Surviving the Game as a Barbarian - Chapter 259 Clan (3)
Clan (3)
“…….”
“…….”
The silence continued even after the jewel’s light faded.
The weight of the incident hit them as the truth was confirmed through Clown’s words, while they were unsure whether that post was real.
‘Right, the outside world really was fine.’
What would happen to this city after the community session ended?
The rumor would surely spread like wildfire.
‘Those damn Noark bastards.’
Hearing the truth from Clown, Noark’s intentions became clear.
That post wasn’t a personal confession.
It was a planned scheme to spread this information within the city using the community.
‘That’s why that Clown bastard is telling us so easily.’
Although Clown always hid behind his frivolous mask and spoke in an emotional tone, he wasn’t an idiot.
For example, he had kept quiet about the previous incidents.
He couldn’t have not known, being a member of Orculus’s leadership, but he never used it as information.
[An assassin will be sent to Bjorn Yandel soon.]
The information he shared most recently was a similar case.
He spoke as if Noark was sending an assassin, but he was actually talking about a large clan’s assassination plot.
And the reward he obtained through this was simple.
“By the way, Mr. Antler is also working hard, isn’t he?”
Clown made Antler in reality take action.
“Pfft, I didn’t expect him to send away the knights like that.”
From his perspective, it was like he had found the first clue to track down Antler’s identity.
He probably judged it at that time.
That this was more important, even if the assassination attempt on Bjorn Yandel failed.
“That unlucky bastard.”
Maybe the reason Antler recalled the knights was because he belatedly realized Clown’s goal.
The longer the tail, the higher the chance of getting caught.
“It’s fun watching you two fight, but let’s do that later! Um, Mr. Clown, can I ask a question?”
SoulQueens skillfully changed the atmosphere and asked a question as the Clown and Antler showed signs of starting a battle of nerves.
“So who is that old man? The one who teleported over ten thousand people at once. I heard he even guided them to the outside world.”
“That’s…”
The Clown trailed off and then laughed awkwardly.
“Pfft, it’s a secret. It wouldn’t be fun if I just told you, right?”
He clearly didn’t know his identity.
Geez, that’s not how you pretend to know something.
I, a veteran Lion, sensed the opportunity and said,
“There’s no way that old man would have revealed his identity.”
I looked down at the Clown as if he was trying to pull a pathetic trick.
The Clown flinched as if he had been caught lying.
It seemed like he was thinking, ‘How does he even know that?’
On the other hand, SoulQueens turned her gaze towards me with a strange look in her eyes.
“Hmm, so you’re saying you know? Who that mysterious old man is.”
No, how would I know?
I didn’t answer, maintaining eye contact.
It was Lion’s signature gesture, that if you wanted to know something, you had to bring something interesting.
SoulQueens muttered grumpily,
“Geez, then can’t you at least tell me what you’re interested in?”
Ugh, that would decrease the diversity of information.
There was only one thing I could say.
The same line I had said in a similar situation before.
“I don’t know either.”
Lion didn’t even know himself.
“What I’m interested in.”
SoulQueens looked at me as if I was a strange person.
‘Okay, then I guess I’ve fulfilled today’s quota…’
I pretended to be uninterested and listened to the conversation behind me.
The meeting resumed.
“Then I’ll go next.”
Goblin took the second turn.
For reference, it was information related to religion again…
“Didn’t I say there was an oracle a few months ago? I finally found out who it was.”
What? Suddenly?
I tried to maintain my composure, as I didn’t expect it to come up here.
“It’s useful for once. Pfft, so who is it? What sacred relic did he receive?”
Clown, who had shown strong interest in the oracle and the sacred relic back then, adjusted his posture.
But could it be that this was his first time experiencing this?
Goblin puffed out his chest and said,
“Bjorn Yandel. The one who received the oracle is that barbarian who’s called ‘Giant’ in the city.”
The situation was getting interesting.
________________
“Bjorn Yandel.”
That name, which was the hottest topic these days.
“That bastard… received an oracle…?”
Clown, who had suffered a lot because of my main character, chuckled in disbelief.
“Hey, is this information even reliable? How can that guy receive an oracle when he’s not even human?”
“That’s… I also found it strange, so I looked into it, and it’s not entirely unheard of. There were a few other races who received oracles in the past.”
“Most of them left their names in history.”
Antler added as if to supplement Goblin’s explanation.
“So stop doubting Goblin just because you don’t know anything. And besides, the jewel emitted a green light, didn’t it?”
“That’s…”
Although he probably wanted to say that it wasn’t always accurate…
…Clown couldn’t finish his sentence.
Because he was a prime example.
“Everyone, please calm down. Mr. Clown too. You don’t have to worry, this information is 100% reliable, unlike Mr. Clown’s information back then. I saw and confirmed it myself.”
Huh? He saw and confirmed it?
This changes things.
At first, I thought Goblin had probably just heard the information that was spreading around.
But he saw it himself?
‘…Then he was there.’
There were five people around me when the third vine broke.
Three escort knights and Misha.
And…
‘Sven Parab.’
The vice-captain of the 2nd Paladin Order of the Leathlas Church.
The suspect was naturally narrowed down to one person.
It was practically a given that Goblin was a paladin.
‘This is amazing. I can’t believe it was him.’
The dissonance between Goblin’s image at the Round Table and that dignified paladin was significant.
Well, it wasn’t as bad as mine.
‘…Is this actually a good thing?’
I had figured out Goblin’s identity, on top of the Clown and SoulQueens. Maybe this information would be useful someday.
“Then what was the sacred relic? If it’s the Goddess of Stars, it must be a sacred relic related to fate?”
“Actually… I don’t know. I’m not in a position to ask around…”
Goblin then ended his turn, confessing that he didn’t know about the sacred relic’s ability.
SoulQueens was next.
“The royal palace sent a notice to the Magic Tower on the day they held the reward ceremony for the explorers who returned alive from the Palace of Glory.”
“Notice?”
“Yes. It was a request to repair the labyrinth portal. It was in a very unstable state.”
SoulQueens then shut her mouth, and the jewel soon emitted light.
It was a green light, signifying that she passed.
But the members weren’t satisfied.
“Even though it’s only your second time, aren’t you being too shameless? Pfft, who would share such trash information?”
“Well? It depends on your level, doesn’t it? A dimensional collapse could have occurred if the repairs were delayed.”
SoulQueens retorted, unfazed by Clown’s mockery.
But even Antler sided with the Clown this time.
“It’s not like a dimensional collapse is imminent, and the information that the repairs are complete is a bit…”
Well, they couldn’t really gain anything from this information.
I was a bit different.
‘…So the experience point duplication bug is patched since the repairs are complete.’
Tsk, then I would have to speedrun now to get portal opening experience points?
I decided to just confirm it next time I entered the labyrinth.
“I don’t have anything else to say. I genuinely believe that this information is as valuable as the other information we’ve heard today.”
SoulQueens remained firm despite the members’ objections and eventually passed.
“Oh, so you could do that…”
Goblin, who had been rejected many times, seemed impressed that this was possible.
But knowing and doing were two different things.
It wouldn’t work even if Goblin tried it. Barbarian-style stubbornness wasn’t something just anyone could pull off.
You had to have the confidence that you were the best.
‘This woman is truly unique.’
Anyway, Antler was next after SoulQueens.
He said that one of the royal family’s treasures was stolen when Karnon was engulfed in flames.
Although it was a name I had never heard before, it seemed like a pretty important item judging by their reactions.
So I decided to look into it later.
“It’s your turn now, Crescent Moon.”
It was finally Crescent Moon’s turn.
He had been unusually quiet throughout the gathering, so I was quite curious about what information he would share.
But it wasn’t anything special.
“The fairy tribe decided to replace their next pureblood candidate. They’re currently looking for a suitable candidate.”
It was the internal affairs of one of the six races, so it would be helpful in understanding the current situation…
But that was all.
But I couldn’t take my eyes off Crescent Moon.
Because he was staring at me.
“I’ll bring something more interesting next time.”
It meant that he hadn’t given up on the ‘Stone of Resurrection’, even though he didn’t have anything useful this time.
Not bad.
Honestly, even today’s information wasn’t that bad for me.
‘But if they’re choosing a new pureblood candidate, wouldn’t it be possible to give it to Erwen? It would be amazing if she could absorb it.’
That’s when, as I was organizing my thoughts…
…I felt gazes on me.
Ah, it was my turn now.
I shared something else instead of the information I had prepared.
“You can resurrect up to two people with the Stone of Resurrection.”
So keep working hard.
_____________________
The Stone of Resurrection.
It was an item that was only considered to exist in legends until I mentioned it, but now it had become reality.
Naturally, information about this item was valuable.
But I thought the members who weren’t interested in the Stone of Resurrection might be dissatisfied.
It wasn’t information about how to obtain it, but just a simple piece of information that you could resurrect up to two people.
And it was already my third time using it.
However…
“…….”
“…….”
…the members didn’t complain.
Because the atmosphere wasn’t right.
“Two people… right, I see…”
Crescent Moon, who seemed to have lost someone recently, muttered blankly at my words.
I could feel a strong desire in his voice.
A brief silence followed.
“Oh my, we wasted one chance because of Crescent Moon.”
The Clown, disappointed that my turn was wasted on the ‘Stone of Resurrection’, suggested we move on to the next round.
But…
“I don’t have anything else prepared. I’ll end it here. In the first place, I wouldn’t have even come if it weren’t for Lion.”
Crescent Moon asked the members for their understanding without even looking at the Clown and then left the Round Table.
It was the same for Goblin.
“Uh, I’ve also satisfied my curiosity… I don’t have anything else to share, so I’ll be going now.”
Antler also left after Goblin, saying it was a bit burdensome to continue with just four people.
Well, it was true that the gathering became more difficult with four people.
Two out of three people had to share information that the other two didn’t know to pass. But the amount of information you could obtain after sharing one piece of information decreased.
“So, how about it? Should we try with three people?”
“I don’t mind.”
The Clown and SoulQueens were willing to continue.
So the decision was up to me.
‘It seems like valuable information will pour out if we continue with just the three of us…’
Although I was tempted, I decided not to push it.
They might realize that I was all bark and no bite.
So the gathering ended after the first round.
“If there was anything interesting, it would have come out already.”
I said arrogantly, following the Lion persona, and returned to Lee Hansu’s room.
And after spending some time browsing the forums, I returned to my original body when it was time to log out.
“Ah, this isn’t my house.”
It was the inn room in the 7th district, where I was using Karon’s face and name.
As soon as I opened my eyes, the worries I had been putting aside came rushing back.
‘I wonder if Karon is doing okay?’
Karon was my alibi.
If the GM was really targeting today, he would be watching Karon from afar, trying to confirm if he was a player.
“Tsk.”
I wanted to check on him quickly.
But if I went to where Karon was now, I might ruin everything.
Therefore, I endured, using my patience.
And the next morning, after barely sleeping a wink…
“Bjorn!”
…I met Karon again at the sanctuary, as promised.
Since the duration of the appearance change was 30 days, we put on our masks and returned to our original appearances.
“Huhuhu, judging by your dark circles, it seems like you had a great night.”
Ah, right, I used that excuse.
“…Thanks to you.”
I brushed it off and asked Karon about everything that happened yesterday. I couldn’t afford to have any memory gaps.
…Actually, I was just curious.
I had been imagining all sorts of things last night, worried about what might have happened.
“Ah, yesterday?”
What happened yesterday?