Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

Chapter 286 Cause and Effect (2)

There was no specific destination for this outing.

I just wandered around, following my feet.

'Oh, that skewer shop was there twenty years ago too.'

Although I didn't particularly enjoy walking, this time it was quite fun.

It was like playing a game of spot the difference.

Whenever I saw shops that were still open twenty years later, I felt a strange sense of familiarity, even though I had only been there a few times.

As I was wandering around aimlessly,

"...Huh?"

When did I get here?

I blankly looked up at the beautiful building in front of me.

[Central Record Repository of the Southern Ravigion.]

A place commonly known as the 'library', and the place I had visited the most in this world.

'This place hasn't changed at all in twenty years.'

Since I didn't have any urgent tasks, I entered the library without hesitation.

And...

"Welcome. We're happy to have you here."

As soon as I entered, I was greeted by the staff.

Honestly, I was quite flustered.

'What the... this isn't how it usually is.'

The counters, which were always empty when Ragna was there, were all filled with staff. When I first came here, there was only one sleepy librarian.

One of the many librarians approached me.

"Is this your first visit?"

A female librarian who looked to be in her early teens.

She looked very young, so she must be a part-timer.

But why does she look so familiar?

"...Is this your first visit?"

"Ah, um... yes."

"Then I'll briefly explain the rules and how to use the library."

As I listened to the staff member's explanation, I realized that the number of librarians wasn't the only thing that had changed.

There was only one administrative mage among all these staff.

He would use magic to retrieve the records of the books based on the keywords provided by the users, and then the other librarians would guide them to the location.

"...Why are you using such a cumbersome method?"

"Excuse me...?"

"Wouldn't it be easier to just cast a spell on the users and let them find the books themselves?"

The librarian looked at me with a 'What the hell is this barbarian talking about?' expression and then answered with a bright smile.

"Haha, you might think that, but I heard that casting spells on other people consumes much more mana."

"Ah, so the problem is that there aren't enough mages."

"Yes. I've never even heard of such a spell."

Huh? What is she talking about?

There's no such spell?

I tilted my head in confusion, and the librarian muttered with a self-deprecating voice.

"The noble mages of the Magic Tower wouldn't create a spell for lowly librarians like us."

"...Oh, is that so? I'm sorry. I'll come back later."

"No, please feel free to ask if you need help finding a book or a specific genre."

The librarian returned to her seat after our conversation ended. As she did, I noticed her name tag, which I hadn't been able to see before because of the angle.

[Apprentice Librarian - Shabin Emure]

Ah, that's why she looked so familiar.

She must have worked here before getting a job at the Administrative Office.

'This is quite fascinating.'

I suddenly had a thought.

If I wanted to, I could see Misha's younger self.

'Ah, but she still has a lisp now.'

Anyway, that wasn't important.

'Dwarkey... he would be alive here.'

Liol Wobu Dwarkey.

The mage who would probably be one of my lifelong regrets.

'If I could change the future...'

Could I prevent Dwarkey's death if I did something here?

That thought made my body tingle.

Literally.

Buzz.

What the...

Who electrocuted me?

I looked down and saw a kid glaring at me with a disrespectful look.

I spoke gently, like a mature barbarian.

"What the hell are you doing?"

The kid answered my question.

"I'm a mage."

That was ridiculous.

Yeah, so you're a mage, so what?

Did he think I would be intimidated and bow down to him?

"You're too young to understand this, but even mages die if their necks are broken."

It would be ridiculous to seriously argue with a seven-year-old mage, so I just gave him some sincere advice.

But did he not like it?

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"Whatever, just move. You're blocking the way."

The kid glared at me with a defiant look.

Now I understood why he electrocuted me.

'He electrocuted me because I was blocking the way?'

What a rude kid.

But I endured, remembering Amelia's words about not causing trouble.

"Fine, go ahead, kid."

"You're old, but you can't even use magic."

"What? Do you want to see a neck-breaking spell?"

As I stepped aside, the kid scoffed and left.

"...How barbaric."

Yeah, it doesn't affect a barbarian.

'Tsk, tsk, are all kids like this twenty years ago? We weren't like this... What's happening to the world?'

I then looked around the library.

And I sat down at an empty table without taking out any books.

I had something to think about.

'It would be a waste to just leave.'

Twenty years of time difference.

As Amelia said, it was a huge opportunity.

'I only have three weeks before I have to return to the surface, but...'

I organized the things I could do during that time.

A few things came to mind.

'First, the Genesis Artifact.'

The Genesis Artifact is stolen twenty years from now.

I couldn't prevent that, and it was practically impossible to steal it beforehand and bury it somewhere.

I didn't even know where they hid it in the sanctuary.

But...

'I could at least warn them.'

That's how the first task was decided.

Write an anonymous letter saying that someone will steal the Genesis Artifact on March 1, 153rd year of the Change Era.

Of course, I didn't know if this would change the future.

But it wouldn't hurt to try, and it wouldn't take much effort.

While I was at it, I decided to write about the Sacred Relic War as well.

It was the primary cause of the barbarian tribe's decline.

'...I wish our tribe was at least as strong as it is in this time period.'

I hadn't spent much time observing the city twenty years ago, but the most noticeable change was the ratio of barbarians.

Barbarians were everywhere.

This must have been normal in the past.

The Sacred Relic War caused a population decline, and the Magic Tower's announcement that barbarian hearts were valuable as magic materials led to the current situation.

'The Magic Tower... how can I stop them?'

Hmm, I'll think about this later.

I didn't have any immediate solutions.

Next.

Prevent Dwarkey's death.

There were two ways to do this.

Intervene in the past and prevent him from becoming an explorer...

'Or kill that Dragonslayer bastard.'

The former had many variables, but the latter was the most certain method.

It would also be more beneficial to the world.

It had many advantages.

But there was one problem.

'I don't even know if he's in Noark.'

According to recorded history, the Dragonslayer first appeared ten years after stealing the Dragonslayer sword.

He single-handedly attacked the fairy sanctuary, which had been destroyed in the Sacred Relic War, marking his debut in Orculus.

Unfortunately, his whereabouts before that were unknown.

'Then I should meet Dwarkey first.'

Therefore, I decided to go with 'prevent Dwarkey from becoming an explorer'.

There were many variables, but it was worth a try.

I even knew where Dwarkey was living in this time period.

'If I go there and tell him how difficult and dirty being an explorer is, he'll probably change his mind.'

Okay, then that's settled.

'Next...'

I was continuing my thoughts when...

Buzz.

I heard an electric buzzing sound.

Fortunately, it wasn't coming from my body.

"Ouch!"

I turned towards the sound and saw a man screaming in pain after being electrocuted.

"Move, you're blocking the way."

The kid was saying the same thing he had said to me to the man.

But the outcome was different this time.

How many people in this world are as kind and forgiving as me?

Slap!

The man slapped the kid across the face.

Although the kid was skinny, he was still a grown man. A seven-year-old kid couldn't withstand that kind of force.

"Virhe Te..."

The kid tried to cast a spell as he got up, but the man didn't give him time.

Thump!

A merciless kick to the kid's small body.

"...Shouldn't we stop him?"

"Let's call a librarian."

People were watching, but no one stepped forward.

Ha, this is why bookworms are so useless.

They're distracting.

"Who made that noise?"

I couldn't just sit there and watch, so I got up and walked towards the commotion. And I tripped the man who was still kicking the kid.

"Be quiet in the library."

Thud!

"Damn it, who the hell are you?!"

The man fell on his butt and got up, cursing.

He glared at me and raised his voice, but then...

"If you don't want to get hurt..."

He trailed off.

"If I don't want to get hurt?"

"..."

The man didn't answer.

Was he trying to use the first method of pissing someone off?

Fortunately, it seemed like that wasn't the case.

"...Just go your own way."

He looked down and tried to act tough.

I was a bit surprised.

He had slapped the kid without hesitation, so I thought he was a barbarian-like equal opportunity bully...

'He's only strong against the weak.'

Well, he was definitely in the wrong this time.

"Just leave. Can't you see people are trying to read?"

"...Tsk."

I gave him an excuse to leave, and he clicked his tongue and disappeared.

He must have been embarrassed after calming down.

"Are you okay?"

"...Leave me alone."

He should have said that when he was kicking the kid.

"Sigh."

I sighed and helped the kid up.

And I asked,

"Don't you have a mother?"

"I do."

Huh? He does?

"You don't."

"...She's at home."

Ah, I see.

He should have said that from the beginning.

"Why are you here alone? You should come with your mother."

"...I can do it myself."

"Is that why you got beaten up?"

I hit him where it hurt, like a true barbarian, and the kid frowned.

"...I could have won."

"I see."

This is why I don't like kids.

They're not rational, and they're stubborn.

"Whatever, do what you want. If you're going to pick fights, go somewhere else."

"...I wasn't picking a fight. He was blocking the way."

What is he talking about?

"You were also wrong to use magic. You should have asked him to move."

"I did. To you, and to that man. But you both ignored me."

Huh? Really? I didn't even hear him...

"So I'm not going to do it anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to thank you."

"Ah, is that so?"

I wasn't expecting it anyway.

"Fine, go away."

I waved my hand, and the kid, looking frustrated, scoffed and left.

A staff member soon rushed over.

Fortunately, I didn't have to explain anything. The staff member had already heard what had happened from the other users and thanked me before leaving.

"...I heard you resolved the situation. Thank you."

That was the end of the incident.

As I sat back down and continued my thoughts...

Thud.

I heard a sound next to me and looked over.

The kid was sitting at the table diagonally across from me, reading a book.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Reading a book."

"Why are you reading here?"

"Why can't I read here?"

Ha, this kid...

'I have to endure.'

I exercised my adult patience and moved to another table.

But guess what?

Thud.

A few minutes later, the chair next to me was pulled out.

"Why are you following me?"

"I'm not following you."

"You are."

"I'm not."

Based on my extensive experience in volunteer work, I had unintentionally attracted the kid's attention.

'In this situation, indifference is the best medicine.'

If I ignored him, he would eventually lose interest and leave.

I focused on my thoughts, ignoring the kid.

But this kid didn't know when to stop.

"Why aren't you reading? Are you just going to sit there?"

"..."

"Can't you read?"

"..."

"Do you want me to teach you?"

Ah, this is driving me crazy.

"Hey, kid."

I finally spoke, and the kid frowned.

"I'm not a kid."

"You are a kid—"

"Arrua Raven."

"...Huh?"

I froze.

I couldn't believe my ears, but they weren't wrong.

"My name is Arrua Raven. Say it properly."

...No way.

_________________________

Blue eyes and flowing blonde hair.

A small physique and human race.

Those were the only similarities I could find, but she definitely looked like Arrua Raven.

But it was difficult to be certain, like with Shabin Emure.

There was a huge difference between a seven-year-old and a teenager.

So I asked again, just to be sure.

"Is your name really Arrua? Not Aruna, Aruru, or Aruveros?"

"What are those weird names? My name is Arrua. So say it properly."

Geez, she's sensitive.

She wouldn't even be called 'Arrua' twenty years from now.

"So how old are you?"

"Five."

Wow, she's the same age.

She must have been tall for her age when she was younger.

I was surprised by the sudden encounter, but I started to feel curious.

"What's that book? It looks like a magic book. Are you studying by yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Don't you go to the Magic Tower?"

I knew she would be part of the Magic Tower in the future, so I couldn't help but ask.

But she just clicked her tongue.

"Do you think anyone can just go to the Magic Tower?"

Well, that's true...

"My family is poor, so I can't."

"Is that why you're studying by yourself?"

"Yeah, if I become an administrative mage, I won't have to worry about money."

"...That's... true."

I awkwardly nodded and thought about what I was doing when I was five.

'I was in and out of the hospital, reading books in my room.'

I was also mature for my age, but she was on another level.

At least I wasn't worried about my 'future' back then.

Well, I didn't have time to think about that since I was always on the verge of death.

"I'm going now."

"Huh? Now?"

"My mom will be home from work soon. If she finds out I was at the library, she'll be mad."

"Yeah, I guess your mom would be worried if you snuck out like this."

"...It's a bit different from that."

Raven then returned the book she was reading and left without looking back.

'It's a bit different from that, what does she mean?'

It was a trivial statement, but the gloomy expression she had when she said it bothered me.

'Is there something wrong with her family?'

Come to think of it, she had never talked about her family in front of us.

I didn't even know she was from a commoner family.

"Hmm..."

This is getting interesting.