Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Chapter 386: We (5)

Chapter 386: We (5)

Viscount Bjorn Yandel.

The Marquis's eyes didn't even flicker as he spoke my name.

If it were Erwen or Amelia looking at me like that, I would have confessed everything before they could get any angrier.

That's how confident he seemed.

But...

The Marquis was different.

He was a seasoned politician, the second most powerful person in the kingdom for decades. It would be naive to believe his act.

"Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

I feigned ignorance, testing the waters.

[It's strange to hear you use honorifics. I still remember you from the title bestowal ceremony.]

"...Is this all because of Erwen?"

[I understand your situation, so I won't accuse you of lying. But...]

The Marquis leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

[I need to create a situation where you have no choice but to confess.]

A situation where I have no choice but to confess?

Was he going to use a verification spell or a Numbered Item like 'Distorted Trust'?

Or torture?

I calmly considered all the possibilities, but they were all wrong.

[I'll start by telling you this.]

The Marquis chose 'conversation'.

[Viscount Yandel, don't be alarmed. I'm one of the few people who know you're not an evil spirit.]

He was coming at me strong.

________________________

When my identity was revealed, this was the part that surprised Amelia the most.

How did an evil spirit like me receive a noble title?

[...Come to think of it, the royal family might have known and turned a blind eye. You were a hero in the city back then.]

That was her speculation, and I had considered it a possibility.

But...

'If what the Marquis just said is true, then they really didn't know.'

Of course, he could be lying...

But I decided to listen to him first.

Sometimes, it was better to wait and react than to strike first.

[I won't waste time listing the similarities between Lihen Schuitz and Viscount Bjorn Yandel. You understand, don't you?]

"Yes, I've been mistaken for him a few times..."

I nodded, and the Marquis began listing the evidence that proved my identity.

[It was easy to find out that you weren't Lihen Schuitz. I heard the whole story from the employee who accidentally deleted his records.]

A woman had threatened him and forced him to do it?

That's when I started to get suspicious.

[You know what's most important in administrative work? It's all about the numbers. No matter how logical or convincing a story is, if the numbers don't add up, it's wrong.]

[And that was the case with you.]

Bjorn Yandel is dead.

The Marquis said that once he rejected that premise, all the pieces started falling into place.

[You were too strong to be Lihen Schuitz. But two years and some support would be enough to explain that.]

[And how did you manage to avoid our eyes for so long? It would only make sense if you weren't in the city.]

Where was I then?

The answer was obvious.

[You were in contact with Noark when you disappeared from Parune Island.]

It was too much of a coincidence.

And according to their investigation, I had reappeared two years later at the now-abandoned underground fortress.

The fortress that was rumored to have a passage to the outside world.

[You appeared after the Blood Spirit Marquis visited that place.]

So that's why the knight had accused me of colluding with Noark.

I had thought it was just an excuse.

[Now, tell me your thoughts.]

The Marquis smirked.

It was a convincing story.

It was more plausible than me having traveled back in time.

But...

'...'

I couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being sincere.

'Is he that imaginative? Or that unimaginative?'

He had actually interpreted it that way.

_____________________

I didn't hesitate.

I always prioritized my goals.

My first priority was survival.

My second priority was reclaiming my identity as Bjorn Yandel.

And my third priority was clearing my name as an evil spirit.

So...

"He's quite clever, for a Prime Minister."

I shed my disguise as Lihen Schuitz and revealed my true form.

The reason was simple.

My priority was reclaiming my identity as Bjorn Yandel, not clearing my name as an evil spirit.

Whether he thought I was an evil spirit or a traitor, it didn't matter.

It was something I could negotiate with the Marquis.

'He wouldn't have called me here if he was planning to execute me.'

"Yes, I'm Bjorn Yandel. It's been a while, Marquis."

My voice was filled with confidence.

I wouldn't be this bold if I wasn't sure I could handle the situation.

Whew, it feels good to be back.

[Haha, I'm glad you confessed. It would have been troublesome if you denied it here.]

The Marquis chuckled, and I smirked.

'Troublesome...'

That's why I had revealed my identity.

I knew what would happen next. He would use 'something' to verify my claims.

And if that 'something' didn't work on me... it would only make him suspicious.

Erwen, Amelia, Raven.

If they investigated them thoroughly, they would eventually find out about my past.

It was better to come clean and move on to the main issue.

I had become quite good at deceiving people, after all.

[Now, let's get to the real issue.]

The Marquis ended the small talk and lowered his voice.

[Viscount Yandel, why did you join Noark?]

"Does it matter?"

[That's not a cooperative attitude. You're a smart man, aren't you?]

"I didn't join them. I was just there for my own purposes."

[...]

He stared at me, a strange look in his eyes.

But I held my ground.

I wasn't lying.

I had stayed in Noark for six months.

And I even killed the Lord.

[...You're not lying, are you?]

"Hiccup."

[...]

"Ah, sorry. I had some air in my stomach."

It seemed like the sudden hiccup had changed the mood.

The Marquis didn't press me further.

[You must have been nervous.]

"So, can I assume you're no longer with them?"

"Of course."

[I still find it hard to believe... Why did you hide your identity if you weren't a traitor?]

"The royal family declared me an evil spirit, didn't they? I wanted to find out why."

[You were suspicious of us... I see, that's a possibility.]

The Marquis nodded slightly, and it was my turn to ask a question.

Give and take.

"So, why did you make that announcement? You must know the reason."

[I can't tell you the details. Just think of it as a political move. And besides, we didn't know you were alive back then.]

Damn, I missed the most important part.

"Then tell me this. What do you want from me? You would have assassinated me if you really thought I was a traitor."

[The royal family doesn't handle things that way.]

Bullshit.

The royal palace was practically a den of vipers.

"So you're saying you don't need anything from me?"

[We were planning to use you in the war, if you were a traitor.]

See? He just admitted it.

"Too bad then."

[Well, it's not that bad. I'm quite satisfied with the current situation.]

"Satisfied?"

[Every war needs a hero.]

He was going to use me, even though they had declared me an evil spirit?

The audacity of this guy...

[Viscount Bjorn Yandel, return to the royal family.]

"Why should I?"

[We can help you.]

"I don't see how."

I played hard to get, and the Marquis finally revealed his true intentions.

[Whether you've cut ties with them or not, you were associated with Noark. It's a crime punishable by death.]

"So you're saying you'll let it slide if I join you?"

[Not just let it slide. We'll help you reclaim your title and your name.]

"What about the evil spirit announcement?"

[We can come up with a story. People will believe it.]

He seemed to have it all planned out...

[You said you were just there for your own purposes, didn't you? If you're uncomfortable with the idea of joining us, think of it as a deal.]

It felt strange.

Or rather, unsettling.

It was all going too smoothly.

I had expected a much more difficult situation...

'...'

[Viscount, have you made your decision?]

I didn't have many options.

Even if they were scheming something... I had no choice but to accept.

"Alright. Tell me more. How are you going to reinstate my title? And what do you want in return?"

The Marquis nodded, satisfied.

But as he was about to speak...

Boom!

A loud explosion came from the garden.

'What was that?'

I wondered what was going on, and the Marquis explained.

[Damn, she came after all. I didn't expect her to be this reckless.]

It was Erwen.

[We'll continue our conversation later. Calm her down before things get out of hand.]

"...Okay."

And that was the end of our conversation.