Auril Gavis, the name of the game's creator, who always appeared at the bottom of the loading window. Well, I didn't know if it was a nickname or a real name, but anyway.

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Why is this name here...

It was a little unexpected, but there were two scenarios. [The Complete Book of Rifts II] was written by the player, or by Auril himself. If the latter, then I became restless. At the very least, it meant that the creators of the game had a close connection to the events of my awakening in this body.

Could this bastard really be some kind of divine being?

In any case, getting that clue was a good sign. Auril Gevis. If I had kept a close eye on that name, I might have been able to find a way to return home one day. Again, I didn't know anything yet. I didn't even know if reaching the last floor and opening the door to the Abyss was the key to returning.

Reckless questioning will end in bloodshed, so I must investigate thoroughly.

In this sense, I read the book carefully. Nothing special was found.

Only the author's signature, presumably on the last page, and even the year the book was written. After making sure that Ragna was not around, I tore off only a corner and put it in my bag.

If I can find out what year this book was written, it will be huge...

Wait, it's already morning?

I finished my thought at this point and got up from my seat. When I approached the table, I saw that Ragna was dozing. Just as I was about to cover her with a blanket, she woke up to the sound.

"Hmm.

"Why didn't you tell me?" If I had known that so much time had passed, I would have left earlier.

"Make no mistake. I just took a break because it took a little longer to organize the books.

A little? It was almost time for the library to open.

"That's true. Don't get me wrong.

"Good.

As she insisted, I just nodded and walked out of the library. Before I opened the door, I looked around and saw her stretching her tired face.

"What are you doing?" Aren't you leaving?

Maybe she was really a good person?

***

It was morning, so I just started the day. I was a barbarian, so it didn't matter if I washed my face or not.

But first, I still need to eat.

I went to the first nearby open tavern, had a quick bite to eat, and headed straight for the magic tower.

"What are you doing here so early, Mr. Yandel?" Raven asked.

"I've come to ask you something.

"Well, hurry up. I am tired.

"There's a Magus vacancy on our team, and I was wondering if you could-...

*Clap!*

She closed the door.

Damn, if you don't want to, say so.

Another failure. Never mind, I didn't expect her to agree anyway.

"Wait!" I have one more request!

When I hurriedly shouted and knocked on the door, the crack creaked open.

"What request?"

"I want to know when this paper was made.

"Hm? Let me see.

Raven carefully examined the scrap of paper, which I handed over with interest, but found nothing interesting.

"It's possible, but why do you want to know?"

"Can't you just do it?"

"Well, all right. But it's not free, I have to get something in return..." Raven stammered and continued as she came up with something suitable. "The elders are very interested in you, so help them with their research. They have been bothering me about this for a long time.

Are you saying that I should entrust my body to these perverts?

— ... Only once?

— Yes, this is not such a difficult service. I will finish the analysis by your visit next week. Oh! That's right. And don't come here at such an early hour unless it's urgent.

— ... Ok.

When I finished my business and left the tower, it was 9:00 in the morning. It was still early, but there was nothing to do, so I headed to the meeting place, the bar. To my surprise, someone had already arrived before me.

"Bjorn!" A what?! I came to your inn, and you were not there! Mike exclaimed.

"Oh, I was in the library.

"What?" Overnight...? Did you mean that by action?

"What are you talking about?" I read thanks to Ragna's care.

I was telling only the truth, but Misha looked at me doubtfully. She wasn't my mother...

"Is it true...?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"This... Really. Ok.

Amazingly, when I looked her straight in the eye and said that, she readily agreed.

A good son will not lie - is that the feeling?

In any case, when I sat down next to her, Misha handed me the drink she was sipping.

"Drink some of that." It's made from a fruit called tomato, and it has a very interesting taste!

I don't know about interesting things, but it reminded me of something.

"Before that, what did you want to say yesterday?"

Judging by the atmosphere, it looked like she was about to say something important, but because Hans B interrupted her, I couldn't hear the end.

"Huh?" What are you talking about?

"Don't you remember?"

"Uh... Maybe I didn't express myself that way?

Looking into those innocent eyes, it seemed that she was indeed too drunk to remember. I even asked if there was anything she wanted to tell me, but nothing came of it.

"Huh?" I don't have anything like that.

- I see.

— ... Are you angry?

— No, I don't.

There were two ways in this world to make someone angry, but I wasn't angry about something like that. It didn't look like her fault. After that, while I was passing the time using the quiet bar as a café, the others came.

"Oh, you came first?"

"I'm sorry, but you all had to come here so early because of me...

As always, Hikurod and Dvalki appeared together. We waited for a while, and Rothmiller arrived just in time. The meeting began.

The topic, of course, was how to get rid of Dvalka's ban on entering the labyrinth.

"Then let me know if any of you have any ideas." First... Yes, Bjorn, let's start with you.

Am I the first?

It was quite nervous, but I put my point honestly and succinctly.

I think it would be better to find a new teammate.

— ... A what?

"Of course, it seems unwise to look for a mage. I offered it to the other two magicians, but they refused.

— ... Wh-What are you saying now? Have you already talked to other Magi?

— Any problems? I asked confidently.

Hikurod may have been upset that I was trying to find a solution as much as possible, but the difference between selfishness and altruism has always been a fine line. I just assumed the worst and tried to find a realistic alternative for the team.

"That was what one of us had to say. Isn't it, Rothmiller?

"This... Really.

When I pointed out his opinion, Rothmiller nodded with a rather awkward expression on his face.

At the same time, the dwarf became serious.

"M-Murad!" I'm fine, so don't look like that. Bjorn didn't say anything bad, did he?

When even Dvalki spoke in such a tone, Hikurod closed his mouth.

Mike raised her hand brightly, as if trying to defuse the atmosphere.

"Then I'll be next!"

"Speak, Miss Karlstein.

Of course, it was nothing to listen to sincerely.

"I checked and found out that Mozlan is weak against bribes. What if we raised some money and offered them?

To discuss bribery in such an innocent voice. Of course, Baron Martoan, or whatever his name was, had to offer them money to take care of Dvalki.

Brown explained:

"Miss Karlštejn, Mozlan never deals with anyone who is not a nobleman.

Mozlan carefully excluded the commoners. Although most of them were without titles... No, rather, that was why it was their last pride.

"Is it really...?" I didn't know that. Then, Rothmiller, you're next.

Mike missed her turn, embarrassed.

Since this was Rothmiller's opinion, I also waited to listen to him.

"To be honest, I don't know how to get what I want from a nobleman... Especially a titled one. I'm sorry...

It seemed that Rothmiller did not find a suitable answer either.

However, in contrast to my answer, Hikurod sighed and comforted him.

"How could it be your fault?" Actually... This is natural.

Then why did you look at me like that?

As I grumbled inwardly, the dwarf opened his mouth and spoke.

"So I wanted to ask... Last night, Dvalki and I laid our heads together.

— Closer to the point.

"I wonder if we should talk to Baron Martoan in person.

In other words, to meet face to face. But then a serious problem arose.

"How are you going to meet him?"

Most of the nobles lived in Sector 1, the capital of Carnon. This area was even inaccessible to low-level researchers like us.

Conversation?

To begin with, we lived in different worlds.

However, it seemed that Hikuroda had already developed a detailed plan.

"There's a teahouse here, which Baron Martoan frequents. If we wait for him there, we will surely be able to meet him.

Well, in that case, it wasn't a bad idea. The problem was that the baron was unlikely to change his mind. In any case, there was nothing to lose if you tried.

"Then there is no problem. You two go.

"What are these cold words?!" Come with us! Hikurod urged.

What is he talking about?

"You're just going begging at best, why should we all go?"

— ... We need courage! The opponent is a titled person!

At my instruction to deal with it yourself, the dwarf began to whimper. I was already sighing at such a hopeless reaction, but given everything we had been through together, I began to calculate the practical benefits of it.

Finding a new mage when there are only 9 days left would be unwise...

Even if we were able to find someone, regardless of their class, if we came across someone with their head on the side, it would make it difficult for us. It would still be better for the team if Dvalki stayed.

And if we send only these two, they will not be able to say anything intelligible and will create even more problems. No matter how I think about it, it seems that we only have a chance if I go myself. But... I don't really want to go to meet a nobleman.

In the game, my iron rule was not to mess with nobles as much as possible, as none of them were in their right minds.

Hikurod suggested:

"Whatever the outcome, I'll give you 300,000 stones!" For each person!

Hmmm, that sounds a bit tempting.

If it wasn't just a matter of loyalty, there wouldn't be anyone I couldn't meet, not even a nobleman.

"If that's the case, then it wouldn't hurt to meet him.

"Really?" When I agreed, Hikuroda's face brightened noticeably.

However, instead of giving in to his tactics, I calmly asked what I needed to know.

"So when do we plan to meet him?"

He may have been a nobleman, but this wasn't a world where you could just kill someone at will, especially a respected explorer. Anyway, there won't be any serious danger, but still, this will be my first time seeing a true nobleman after waking up in this body.

I also needed time to prepare.

"S-today.

"What...?"

"If not today, he won't visit this place until next month."

No wonder, I even wanted to refuse. Nevertheless, I agreed, and began to check one by one: how old the baron was, whether he was really a man, whether there was anything he didn't like, and everything else I needed to know. Time passed quickly while I was getting acquainted with all this.

"L-Okay, let's go," Hikurod said. "If we want to pretend to meet by chance, as you said, we have to be there beforehand!"

***

Usually the baron came to the tea house between 15:00 and 16:00, so we came to the tea house at 14:00 and waited for his arrival. How much time has passed since then?

"This man is my 2nd big brother," Dvalki pointed out.

Baron Martoan appeared with his escorts. Evidently he himself had visited the shop to enjoy tea prepared directly by the host. If he had entered a private room, there would have been no time to talk, so I quickly got up and took the lead.

"Who's coming?"

As I approached, a huge knight blocked my way.

As planned, Dvalki stepped forward.

"B-Baron Martoan!" This is me! Riol Varb: Dvalki! Please listen to me at least once! "Dvalki fell to the floor as a sign of surrender, as I advised.

At the same time, the baron's interest shifted from the owner of the tea shop to Dvalki. His reaction was not at all what we expected.

"Dvalki...?" Sounds familiar.

His muttering sounded like he couldn't even remember who Dvalki was.

A man who looked like a butler spoke in his ear.

"The Dvalka family is the family of the 3rd wife of the former baron, Carlina.

"Ahh, that's right!" So what does this man have to do with me?

"I, I... I... simply...

Unlike my plan, Dvalki had a hard time pronouncing words from the start.

It happened sooner than I expected, but it was my turn to step forward.

"Nice to meet you. I am Bjorn, son of Yandel.

Nobleman or not, I spoke proudly. If I were of another race, that in itself would mean contempt for the nobility, but a large and valuable barbarian was an exception. In the past, my ancestors were very successful and received such permission from the king.

Fortunately, the baron seemed interested.

"It's been a long time since I've spoken to barbarians. It's always a strange feeling.

And really, when did a person like him meet a barbarian and talk to him freely?

"So what do you have to do with me?"

"Ever since he was pulled out by the Mozlans yesterday, this guy has been forbidden to enter the maze.

"What a pity. But why are you telling me this?

Because it was you who ordered them to do it.

What is this? Why do you look like you have no idea what I'm talking about?

At first, I thought he was just pretending, but at that point, I started to doubt it too. At that moment, the butler whispered to the baron again.

"Hmph, bastard?" Did this happen? Got it. It was your merit...

"Yes, my lord. I didn't think that was a cause for concern.

"Well done. It would be a waste of time to deal with such a trifle.

Now that I saw it, the baron knew nothing about it. The butler seemed to take care of everything.

"So... a trifle? Dvalki muttered. Despite his shock, judging by the results, it wasn't that bad. This meant that the probability that our goal would be achieved increased, unless the other side considered it insignificant.

"Could you lift the ban on entering the labyrinth?" I asked.

"Hmm, why should I do this?" The baron tilted his head, as if he did not understand. I was annoyed by the fact that I did not feel any anger. It's just that his way of thinking was completely different from ours.

He is a powerful aristocrat...

As I cursed the baron inwardly and pondered what to do next, the butler whispered in his ear again. I didn't know how he did it, but again I didn't hear anything.

Still, I had a rough idea of what he was saying.

"Huh?" What did you say? Is this that barbarian?

"Yes, my lord.

"Hmm, Little Balkan... I've heard of that name. At a banquet 2 days ago, the count mentioned that an interesting researcher had appeared.

The baron looked at me quite differently than before. As if he had discovered an interesting toy, his eyes were full of vitality.

"Did you say your name is Bjorn?" If I comply with your request, could you please do me a favor?

Ah, uh... uh... I didn't expect this...

— This is not a very difficult service. Besides, I will offer a worthy reward for it! How about this?

Somehow I got my 2nd request.