Barbarian in a Failed Game

“Additionally, I intend to make all the elves who step outside of Paradise well-behaved.”

“What do you mean by well-behaved?”

“Elves only become well-behaved when they’re dead.”

“There goes that crazy talk again….”

Khan shrugged.

“It’s not that unreasonable. In my experience, elves always pull some dirty trick as long as they are alive.”

“Are you planning to wipe out all of Paradise? If that’s your plan, I won’t help you.”

Natrix’s elegant eyebrows furrowed.

“The Pact of Protection is meant to intervene when something emerges that significantly threatens the survival of Midland or the continuity of the empire, and when mortals are powerless to solve the problem themselves.”

“I am aware. That’s the reason why Akardnil remains in seclusion. There aren’t many threats that pose a significant risk to the current empire.”

“Right. Therefore, I cannot fulfill a request to take aggressive action against the elves.”

Natrix clearly stated her intention to refuse, regardless of the advice to act freely given by Akardnil, if Khan made an unreasonable demand.

“You must prove that your request is indeed in accordance with the Pact. If you can’t, I will expel you from my lair.”

Dragons do not lie. Their ‘words’ are a form of power that directly imprints upon and interferes with the world. Naturally, Khan knew the contents of the Pact from the beginning. He had, of course, anticipated this situation.

“Paradise has already projected its ambitions onto the continent. Through the Paradise Bank established under the pretext of protecting the history of mortals, they tried to shake the very pillars of the empire. It was I who thwarted their plans. As evidence….”

As Natrix glanced over the item Khan took from his pocket, she nodded.

“The imperial seal. I remember it from the memories Akardnil shared.”

“This was given to me when I headed to the Karius Sea this time. And shortly before I came here, it was revealed that one of the emperor’s confidants was a spy for a certain faction.”

“Hmm. Continue.”

“You might be familiar with the name.”

Khan briefly smiled, thinking of the name of a group that posed an unrivaled threat to the existence of the world.

‘I already sold them out to the emperor once, but a well-selling product always has its reasons.’

“The Assembly of Truth. A familiar name, isn’t it?”

“…!”

As expected, Natrix knew about the Assembly of Truth. Though it was unclear which era she hailed from, she seemed to have all the necessary knowledge.

‘How could she not know about the madmen who captured dragons and used them as experimental subjects?’

“It seems those presumed to be successors of the Assembly of Truth are still lurking in the continent. Now they operate under the name ‘Followers of Truth’. Moreover, one of their high-ranking ‘Seekers’ seems to have teamed up with the elves, targeting the treasures of the old dwarven dynasty.”

Since this information was obtained directly from the captured elven elder, it must be true—Khan added at the end, causing Natrix to sigh.

“To think it would be this inconvenient not having my dragon’s gaze.”

Khan showed no particular reaction to this remark. He knew that in such moments, saying anything more might backfire.

Natrix was already more than halfway convinced, if not entirely. At such times, it was best to remain silent and give the other party time to think.

‘Well, it seems it won’t take long.’

Whether it was due to unfamiliarity with a human form or because a dragon’s true nature made it difficult to consciously control expressions, Natrix’s emotions were clearly visible on her face, allowing Khan to roughly predict her response.

“If there is any falsehood in your words, then it won’t be the elves who are made well-behaved, but you, descendant of Karyan.”

Echoing Khan’s words while glaring sharply, Natrix wore an expression of semi-doubt.

Of course, Khan was confident.

“That won’t happen.”

Elves and mages. Given that these nefarious second-rate individuals had teamed up in the Midlands quest world, they were undoubtedly up to even more insidious schemes.

“Let’s head back. I’ll introduce you to my companions.”

“… This is unsettling.”

“What’s so unsettling about acting based on what you’ve seen with your own eyes?”

“Silence.”

Natrix dismissed Khan’s remark lightly and clapped her hands. With that, spatial transference occurred once more. As Khan prepared to inform his party of Natrix’s arrival, his facial expression soured.

He had predicted some confusion since they had suddenly encountered a dragon and been brought to its lair. He had hoped they would have calmed down by now.

“This atmosphere is unexpected…?”

Khan looked down, noting the half-bloodied and sprawled state of the Sixth Branch and the seething William beside her.

“Ah, you’re back, sir?”

Ron responded to Khan’s arrival with a startled expression and a feeble grin.

“We tried to stop them… but that prickly friend of yours has quite a temperament.”

“Hmph! I did nothing wrong! This vicious elven woman started it first…!”

“Quiet.”

Khan’s low voice resonated, bringing immediate silence. William, who had been passionately arguing with an angry expression, found himself baffled by why he stopped speaking, but instinctively complied with Khan’s command.

“Well, I didn’t expect you to get along. That much is understood.”

Khan sighed as he glanced at William in passing and then looked at the battered state of the Sixth Branch, sighing again.

“She’s a real mess.”

“….”

“I’m not blaming anyone. I bet this elf said something, and William couldn’t hold back and reacted.”

Given that Neria and Elena, who have good judgment, and even the usually gentle Ron didn’t stop it, it probably means they also felt William’s actions were justified.

“What did this elf say, exactly?”

“You dwarves are doomed anyway… hng. That’s what I said. Hng.”

Khan frowned as the Sixth Branch, seemingly delirious, suddenly started speaking. Despite her labored breathing, filled with bloody sputum, she continued to taunt, which was exasperating.

However, the Sixth Branch, apparently unaffected by their reactions, continued speaking with difficulty.

“Cough. You dwarves’ king doesn’t even know… cough… that the treasure he so desperately seeks is actually… a disaster that will doom his race…!”

“This damn elf is spouting nonsense again─.”

“Hold on.”

Khan raised a hand to calm the indignant William, then knelt on one knee in front of the Sixth Branch.

“What do you mean, the dwarves’ treasure is a disaster that will doom the dwarves?”

“Heh. Do you think I’ll just tell you…? Besides, it’s already too late! Cough….”

It was madness. Ignoring her own pain, she spewed curses solely to further torment her opponent. The driving force behind this was nothing but pure malice.

Anyone confronting such spite would inevitably feel drained. Even William, the target of her vitriol, was too stunned to be angry.

“Is she telling the truth?”

“At least, she seems to believe it.”

Natrix responded nonchalantly. Yet, neither Khan, who knew the wickedness of elves better than anyone, nor the thousand-year-old dragon was swayed.

“A mere mortal, speaking of the extinction of a race. How arrogant….”

A crack appeared in Natrix’s doll-like expression. One dwarven dynasty collapsing was vastly different from the entire dwarf race going extinct. For Natrix, the last survivor of the sea dragon race, the word “extinction” was even heavier.

『Speak.』

Her voice began to take on a transcendent quality. It was a prelude to the activation of the draconic command.

『What are you elves plotting?』

This time, it was impossible to resist with the power of spirit manifestation. Above all, in the nest, a dragon could wield powers akin to a God.

Even Natrix, who was akin to a hatchling, found it easy to pry open the mouth of an elven elder.

“Ugh…!”

No matter how much she tried to resist, the Sixth Branch, still an elder, could only hold out for so long before her pupils began to dilate and unfocus.

Just as Khan noticed this and started to move, ‘Consciousness?!’

As he observed the anomaly through Karyan’s eyes, Khan was about to strike down with his fist. The consciousness of the Sixth Branch was rapidly expanding. But it was already too late—the voice of another being echoed from her mouth.

『Oh dear, this is quite troublesome. It’s not nice to rummage through someone else’s child’s head just like that.』

The voice, though laughing, showed no sign of being troubled.

Bang─!

Khan’s punch, thrown with all his might, was blocked by an invisible force. This was no ancient elf magic barrier but an intangible shield seemingly forged by consciousness itself, which nullified the attack.

“Transcendent…!”

It was clearly an act of a transcendent being.

『Insolent! How dare you show off your trifling skills in the domain of a dragon─!』

At that moment, when Natrix roared and activated her draconic command, the consciousness barrier was obliterated without a trace. However, the being possessing the body of the Sixth Branch, still unperturbed, spoke again.

『I do not understand. You were the one who first tried to control my child. Master of Sea Dragon Archipelago. I simply stepped in to protect my child.』

The body of the Sixth Branch floated into the air. It was a situation that appeared unusual to anyone. As Khan and his party each assumed combat stances, the elven transcendent sighed in what seemed like regret.

『The resistance is stronger than I anticipated. Indeed, it befits the nest created by the past sea dragons for their last princess. To think that even a dragon who isn’t an ancient one can wield such power here.』

Time is running short—

The mysterious transcendent added, with a smile, and turned her gaze toward Natrix.

『Still, it’s fortunate. Though the process differed from my intention, the fact that this child has entered your nest is a success. And it seems the alchemist’s jade stone has safely made its way into your possession as well….』

『Silence─!』

Once more, Natrix’s draconic command struck the transcendent’s consciousness. The consciousness was crushed to the extent that it could no longer hold its form.

However, as if there had never been any intent to resist, the transcendent accepted the dissolution of her consciousness with a relaxed smile and uttered her final words.

『It was a pleasure to meet you this way. And I apologize for causing you trouble.』

『Trouble? What do you mean-!』

『From now on, the Karius Sea will no longer exist in this Midland. But don’t worry too much. Instead, you’ll be with a great part of me together.』

With these words, the transcendent consciousness dissipated.

And just before the dissolution, upon recognizing the identity of the consciousness blending with and scattering from the Sixth Branch, Khan shouted in shock.

“Tree of Memory…!”