WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Mordor

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Surviving the Frozen Dark Fantasy as a Genius Mage ◈

Chapter 11: The Talk-of-the-Town Rookie and the Offer

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“Hehe.”

Do you know the difference between a genius and a loudmouthed con artist?

A con artist endlessly spouts hot air to prove themselves.

But a genius never announces their own great achievements or brilliance.

After showing off my exceptional nature through my two underlings, Daisy and Elena, I smiled and spoke.

“The Labyrinth. Of course we're going in.”

“Then...”

Just as Lingxiang was about to say something, Daisy cut her off.

“D-Do we not have to go in?”

Lingxiang looked at Daisy as if she found the interruption rude. Then she saw the fear in Daisy's eyes, let out a quiet sigh, and nodded in understanding.

“Plenty of people make a living doing odd jobs without entering the Labyrinth. Labyrinth is the largest city in this frozen world, so it always needs all kinds of workers.”

“B-But isn't it the duty of us Expedition Party members to break through the Labyrinth, end Winter’s Curse, and bring light and warmth back to this world?”

...Pfft.

“You're right. That's the task given to us. But...”

Lingxiang looked at innocent Daisy as if she found her adorable, then shrugged.

“The world doesn't always work by the book, does it?”

“...Ah.”

“Daisy, right?”

“Yes.”

Lingxiang gave Daisy a secretive smile.

“That's right, Daisy. If you're truly afraid of the Labyrinth, you can make a living in the city instead. You're young and cute, so you could work in the service industry. Rough customers might give you some trouble, though.”

“What?”

I slammed the table.

Bang!

“Has this fucking furball bitch lost her mind? You're trying to turn our Daisy into a fucking whore...”

Even if she bought us food, that crossed a line.

Lingxiang looked flustered.

“No, I meant something like working at an inn or a restaurant...”

“...”

Daisy lowered her head in embarrassment.

“...Ian's a pervert.”

“You creepy bastard.”

Elena smacked me on the head with a look of disgust.

Smack!

“Ow!”

“That was harsh. People can make mistakes.”

I rubbed my head and grumbled.

Wasn't it her fault for wording it so strangely in the first place?

Even this seasoned beastkin Expedition Party member seemed speechless at my shamelessness.

“...Every mage is so self-centered and missing a screw somewhere.”

Muttering to herself, Lingxiang shook her head, composed herself, and got to the point.

“Anyway, back to the topic. Ian, if you're planning to enter the Labyrinth, how about joining our party? We happen to have an opening for a mage.”

‘She asked!’

Honestly, I'd expected it when Lingxiang approached me.

I'd even guided things in this direction on purpose.

‘Mages may not be as rare in Labyrinth as they are in Castle or villages, but capable mages are still valuable personnel!’

Fanatics, creatures of the deep, aberrations, corrupted dragons, and things of unknown origin.

Inside the Labyrinth, overflowing with all manner of horrors, Expedition Party members died without end.

I'd cast the bait, and someone who happened to be interested had taken it.

I understood her reasons perfectly, but I shrugged as if I didn't.

“Me? You said you're veterans with over three years of experience. Why would you want me?”

“I saw your potential. A mage with three affinities who awakened a new spell in less than a week. With a little training, I think you'd become a useful addition to the party.”

She meant she wanted to recruit me after seeing my genius.

The usual experienced-player move of carrying a talented newbie.

Mages were more common in Labyrinth than in Castle or villages, but they were still more valuable than guides or vanguards.

Many dropped out because they wanted to pursue personal research, lost interest, became afraid, or died because they were too slow.

“...”

‘There could be conditions.’

There was a lot to consider, including the strength of that cat beastkin's party, the members' personalities, and their traits.

Even so...

‘This is a good opportunity.’

The Labyrinth's death rate was highest for beginners.

Their equipment was poor, and they lacked experience.

‘Of course, I have extensive knowledge of the Labyrinth...’

‘But you never know what'll happen in real combat.’

There was one thing I had to do before accepting.

“What about scouting or the vanguard?”

Daisy and Dize still hadn't decided whether they would enter the Labyrinth.

Even if they did, there was a high chance they would die for nothing.

But Elena was different.

Other than her trembling hands, she was a real find.

Especially her nerve and mental strength.

And besides...

‘We're the Orphan Gang, thicker than water!’

I pointed at Elena and indirectly asked whether she could join too.

Unlike before, Lingxiang firmly shook her head.

“I can't go that far.”

“What if I say I won't join without her?”

“Still no.”

“...Pfft.”

‘She wants me, but not enough to overextend herself.’

So this was how much I was worth to people active on the third floor, people who finally looked the part of proper Expedition Party members.

“Owner! More lamb and bread over here!”

“Do you have a monster's appetite? That's impressive!”

As I watched the beast stuffing food into her mouth after ordering more for the third time, I spoke to Lingxiang.

“A genius has a duty to guide ordinary people.”

“From the way you talk, it sounds like you know something about how dangerous the Labyrinth is... and you're turning down this good opportunity?”

“Of course.”

Lingxiang showed interest for an entirely different reason.

“You're closer than I thought. Did that bond create the miracle of a forty percent survival rate?”

“Well...”

“That's a shame. But there'll be another opportunity someday. If you survive, that is.”

Elena, who was stuffing lamb between slices of bread and spreading jam over it, asked, “What? What are you talking about?”

“This genius mage rejected a recruitment offer from a small company and stayed loyal to you bottom-level grunts.”

“Hmph, isn't that obvious? We’re the Orphan Gang. Even if we die, we die together.”

Elena tapped my head with her greasy hand.

“Damn, that's filthy.”

Her face was as beautiful as an angel's, so why was she so crude and uncultured?

Whether it was simply her nature or because she genuinely intended to recruit me later, Lingxiang was a kind Expedition Party member.

She taught us some basic things about the Labyrinth.

“Prepare thoroughly before you enter. No matter how much you prepare, it won't be enough there. Ropes, shovels, and spare torches are especially essential...”

“Oh, and around here, if you survive for six months, people stop treating you like a rookie. Survive three years, and you're a veteran.”

They said survive, not explore or investigate.

“So that means a lot of people die.”

Yes, that was the kind of place it was.

The Labyrinth.

I'd lost hundreds of characters trying to reach the ending on my first playthrough.

“Physical ability, equipment, and information are important, but the most important thing is...”

“Mental strength.”

“That's right. Never losing hope, no matter what happens. That's the most important thing. Later on, there'll be a lot more to consider, but for now, focus on surviving your first expedition.”

Lingxiang checked a rather intricate gear-driven watch she took from her pocket, then rose from her seat.

“If you're going into the Labyrinth, it's best to receive basic training first. It isn't free, of course, but you can get a loan.”

She said we’d meet again if fate allowed it.

With that, she said she would pay the bill and left.

Daisy stared open-mouthed at Lingxiang's back as she walked away with the ease of a veteran adventurer.

“So cool...”

But Lingxiang's cool image shattered before the bill the owner handed her.

“That'll be one gold coin total.”

“Fucking meow?”

Her urgent voice echoed through the tavern.

“One gold coin.”

“What did we even do to rack up that much?! Are you trying to rip us off...”

“That elf miss ate twenty servings by herself.”

“...What?”

“One gold coin.”

In the end, Lingxiang trembled as she pulled a single gold coin from her pouch and held it out.

“H-Here...”

It seemed she'd lost all the money she'd won from the bet.

Meowww! Sob!

“Thanks for the meal~”

She shouldn't have underestimated Elena's appetite.

* * *

Humanity's last city and its hope.

Labyrinth City, Labyrinth.

Some called this place the Cradle of Light.

In a world where everything had frozen, it could be considered the only paradise left on the surface.

At least, if one ignored the hellish abyss beneath it.

The Labyrinth.

“Whew.”

The city was so vast that it took at least two hours by carriage to cross it.

A towering wall surrounded all of it.

Tall Mana Towers erected throughout the city projected invisible curtains of heat into the sky. Thanks to them, snowflakes falling fiercely from above either evaporated before reaching the ground or lost much of their force.

The inside was damp with moisture, but the weather wasn't nearly as harsh as outside.

People wore light clothing, and there were even ornamental plants instead of farmland.

“Wow...”

“This is amazing!”

There were stone buildings and mansions, and they were far taller than anything we had seen in the countryside.

It was as if the hardships we had endured to reach this place were nothing special here.

In a world where everything had frozen, this city had cultivated such a dazzling civilization that it showed not only grandeur, but humanity's greatness.

Though unseen, it must have taken the labor of countless mages and workers.

After parting ways with Lingxiang, we went outside and met Dize, who had been discharged.

“The person was beautiful as an angel. And so kind too. Hehe.”

Fortunately, they hadn't charged him for treatment.

It was a small benefit given to Expedition Party candidates entering the city for the first time.

I briefly explained everything that had happened since we arrived.

“Hey! If you had an opportunity like that, you should've taken it...”

Dize was about to criticize me for rejecting the offer, but then closed his mouth.

“Ahem. Thanks for staying.”

That was just like a coward.

It was still only four in the afternoon.

The day was far from over.

After checking the time, I reviewed our next plan.

First...

“Let's go to the Expedition Party Guild.”

There was a lot I needed to find out, including whether the game differed from reality, how the Labyrinth truly worked, and how the group of explorers who ventured into it operated.

Footnotes:

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