Surviving the Game as a Barbarian

There are various special stats in [Dungeon and Stone], and among them are hidden stats that don’t affect the Total Combat Power.

A prime example is the Fame stat.

‘Well, calling it a ‘stat’ is a bit of a stretch…’

Higher Fame means more people recognize you, which increases the chances of triggering special events like hidden quests. It also gives you a base affinity bonus when talking to NPCs you meet for the first time.

Just by looking at this, it seems like a useful stat.

But…

‘It’s more like a numerical representation of your reputation.’

The cause and effect are reversed.

You don’t gain those effects because your Fame is high.

If you created a status window for a famous celebrity, their Fame stat would be incredibly high, and the effects would be similar.

Anyway, ‘Approval Rating’ was also that kind of stat.

Increased control within the tribe.

Reduced opposition.

Increased policy success rate and order completion rate.

It was a useless stat for ordinary explorers, but it became incredibly important once you entered the management aspect of the game.

Well, barbarians are an exception.

「Character’s Approval Rating has increased by +1.」

「Character’s Approval Rating has increased by +1.」

「Character’s Approval Rating has increased by +1…」

「….」

「….」

Barbarians have an incredibly high Approval Rating from the start, as long as they become chieftain through the proper channels.

It’s a legitimate right.

Warriors respect the chieftain’s authority and obey their orders.

‘The problem is that unlike other races, a high Approval Rating doesn’t guarantee a permanent rule.’

The chieftain can be challenged at any time.

But that’s not a big deal.

Or rather, it’s a good thing.

It means I won’t be removed from my position, no matter what I do.

As long as I don’t lose.

‘…But I should still try to increase it. The tribe will get depressed if it’s too low.’

As I was thinking that, Ainar, who was cleaning the large tent I was going to move into, spoke to me.

“Bjorn…! Why are you just standing there?!”

It was a foolish question, coming from Ainar.

“Because I’m the chieftain.”

“…B-but it’s unfair that I have to do all the work—!”

“And Ainar, you’re an elder now.”

“…………An elder? Me…?”

Ainar was dumbfounded.

She hadn’t expected this sudden promotion.

“Of course! Who else can I trust more than you?”

“W-well…!”

“You’re Ainar, the second daughter of the Storm Sword, one of the Seven Strengths! I can’t understand why the previous elders and chieftain treated you like an ordinary warrior!” Ȓ𝖆₦Ồ𝔟ƐⱾ

“Uh… I’m not that great…”

She lacked confidence.

“These are the words of Bjorn, son of Yandel, Baron of Lafdonia and Chieftain of the Barbarians! So believe me!”

If you pressure them with your authority, they’ll just assume you’re right.

「Character’s Approval Rating has increased by +1.」

It didn’t take long for Ainar to be convinced.

“R-really?”

“Yes.”

“I-I see! I’m an elder now!!”

“Can you finish the cleaning? I have chieftain duties to attend to, and it’s your role as an elder to assist me.”

“Of course! I’m good at assisting!”

She happily returned to her cleaning duties, and I closed my eyes.

Not because I was sleepy, but because I had a lot to think about.

‘It’s worse than I expected…’

I had received a brief report from the former chieftain, and the tribe’s situation was dire.

From finances to population, welfare, and infrastructure…

Everything was a problem.

I was surprised that the tribe had even managed to survive this long, and I didn’t know where to start.

But…

‘I’ve been through worse.’

I categorized the tasks as ‘Tribal Quests’ and prioritized them based on difficulty.

The first quest was clear.

1. Restructure the Cabinet.

It was the first quest I had to complete as the chieftain.

But I wasn’t sure if it could even be called ‘restructuring’.

“Um… Bjorn?”

Ainar cautiously tapped my shoulder.

“Call me Chieftain in the sanctuary.”

“Uh… C-chieftain…?”

“Good. What is it?”

“I’ve been thinking… It’s unfair that I have to do all the chores!”

Tsk, educated people…

They know the meaning of ‘unfair’ because they read books.

“Find another warrior or do it yourself! Or… order another elder to do it! I hate cleaning!”

I chuckled at her bold declaration.

“Alright. You can stop cleaning.”

“…Are you going to find another elder?”

“No. And besides, you’re the only elder.”

“…Huh? What do you mean?”

Ah, she doesn’t know.

I explained the situation to the 1st Elder.

“The previous elders retired with the former chieftain.”

“What?! Those old geezers?! Did they leave because they couldn’t accept you?!”

“Calm down. That’s not it.”

At first, I thought they had staged a boycott because they didn’t trust me, a noble…

But that wasn’t the case.

[You’re going to keep exploring the labyrinth, even though you’re the chieftain? Haha! Good luck! And try not to die this time!]

They were indifferent to my declaration that I would continue exploring the labyrinth.

And they didn’t question my legitimacy as a noble.

They were just happy to retire.

[Kkeuk, kkeuk, kkeuk… You’re in for a rough ride. Young warriors these days always choose the hard path.]

[Good luck! And don’t come to me for help! I’m done with calculations!]

I found out later that the previous elders were the former chieftain’s friends, and they had only accepted their positions out of obligation.

They had been complaining about quitting every day, and the former chieftain had to ‘persuade’ them to stay.

“So don’t be too upset about them trying to save money.”

“…Huh?”

“The tribe’s coffers are empty.”

Ainar’s eyes welled up as I told her about the elder who had lamented about not being able to afford new weapons for the coming-of-age ceremony.

“…T-they…”

She looked like a little girl who had just discovered her parents’ secret.

“Anyway, if you know any warriors who would be suitable for the elder position, recommend them to me. You know them better than I do.”

“Well… I’m sure I can find someone! You’re—”

“Chieftain.”

“…The chieftain is always busy taking care of the clan!”

Whew, I’m glad she understands.

I nodded, satisfied, and she recommended a few warriors.

But…

“Ainar, what’s with that expression? You seem troubled.”

I asked, and she sighed.

“I chose the strongest warriors among my friends… but I’m not sure if they’ll meet your expectations…”

“What do you mean?”

“They can’t read.”

“Ah, that’s not a problem.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

I hadn’t even considered it a problem.

The previous elders had also learned to read after becoming elders…

“And I’m not planning to burden the elders with administrative tasks anymore.”@@novelbin@@

That’s why the barbarians were in this state.

They were illiterate and couldn’t count properly.

So…

“All I need from the elders is to teach the young warriors how to fight and how to be loyal to the tribe.”

“Huh? Then who’s going to take care of the rest? Even you can’t handle everything alone.”

I smiled and said,

“The city.”

“…?”

“I’m going to hire humans.”

In other words, I was going to outsource the administrative tasks.

______________________

A human clerk who was skilled in administrative tasks.

I knew the perfect candidate.

Shabin Emure, the 7th-grade clerk from the administrative office, who had been a member of our friend group.

‘Ragna said he had been promoted to 6th-grade, but then he was recently fired?’

The chances of recruiting him were slim.

He had even rejected Ragna’s offer to work for her.

He might reject my offer too.

But…

‘Maybe he can at least recommend some competent people.’

Right, that’s enough for now.

I needed to secure funding before I could hire anyone.

‘Funding…’

It was another difficult problem.

The tribe’s funds were barely enough to cover the cost of weapons for the coming-of-age ceremony and food for the young warriors.

‘…I need to create a new source of income.’

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

To reform the barbarian tribe, I needed to change their way of earning money.

It was ridiculous that an entire tribe was relying on donations and inheritance from warriors.

‘Money…’

I couldn’t think of any good ideas.

There were no resources left in this small territory after thousands of years of settlement.

‘And our metallurgy skills aren’t that great.’

Our weapons were durable, thanks to our generous use of steel, but that was all.

The blacksmiths in the city could create better weapons.

And we couldn’t compete with the dwarves in terms of technology.

‘…We don’t know how to do anything except fight… Damn it, what kind of tribe is this?’

I was frustrated, but I was also curious.

How could a tribe where every able-bodied member was a high-earning explorer be so poor?

And they were all devoutly religious, donating a portion of their earnings every month.

“Ainar.”

I asked the True Barbarian for advice, and she gave me a surprising answer.

“Well… it’s because we’re poor.”

“No, I mean, why are we poor? We all earn a decent amount of money, don’t we?”

“That’s because you’re different! Everyone else spends all their money on new equipment and alcohol!”

It sounded plausible at first, but I interpreted it differently.

The problem wasn’t income, but spending.

They spent all their money and then donated whatever was left, like putting spare change in a piggy bank.

“Ah… and… I’m not trying to criticize you…”

“Just tell me.”

“…Don’t tell the other warriors that I told you this.”

“Alright, just tell me.”

“Actually… most warriors don’t sell their old equipment, even after buying new ones. They keep it.”

“…What?”

“You know… they get attached to their old equipment… Some even say they’ll pass it down to their children…!”

I was speechless.

“…..”

…So that’s why they were so poor.

It was absurd, but I couldn’t do anything about it.

Collecting equipment was a barbarian instinct.

Like crows collecting shiny objects.

I couldn’t change their nature, even with my authority as chieftain.

But…

“B-but it’s not a bad thing! It’s a form of saving!”

Ainar’s desperate defense gave me an idea.

“…Saving?”

“Y-yes! If we become famous, our equipment will be worth even more! It’s an investment!”

“…Investment?”

“Ah, w-well, I’m not like that! Really. I-I have a few pieces, but… they’re all different! I need them for different purposes—”

“Ainar, are you a genius?”

Her words gave me a brilliant idea.

“…?”

She didn’t seem to realize what she had done, but…

‘This is a revolution.’

There was no other way to describe it.

______________________

I summoned all the barbarians before the visitors from the festival returned to the city.

There was no need for a lengthy introduction.

“I have something to tell you!”

I began my speech.

Or rather, it was an announcement of my first policy as chieftain.

“Warriors of the tribe! I’m different from the previous chieftains! I’m going to give you an opportunity!”

Their eyes sparkled as soon as I used the word ‘give’, even though they had been dozing off a moment ago.

“Opportunity…?”

“Sounds good…”

Okay, I had their attention.

I quickly continued before they lost interest.

The plan I had come up with thanks to Ainar.

A plan that would not only educate the barbarians about economics, but also fill the tribe’s empty coffers.

“I’m going to give you the opportunity to buy land in the sanctuary!”

“…Land?”

“You’re giving it to us? We have to buy it? With money?”

They looked confused.

Well, I hadn’t expected them to understand right away.

I explained it to them in simple terms.

“Do you have a house in the city? No, you don’t. Even if you do, the land doesn’t belong to you! Commoners can’t own land in this kingdom!”

I’m going to give you a privilege that only nobles have.

“But the land in the sanctuary is different! If I give you permission, you can buy it! And once you buy it, it’s yours! Forever!!”

Of course, there would be property taxes…

“You can carve your name on it, build a statue, anything you want! It’s your freedom!!”

“…Freedom?”

“Yes, freedom! Do you want to build a house? Build it! Not a flimsy tent that collapses when it rains, but a real house, like the ones in the city! A house that your descendants can live in forever!”

Build whatever you want.

I won’t even tax the windows.

“That… sounds good.”

Some of the barbarians, who were easily swayed, started to show interest.

But there were also those who were skeptical.

“But buying land…”

“It must be expensive!”

“Isn’t land a bit… useless? Wouldn’t it be better to buy weapons…?”

They instinctively sensed that something was off.

It was time for my trump card.

“Think about it, warriors!”

“…?”

“Weapons rust, but land doesn’t. It’s yours forever, and you can pass it down to your children!”

It was a concept that the barbarians, who lived for the present, couldn’t grasp.

But…

“And if you buy land, you don’t have to pay for lodging anymore! You, and your children, and your grandchildren! Forever!”

Their eyes widened as they realized the true value of land.

“…I see!”

“It’s true…! If we have land, we can just sleep in the sanctuary!”

“But it’s more convenient to live in the city… It’s closer to the labyrinth…”

There were a few who still had doubts, but they were a minority.

I made a mental note of their faces.

If they were good fighters, I would promote them to elders.

Anyway, it was time for the final blow.

“And most importantly…!”

I trailed off, and the barbarians all fell silent, their ears perked up.

I didn’t have to shout this time.

“The land in the sanctuary will become more expensive!”

Money.

The ultimate motivator, regardless of race.

“And the longer you wait, the more expensive it’ll get! Until you can’t even afford it anymore!”

“…?”

“It’s obvious! Once someone buys a piece of land, it’s theirs forever! And once all the land is sold, there won’t be any left to buy!”

“…!”

“If you still want land after that, you’ll have to beg! Beg the other warriors to sell it to you, even if it costs a fortune!”

The simple principle of supply and demand.

“Well, even then, it’ll be difficult to buy. Who would sell such a valuable asset? Land that will allow their descendants to live in the city without having to pay for lodging?”

“…!!”

“Ah, of course, your great-grandchildren will be living in tents and cursing your name!”

“…?”

“‘Why didn’t you buy land back then?!’ they’ll say!”

“!!!!!!!!!!!”

Their eyes widened in horror as they realized the gravity of the situation.

There was no need for further explanation.

“Warriors! I’ll say this one last time!”

I declared, like a true politician.

“A warrior never misses an opportunity!”

The answer is real estate.