Surviving the Game as a Barbarian – 197



Episode 197 Master Key (2)

Watcher of the Round Table.

A secret community created to exchange better quality information.

When I first came here existing members were curious about my relationship with the Master.

The reason is simple.

It’s already been a year since the master who used the message function to recruit members disappeared.

The members thought they could hear about the Master’s current status from me and after the concept of ‘investigator’ was established it became established that we were acquaintances.

I consistently gave no comment to all related questions.

[The answer is refusal.]

To answer that I know makes me worry about what happens next.

This decision was made because I thought it did not fit the concept of mysticism to say I did not know.

But maybe I was greedy without realizing it?

[…Do you even know where the Master is?]

At the second meeting I made a gesture of shrugging my shoulders at the fox’s words.

As if there’s nothing I can’t tell you if you bring something interesting. He rested his chin and relaxed as if he were an absolute ruler.

It was clearly intended to be misleading.

“…Wasn’t the Master the one who invited you? “I think this person said that too…”

The fox mask’s voice sounded very confused as if its intention had actually worked.

The other masks were also wondering what kind of situation this was.

“Hmm I invited you?”

The Master placed his hand on his chin looking completely clueless.

At this the eyes of the other masks focused on me.

Eyes full of questions and curiosity about my identity.

“If he isn’t the Master how did he get in here?”

“Could it be that you have now used the invitation code you received before?”

In response to the fox’s muttering the goblin made a guess which the clown refuted.

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“That’s stupid. “Don’t you know that the invitation code expires after just one month and cannot be used?”

“…Is that true Master?”

“What the clown said is true.”

“then….”

When the Master agreed his gaze towards me became more explicit.

“Mr. Investigator why did you deceive me by saying you knew the Master…?”

A fox mask asks me a question in a cautious tone.

I stopped breathing and closed my eyes for a moment.

It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t taken aback by the unexpected situation of the Master’s appearance but losing my composure can ruin what was meant to be.

I quickly decided on the position I would take.

“I didn’t cheat.”

I’ve never boasted that I knew him directly.

You are just mistaken.

If they push on like that they won’t have anything to say.

‘Well you might feel a little uncomfortable but…’

From half-baked lives to various information.

Have you shown one or two things so far?

Anyway this won’t get you to the truth that I am a cyber gangster.

Okay so…

“You mean you didn’t cheat?”

Let’s go out shamelessly.

In the first place ‘investigator’ is that kind of character right?

“That’s literally it. “Is there something wrong with your ears?”

“Oh no… it’s not like that….”

A fox mask that is very embarrassed when they make eye contact even though it doesn’t show any lethal force.

I laughed out loud.

And even though he didn’t say anything he tried to say the line he had prepared saying that it was you who had misunderstood.

But then.

“Everyone stop it.”

The Master looked at me and said.

“I don’t know the details of what happened between you but he didn’t lie about anything.”

‘…huh?’

“Now I understand. “Who are you?”

For an instant my heart sank.

Of course that time was only a moment.

You know who I am? This is ridiculous.

Even if you are a master you are ultimately just the head of a private chat room. How can you know that?

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“Laughs. “I would have thought you would be on the tiger side.”

I pursed my lips as I heard the Master’s laughter.

It’s not because I’ve hit the nail on the head but because I can’t understand anything at all.

I just chose silence.

I decided that I could get there at least half way just by sparing my words.

“A soldier or something.”

That judgment was not wrong.

‘He’s a soldier…’

Now I understand.

Who has this old man mistaken me for?

***

Sergeant Lee.

To be translated literally this is Sergeant….

The nickname of Lee Baek-ho an unfortunate player who was dragged into this world on the day of his discharge from military service.

“There’s no use pretending it’s not true. “You’re the only one who gave me a code with no expiration date.”

If you think about it it was a natural misunderstanding from the Master’s point of view.

Isn’t that the invitation code that Baekho Lee gave me?

There is no way anyone could tell the difference between Baekho Lee and me while we were both wearing masks.

‘…Should I say this went well?’

I can’t feel it yet.

I think the key is how close Lee Baek-ho was to the Master…

“I never thought you would come here. “When I first visited you didn’t you criticize me for doing something pathetic?”

“….”

“I’m a little curious. “How did you change your mind?”

A conclusion was reached without much deliberation.

‘We weren’t close.’

I think the expression ‘bucket’ is a good one.

Because in this world there are people who bicker and have close relationships.

but….

[Oh I didn’t tell you about that. Because I took the initial pill I can only stay here for an hour.]

Baekho Lee can only stay here for an hour.

So it is impossible to participate in this rally where the entry time is between 3:00 and 3:10.

But you don’t know this?

What did you tell me the first day we met?

‘Estimates are coming in little by little.’

The Master doesn’t know much about Lee Baek-ho.

In other words it is completely possible for me to pretend to be Lee Baek-ho.

“I’m not the one who suggested it first but if you’re at your level there’s nothing to be gained by participating here.”

The clown grumbled in response to the Master’s next words.

“…Pisit there is nothing to be gained. “Doesn’t the Master look at us too much like children?”

“Oh I’m sorry if I offended you. But because he’s such a great friend.”

“Hmm that’s right….”

A clown whose eyes shine at the Master’s praise.

I quickly looked at the other masks. It wasn’t much different from a clown.

It was just full of surprises.

Perhaps even more so than when he spit out advanced information such as the ‘Stone of Revival’.

“I think this is the first time the Master has given such an evaluation to someone…”

“I never thought it would be this bad.”

The crescent moon continues to exclaim and the deer antler looks somewhat resentful. Oh by the way as soon as the fox made eye contact with me it flinched and lowered its head.

It looks like something I suspected earlier has been caught.

‘What should I do?’

Seeing this makes my worries deepen.

Isn’t there a saying that a crisis is an opportunity?

As you can see just by looking at the members’ eyes they have already changed.

If you succeed in pretending to be Lee Baek-ho it will be a great help in future concepts.

‘More than anything I think we can find out what kind of kid Lee Baek-ho is through this old man.’

The return is certain.

So what about the risk?

‘…There’s nothing that can be said to be a risk?’

Now that I think about it if it doesn’t work out I can just reveal that I’m Baekho Lee’s friend at that time.

Isn’t there an old saying that something like “you pay for your money”?

Since I mentioned that Master is a great person I his friend would also be seen as being on the same level as Baekho Lee.

‘Okay let’s try it.’

After quickly making a decision I broke the long silence and spoke to the master first.

“What should I call you here?”

“huh?”

“You can’t sing like usual can you?”

“Why not? Just call me inspiration like you did back then. “Forget that weird honorific.”

“That’s right old man.”

I felt dizzy as I naturally changed my posture.

‘I almost screwed up from the start….’

I never would have guessed that we were talking informally.

Still thanks to this I realized one more thing.

Lee Baek-ho is a proud Korean Confucian.

But how dare you speak informally to an older person?

‘It seems that beyond not being close friends our relationship wasn’t good at all.’

I have a rough idea of ​​how I should feel about it.

Therefore I naturally added more words to make up for my previous mistake.

“Your tastes are really strange. “Even if I try to save my side he says he doesn’t like it.”

A statement that he sincerely cannot understand.

I’m not sure if it worked properly but the Master smiled happily.

“Giggles! Yes this is how you are. Anyway let’s end this story here. “It’s nice to see you after a long time but I don’t have time.”

“…Master you don’t have time?”

“Due to circumstances I can only be here for so long.”

“yes? “What on earth has happened to you so far?”

“stop.”

The Master muttered briefly and dismissed the question.

“I understand that Ms. Fox would have many things she would like to ask me. You must be wondering why I disappeared without saying a word and what I am saying now. “But I can’t tell you.”

“Is time really that tight?”

“No it has nothing to do with time.”

The fox didn’t hold back anymore as the master drew a sharp line.

Instead I asked just one more thing.

“Then… are you coming again next time?”

“Well I’m not sure about that. But I’ll come back again in a year. “If something needs to be announced before then it may come sooner.”

“Fishish that must mean that I came today as well because I had something urgent to report. “Master.”

“It’s just as you said clown.”

At the Master’s shocking declaration all the attention that had been focused on me turned towards him.

This is a very good situation for me.

Even the content itself.

‘Come back in a year….’

Simply put it means that you don’t have to worry about your lies being revealed at every meeting.

However right now curiosity was greater than relief.

‘I don’t think I’m lying when I say I don’t have time… What kind of situation are we in? ‘What information do you need to share urgently?’

With many questions in mind I stared at the Master with my ears focused. It wasn’t just me it was all the masks.

A strange silence formed naturally like that.

“Giggles don’t be too nervous. Rather it is safe to say that it is good news.”

The Master who was waving his hands as if to ventilate the heavy air slowly opened his mouth.

and….

“Within two years a binding spell that can accommodate up to six people will be created. “The number of keys that can open the door to the abyss increases to six!”

Silence oppressed the hall.

The members glanced at each other awkwardly and said nothing.

At this the Master tilted his head.

“Why is everyone’s expression like that? “I thought it would be even more surprising…”

That’s backwards.

***

There will be a magic that binds 6 people.

It is certain that this information will be so valuable that the moment it becomes known the entire city will be shaken for at least a few months.

but….

“…You revealed this news first? Wow everyone seemed to be bored for some reason.”

The Master quenched his appetite after realizing that this was what the clown had talked about at the previous meeting.

“But it’s a little surprising. Clown I didn’t know you’d say something like that here. “Do you like the people here a little bit now?”

“Pisisit can that be possible? “I just wanted to know what it would be like to be surprised.”

A clown looking at me while letting out his signature laugh.

Following that gaze the Master glances at me with meaningful eyes.

I was nervous because I thought something might be said.

but….

Chijijijijit.

From that point on the Master’s body began to tremble like a hologram.

“It’s already time to leave.”

“Master!”

The fox shouted as if he was disappointed but the more he shouted the faster the shimmering speed became.

Even in that situation the Master only saw me.

It was a very unpleasant and disturbing gaze.

Should I say that it feels like I can clearly see inside even though I’m just making eye contact?

“Is there something you want to say?”

Finally I couldn’t bear it anymore and asked.

And then.

[He’s not an old man he’s an old man.]

The voice rang in my head like electric sound magic.

It was clear who the owner of the voice was.

[That damned kid called me that.]

Shit.

Somehow it seemed like it went over too easily.

‘You were aware of it from the beginning?’

Without realizing it my body became slightly stiff.

Of course it was so small that it was difficult to detect with the naked eye and the time was almost instantaneous.

but….

[Hmm actually the reaction was so natural that I was still confused. Seeing that the heart rate increased significantly it seems that it really wasn’t that kid.]

No was it just something you thought about?

[Don’t worry. Whatever you do here there is no reason for me to interfere with it.]

“….”

[I’m just curious but unfortunately I don’t have time today. Let’s talk about who you are later when we meet.]

With those words the Master’s body dispersed before his eyes like fog.

“under.”

I laughed out loud.

It was similar to when I experience something so absurd that I burst into laughter without realizing it.

There are really no easy people in this world.