our team disbanded and asked about you, worried.”

Ah, I think I heard about that.

“Back then, I never imagined that little fairy would beco such a famous explorer… You never know what the future holds, do you?”

“That’s true…”

Even I, who had seen her potential, hadn’t expected her to grow so quickly. And I certainly hadn’t expected her to earn the title of ‘Blood Spirit Marquis’. ṝÅ𐌽ôβÈs̈

“By the way, Yandel.”

Lotmiller spoke up.

“Have you t Miss Carlstain?”

Right, I was wondering when he would bring that up.

“Not yet.”

“I see…”

“Have you seen her?”

“Once, after you were declared dead. I went to see her because I was worried, but she refused to et after that. And then she disappeared.”

“Hikurod, what about you?”

“Sa here. I thought she might have co to see you, considering how widespread the news is… I hope nothing bad happened…”

He was trying to be tactful, but I knew what he was worried about.

But Misha was safe.

Well, I didn’t know if she was safe, but she was alive.

“I’m looking for her too. I’ll bring her back, so don’t worry.”

“Well, if you say so… But… could it be because of the Blood Spirit Marquis?”

“…Why are you bringing up Erwen all of a sudden?”

“Well, there are rumors, you know… that you two are…”

He’s still obsessed with gossip.

“It’s not true.”

I said firmly, and he sighed in relief.

“Really? That’s good to hear…”

His words were strangely unsettling.

“…Good to hear?”

“Well, it’s your choice, of course. But you’ve spent more ti with Miss Carlstain, haven’t you? And it’s what Dwarkey wanted… I also thought you two were a good match—”

Clang!

The dwarf’s teacup shattered.

And…

Thud.

Erwen erged from the kitchen.

“Oh my, the teacup is broken.”

With a smile on her face, she brought the cold water I had requested.

______________________

“Here’s your water, Mister.”

As soon as Erwen placed the glass on the table…

Whoosh!

…the shattered fragnts floated into the air, defying gravity.

And so did the spilled tea.

“There, all clean now.”

Erwen cleaned up the ss with her spirit magic and then left the room.

“…….”

The dwarf, his teacup the only one missing from the table, didn’t say a word as he watched Erwen leave.

He might have a loose tongue, but he wasn’t oblivious.

“You should have been more careful. We’re just guests here.”

“…Haha, you’re right. I-I made a big mistake…”

He chuckled awkwardly, as if he had just dodged a bullet.

Geez, he’s so nosy.

The atmosphere was awkward, so I changed the subject.

“Anyway, how have you two been? Hikurod, you don’t seem to be working at the forge these days.”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“I visited your forge before. You didn’t recognize because I was smaller back then.”

“What?! You ca to my forge? And I didn’t recognize you? Just because you were a bit shorter?”

He sounded incredulous, but it was the truth.

So I just said it bluntly.

“I was surprised.”

“Ah, well, business has been good lately—”

“Not that. I was surprised that you kicked out, saying I was scaring away your custors.”

“…….”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that business is good.”

He blushed, as if I had just revealed his darkest secret, and then he chuckled awkwardly.

“Haha, it’s embarrassing that you saw that…”

“I’m not blaming you. It’s not a bad thing to earn money. I just thought you had changed.”

“Well, I guess I have. It’s a bit pathetic, isn’t it? A forr explorer who gave up on his dreams and beca a rchant.”

Uh, I didn’t an to be that harsh…

But I was curious, so I listened.

“But you see, Bjorn, I have a new dream. A bigger dream than wielding a hamr and forging tal.”

“A dream of earning a lot of money?”

He chuckled.

“Sothing like that. It costs a lot of money to sponsor an orphanage.”

“What?”

Wait a minute…

“…You’re not saying…?”

“I can’t do much yet, but I recently started sponsoring two orphanages.”

Damn, now I feel bad.

I sighed inwardly, but…

“Bjorn, I’m going to earn a lot of money. No matter how ugly it gets. I don’t have many options left, but those kids do.”

“…….”

“I want them to achieve the dreams I couldn’t.”

“…….”

“That’s my new dream.”

He seed… bigger today.

“…….”

“…….”

He chuckled awkwardly, seemingly embarrassed by his sudden outburst of passion, and I was speechless. I just drank my water.

Then Lotmiller spoke up.

“I’m just… taking a break.”

It was an even more unexpected answer than the dwarf’s.

This responsible man was unemployed?

“What about your academy? You were teaching explorers tracking skills, weren’t you?”

“Unfortunately, I’m not cut out for business.”

So it went bankrupt…

I was about to offer my condolences when the dwarf stood up abruptly.

“Hey, Lotmiller! It’s your fault that the academy—”

“Stop.”

“……?”

“Stop it, Murad. That’s not why we’re here.”

“B-but…! He’s a Baron! If we just ask him—”

“I said stop.”

Lotmiller’s voice was low and firm.

It was so cold and authoritative that even the dwarf gulped.

I felt a chill run down my spine.

‘…What’s with that voice?’

I had only seen Lotmiller angry once before.

During Team Misfits’ last expedition.

He had been furious at himself for reaching his limit as an explorer.

And now he was using that tone on soone else?

This is why they say it’s scary when kind people get angry.

‘There must be a story behind this…’

I decided to ask the dwarf later, when we were alone.

“…….”

“…….”

The awkward silence returned.

I decided to get to the point.

“Hikurod.”

“Huh? Ah, uh… What is it?”

“I have a business proposition for you.”

“A business proposition…?”

“Yes.”

It was an important matter, one that I would have brought up myself if they hadn’t co to see .

“You’re making nervous… Tell about it.”

“I’m going to expand my clan.”

“And?”

“I want your forge to be our exclusive supplier.”

“Oh! You’re talking about the offer that only large guilds receive!”

As expected, he was delighted.

Okay, then it’s ti for the next step.

“Alright, let’s sign the contract.”

“Huh? A contract? But we’re friends… do we really need that?”

“It’s better to be formal when it cos to business.”

“Hmm… that’s true… But aren’t you being a bit hasty? I need to review the contract…”

“Don’t be so sensitive. What’s there to think about? Just sign it. It’s just a formality.”

“Hmm… Alright…”

I quickly drafted the contract and had him sign it with his thumbprint.

In other words…

“It’s done.”

I had secured a reliable fence.

I wonder what his expression will be like when I bring him the Rose Knights’ equipnt.

______________________

The day after the dwarf and Lotmiller visited,

I put on my old equipnt, the one I had received back from Bear and Ainar.

‘It feels strange calling it my ‘old’ equipnt…’

Anyway, it was my first ti wearing a full set of armor since returning to this ti period.

「Character has equipped Adamantium Large Battle Shield.」

「Total item level increased by 1,750.」

A 5th-grade tal shield.

And…

「Character has equipped Laithium Breastplate.」

「Total item level increased by 270.」

My trusty breastplate, the one I had repaired countless tis and repurchased whenever it was beyond repair.

「Character has equipped Idium Greaves.」

「Total item level increased by 400.」

The greaves I had obtained in the Doppelganger Forest.

「Character has equipped No. 8,667 Outlaw of the Wasteland.」

「Total item level increased by 315.」

A belt.

「Character has equipped No. 8,820 Iron Wall.」

「Total item level increased by 310.」

Boots that doubled Physical Resistance and Magic Resistance for 3 seconds when activated.

And…

‘Why did Bear have this? It’s making feel strange…’

My special magic underwear, enchanted with ‘Auto-Repair’, ‘Shape Shifting’, ‘Acid Immunity’, and later ‘Cleanliness’.

Also known as the ‘Egg Guard’.

‘Well, I don’t really need it anymore with [Unification]…’

But it was a sentintal item, so I had always kept it.

‘I got the ‘Soul of the Deceased’ and the ‘Orb of Fire’ back from Raven, so I just need to get the necklace from Misha…’

It felt like I was collecting Dragon Balls.

Swoosh.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and was glad I had refused their offer to repay for the equipnt.

They were in perfect condition.

I was already grateful that they had kept them safe, but they had even repaired the damage from the Stormgush incident.

The repair costs must have been significant.

‘Misha only took the necklace…’

Damn it, that was the most valuable item I had.

‘Alright, everything’s in order…’

I left the house after checking my equipnt.

It was my first ti going out in full armor since returning to this ti period.

There wasn’t much combat in the city.

I usually just wore the breastplate.

But today was different.

Thud, thud.

I walked for a while and reached the outskirts of the 7th District.

The gate that connected to the other districts was closed, and a guard on the wall looked down at , as if demanding a password.

Damn it, can’t he tell just by looking at ?

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”

I roared like a true barbarian, and the gate opened without any further identification.

And…

Thud, thud.

I walked through the forest path I had taken with my fellow barbarians after the coming-of-age ceremony.

“Bjorn, son of Yandel! Bjorn, son of Yandel!”

“The strongest warrior, inheritor of the Giant’s na!”

The barbarians I encountered along the way stopped what they were doing and followed . Their instincts told them…

That sothing interesting was about to happen.

“Waaaaaaaaaah!!”

“Bjorn, son of Yandel, has returned!!”

By the ti I reached the barbarian residential area… a collection of haphazardly built huts… there were hundreds of warriors following .

And…

“…So the rumors were true.”

The barbarians who had been staying in the residential area had also heard the news and were waiting for .

Thud, thud.

I walked forward, and they parted like the Red Sea, pounding their chests.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

If humans saw this, they would think it was so kind of festival.

Thump! Thump!

I reached the chieftain’s hut.

Ainar was standing in front of it.

So she really was staying here, receiving training to beco the next chieftain.

“…Is the chieftain inside?”

I greeted Ainar and asked, and she stepped aside, allowing to enter.

He’s letting go in directly?

Alright.

Thud, thud.

I reached the entrance of the hut, and the curtain was pulled aside, revealing a giant barbarian.

The chieftain.

The one who had ruthlessly beheaded ‘Olm, son of Kiduah’ on the day I first woke up in this world.

“You’re late, Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

The chieftain himself.

He looked down at , a massive axe resting on his shoulder.

“I thought you had forgotten about us after becoming a noble.”

He’s really big.

I had returned to my original size, and yet I still had to look up at him.

“Forget about you? Never.”

He laughed heartily, seemingly satisfied with my answer.

And then…

“Welco back, warrior of the tribe!”

He spread his arms and embraced .

“Bjorn, son of Yandel!”

And then he asked a question.

But it wasn’t the usual kind of question you would ask soone you hadn’t seen in a long ti.

He didn’t ask where I had been for the past two years and six months.

He didn’t ask if the royal family’s announcent was true.

He didn’t ask if I was in any trouble.

Instead…

“So—”

He got straight to the point.

“Why are you here?”

And I answered.

It wasn’t exactly appropriate, considering the circumstances…

But I was a barbarian too.

“I have sothing to tell you.”

“What is it?”

I looked at him and said,

“Let’s fight.”

“…..”

“For the position of chieftain.”

He didn’t hesitate.

“Alright.”

He accepted my challenge.

And at that mont…

“B-Behel—ladaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

“Behel—layaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

“Behel—laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!”

All the barbarians roared in unison.

_________________________

「Bjorn Yandel」

Level: 7

Physical: 1,390.55 / ntal: 521.3 / Ability: 2,197.65

Item Level: 7980 (New 1,695)

Total Combat Power: 6,104.5 (New 423.75)

Absorbed Essences: Orc Hero - Rank 5 / Ogre - Rank 3 / Bion - Rank 3 / Stormgush - Rank 3 / Vol-Herchan - Rank 3 / Deep Sea Giant - Rank 3