Bjorn Yandel the Barbarian

Episode 552: Deja Vu (1)

Day 103 after entering the labyrinth.

The time when the number of entry days exceeded three digits.

It was time to stop the library nogada for a while.

From now on, I have to go to Rock Island and greet the newbies.

‘I’ll be able to stare at books that are higher up only when decent kids come in.’

Even now, if you open a summon book, four or five Level 3s will appear, and there are also cases where Level 2 is included.

Well, if the combination is good, I can catch it once or twice, but…

It was now impossible to get drunk like going back to the factory.

I played the role of a tanker and fought for a long time, and once the battle was over, I had to take a long break to recover the consumed resources.

‘Last time there was almost a fatality…’

Anyway, in that sense, staff expansion is not an option, but a necessity…

As we organize the camp and prepare to leave, we can feel the gaze from afar.

When I turned my head in that direction, I saw Hamsik staring at me from a distance.

[Are you going…?]

As we approached, Ham-shik spoke while looking at his stern toes.

The first meeting was a bit like that, but as a result, they became friends and talked to each other throughout the hunt in the library, so it seems that affection has accumulated.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll be back soon. Aren’t you going to leave the golden book as well?”

[But, while carrying my fountain pen…!]

“Uh huh, friends ask about trivial things and move on. Got it?”

[…]

“No, it’s because I’ll be back really soon.”

[Who, who said he would be waiting? Don’t come here forever! It’s much more comfortable without you! Quiet!]

Heh heh, he’s here again.

The words that Hamshik didn’t even have in his heart were heard with one ear and passed them off like a barbarian.

“Baron, everyone is ready!”

“okay? i get it.”

I was ready to leave the library soon, but for some reason, I couldn’t find my way.

[…]

“Hey, Hamsik.”

[…why?]

“I’m doing a good job organizing my books while I’m away. Even if you’re not hungry, eat the jerky I gave you when the time comes, and if strange kids show up, don’t show your face, hide behind the bookshelf and wait for me to come—”

[I’m a kid! Don’t talk nonsense like that, and if you’re going quickly, leave!]

No, even if you say so.

Huh… Seriously, why are you so worried?

Was it actually on my side that the affection accumulated between them?

“Then… let’s go, Hamsik…”

[huh….]

“I’ll be back soon.”

[…huh.]

Soon, I forcibly removed my foot from falling and turned my back. And we passed between the crew who were watching us from afar.

Swoop.

The crew paved the way for me to be in the lead.

First, when I climbed the stairs in front of me, the crew started moving after me in formation.

After coming out of the island, I got on the summoned boat, and after a few hours, I was able to arrive at the rocky island.

“There doesn’t seem to be any sign of anyone coming.”

I came early just in case, but as expected, no explorers had come down to the first basement floor before we arrived.

Well, it’s now the third day since the Labyrinth opened.

At that time, it would be physically impossible to finish farming on the 3rd floor and come back down to the 1st floor.

“What do you think?”

“I’m just worried about whether the ham food is doing well.”

“I’m a little curious about how exactly you look in your eyes….

“How did you look?”

“…Wizard. He wields a staff made of skeletons, looks more sinister than a lich, and makes a terrible noise.”

Oh, you did.

At that time, I just listened and passed on it, but now that many specimens have accumulated, I feel that way.

‘An evil wizard with a skull staff…’

Isn’t this an imaginary figure created by a fusion of a body collector and an annihilator?

Of course, it didn’t come out of my mouth.

“Um… Baron, would it be all right if I took the members to the beach?”

“Beachside?”

“That… don’t things float in the sea? I thought I’d pick it up a bit during my spare time…”

“do whatever you want. There’s nothing to do but wait for a while anyway.”

When some explorers, who were bored with waiting, took up their arms, other crew members who were noticing joined one by one and left for the beach to pick up waste paper.

It seemed that picking up equipment made of grade 3 materials during a voyage in the past had a big effect. That’s when things started to circulate between us.

If you do well, you might hit the jackpot.

If you’re lucky, isn’t it possible to pick up the equipment used by ancient heroes?

‘Well, if you’re really lucky, there might be such a jackpot…’

To be honest, I was skeptical.

I’ve been to so many places, but in the end, the most expensive was the 3rd grade armor I picked up a while ago.

‘When the first basement floor is properly opened later, won’t there be people who specialize in picking up waste paper?’

Well, it seems inefficient to me, but it seemed like that sort of thing would emerge.

There are no monsters on the rock island itself.

If you can avoid the rainy season in time, working here can also be a source of income.

‘By the way, time really doesn’t pass…’

I sat at the starting point all day and shivered for a while, but I couldn’t overcome my boredom and went to the beach to pick up waste paper with the crew.

and how long has it been

One day, two days, three days…

It was near the end of the 107th car.

In other words, there are only a few hours left until the first floor is closed.

‘…there’s no way I wouldn’t come this far. Did the royal bastards do something? Can’t I go down?’

Slowly, that anxiety began to creep in.

I was hoping that talented newbies would come in this time, since we had so many rice cakes.

‘The fact that they haven’t come so far… must mean there’s something wrong with the stomach.’

Jeop, then should we continue the raid without the newbies this time?

It was a time when I was just looking at my watch while thinking about that.

Woo-woo-!

“portal! The portal has opened!”

Dozens of portals opened and a newbie entered.

***

How to cook a newbie who just came in.

I didn’t worry too much about it.

First of all, he said that he would tell him about the first basement floor, took him around, made him aware that the first basement floor was not an easy place, and signed a slave contract, and it was over.

but….

‘Huh, for some reason no one came down until the last day.’

The moment I saw the newbies who came into this episode, I had no choice but to admit it right away.

That that way would never work.

“Formation Rebuilding!”

“Rebuild!”

Soon after, I sighed as I saw the group descending to the first basement floor and starting to form in a solemn and moderate manner as soon as they landed.

‘It’s the worst case.’

Too many priests for a normal clan.

A magic corps that unified their outfits.

And even a group of knights in sleek sheet metal gear.

The occupational groups were largely classified into three, but they all had one thing in common.

“Nia Lapdonia…!”

That he has the royal family pattern engraved on his chest.

Soon after the formation was finished, the man who seemed to be their commander saw me and took a short step towards me and saluted.

“It is a sincere honor to meet you, Baron Yandel! I never expected to be able to meet you right away like this. I’m really glad you’re alive!”

“Who are you…?”

“Ah, my introduction is still here. I am Gyllen Evost of the 1st Royal Knights.”

“What is your relationship with Baron Evost?”

“He is my brother.”

After all, the fortunate thing was that the commanding officer’s status was not very high.

Not the baron himself, but a younger brother.

If I do it right, I think it’s possible to take the title of my baron…

“Oh, and now I am temporarily serving as the deputy commander of this exploration force.”

That hope was shattered with that one word.

“deputy commander…?”

“yes. Could you step back for a moment? Because the 2nd Expeditionary Force is scheduled to enter soon.”

At those words, I blankly stepped back for a moment.

Woo-woo-!

Once again, dozens of portals were opened in the sky, and dozens of exploration troops entered the first basement floor.

That too, twice with a time difference.

‘Since 60 people entered three times…’

180 people.

It is not an expedition team, but a force of a size that fits the word ‘exploration force’.

However, the real problem was different.

“Nia Lapdonia! We report that all 180 members of the expeditionary force under the command of the royal family have safely reached their destination, Commander!”

The commander listens to the report as soon as he enters.

“Currently, no threats are detected in the surroundings, and we have found Baron Bjorn Yandel, the first-class target for the current mission. A total of 38 members, except for the seven members of Clan Anabada, are presumed to be members of the Hetz Clan and Armin Exploration Team who entered the 1st and 2nd phases!”

“Right.”

The commander, who had white skin like a ghost, walked towards me with silver hair.

He was a man with a very familiar face.

He was of course 20 years older than he was then, but he was full of youth.

“I remember seeing you from afar during the victory ceremony and not saying hello.”

The leader of the 1st Royal Knights.

A knight of light is an enforcer of the royal family with a second name…

“Nice to meet you, Baron Yandel. Jerome St. Red.”

This is the guy I met 20 years ago when I was active in Noark as an iron mask.

“Y-yes… Nice to meet you! nice to meet! Hey, I’m Bjorn, the son of Baron Yandel!”

…can’t you recognize it?

***

As there is a saying in the world, thieves are numb.

Throbbing-!

My heart starts beating like crazy even though I think I’ll never recognize it.

“…Baron Yandel’s son? I hope your introduction is unique.”

Okay, so far I don’t think I’ve noticed anything…

Ha, I was embarrassed earlier and the words came out randomly.

“I often hear that it is unique.”

After giving a calm, barbarian-like answer, I worked hard to sort out the situation.

Jerome St. Red.

The guy who came down to Noah Ark more than 20 years ago, aiming for the fragment stone of the record, and fought with me.

Aside from my anxiety about whether this guy recognized me or not, the situation was close to the worst.

That’s because this guy has the title of count.

To put it simply, it means that the source of the press is blocked…

‘I never thought they’d send such a tycoon to a place where the escape method wasn’t properly known.’

Even if you look at it, it’s not like a royal family.

So, of course, he assumed that he would keep an eye on the situation again with his hands behind his back.

“Haha, anyway, it’s so nice to see people from my hometown in a place like this! Is everything going on in the city?”

“city? Of course, the city is well protected under the protection of the royal family…”

“So that’s great! Then we’ll be on our way. You guys are doing well too! How are you! what are you all doing? Aren’t you ready to leave soon?”

Soon after, I naturally said goodbye and turned my back, and he appeared in front of me as if he had teleported, blocking my path.

It was the third-class mobility device [Gateway of Light] that I had seen at that time as well.

“Baron, where are you going?”

“Ah… I’m hungry…”

“I guess I didn’t care. They may have run out of food, but don’t worry anymore. We have enough supplies.”

Yeah, I don’t mean to let you run away like this, right?

I put aside my playful attitude and lowered my voice.

“Earl Saint Red, get out of my way.”

A cold attitude that clearly distinguishes between public and private.

However, despite my momentum, he continued to say everything without hesitation.

“It can’t be. The Baron is the first explorer to enter the unknown layer, and one of the goals of our exploration team is to rescue the Baron.”

“Gee, you sound like someone asked for help.”

“The Baron is a precious treasure of our kingdom. Please know what a great loss it is to lose such a baron.”

“so? What are you going to do next?”

I asked straight forward.

“Are you going to privately conscript me, who is also the head of a clan, and forcibly incorporate me into the exploration force? By what right?”

He said it in a sarcastic tone, but he didn’t show any offended expression and instead smiled.

“To begin with, I have no right to forcibly enlist the baron in the army. Although there is a law to obtain compulsory powers for explorers in case of disaster, it will not apply to barons who are the titled nobles of the realm. but….”

As if anticipating my backlash, he pulled out a scroll from his bosom.

As soon as I saw it, I knew what it was.

“This is the name of the king.”

Simply put, if you don’t follow what is written on that piece of paper, treason will be branded as a group…

“Listen to Bjorn Yandel, Baron of Lapdonia.”

Soon he opened the scroll and read the contents in a solemn voice.

“It is a chaotic day when the evil rebels are in full swing. I have no doubt that the light of the royal family will protect this beautiful city and its subjects forever, but it will be a great loss to this city too for talented people who believed in vain rumors to vanish blinded by greed.”

Although the introduction was long as it was a royal document, the highest peak of etiquette.

“So, as a monarch, I decided that I couldn’t just sit around like this, so I sent out an expeditionary force like this…”

In the end, to summarize the main points, it was this.

“Baron Bjorn Yandel joins the 1st Expeditionary Force, thoroughly explores the unexplored areas ‘under the command’ of Commander Jerome St. Red, and finds a means to return to the city.”

Hey, you got it right.