[{"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-438":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},1327508,1764,"Chapter 438: Showdown (4)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-438",438,"\u003Cp>At first, I was just dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as I stood there, watching Lee Baekho disappear, the reality of the situation slowly sank in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s really gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What was with that ‘poof’ sound…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least I feel a bit lighter now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t even noticed how tired I was until he left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My head is pounding, even worse than when I pulled all-nighters in college, fueled by coffee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wait, is that why he said his head wasn’t working?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, whatever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It doesn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I collapsed onto the sofa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed a mental break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can rest later.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I recited my to-do list out loud, my mind still sluggish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…First, I have to review the conversation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From our first reunion to his sudden departure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I replayed every detail of our conversation in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s my usual routine after an incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But my head felt like it was about to explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t remember his exact expressions or the nuances in his tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh, my head hurts…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like trying to accelerate a car with an empty gas tank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had the will, but my mind wasn’t cooperating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I focused on the most important parts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you really Bjorn Yandel?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bait he threw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[We’re friends, aren’t we? I can do that much for you. Right?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His willingness to give up Misha after finding out my identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[There’s a button. And if you press it, you can return to Earth.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You’re lying.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There was a lot…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My thoughts became hazy as I reviewed the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he was somewhat satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t gained anything, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t lost anything either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least not today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Revealing my identity as Bjorn Yandel was part of the plan anyway.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had planned to subtly probe his intentions, reveal my identity, and then use our connection to demand Misha’s return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that didn’t work, I would threaten him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could imply that I was the one who had him unbanned, and that I could have him banned again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I didn’t even have to mention that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Unban me quickly. Or you’ll really die here.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering how desperate he was to return to the community, even after causing chaos in the city, it would have been an effective threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…But why was he so desperate to be unbanned?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought crossed my mind, but I didn’t dwell on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could I possibly know what he was thinking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He probably just missed talking to other Koreans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I closed my eyes and let my thoughts wander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is he expecting from me?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Help me reach the 10th floor.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Help him reach the 10th floor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m flattered, but… am I really that valuable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, considering my growth rate, it’s not a completely unreasonable expectation…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was something that bothered me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had realized that I was an evil spirit back in Gnome Tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Remember, we’re strangers next time we meet.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been indifferent back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even try to befriend me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is strange…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had simply judged that ‘Bjorn Yandel’ wasn’t worth his time back then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What had changed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My growth rate was even more ridiculous back then, and I had just become a hero, even receiving a noble title—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I’ve been nice to you since we first met!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of his statements suddenly came to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘From the beginning…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, he had been friendly from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because I’m Lee Hansu, not Bjorn Yandel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, that’s wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I believe you. You’re Korean.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then because I’m Korean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, that’s ambiguous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was just a prerequisite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been waiting in the empty Korean channel for over three years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waiting for a fellow Korean who might never come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Would someone that obsessed with his goal waste his time just because he’s lonely?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t think so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hyunbyul was also Korean, but she was cold and distant, unlike him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what was the reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was Lee Baekho so friendly towards me from the beginning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is crazy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened my eyes and sat up abruptly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then I realized as I looked at my reflection in the mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nickname.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, it was the nickname.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nickname I had created without even realizing I was famous in the community, just adding a letter to my old one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Elfnunna]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no other explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t thought about it until now because Lee Baekho had never mentioned it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But it’s strange that he never even brought it up…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in the ‘Newbie Room’, where I had first entered with this nickname…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Elf Noona?!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The one who wrote the stat guide?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…Isn’t she from the game company?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[She’s Korean! I knew it!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone had been excited to see me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You seem to be a fan of hers.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the GM, who wasn’t usually expressive, had seemed happy to see me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What a strange nickname…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Hyunbyul, who didn’t know anything about ‘Elf Noona’, had frowned at my unusual nickname.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lee Baekho hadn’t reacted at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That playful kid who loved dinosaurs and farts…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He didn’t say anything about my nickname…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t certain yet, but maybe…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he had been waiting for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that day forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiding his true intentions behind a smile—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard a voice next to me, snapping me out of my thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oppa, what are you doing, staring at the mirror…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Hyunbyul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>_______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll think about Lee Baekho later… when my head is working properly…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t rest for long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I just run away?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re thinking bad thoughts again, aren’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No, I’m not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, it would be ridiculous to burden her with my problems when she’s also exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, that’s exactly the look you had…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I said I’m not. By the way, why are you using banmal with me when you were so harsh with Lee Baekho?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you talking about? It’s normal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at me with a condescending expression and sat down next to me on the sofa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she left one seat empty between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s plenty of space, why are you sitting so far away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because there’s a line between us. I can’t cross it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…It seems like she’s still upset about me asking her to leave earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, she should have just said no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our relationship had been like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We were comfortable with each other, even in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, that was when we were dating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…This is awkward.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spoke first, unable to endure the silence any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hyunbyul.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Why aren’t you saying anything?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at her, and she was staring at the fireplace, not at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You looked tired.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You look like you just got scolded by your boss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, she didn’t know how much worse it was compared to that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… do you want me to keep you company?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay, then I’ll be quiet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quiet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have a lot of questions, but I’m trying to be considerate. I don’t want to burden you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Really?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Whatever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned away, as if embarrassed by my gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, I wasn’t being sarcastic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s making me feel awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m going to rest for a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to accept her consideration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just because of the killing intent I had used, but also because it was my first time being exposed to such a powerful aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A peaceful silence followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like I was back on Earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only difference was that the sound of Hyunbyul flipping through a book was replaced by the crackling of the fireplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle, crackle, crackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I slowly opened my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re awake?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, uh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was a bit surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So you can fall asleep in the spiritual world too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt a bit more refreshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How long was I asleep?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About an hour and a half.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whew, there’s still time before the Round Table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You look better now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s begin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Begin? Begin what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oppa, what was that about? That guy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked as soon as I woke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That guy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lee Baekho. That was him, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her grammar was a bit off, but I understood what she meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was just surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Hyunbyul knew about Lee Baekho.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded, as if she had expected it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I knew it. I could see the crazy in his eyes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, you knew who he was, and you still acted like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the problem? It doesn’t matter how strong he is outside, his abilities are sealed here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s true, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s still a newbie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I need to teach her before she makes a mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not always like that. There are skills you can use here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I explained ‘killing intent’ to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand the concept… that it’s a connection between souls, that it amplifies your aura and transmits it to the other person… but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She understood the theory, but she couldn’t grasp it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know. A fear of death? You’re saying it can affect you even in real life?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, she wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fox’s killing intent was just a form of pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh, it’s hard to explain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe you just lack the vocabulary?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What? I’ve read countless novels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I’m not as good as her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, it’s better to just experience it firsthand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wouldn’t have suggested this to anyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was already mentally exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s Hyunbyul.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could do this much for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s do it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-wait! I need to think about it—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think about what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is much faster and more accurate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I unleashed my killing intent, hoping she wouldn’t make any mistakes outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ugh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her reaction was immediate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“S-stop…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was struggling, just like everyone else, except for Lee Baekho.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He was fine…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, he was immune to killing intent—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop… it…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just wanted to give her a taste…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…..”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>______________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was her first experience with killing intent that traumatic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I barely did anything…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though I had only given her a taste, she was complaining of severe fatigue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But… I understand now… why it can affect you even in real life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I’m glad to hear—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I’m going to be angry next time. If you do something like this without my permission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Oppa, are you mad at me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haa…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s wrong with her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She mumbled something and then said she was going to rest because she had a headache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before she left, she asked a few questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first one was this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oppa, you know Bjorn Yandel, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart sank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What? Is she suspecting me too?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, she wasn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I know him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? Then do you know if he’s really an evil spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, well… I’ve never met him, so…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clicked her tongue, seemingly disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cautiously asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But… why are you asking about Bjorn Yandel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, it’s for work. I need to know for sure if he’s an evil spirit or not to proceed with my plan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her plan…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t an explorer, but a clerk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[My next goal is to gain power.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To find a way to return to Earth through power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sounded like a typical Hyunbyul plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I’ve recently found a powerful backer.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was this ‘powerful backer’?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was the Marquis…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hyunbyul.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you working for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She frowned at my serious tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oppa, I thought we agreed not to cross that line—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The situation has changed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I might accidentally kill you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So tell me. Who is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stared at me for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Viscountess Peprok.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sighed and answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an unexpected name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was relieved that it wasn’t the Marquis or the Duke, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Viscountess Peprok?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I never thought I would hear that name here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I’m working for her. It’s a long story.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna Ritanyel Peprok.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The librarian and mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the members of the ‘friend group’ I had joined in my newbie days, when Shabin Emure’s information was invaluable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to ask more, but it wasn’t the right time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had confirmed that she wasn’t working for the Marquis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no reason for us to be enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least not now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, oppa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hyunbyul placed her hand on the empty seat between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You crossed the line first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could even respond, she stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll see you next month. I’m too tired today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She left the chat room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t need to stay any longer either, so I returned to reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[03:07]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I collapsed onto the bed and rested for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to log out and go to sleep…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t miss this.\u003C\u002Fp>",2154,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.064Z",1,"novelbin.me","89ed6b98fcb5f4d6384b98b40a17d1e0b1d0975da70f46fbd3fd9bf1a4cefc88","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-439","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-437",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]