Chapter 307: Chapter 307: Round Table (1) - Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 307: Round Table (1)

The study gave off the soothing scent of wood.

It doesn't look like there's anything particularly different about it.

I was looking around with that thought in mind when a change caught my eye. The white mask I wore during my last visit was hanging on the empty wall.

Does he want me to wear it out there?

I smirked and put on the mask. When I entered through the door, sure enough, I saw an old man walking in from the far end of the hallway: Auril Gavis, the mysterious man who perhaps had all the answers to my questions.

"Haha, you're here. I've been waiting for you." This was a man who hadn't even thought to hide his emotions when he heard that I cleared the original game. "Have you had any issues since then? Ever since I sent you off that day, I've been very anxious about the possibility of something happening to you."

Even if he started things off with a cheerful laugh and induced an amiable atmosphere, I couldn't let my guard down. I saw it the other day. The head of Orcules, the Fallen Scholar, and other powerful individuals who were undoubtedly on the same level as them had been unable to make a peep when this man had dressed them down.

"I've been all right. But what happened to the people from back then?"

"Huh? What people?"

"You said they broke another rule and then left before the night ended."

Only then did Auril nod in understanding. "Ah, you must be talking about those failures."

Failures, huh?

At that nonchalant statement, I realized the battle had begun. The reason why the cryptic old man used "failures," a word that would set me on high alert, without hesitation, was obvious.

I guess he doesn't like that I jerked him around last time.

It was a kind of variation of the carrot and stick technique. The only difference was that the stick wasn't being swung at the target, but at someone else.

"The failures you speak of will be gathered in that room, so no need to worry. I made it very clear to them what would happen if they kicked up another fuss." While showing off his superiority by wielding his whip mercilessly against others, he simultaneously showed his target infinite kindness—just like he was right now. "Ahem, anyway, that was inconsiderate of me. I'm sure that must have been a bit disturbing for you to hear. But don't worry. I know better than anyone that you are different from them."

The kindness contrasted with the coldness he just showed. The recipient of that kindness had no choice but to think, I don't want to end up on this guy's bad side. To avoid that, I have to match his benevolence. That was the conclusion that your subconscious naturally reached.

I was immune to underhanded techniques like these, though.

"You are special. Aren't you?"

I smirked at the old man's question and answered, "I don't know."

"Huh?"

"Enough with your foolish tricks."

I'm tired of carrots, you see.

"...Tricks? That's a bit harsh, isn't it?" At my provocation, the old man's expression shifted, and he stared straight at me. Although there was no accompanying sting of murderous intent, the look in his eyes was intense and full of roiling energy.

But I didn't back down. You had to show these kinds of people in advance that you weren't at all afraid of ending up on their bad side. "I didn't come here to talk about that with you."

"Huh...?"

"If you're going to make small talk like this, send me back. Actually, in that case, I want you to make sure that I don't ever come back here again."

The old man looked rather flummoxed. "S-Small talk?!" he sputtered, like he was the one who had been wronged. "You were the one who asked what happened to them!"

Ah... that's true. This situation took a funny turn. But what is he going to do about it?

"Then are you saying this is all my fault?" As a barbarian who farted wherever he wanted, I had learned the importance of belief—a powerful belief in oneself. That strong conviction helped you build the confidence to go through life without being intimidated no matter what challenges you faced.

"No, I'm not saying it's your fault..."

"Apologize," I demanded boldly.

"Wait, calm down. What on earth did I do to make you so sensitive?"

Even if I was being unreasonable, even if I was currently in the body of Hansu Lee and not a barbarian, I said, "So you won't apologize?"

"...Haha, I guess you also think I'm a pushover." The old man frowned at my repeated demands, and I noticed our surroundings began to warp in a peculiar manner. To be honest, it was fucking scary.

"Apologize." But this changed nothing. What was he and that poker face of his going to do? Was he going to kick out the user who cleared the original game?

"...Hah, why are you being like this?" the old man asked with a sigh.

Before long, the room around us stopped distorting, just as I expected. It was perfectly clear to me that he was playing up his anger to get out of this. I got the feeling the anger was genuine, though.

"Why do you keep provoking me? I'm sure you weren't this ill-mannered last time."

"You speak as if you know me. And a pushover? Aren't you the one who underestimated me first?"

"What are you talking about? Underestimated you—"

"Did you think that if you used the word 'failures,' I'd fall in line and do whatever you want?"

Surprisingly, the old man didn't refute my accusation to claim that I was mistaken, that it wasn't intentional. I was sure there were a lot of excuses he could have made, but he just thought it over for a moment and then nodded. "Indeed, you are definitely different from the others... I apologize. I treated you too familiarly, even though someone who cleared the original game, which was considered a failure, could not possibly be an ordinary person. I will be careful from now on."

Uh, I wasn't expecting such a sincere apology...

I was a little bewildered. If he had given me an empty apology, I planned to use that to take the upper hand in the conversations that followed.

Perhaps this was an intentional move on his part, too.

"...Since you put it like that, I will let it slide." Normally, I didn't accept apologies that only consisted of pretty words, but I made the call to do so here, figuring that continuing the barbarian act would really make our relationship fall apart.

The tension eased after that. "Now, why don't we have a drink and talk in that other room instead of standing here like this? Ah, is there a type of tea that you want?"

Why are you asking the obvious?

"Sprite." That was the only thing that had been on my mind for weeks.

"Huh...?"

"If you're going to make small talk like this, send me back. Actually, in that case, I want you to make sure that I don't ever come back here again."

The old man looked rather flummoxed. "S-Small talk?!" he sputtered, like he was the one who had been wronged. "You were the one who asked what happened to them!"

Ah... that's true. This situation took a funny turn. But what is he going to do about it?

"Then are you saying this is all my fault?" As a barbarian who farted wherever he wanted, I had learned the importance of belief—a powerful belief in oneself. That strong conviction helped you build the confidence to go through life without being intimidated no matter ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what challenges you faced.