Surviving the Game as a Barbarian
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Chapter 86 Table of contents

The Mozlans worked quickly.

"Keke, I... a great magician...? Who are you...?

"It's him." Get him.

Lifting Dvalka's head by the hair to examine his face, the knights quickly tied his hands.

"Uh, excuse me, some problems...?"

Only then did the drunken dwarf come to his senses and try to sort out the situation, but to no avail.

"You guys don't need to know.

"But...

"Are you dissatisfied with our behavior?"

It seemed that if he nodded his head, they would take Hikuroda as well. I shut his mouth and replied instead.

— No, I don't.

— ... Are you a little Balkan? You are wise for a barbarian.

From the tone of the knight's voice and gaze, it was difficult to tell that this was a compliment.

As soon as they left the pub with a drunken Dvalki, the dwarf began to fuss.

"Bjorn!" They must have misunderstood something. This guy would never do that!

He was definitely not mistaken. Disrespect for the nobility? Maybe identity theft, but disrespect?

It was difficult even for me to accept.

"We have to help!"

What should I do to save a comrade who was taken away by the state authorities?

I closed my eyes.

"Hikurod, calm down. When Bjorn behaves like this, it means that he has a solution!

Phew, I thought I could rest today. Why has something like this always happened?

Before I could do anything, I needed to get a clear picture of the situation. So far, we did not have any information. I didn't even know if Dvalki had insulted a real nobleman, or if they just misunderstood, or if he had been framed. So I left the pub and headed to Mozlan's headquarters.

"Wait until the investigation is officially closed.

Even in the game, the introverted and arrogant Mozlans did not divulge any information. So I went to Shavina.

"Was he taken by the Mozlans?" I'll check it out. Although I can't guarantee that I'll learn anything...

"That's enough. Thank you.

"Nothing.

Since Shawina was a civil servant, I figured she would have easier access to information than a mere researcher.

— ... He's still alive, isn't he?

"Hikurod!" I understand that you are worried, but stop saying things that will bring misfortune and sit still!

"Good.

We all waited for news from Shawina and spent the whole day near Mozlan's headquarters.

"Huh?" Isn't it Dvalki?

"It looks like it.

Dvalki walked out the front door with drooping shoulders.

Contrary to the dwarf's fears, he bore no signs of torture, not even wounds.

Hikurod rushed forward.

"You!" Are you okay? How did the investigation go? If they let you go, then it was a misunderstanding, right? I knew it!

For some reason, Dvalki just bowed his head, not even happy to see us. — ... Let's move to another place. There I will tell you everything.

For the time being, we have moved, as Dvalki wished, to a tavern that we often visited when we held meetings related to the labyrinth.

After a few snacks and the beer we had ordered arrived, Dvalki began in a sad voice.

"It seems... I will have to leave the team.

After Ervena and Einar, this was the third time I had heard something like this.

The dwarf's breath caught in his throat.

"No, what are you talking about!" Explain in more detail!

"Well—" Dvalki began, then let out a long sigh. "It would be ridiculous to try to hide it now. To be honest, there's something I've been hiding from you all.

"Did you hide it?"

"My elder brother... Baron Martoan.

"What?" Mike's breath caught in his throat.

"So you're saying you're really a nobleman?"

Everyone opened their mouths in shock, but Dvalki closed his eyes and continued to speak.

— This is a half-truth. I am the child of the former Baron Martoan and one of his maids.

An illegitimate son of a noble family. It wasn't an unfamiliar story to me, who was familiar with many modern soap operas. The subsequent history was also not much different from it.

"Since I was a humiliation of the family, I was given to be raised by the Baroness's 3rd younger brother, my adoptive father Tirvah, immediately after my birth. Of course, this was just a formality, but in fact I was raised by my mother.

Nevertheless, the baron regularly sent him money, and thanks to this, he was able to learn magic and grow in comfortable conditions. It was a complicated family story.

However, the dwarf didn't seem to have time to wait patiently.

So what does this have to do with leaving the team?

"A year ago, my father, Baron Martoan, died. And my 2nd brother took his place.

"Hmm, not the 1st?" Brown interrupted with a question.

Dvalki continued in a frank voice:

— That's right. 2nd son. That's the problem.

— I don't understand why this is a problem?

"After the death of the former baron, many people died, from the 1st brother to many others in the line of succession...

These words were enough to determine that Baron Martoan's bloody power struggle was the cause of this incident.

"Was it the 2nd brother who sent Mozlan?"

— That's right. Perhaps this is a warning: live as quietly as you have always lived," I suggested.

"But why now?"

"I think the fact that I became a researcher bothered him. I've also been learning a lot of magic lately... He must have been worried, because I even have a celebrity on my team.

Ah, uh... uh... Are you accusing me now?

To be honest, it was a bit of a stretch, but I briefly summarized Dvalka's words.

"Anyway, does that mean you can't go to the maze anymore because you're afraid of your 2nd brother?"

"Are you really... You don't know how to beat around the bush. You're not wrong. But whatever my will was, it didn't change anything.

"What do you mean?"

"They denied me access to the labyrinth instead of punishing me for insulting a nobleman.

Simply put, this meant that even if he wanted to work with us, there was no way to do so.

"Bjorn, is there no other way?"

Hikuroda and Misha's serious eyes turned to me.

I quietly closed my eyes. Instead of looking for an answer to a problem that couldn't be solved, I thought about what day it was.

What a headache.

There were 9 days left before the opening of the labyrinth. Will I be able to find a new teammate before then?

To be honest, nothing in my life has been easy.

"For now, let's think about this issue individually, and tomorrow we will meet and discuss everything again.

"Yes, I'm sure that even you won't be able to come up with a plan of action right away. Let's do it.

After arranging the next meeting, we parted. Hikurod and Dvalki decided to drink in a quiet place, and Rothmiller went home. I decided to go to the library.

"Huh?" Are you going to the library? Mike asked.

"I've got business with that librarian."

— ... At such a late hour?

"If I hurry, I'll make it before closing."

"I see... Do you want me to go with you?"

What does it mean?

"It's all right. Go rest.

"It's not like I have anything to do at home...

"What do you mean?" If you have time, wave your sword again. You've been fooling around all day today.

Sending away Misha, who was trying to insist on following me, I hurriedly headed to the library. Initially, I was going to have a good rest today and go tomorrow, but plans have changed.

— [Parsiti...]

When I arrived at the library, the librarian was about to mechanically bewitch me when she flinched.

"You...

"Come to think of it, I've never officially introduced myself. I am Bjorn, son of Yandel.

— ... Of course, I know your name.

It was true. In any case, after this conversation, there was silence. I always felt awkward around her.

— ... We are closing soon. Are you heading inside?

"No, I didn't come to read today.

"Then...?"

How do I describe my situation? After thinking for a while, I, like a barbarian, immediately got down to business.

— Ragna Litaniel Peprok

"You don't have to call me by my full name.

"Ragna, what rank are you as a mage?" I asked coldly, but there was no answer.

Her face seemed to be asking, "Who is this rude bastard?"

"Let me first ask you this. Why did you suddenly become interested in this? Ragna asked calmly, who seemed to be a softer type than Raven.

I answered honestly.

"Something has happened, and the mage on my team can't enter the maze. I want to ask if you will not suspend your work here and go into the labyrinth together-...

"I refuse.

yes, so this is a refusal.

Feeling a resolute voice, I cleared my regrets.

- I see. If your rank is so low that you can't enter the maze, there's nothing you can do about it.

— ... When did I say that?

"Then you have enough skills.

Realizing that she was starting to make excuses, Ragna stopped and made a blank expression.

"So... Are you just curious?

— ... What are you talking about? In any case, this conversation ends here. If you don't want to, there's nothing I can do.

I changed the subject.

"So what's the matter?" Shawina Emur told me that you'll have something prepared for me.

— ... Beg your pardon? Is something prepared for you?

Ragna furrowed her brows as if she had heard it for the first time, then clutched her forehead, understanding.

"Ha... Is that what she said?

"Speak so that I can understand.

"I'm telling you beforehand so you don't misunderstand.

Ragna confessed her heartfelt circumstances only after hearing my assurances that I had promised not to misunderstand her.

"Shavina said that her position in the department was raised thanks to you. So she asked my opinion on how to thank you, and... I told her that you like to read books.

"And?"

"That was all, and suddenly she mentioned something I owed her and asked me to return it to you. So it doesn't come from me, it's from Shavina. Do you understand?

— ... Got it.

Simply put, she had something in store for me, though I didn't know why she was so careful to emphasize that it wasn't coming from her. If it were me, I would praise myself more.

"Did you really understand me correctly?"

— Yes. So what kind of gift is it?

"These are books.

— ... Books?

As I shook my head, Ragna closed her eyes and chanted a spell.

— [Bierdo Parsitiev].

When the spell was completed, my body was illuminated with a dazzling golden light.

The spell was even slightly different from the usual one.

"What is it?"

Ragna explained my question in detail, unlike usual.

"There are high-security books in this library that don't react to the usual magic of [Book Discovery].

— ... I didn't know that something like that was hidden here.

"Originally, it was a privilege granted only to the nobility or the chosen with permission.

A kind of secret library for high-ranking people. I felt as if I had received an unexpected gift and was stunned.

"Is it normal that you would give me something like this?"

"As long as you don't tell everyone, it won't be a problem. Since when... I became a librarian, I used this magic only a few times.

Ragna continued in a slightly gloomy voice.

"Who would be interested in this place?"

I also became interested to know her story.

***

*Click, click*

In the empty library, where the silence was broken only by the sound of clicking shoes, I was reading a book, thanks to Ragna's thoughtful attitude.

"So why did you come so late?" Well, okay. Then I will specifically allow it only for today.

When it was closing time, all the patrons were kicked out, but Ragna allowed me to stay until all the books were put in their places. The feeling was a little strange, as if I had entered an area reserved for trusted persons only.

*Click, click*

I put down the book I was reading for a moment and looked at Ragna.

I was wondering how she organized this place, but it seems to be all done with the help of magic.

The books flew into their places on the empty bookshelves at every slightest movement of her wand. I suddenly wondered if they were in the right places, but... If you think about it, the books in this library didn't have to be in a specific place, because magic allowed you to find the right books.

Wait a second.

"Ragna?"

"I'm listening."

"When we first met, didn't you tell me to put all the books I had read back in their original places?"

— I usually say this when I'm too lazy to explain it in detail. Because it's magic, there are a lot of people who ask unnecessary questions.

- I see.

These were very offensive words for a barbarian, but I did not show it and continued to read. Was it because these books had a high level of secrecy? This was obvious in the content.

[Rafdonia Organizational Chart]

There were books about the state institutions of that city, about the groups that were part of the Ministry of Security, that is, the "Evil Spirit Hunters."

[Evil Spirit World]

Some books even talked about Ghostbusters in detail. In this book, an agent who entered their spirit world returned half-dead.

With such a system, I would not be in any danger.

With this, I was confident that I would be able to take the pill I had in my hands when the time was right. I continued to concentrate on my next book. Just as I finished one and was about to read the next, my hands stiffened as I read the title.

[The Complete Book of Rifts II]

Wasn't that the name of the book Raven was talking about? I quickly opened the first page and read the contents, and soon understood why she was behaving the way she did.

... I understood why she was so obsessive.

It was a kind of strategy book. It recorded all the hidden elements that I had discovered through countless experiments and tricks, although due to the physical limitations of the book, there were only four Rifts in the description.

It must be a treasure for the people here.

The content of the book was so perfectly ordered that even I could not see any gaps that could be filled. Because the book is so well preserved, contrary to Raven's words that the book was written by an unknown person, the author's name was also written on the last page.

— Auril Gevis...?

I read the name aloud without realizing it, and froze like a statue.

Damn, why is this bastard's name here?

Auril Gavis is the name of the creator of Dungeon & Stone.

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