Surviving the Game as a Barbarian Chapter 783: Upgrade (1)

When do people make the most resolutions?

If soone were to ask that, most people would give the sa answer.

January 1st. The day a year ends and a new one begins.

On that day, everyone is filled with hope. People who feel they’ve gained weight resolve to go on a diet, and those who’ve been lazing around at ho vow that this year they’ll finally get a job.

But only a few actually carry out those plans. Because what they truly want is change, and this world is never kind to those who desire change.

If you want to co out of the egg, you have to break the shell. And ironically, the path to hope is always accompanied by pain.

‘Of course, there’s a reason people say New Year’s resolutions never last past three days.’

A person’s determination is so weak and soft that no matter how firmly they shape it, it always ends up sagging with ti.

Of course, there are so with unshakable will, but...

Hmm. Even then, would those kinds of people really need the New Year as a trigger?

Anyway.

"Did you spend the last days of the year resting well?"

"More or less."

On the first day of the new year, I visited the palace and t with Astarotta. It was to put into action the resolution I made last night.

Last night, for the first ti in a while, I felt my dull mind spin clearly again.

What must I do to not rely survive, but live—to realize that dream in this rciless city?

After a night of contemplation, I ca to a conclusion.

I must commit treason and beco king. Or at the very least, I must attain power equal to that of a king.

Only then can I stand on equal footing in negotiations—or otherwise—and obtain what I want.

That’s why I ca here the very next day.

"Astarotta Berun."

"You’re calling by my full na all of a sudden. It’s making tense. What is it?"

"Is Countess Peproc still in the sa condition?"

"Yes."

It was the answer I’d expected, and yet, it was enough to confirm my suspicions.

The Marquis had said that in ti, Ragna would co to her senses on her own. That was why he left the diary behind in the first place.

‘But she still hasn’t woken up...’

There’s no doubt it’s because of them. Though I have no proof yet.

"Then today as well, I can stop by to see her before I leave?"

"Of course."

Whatever they’re doing to Ragna, I’ll need to speak with Hyeonbyeol later. Though I doubt I’ll get a clear answer.

"By the way..."

Astarotta narrowed her eyes like a gambler about to make a play.

"When you killed the Marquis, did you happen to see a ring nearby?"

"A ring? No, I didn’t see anything like that."

"Hmm. I see..."

"What kind of ring was it?"

"It’s nothing special, just one of the royal treasures. But it seems he either took it off before dying or soone took it from him."

"Either way, I didn’t see it."

"I see. In that case, the most likely scenario is that it’s in Noark’s hands now."

At those words, I felt a sense of relief.

The royal family still believes my statent from back then.

But for them to bring this up now, sothing I didn’t ntion at the ti, must an they’ve finally finished their own internal investigation.

‘Looks like I’ve cleared a major hurdle...’

Then again, in hindsight, it was only natural they’d believe . The royal family knows the Marquis and I were enemies.

Even if they had doubts, they wouldn’t have found a convincing reason why the Marquis would willingly hand over Urae to . It would’ve sounded far more plausible that he’d fired it out of a desire to kill us all, just as I’d said.

Which is why showing too much obsession over Ragna would be dangerous. The royal family might catch on to the deal the Marquis risked his life to complete.

"Oh, and did you hear? At the royal eting you missed, the new Chancellor was chosen."

"...Who is it?"

"Duke Kealurnus."

"I see."

"You don’t seem too surprised."

"Honestly, there wasn’t anyone left but the Duke."

The nobility had originally been divided into three major factions: The Chancellor faction, the Duke faction, and the minor nobles. Ah, and the lbeth alliance of mixed races, which I belong to—but their power’s so insignificant they don’t really count.

Anyway, the Chancellor faction essentially collapsed when the Marquis committed treason. The minor nobles lost most of their strength when many were killed by Urae falling on the Palace of Glory.

Only the Duke faction managed to preserve their power throughout the war.

"Yandel, what do you think of the Duke?"

"I think he’s lucky. He didn’t do much, but his biggest rival, the Marquis, destroyed himself. And judging by appearances, he didn’t suffer any major losses in the war either."

"Fortunate, huh..."

But the tone of her muttering was a little odd.

"...Do you know sothing?"

"No, nothing like that. It’s just that, in my experience, those who seem lucky often have the dirtiest secrets. But... well, maybe he really is just lucky, like you said."

"If you ever find out sothing, let know too."

"Of course."

And with that, the talk about the Duke ended, and we moved on to other topics.

Most of the conversation was drawing information from her, but the one that left the biggest impression...

Was this.

"Oh, and Yandel... your promotion has been finalized."

The Yandel barony is now a viscountcy.

Well, calling it a house is a stretch—no mansion, no retainers, nothing.

‘...Or maybe not?’

If we’re just counting numbers, I probably have more followers than any other noble house.

Since I accepted all the refugees from Viphron.

"Did the soon-to-be Chancellor say anything about it?"

"Even if he wanted to object, he couldn’t. You’re the hero who entered enemy territory alone, killed the Marquis, and ended the war temporarily. Ah, do you and the Duke not get along?"

"Not particularly. We’re not close, but there’s no bad blood either."

"Then there’s even less reason to block your promotion. Still, I heard he did have a small complaint. Apparently, since the promotion ceremony and his inauguration are happening together, he wasn’t too thrilled."

"I don’t get it. Why would that be a problem?"

When I asked, Astarotta looked at briefly, then smirked.

"Seems like you’re genuinely clueless. Good. If you weren’t, it would’ve been kind of annoying."

"Just tell ."

"Think about it. If both events are held at the sa ti, who do you think people will focus on?"

"Ah..."

I hadn’t considered that.

Of course, more attention would be on —the war hero—than the Duke, who basically walked into a vacant seat.

"I heard he even asked if they could be held separately, even if it ant delaying his inauguration. But it was denied due to the urgency of the situation."

In any case, it seems my promotion ceremony and the Duke’s inauguration will be held on the sa day, at the sa place.

"Are you going to visit Countess Peproc?"

"Just to see her face for a mont."

"How devoted."

As the conversation wound down and I was about to stand, Astarotta brought up sothing new, as if she’d just rembered.

"Oh, right. I wanted to ask you sothing."

"...?"

"Are you close with Jero Saintred?"

...Why bring up the village chief all of a sudden?

"Not particularly. We did explore the first basent floor together, but that’s about it. Why do you ask?"

"He went missing the day Urae fell on the Palace of Glory."

"...And?"

"So think he should be listed as a casualty, but I feel like there’s sothing more. I just wanted to see if you knew anything."

"Unfortunately, I don’t."

"...Sorry for wasting your ti. You should go now."

With that, I left the reception room where I’d been speaking with Astarotta.

‘Missing, huh...’

Honestly, I don’t think the chief was caught in the °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° war and killed.

More likely, he got involved in sothing—or disappeared by choice.

I recalled my last eting with him.

Just before Urae struck, he ca to while I was imprisoned underground and said sothing cryptic.

["It’s about to begin. The day everything burns."]

And sure enough, right after that, Urae fell. As he left in a rush, he said:

["Survive. Once you do, I have sothing I want to tell you."]

At the ti, things were so chaotic I didn’t think much of it, but now that I look back, it’s strange.

Contrary to his words, the world didn’t burn during the war—

‘...Or did it?’

Districts 7 and 8 did burn entirely.

But I was the one who set them on fire, and the tone of the chief’s words had been very different. At the ti, it felt like he was talking about the end of the world.

‘But in the end, that didn’t happen...’

The war stopped, and I survived.

But the chief, who said he’d speak with afterward, didn’t just fail to find —he vanished completely.

‘What did the chief know that made him so desperate?’

I still don’t know.

But one thing is clear: I have to find him.

Because I must stop the Heart of Karui from falling into the hands of the royal family.

And right now, he has it.

I don’t know what he plans to do with it—but still...

***

Before leaving the palace, I stopped by Ragna’s room.

She was still sleeping like a princess, and Hyeonbyeol was watching over her.

"Are you really planning to stay here until she wakes up?"

"I don’t know what’ll happen if I leave."

Hmm. If the royal family has sothing in mind, it won’t matter whether she’s here or not... But I didn’t say that out loud.

"Anything happen while you’ve been here?"

"Not really. I’m dying of boredom, honestly. Even the Chancellor’s son got released, so there’s no one to talk to..."

"Yeah, I guess it would be boring."

Elthora Tertherion, son of the traitor Chancellor, was recently released after a trial. Even though his father was a rebel, he had betrayed him and helped , which was taken into consideration.

But truthfully, it was all thanks to Astarotta. And I’m the one who moved Astarotta.

‘What’s he gonna do with his life now...’

Elthora got what he wanted—he survived. He lost all noble rights, but that was to be expected.

‘A lot of people must hate him...’

In a ti when tens of thousands of refugees are wandering, the na “Tertherion” is enough to make people grind their teeth.

It might be easier for him to ditch the na and just live as “Elthora.”

‘Maybe I’ll drop by soti later to see what he’s doing...’

That was as far as my thoughts about Elthora went. It was personal curiosity, nothing more.

"See you next ti."

"Huh... you’re leaving already?"

"I’ll be back soon."

"You said that last ti too, but it took forever for you to show up again."

"This ti I an it. I’ll probably be coming to the palace a lot from now on."

"...The palace?"

Hyeonbyeol gave a subtle, aningful look.

Then she stared at quietly.

"You seem... different sohow?"

"Different?"

"It’s hard to explain, but just sothing. Sothing’s different..."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Of course it’s good! And your face looks a lot better too."

She’s sharp as ever—and I kind of get it. Even I thought my face in the mirror had looked awful for a long ti.

"Then I’ll be off."

And when I returned to the Sanctuary after finishing my palace business, a guest was waiting for .

"Ah, you’re finally here!"

It was Elwen’s uncle.