[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian":3,"chapter-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-303":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Surviving the Game as a Barbarian",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1327423,1764,"Chapter 303: Rainwales (1)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-303",303,"\u003Cp>Noark doesn't reject evil spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So unlike on the surface, there are quite a few people who live openly as evil spirits. In fact, judging by our previous conversations, even Amelia, who was born here, didn't seem to be hostile towards evil spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It would become a permanent weakness if I admitted it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bjorn Yandel is an evil spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sentence was my Achilles' heel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bomb that could destroy my social life and even threaten my life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Amelia now had the button to that bomb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, we were on good terms now…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if something happened and our relationship soured?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wouldn’t be able to sleep properly, and even if there were no problems, it would still be a source of anxiety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she decided to use me, I would be treated like a slave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amelia Rainwales, are you insulting me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spoke in a low voice, like a growling beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evil spirits don’t lose their memories?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be a made-up story to test me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, even if it was true that the pill had that characteristic, I had to make it seem like it was a defective product—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What will you do if I am?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve never met someone this bold…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia spoke before I could even recover from my shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you going to attack me? Even though it will be more difficult to obtain the item the Lord is keeping without my help?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Don’t test my patience.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia scoffed at my words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That just proves you’re not that angry. You would have already attacked me if you were. Like the other barbarians.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come to think of it, it was strange from the beginning. I told you to beg for your life on a warrior’s honor, and you didn’t even hesitate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And now you’re talking about insults? Don’t you think it’s a bit funny?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, is this karma?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I had only one option left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You must be crazy to mock a barbarian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an ultimatum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew I would be at a disadvantage if I hesitated any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was gathering my strength when…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why, are you really thinking of attacking me? Like you did to that Evil Spirit Hunter who came to see you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She even knows about that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You investigated me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There were too many suspicious things about you. Not just me, but everyone must have done it. Well, they probably all dismissed their suspicions after you received a noble title.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia continued without giving me a chance to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But to think you’re really an evil spirit. You’re quite skilled. How did you even get a noble title? Even if the Secret Security Department cleared you, the royal family would have done their own investigation since it’s a title bestowal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh, there wasn’t an investigation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whatever, that’s good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could use this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t you believe that I got it because I’m not an evil spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I said confidently, but Amelia immediately refuted me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like I said, only evil spirits don’t lose their memories after taking that pill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was a defective—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is she being stubborn?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how hard I tried to explain, she wouldn’t listen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I was contemplating, Amelia muttered something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hmm, now that I think about it, the royal family might have known and turned a blind eye. You were practically a hero in the city back then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, what is she talking about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to know what she meant, but I held back, knowing that it would be the same as admitting it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But did my expression betray me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t seem to understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, not at all. Why would I even be curious about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia chuckled at my denial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re still not going to admit it, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. I’m not an evil spirit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s like you. Whatever. It’s not like there’s no solution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia then took out a disc the size of a compass from her subspace pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an item I couldn’t not know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Crazy, why is that here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No. 7234 Distorted Trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A consumable item that prevented anyone within a 10-meter radius from lying, and the one that caused all that chaos in the Doppelganger Forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t see it when you were unpacking at the trading company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I bought it separately when I was living in the city. I thought it might be useful in a city like this. I didn’t expect to use it on you first, though.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, so she had already simulated how to use her cards against me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Judging by your expression, it seems like I don’t have to explain what this is. Well, an evil spirit would know, wouldn’t they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia pressed the button on the top of ‘Distorted Trust’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she placed it on the nightstand between our beds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tick, tick, the second hand started moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bjorn Yandel, are you an evil spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Checkmate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>_______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A suffocating silence followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I desperately racked my brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…What should I do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t about whether to reveal that I was an evil spirit or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That ship had already sailed when ‘Distorted Trust’ appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s not a fake.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, it was the real deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already tested it as soon as it was activated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t even say a lie like ‘I’m a woman’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Five minutes left.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you just going to stay silent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The item that made silence itself an answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that I was an evil spirit had already been proven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, there was only one thing I was contemplating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Should I kill her?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was my biggest secret, so even extreme measures seemed tempting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Don’t be ridiculous.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dismissed the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was impossible to kill her in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, it wasn’t like I didn’t have a chance of winning in a 1v1…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…but it would be difficult to chase her if she decided to run away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if our relationship soured now, our future plans would be ruined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And besides, she seems like the type who would be a pain in the ass as an enemy.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then there was only one option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a barbarian-like solution, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was a woman who saw things in black and white, so if I didn’t want her to become an enemy, I had to become her friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a waste to just stay silent, so I’ll say something. It’s true that ‘only evil spirits don’t lose their memories after taking that pill’. I didn’t make it up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally made a decision after a long contemplation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Right, I’m an evil spirit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was my second coming out, after Lee Baekho.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia didn’t seem surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She must have already been certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have a strange expression.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You wouldn’t understand. How relieved and frustrated I feel right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia suddenly stopped talking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t understand at first, but I soon realized what was going on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Distorted Trust’ had blocked her from speaking because it recognized her words as a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t tell me you were going to say you’re sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, this is ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was furious, but I barely managed to control myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t afford to make an enemy out of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that she knew I was an evil spirit, I had to become her best friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, so let’s confirm this first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But are you okay with it? That I’m an evil spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re asking if I have a grudge against evil spirits like the people in the city, the answer is no. I was even on a team with an evil spirit for over a year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Then why were you so persistent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was curious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the second hurdle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She investigated me, trying to find out something I wanted to hide, just because she was curious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was getting angry when…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…We keep getting involved. So I was curious. If you were hiding anything, if I could trust you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Amelia said so, avoiding my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the fact that ‘Distorted Trust’ was activated, it didn’t seem like an empty compliment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, this is making it hard for me to be angry—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, and of course, I also thought it would be useful to have leverage over you so you wouldn’t betray me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She shouldn’t have said that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, what can I do? That’s just how she is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have a question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Go ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re an evil spirit, why were you so angry about Yandel Jarku’s death? Was it guilt?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to answer, but I couldn’t speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I just admitted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, you’re surprisingly soft-hearted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia looked at me with interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is your goal also to return, like the other evil spirits?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because of your companions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You must have always been sentimental.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seriously, why is she so interested in me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should change the subject…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second hand on ‘Distorted Trust’ stopped moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The effect had ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can finally breathe.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly changed the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already revealed that I was an evil spirit, whether I liked it or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to confirm the things I couldn’t ask before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amelia, why were you looking for Auril Gabis?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, come to think of it, you must know about him since you’re an evil spirit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Know about him? I even met him recently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You met him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll talk about that later. Answer my question first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…He was there when my sister died.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought he must have been involved somehow. So I wanted to meet him and hear the truth. That’s all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, that’s surprisingly simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought there would be a bigger secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, wait, the fact that the old man was there is valuable information. Maybe I can find out his goal during this trip.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, tell me. Where did you meet him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know about Ghostbusters?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re talking about the evil spirit gathering, then yes, to some extent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Okay, then there’s less to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t think I would be summoned since it’s twenty years ago, but I was summoned in my sleep. I met someone who claimed to be Auril Gabis there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I then briefly explained how I was discovered to be from the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The important part is from now on, so listen carefully. That old man said that the past can’t be changed, no matter what we do here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…He said that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either, so I tested it. And the result is what I told you back then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dwarkey and Raven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to change their futures, but it seemed like even those actions were part of causality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So I’ll ask again, Amelia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you still going to try?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia didn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t even flinch when I mentioned it before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like Auril Gabis’ words carried a different weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll try.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia finally spoke after composing herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s too late to give up now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too late…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s like someone who bought stocks at the top of a cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see. Then I’ll help you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I expressed my willingness to help instead of advising her to cut her losses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s surprisingly kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I keep building up her favorability and putting her in debt, she won’t use my weakness against me—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m tired, so I’m going to sleep first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amelia then ended the conversation and lay down on the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was a bit flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Huh? She’s going to sleep? Isn’t this the time to say thank you?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t even expect her to say she was grateful or relieved that I was here, but I didn’t expect her to just lie down without saying anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, this is ruining my plan…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How can I score points?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amelia, are you asleep?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I, I was just wondering if you wanted a massage since you’re tired.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, right… I guess that would be weird. Sorry for bothering you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lay down on the bed across from her, watching her reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I closed my eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when, as the silence continued…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s your real name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…a question suddenly came out of nowhere, and I just answered honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know why she was suddenly curious about my real name…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s Lee Hansu. Ah, Lee is the last name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…but my real name didn’t really matter now that she knew I was an evil spirit. And refusing to answer could decrease her favorability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, that’s right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hans? So your name is Hans? That’s an unusually common name—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but curse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the fuck?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was crossing the line.\u003C\u002Fp>",2128,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.065Z",1,"novelbin.me","e5a00a5683d2d45e5803aa9107ff9da0464dcd65a93a77447b8e10a191a63b6c","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-304","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-302",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]