[{"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-776":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},1328148,1764,"Chapter 776: Month 13 (3)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-776",776,"\u003Cp>The outing with Misha was quite different from the one with Amelia. There was a pre-planned itinerary, and it was pretty packed. Starting from the very beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wake up!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, I was physically dragged out of bed at 7 AM. I had only twenty minutes to wash up, change, and get ready to go out, and just barely made it in time. When I finally stepped outside, she stared at me blankly for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Aren’t we going?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait—come here a sec! Wow... I can actually see your face when you’re this short!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Normally from this angle I can only see your chin. Hehe.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinning in satisfaction, Misha led me straight to the outer wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hurry up! The carriage is waiting!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently she had made a reservation, because there was a carriage waiting for us on top of the wall. We rode it across the ramparts. Normally, wall-top carriages were strictly for military use, but lately they could be used if you got permission. With Districts 7 and 8 completely wrecked, carriages couldn’t get through the city center anymore. Even if it took a bit longer distance-wise, going along the top of the wall was much faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It kind of felt like taking a highway. The travel distance might be longer, but there were no pedestrians or obstructions on the ramparts, so the carriage could move quickly—no traffic, either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Can I sleep for a bit?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sure, I’ll wake you when we get there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, she let me nap on the way, and when I opened my eyes, we’d arrived in District 5.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hehe, I figured you’d wake up from hunger around now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Are you a shaman?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you talking about, get off! We’re going to eat meat first!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was still District 5, but Misha had brought me to the eastern part, which had far fewer ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) traces of war than the west, which bordered District 4. The roads were relatively clean, the buildings mostly intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, Gnomtree is just east of here...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I followed Misha while idly thinking that, but it didn’t take long before her confident stride began to slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh... it should be around here...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t tell me you’re lost.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, I’m not—there are just so many people...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s the address?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After she told me, I took over as guide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Three hundred-something on Raymond Street... that’ll be over that way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We reached our destination in under five minutes after I started leading, and Misha let out a small gasp of admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bjorn, you’re good at finding your way even in the city?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I’m not bad. I even got navigation lessons from Rotmiller, back in the—ah...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My voice trailed off. Misha looked instantly flustered, like she’d said something wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She probably thought she made a mistake bringing up Rotmiller...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Great. Now the mood’s awkward.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She must’ve brought me here hoping to cheer me up, in her own way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Never mind that. Let’s go in. I’m starving. Thanks to you getting us lost.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah... yeah! Let’s go! My treat!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we stepped into the place Misha had picked, we were immediately greeted by a familiar face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gomsamo...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? Who... oh—oh!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she saw me, Gomsamo, standing at the front counter, stared blankly before her eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, Yan—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t recognize you. You’re shorter than usual.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There’s a magic tool for that. But why are you here...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh! This is a friend’s restaurant, and they needed help for the festival period, so I came to work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about Abet?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course he’s here too. They needed help out front as well. He stepped out to pick up ingredients, but you’ll probably see him soon if you sit inside.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, with three kids to raise, they probably needed the money. I’d heard the war destroyed their restaurant completely. And the Labyrinth’s closed now, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Still, a third-tier explorer doing part-time server work...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the bright side, no drunkards will be starting fights here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sit over there. It’s in the corner, but should be the quietest spot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thanks. Appreciate it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gomsamo showed us to a seat and left without even taking our order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about the order...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry. I’ll bring something out. Don’t worry about the cost.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mm? But...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have a big debt to repay. If you want to pay it back, do it to Parab.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mm... got it...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha looked a little down afterward, saying she was supposed to treat me today—but this wasn’t something we could turn down. Refusing it would just make them uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...S-still, don’t worry! I’ll definitely pay at the next place!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sure, sure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While we waited for the food, I casually asked Misha:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was this the place you wanted to come?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yup. One of them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but chuckle at her nonchalant response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why this place, though? Because Abet works here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah? I figured since we were out anyway, it’d be nice to see some familiar faces.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like something Ainard, that ultra-extroverted barbarian, would say. But I guess Misha was similar—affectionate, sociable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, you really did come?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abet showed up while we were chatting, bringing a tray of food to our table. The meal was clearly designed with me in mind—over 80% meat, and way too much to be just for two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’d probably be shameless to ask for another round of this...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk. If I were paying, I wouldn’t hesitate to order more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Abet, if you’re not too busy, join us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm... well, I can take a break from work, but... are you sure it’s okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at Misha to be sure, and she smiled and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so began a meal with drinks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the topic was the war. And more specifically, Sven Parab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not sure what you think of him, but that friend Parab—he’s the real deal. I heard he stayed behind at the temple alone, buying time so others could escape. Who can make a call like that? That’s no normal man.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way Abet talked about Sven Parab, it was like he was describing someone I didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d heard the story several times already, even from Sven himself...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s not the kind of guy he was... Did he eat something weird that day?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how often I heard it, I couldn’t quite believe it. But at the same time... it wasn’t completely implausible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even I’ve changed in many ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sitting here like this with the three of us kind of feels like old times. Would’ve been nice if Ainard came too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ainard? She’s been busy lately.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She... busy? With what?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh... she said she’s writing a memoir or something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\".........Ainard?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abet’s expression was exactly the same as mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Misha, what are you talking about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d never heard this before, so I pressed for more. Misha didn’t know the details, but answered with what she had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not really sure either... But after the war, she said something clicked for her. That memories always fade, so she wants to write them down while she still remembers...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I... I see...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, Abet and I wore identical faces. We didn’t understand it at all, and that’s what made it make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were anyone else, it’d be weird—but for Ainard? Not really.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahem... So she’s developed the skills to write a memoir, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy clearly wants to read it once it’s done, but he won’t admit it. Not that I’m any better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, even if Ainard isn’t here, I did call one more person.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who else could it be?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who else but me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoa—what the hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Raven? What are you doing here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned toward the small mage who had suddenly appeared beside our table, eyes wide. No wonder—I hadn’t heard from her at all since the war ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kalstein called me. Figured I could use a change of pace. It’s festival season, after all... Mind if I sit?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, of course. I-it’s been a while...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With permission, Raven took the seat next to Abet and gave a slight smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why’re you so stiff?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahem... I’m not stiff...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to think of it, it really had been a long time for them. Ever since the party split, Raven had only met up with me. Maybe they hadn’t spoken at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How’s life in the Magic Corps? I heard you got the title ‘Golden Mage’?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ugh, it sucks. Why did everything go to hell the moment I joined...? I want to quit every day, but I hold it in with sheer responsibility.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about you, Mr. Urikfrit? Golden Tree’s a pretty famous clan, isn’t it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Raven’s question, Abet flinched slightly and gave an awkward laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah... the clan... yeah... it’s a good one...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone at the table tilted their heads at his strangely vague tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We all felt something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What? Something going on with his clan?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t ask. If it was something he didn’t want to talk about, I figured I’d wait until he brought it up himself. Raven and Misha seemed to feel the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Good thing Ainard isn’t here...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she were, she’d have just blurted out the question without hesitation. Then again, she probably wouldn’t even pick up on the awkwardness in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, Raven, why’ve you been so hard to get ahold of lately?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly changed the subject. Any longer and the atmosphere would’ve gotten weirder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, me? My master passed away. I’ve been busy handling the aftermath.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Goddamn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Really? That’s what this turned into now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked right into a trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well... it’s not like we’re strangers.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abet, Raven, all of them—this wasn’t the time to tiptoe around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, it just made me feel more distant from them, which kind of sucked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...First of all, my condolences.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I led the way, and Misha and Abet followed with their own words of sympathy. That should be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You could’ve called us, though.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eh, it wasn’t exactly a happy event. And come on, Yandel, you didn’t even like our master that much.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I didn’t dislike him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I definitely didn’t like him, either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That old man had an unnerving obsession with evil spirits...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, since it came up, Raven started to explain a bit more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The war was so intense that the royal family drafted mages from the Tower. It wasn’t unusual. He died in that mess.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t want to go into detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good or bad, he was still someone I had history with. Hearing he died out of nowhere left me with mixed feelings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever he was to me, he was probably someone precious to Raven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After he passed, the Master seat was left vacant, so things got hectic. I’m sorry I couldn’t visit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need to apologize. The ones left behind are always the busiest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha... yeah, I’ve learned that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raven gave a bitter smile, then downed a drink in one go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she leaned in over the table and asked me:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, Yandel.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Need a mage?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...What the hell is going on now?\u003C\u002Fp>",1848,"2026-06-05T19:33:19.606Z",1,"novelbin.me","9b4bcb7f6ec57f9b42dac6f681fab93c7d00649a7c8e9a398e3dfa8b6292b61e","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-596","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-595",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]