[{"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-640":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},1328017,1764,"Chapter 640: Strategy (4)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-640",640,"\u003Cp>The Dragon Elder of the dragonkin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The head of the Kalstein family of the beastfolk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except for these two, the rest were meeting me for the first time, but it wasn’t hard to recognize them without introductions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, somehow this is the first time I’ve seen you. I’ve heard a lot about you through Titana! I hear you owe her a great debt?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Owe? No, it’s us who owe Akuraba.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha! You’re humbler than the rumors say!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malaku Izor, dwarf leader of the Dumoka.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, “Dumoka” is an ancient word meaning “Judging Hammer,” but you can just think of it as their term for chief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Anyway, this old man wasn’t an explorer.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s one of Malaku Izor’s peculiarities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most chiefs, including those here, historically came from explorer backgrounds, but this man rose to this position solely on trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, trust means he must be naturally talented at politics.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this world, the friendliest-looking people are the ones you shouldn’t underestimate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’re the kind who can protect themselves without anger or irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, unlike that prickly elf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bjorn, son of Yandel, your absence caused several delays in this meeting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’d like to hear the reason for your late arrival today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that? I came too early and ended up having a meal nearby, so I was late.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...A meal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What, don’t you eat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elf chief—or rather, should I say ‘Ragsian’ instead of chief?—was at a loss for words, probably because the answer was so absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Come to think of it, every race except barbarians has a fancy name.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why do barbarians just use the simple title ‘chief’?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered briefly, but it didn’t seem important, so I stopped thinking about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironically, that made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Ah, that’s why they just remain “chief.”’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why bother changing it? Chief is enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s the most straightforward title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That child...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just when I thought the power struggle was mostly over, the elven representative, a clear-cut handsome man, spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that child doing well...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean Elwen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who else would it be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looks friendly but why is there such an edge in his voice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s Elwen, don’t worry. She’s doing well at our holy land.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, thinking of her as part of the household, I answered diligently this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, what’s this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Along with the other women?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The other women...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked back in confusion, and all I got was more mysterious words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She is special even among our kin. Not just because she’s a pureblood heir, but everyone cherishes and loves her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...But?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you make tears fall from that child’s eyes, you’d better be prepared.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a declaration filled with a resolve that seemed willing to repeat the wars of the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I wasn’t particularly angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless for some other reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They said this for Elwen, and I’m not foolish enough to confront that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That won’t happen, so don’t worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Then it’s settled. Please take good care of her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did I realize that his particularly cold attitude toward me was probably because of Elwen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because I’m a barbarian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If he hated barbarians, he wouldn’t even say “take good care.”’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that conversation, I shifted my gaze to find the last person—the human representative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been wracking my brain for a while, but I had no idea who this human representative was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I asked bluntly, like a barbarian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who the hell are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An outrageously rude question for a summit, but the human representative smiled calmly and answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am the Marquis of Maxiland. Fortunately, I was honored to represent the humans in this meeting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I remembered the Marquis of Maxiland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He belongs to the chancellor faction and is not the right-hand man of the marquis, but more like a left-hand man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I see. I didn’t recognize you since this is the first time seeing you in person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We met once at the investiture ceremony...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was too preoccupied then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing his identity, I understood why no one was paying attention to the human side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The intent is clear.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sent a low-ranking figure to signal that humans don’t plan to take initiative and will quietly listen and leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The marquis himself seemed to just want to keep a low profile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well then, with everyone here, shall we begin the meeting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so my first racial conference began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first racial conference I attended was somewhat different from what I expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No deep discussions with set topics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No serious decisions about world affairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No secret talks about the world’s mysteries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was still early, the conference I observed was simply a place where everyone politely voiced complaints and argued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard the dwarfs are buying land from Noumtree. Are you trying to get into farming too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? Do the elves have to approve land purchases?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So does that mean we and the beastfolk can start metallurgy businesses too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, in these minor disputes, our barbarians were completely outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because we had no territory within the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no territory, we had no territorial disputes...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha... Don’t worry. We have no intention of invading your territory. We only bought land to expand Noumtree’s forges.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While these misunderstandings could be resolved with a few words, there were other cases not so easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it the beastfolk who crossed the line?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What line did we cross?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? I heard the black bear tribe took in a traitor. Did I hear wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, the beastfolk took in a dwarf craftsman who had been exiled from the dwarfs for crimes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand the Dumoka’s concerns, but we can’t meddle in every individual case, can we? It seems they owed that fellow a debt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, so they’re not just taking him in to steal his tech?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what you call a remark with a bite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Head of the family, enough nonsense. Kick that bastard out now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dwarf leader’s fierce gaze was formidable, but the Kalstein head met it without flinching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can’t do that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, we have no choice. We’ll respond in kind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither side would back down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such cases, uninvolved representatives had to mediate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Putting aside the tech leakage issue, morally it’s wrong for a kin’s exile to be accepted by another race. I side with the Dumoka.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, it was decided to expel the dwarf exile from the beastfolk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, and I abstained from voting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, I don’t really care about dwarf criminals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They’re just talking among themselves, so this is boring.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the conference dragged on and my time here grew dull and tedious, I dozed off, resting my chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the topic shifted to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, chief, what about you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You seem quite interested in construction tech. Since we’re all here, why not tell us about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah... this old man is trying to watch me closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s about that, I am somewhat interested.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon Elder seemed genuinely curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hear the holy land has changed a lot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, it’s changed quite a bit. You can’t keep living barbaric forever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you think that, how about starting by changing how you speak?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, that’s our tradition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why change what’s comfortable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except for the king, everyone talks casually here—it’s like a cheat code.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, I explained roughly how the holy land changed with the new buildings, and the Dragon Elder looked fascinated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s hard to imagine just by words. To achieve so much progress in such a short time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such a short time...? When was the last time you came?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...About twenty years ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragonkin’s sense of time is completely different from ours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was silently impressed and was about to wrap up the conversation about our holy land when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, barbarians have learned construction tech? As a craftsman, I’m very pleased. I hear you’re also participating in this royal contract... Is that true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing is decided yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good to hear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled bitterly at the dwarf leader’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That contract was just discussed a few days ago at the Melbes assembly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether their intelligence is good or if one of us is a big blabbermouth, information was leaking freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Information really flows out easily.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t really blame them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melbes itself is a group of mixed races.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of what’s said there surely reaches the ears of the chiefs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, this was a bit unexpected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way... I heard you’re getting married?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon Elder slyly asked me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flinched a little and glanced around, surprised to see that not only the Dragon Elder, but everyone seemed to already know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, that. I heard the Melbes chairman has been pressuring you to get married.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well... you’d be old enough to have three kids anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...What? How do they all know about this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I doubt the chairman was running around telling everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Scary bunch...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chill ran down my spine, but I didn’t show any sign of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing I learned from wearing the Lion Mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Act tough first; it’s better than looking like an easy target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, that must be it...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you don’t have {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} a suitable partner, how about my daughter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Dragon Elder said that, I lost control of my expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, if I’d been drinking water, I might have spit it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Your daughter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I didn’t specify if it was the eldest or youngest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh... I didn’t mean to ask like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I wouldn’t mind either way if it were you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why wouldn’t you mind?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly the elven representative frowned and shouted, and the Dragon Elder hastily defended himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that was a misunderstood remark. I just brought it up because I like this guy, not for some political union among clans—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t the Prime Dragon say earlier that Bjorn, son of Yandel, made a promise with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...A promise? Was there such a thing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He asked me not to let tears fall from that child’s eyes, and he agreed. He even reassured me not to worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh... I vaguely remember that... What does that have to do with this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon Elder looked genuinely puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t everyone misunderstanding something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly a third party interrupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That daughter and he are already deeply involved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Misha’s father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed... There were rumors before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, what do you think? Is that true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elf chief and the Dragon Elder both looked at me, and with lips suddenly dry, I picked up the glass of water on the table only to put it down again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt like I might choke just drinking water.\u003C\u002Fp>",1782,"2026-06-05T19:33:18.084Z",1,"novelbin.me","58f75809098fc89634bf70af11e8e0db787fff7c144b5d2037d31eb7753ae960","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-641","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-639",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]