Surviving the Game as a Barbarian – 371



Episode 371: Black Star (4)

Kang Hyeon-byeol.

She was my ex-girlfriend who was 4 years younger than me.

While she was preparing for a job he confessed to her first and they dated for about 3 years.

Well that’s not what’s important right now.

Sigh.

She raises her gaze again to face Hyeonbyeol.

For some reason the way they look at me is cold.

Maybe that’s why…

“Do you see that in this situation?”

“Hmm….”

No what should I do with all the attention?

I quickly came to my senses and took action.

“Don’t misunderstand. “I just checked.”

“check?”

“The basic clothing here follows what you think you are.”

“So… this is what I think I am?”

“It’s like that.”

If you want a different costume you must purchase it with GP.

That’s how I got the sportswear and short-sleeved t-shirt I’m wearing right now.

I guess the basic clothes are a bit uncomfortable—

“Then what about you?”

“…?”

“What was your basic outfit?”

“uh….”

It was a tight-fitting dark blue suit.

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It was an outfit bought by my ex-girlfriend… that is to commemorate her finding a job.

but….

“This is what I’m wearing right now. “This was the basic attire.”

It’s kind of embarrassing to say that.

If you say you were wearing that when we broke up a long time ago it would seem like you still have feelings for me right?

“…Hmm if you’re like an older brother that’s the answer.”

Fortunately Hyeonbyeol did not show any suspicion and she easily agreed.

However something a little curious arose here.

“That’s me? “What is it about me?”

“Why are you being so sensitive? “I just meant it looked comfortable.”

“Is that so?”

Ah I can’t show my courage in front of this guy.

Is it because I have committed so many sins?

“Anyway… don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“…It’s been a while. Hyeonbyeol!”

“Is that the end?”

“uh….”

What more should there be?

Oh she didn’t ask that.

“So how did you end up here?”

In response to my question Hyeonbyul quietly glared at me and then sighed as if resigned.

“I still haven’t gotten over that habit of running away.”

She just pretended she didn’t hear.

“It’s okay. Now I wonder what the importance of all that is…”

“yes. What’s the importance of the past? It is said that what is more valuable than gold is now….”

I felt a chill from somewhere.

“Why do you stop? Without continuing.”

“just. “I think apologizing comes first.”

“….”

“I’m sorry about what happened back then. “This is sincere.”

When I erased all the playfulness from her voice and apologized Hyeonbyeol looked at me with slightly surprised eyes.

“Something… has changed. “My brother.”

“It has to be that way… But is that why you accept my apology?”

“It’s okay if it’s an apple. As I said before what does it matter now? “It’s not something anyone should apologize for…”

“That’s… right.”

After exchanging a few words there was an awkward silence.

Well it’s worth it.

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In her real time she is reunited in a world far away with her ex-girlfriend whom she broke up with a year ago.

“Anyway I was really surprised. “I never thought I’d see you here.”

“is it so? “I thought we would meet someday.”

“…huh?”

“I’ve been thinking about this ever since I woke up here. My brother must be somewhere in this world too. “I also thought it was a bit reassuring.”

“tenderloin…?”

“It’s about disappearance. I was very surprised when I heard it. “I wonder if it was a bad idea…”

Ah it could have seemed that way.

It’s been over a year since we broke up and I feel grateful that she worried about me.

“So… how did you come here?”

This is already the third question asked because the conversation keeps getting lost.

“Just looking at cancer you are far from a game….”

Fortunately this time Hyeonbyeol also answered correctly.

“Well… I became a little interested after breaking up with my brother. “How funny is that that my brother fell in love with it so much?”

There’s a new feeling somewhere.

When we were dating we used to criticize him for playing games like that on three computers.

No wait a minute.

“So… you broke the original?”

“How do you break that? “Later after my brother went missing I found out that there was a cheat version so I used it.”

“Then… how many times did you wake up?”

“30 times more.”

“30 times…?”

30x is a very high magnification ratio.

Because the world is full of kids who couldn’t even break it and played at high odds.

“It looks like you worked pretty hard….”

“No I thought it was like 10 rounds but it broke? It was easy because I came from playing the original version. “There are things I learned from watching my brother play games in the past.”

“ah….”

Come to think of it when I found something like a hidden piece I often explained it to Hyeonbyeol and boasted about it.

He was such a smart kid that he probably remembered everything.

“Why does your expression suddenly darken?”

“…Do you see that?”

“No problem. “How much time were we together?”

I thought about it for a moment and then just answered honestly.

“It’s nothing special. “I just thought that he always listened to stories that I would not have been interested in without complaining…”

Even as I spoke I trailed off because something felt awkward.

It was only after a short period of time that an answer came back from Hyeonbyeol.

“…Oppa you’ve really changed a lot.”

“Because a lot of time has passed.”

“That’s… yes that’s right….”

There was almost an awkward atmosphere again but the time was short-lived. When asked if she knew what happened after I went missing Hyeonbyeol told me what she knew.

To summarize briefly it is as follows.

A month later the company reported you missing and the police came looking for you and he found out about it.

and….

“You met my mother…?”

“yes. “At the police station.”

“What did she say…?”

“He didn’t talk to me directly.”

“But something happened.”

“….”

“It’s okay just tell me.”

Hyeonbyeol seemed to be worried about what I said and she cautiously opened her mouth.

“She talked for a while about the miscarriage… and then she asked the police if there was any way she could report the death before the missing person period expired.”

“under….”

I roughly expected it but I felt really bad.

How much money do I have saved up?

Maybe I was a fool for doing that.

Crackling.

As I was tensing my jaw without realizing it Hyeonbyeol said words of comfort.

“But we still have five years. “It wasn’t an accident and there was no evidence that he was the target of a crime so he wasn’t treated as a special disappearance.”

“What’s different?”

“Special disappearances can be inherited even after one year.”

“I see.”

That’s some comfort.

Even though she thought that she found it somehow funny.

Eat.

Should I say this is a comfort worthy of Hyeonbyeol?

Come to think of it in the past she looked for positive aspects and comforted me logically rather than just offering verbal sympathy.

He also has a significant share in shaping my current personality.

“So what next?”

“I don’t know either. “I was brought here three months after my brother went missing.”

“what…?”

I was truly surprised.

Although time has been distorted by the fragments of the record just by calculating time it has already been three years and nine months since I became Bjorn Yandel.

And since the time ratio is 5:1….

‘It’s been 9 months in real life since I went missing.’

In other words Hyeonbyul has survived in this world for over two and a half years.

As I thought about that I became curious about one thing.

“But why did you come to the community only now?”

“Because I’m not an explorer. “I guess it wasn’t noticeable there.”

“You’re not an explorer…?”

“yes. Does it make sense to fight a monster like that in real life after playing a little game like that? “I just got a job at a decent place and made money.”

“Seeing you say that I guess you’re human.”

“I guess it’s your brother?”

I was speechless at Hyeonbyeol’s question.

I was worried about whether I could share this personal information.

But did you feel that hesitation in that moment?

“So you don’t want to talk to me.”

Hyeonbyeol’s eyes widened.

***

The look in her eyes that she had seen several times when they were dating.

I was embarrassed by those eyes and had to do something to lighten the mood but there was no need for that now.

To put it bluntly we are strangers now right?

There is no way Hyeonbyeol who has always been rational does not know that fact.

“Did Sun draw it first?”

“okay.”

“…great. I won’t ask you anything like that from now on. “Okay?”

As Hyeonbyul is he coolly convinced me.

However did you still feel a little disappointed?

“Instead don’t even think about listening to me. “I won’t tell you even if I die.”

Tsk yes this is correct.

Since there was no room for rebuttal I nodded at her without regret.

At this Hyeonbyeol pursed her lips.

“I guess you really don’t care at all.”

“If I hear that I have to tell it too.”

Instead of vaguely explaining it I answered honestly.

Well he knows exactly when I entered right? Even if you only mention race the number of candidates is drastically reduced.

“….”

“….”

The silence continued as we just looked at each other.

“…Let’s sit down for a moment.”

“…Yes that would be better.”

It was a bit difficult to stand all the time so I sat down on the provided sofa first.

After we sat down together there really wasn’t anything worth talking about.

So I just started with something light.

“This is your first time in the community right?”

“yes.”

If I had a normal working life in this world how would I have received an invitation? I suddenly became curious about that but I swallowed my curiosity.

“Can I give you some GP if you need it? “With this you can also exchange it for cash at the exchange.”

“It’s okay. Because I can earn that much on my own. Moreover when cashing out the spot will definitely move so wouldn’t that mean your identity could be revealed?”

“That’s… right.”

In fact I only said this to open the conversation and I was planning to stop it once and for all if they tried to cash out the GP.

“My brother… he must have become an explorer right?”

“I did.”

We decided not to say anything that could reveal each other’s identities but I accepted it obediently.

If you reject even this level of topic the conversation itself will not be able to continue.

“But why are you smiling?”

“Just like that. “I can’t imagine my brother fighting bloody monsters.”

“I did it and it worked.”

“It must have been difficult.”

“you?”

“I’m just okay. Rather work life is more comfortable here isn’t it?”

Well he’s the smartest person I’ve ever met.

I guess you adapted to this world quickly—

“Really. “Because it wasn’t properly computerized it was easy to raise capital in the early days.”

If it is capital does this mean that it has been embezzled?

“Perhaps because the market itself was weak we invested money in earnest and the rate of return was quite good.”

“….”

“Brother.”

“…huh?”

“In that sense how about we stop looking at each other and just get together?”

“Haha let’s combine… We were already—”

“No I’m not saying let’s start again but let’s join forces. “I will help you from behind in both material and spiritual ways.”

“You’re helping me?”

“Once I became financially free my next goal was to gain power. And recently I caught a pretty high line of people. “I will use that strength to push my brother.”

“What is the price?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Instead when I go back later my brother hugs me too. “My goal is to go back too.”

“It’s a return…”

As I trailed off Hyeonbyeol’s expression changed as if she sensed something else.

“Oppa… do you really want to continue living here?”

I couldn’t find any reason to deny it.

“If I went through all the trouble and went back there would be nothing waiting for me.”

“…What about your mother!”

“huh? “My mom?”

“If my brother stays here all the rent money will go there!”

Oh that’s what it was about.

“Oh that sure is some motivation.”

When I spoke with a grin Hyeonbyeol raised her voice.

“Don’t try to get over it like that! Are you really going to live here?”

“Why are you so excited? There’s nothing I can’t live without. You know what? “I’ve made more friends here?”

Hyeonbyeol’s mouth hardened at the words that were meant to lighten her mood.

And she did so after a long time.

“…A friend? “Your brother?”

Hyunbyeol shouted with a shocked expression.

“….”

uh….

No matter how much I am that kind of reaction is a bit hurtful.