Surviving as a Barbarian in a Fantasy World

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Arkamis headed straight to the Akasha family of the Denian Kingdom.

Milena welcomed her with a bright smile.

"Arkamis! It's been a while!"

"It has, Milena."

"Will you come in?"

Arkamis took Milena's hand.

The two sat facing each other in the reception room and chatted about this and that.

Arkamis asked with a smile.

"You seem to be doing well?"

"So do you, Arkamis. You look bright. Did something good happen?"

"There did."

Arkamis spoke proudly.

Hearing her story, Milena's eyes widened.

"My goodness. You finally did it! Congratulations!"

Arkamis had always wanted to start a family and have a child.

Knowing how much she had wished for it, Milena sincerely congratulated her.

Arkamis scratched her head sheepishly.

"Hehe. Thanks."

"Then… is the partner perhaps Ketal?"

"For now, that's what I'm thinking."

"I see…"

Of course, there was no one else Arkamis could mean besides Ketal.

Still, it felt strange in some way.

After all, Ketal was practically a god incarnate in the present world.

"Good luck. Is that the message you came to deliver?"

"No. Actually, I wanted to ask something."

Arkamis lowered her voice as if afraid someone might overhear.

"I want to become family with Ketal. How do I do that? Do you know of a way to approach him… to share such feelings?"

"Ah."

"I'm a High Elf, so I don't really have that sort of emotional exchange. But you're human, right? You must have some experience. Could you give me advice?"

Milena froze for a moment.

"…In that regard, I don't really have experience myself…"

Though she was a woman in her prime, she led her family.

She had no time to spare for personal feelings.

Opportunities had come, but she had pushed them all away.

When it came to love, Milena was not much different from Arkamis.

Arkamis looked flustered.

"O–oh. Is that so?"

"I think it would be better to ask someone else for help."

"Someone else? But… there's no one…"

Her circle of bonds was painfully small.

She had been an outcast among the elves, and among humans she was still an outsider.

The only real connections she had were Milena and Karin.

"Hmm."

Milena and Karin put their heads together, deep in thought.

"…Since you're beautiful, why not use that?"

Objectively speaking, Arkamis was extremely beautiful.

As a High Elf, she was nearly the embodiment of beauty itself.

But Arkamis looked uncertain.

"Would Ketal care about that sort of thing?"

"No… I guess not."

Ketal was not someone who judged by appearances.

Arkamis muttered in a discouraged tone.

"Come to think of it, I don't even know if he likes me…"

Sure, he liked her as a person—but whether that was love, she didn't know.

Her face clouded.

Milena hurried to comfort her.

"Don't worry too much! I'll help you. I may not have experience, but I've heard plenty of stories!"

"R–really?"

"Yes!"

Of course, it was only hearsay.

But Milena pushed that aside and began giving her advice.

Arkamis listened with shining eyes.

And a few days later.

Ketal came to see Arkamis with a cheerful face.

"Oho! Arkamis! Been a while!"

"O–oh, long time no see, Ketal!"

Arkamis hastily raised her hand to greet him.

Ketal grinned.

"I heard you called for me. What's the reason?"

"Well, uh… nothing much."

Arkamis stammered out the lines she had rehearsed.

"You've been through a lot, haven't you? Going around helping people everywhere without asking for anything in return. Aren't you tired?"

"Not really. It was fun."

"…But you didn't get to spend time for yourself! I thought that was a shame. So… Ketal. Would you like to go traveling with me?"

"Travel?"

Ketal tilted his head.

Arkamis nodded.

"I found some places I think you'd like. Let's go see them together. What do you say?"

"That sounds great!"

Ketal smiled broadly.

"I didn't have anything to do anyway. Good timing. Thanks for suggesting it."

"It's nothing."

Arkamis shook her head as if it were no big deal—but out of sight, she clenched her fist.

'Yes!'

That was the conclusion she and Milena had come to after their long discussion.

They had to go on a date.

Only then could she build emotional bonds and learn Ketal's true feelings.

So she invited him on a trip, and luckily, he accepted without suspicion.

"Then it'll be just the two of us for a while. I'll count on you."

"Mm!"

Arkamis smiled brightly and took Ketal's hand.

* * *

"It feels like this is our first time traveling just the two of us."

"Probably. It's been a while since we were alone."

"By the way, Arkamis, you look different somehow."

"Ah, um… I learned a bit about makeup."

Her face seemed strangely more lively.

Her lips were red, and her pale skin was like white parchment.

She asked nervously.

"Does it look strange?"

"No. It suits you."

"…Really?"

Arkamis smiled gently.

This time, she was determined to make him feel at ease and connect emotionally.

A few hours into their trip, when mealtime came, she tried to start cooking.

But as she pulled out the ingredients, she stopped.

"Uh, Ketal?"

"Just wait a moment. Almost done."

Before she knew it, Ketal had already taken the ingredients and nearly finished cooking.

"Here. Eat up."

"…Okay."

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

That's when she realized—Ketal was actually an excellent cook.

It was the same with everything else.

Even when she tried to prepare the sleeping arrangements, Ketal moved first with practiced ease, setting everything up so comfortably it was no different from sleeping at home.

Her plan was off to a shaky start.

'…But it's okay!'

She told herself it was fine.

They would grow closer emotionally during the trip.

And eventually, they reached their first destination.

"Ooooh!"

Ketal exclaimed.

Before his eyes was a cliff where the world itself seemed to be falling.

Arkamis smiled as she explained.

"This is one of the Forbidden Lands—the World's End."

"Incredible!"

A massive cliff where all matter tumbled down endlessly.

A sight straight out of fantasy.

As he marveled, Ketal soon noticed something odd.

"But you called it a Forbidden Lands? I don't feel anything otherworldly."

"Oh. It's not the same kind you encountered. It only looks like one, so it's called that. In truth, it's a natural phenomenon."

"A natural phenomenon?"

"Yes. It's caused by an over-concentration of mysteries. Strange as it looks, it still follows the world's laws."

"Oooh, I see."

Ketal listened with sparkling eyes.

Arkamis said proudly.

"The rest of the trip will be filled with such strange and wondrous sights. It'll be great fun!"

"I'm looking forward to it!"

Ketal beamed.

* * *

For the next several days, Arkamis and Ketal traveled together.

They saw the World's End and many other marvels.

Ketal was delighted, constantly amazed.

But Arkamis' expression grew darker.

It wasn't that she wasn't enjoying herself.

It was that she was enjoying herself too much.

'…This isn't a date, is it?'

It felt just like traveling with a friend.

There was no deep emotional exchange at all.

'Should I try being more forward?'

But she had no idea how.

As she agonized, a thought struck her.

'…Do I even like him?'

She wanted a child.

For that, she needed a partner—and Ketal was the best candidate.

But was that all?

Did she really like him?

As she wrestled with her feelings, Ketal handed her something.

"Ah! It's cold!"

She flinched in surprise.

Ketal looked apologetic.

"Ah, sorry. Didn't mean to startle you."

"W–what is it?"

"Ice cream."

"Ice… cream?"

"I got a useful artifact from the Tower Lord."

An artifact that lowered the surrounding temperature below freezing.

Using it, Ketal had made ice cream.

"A sort of fruit sherbet."

"O–oh. Thanks. But… why?"

Why give her ice cream all of a sudden?

Ketal answered with a smile.

"Lately, you've seemed low on energy."

"…Ah."

She had been lost in her own emotional turmoil, and it showed.

"A long journey can be tiring. I should have been more considerate. Think of it as an apology."

"It's not like that…"

"Arkamis. You're my friend."

Ketal smiled warmly.

"You're one of the few precious friends I have in this world. Your worries are my worries. So if you ever feel troubled, don't hesitate to tell me. I'll do everything I can to help."

"……"

Arkamis stared blankly at him.

'Ah. Ahh.'

In that moment, she understood her feelings completely.

She had always been alone.

An outcast among the High Elves, and little changed once she left.

Among humans, elves were still outsiders.

She couldn't form deep ties.

Milena was her only real friend, but she was another woman.

She couldn't give her children, nor could she fully support her with the burden of the Akasha family.

But Ketal was different.

Ketal, too, was an outsider.

Arkamis, the High Elf cast out among elves, trying to live among humans.

Ketal, emerging from the Forbidden Lands, trying to belong to the world.

Living beings are drawn to those in the same plight.

And more than that—he had always been her strength.

He had supported her, stood by her, risked his life to protect her from demons.

He always smiled and steadied her when she faltered.

'…Ahh.'

She finally understood her feelings completely.

Arkamis' eyes softened.

She took a bite of the ice cream.

"How is it?"

"It's delicious."

"That's a relief. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, since it was my first time making it."

Ketal sighed in relief.

Arkamis finished the ice cream, then quietly said.

"Ketal."

"What is it?"

"I have something to tell you."

Her voice rang out, filled with resolve.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]