WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Mordor

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◈ Surviving the Frozen Dark Fantasy as a Genius Mage ◈

Chapter 12: Expedition Members' Guild

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We crossed the city on our way to the Expedition Party Guild, asking people for directions as we went.

"But before that."

There was something we needed to do before going to the guild.

I looked at Dize and Daisy.

"Do you want to become Expedition Party members?"

"..."

It was work that put their lives on the line.

The snowfields we had crossed, the Draugr, wild beasts, and monster trees, none of those would even count as threats compared to what lay ahead.

True terror, pain, and despair waited below.

Hadn't Lingxiang, a veteran adventurer, said the lower floors would be even more fucked up?

"If you aren't going into the Labyrinth, you'll need to find other work. Dize, you'll probably have to beg or work on city wall repairs. You don't have any skills or connections."

Dize's expression darkened.

"Fuck... There aren't any choices."

"No, you still have choices."

He could become a beggar or do manual labor.

It would be a poor, hungry life without prospects, but at least he would be less likely to get hurt or die.

That might be better.

Yes, that was the kind of place the Labyrinth was.

[The torches had run out. Whispers, screams, and laughter echoed through the darkness where he could not see even an inch ahead. Rimmel finally lost his mind. His corpse, soaked in filth, was torn apart by bugs, field mice, and scavengers.]

‘Even what I saw through the monitor had been truly awful.’

"Dize has it rough, but Daisy will be in a better position."

Daisy was a young woman. An inn or restaurant would hire her.

Maybe she'd meet a decent person while working and get married.

She had such a beautiful, innocent smile.

"I'm scared..."

Daisy honestly voiced how she felt.

After looking around the huge city, she spoke as if overwhelmed by it.

"But I don't want to be separated from Ian, Elena, or Dize either... I... I don't know. Sniff."

"Daisy..."

Feeling sorry for her, Dize tried to hug her, but Daisy hurried over and threw herself into my arms.

"An unfair world!"

"Hah, do you think that squashed face of yours stands a chance?"

Ignoring the nonsense from those two idiots, I comforted Daisy.

Of course she was scared.

I was fucking terrified too.

Even if adulthood in this world began at fourteen, by Earth standards, wasn't she still barely a middle schooler?

Anyway, we eventually arrived at the guild.

The Expedition Party Guild.

Countless people moved in and out of the large, four-story wooden building. There were quite a few elves, unlike our village where Elena had been the only one. Dwarves, beastkin, and halflings were there too.

The smell of iron, leather, and sweat filled the air.

One or two scars barely counted among them, and every single one of them had murderous eyes.

"Th-They all look scary..."

"Don't be scared, Daisy. We made it through that snowfield and past all those frozen corpses."

Elena gave the hesitant Daisy a few reassuring pats.

‘The real version is much bigger and more complicated.’

After looking around inside, I headed toward one of the dozen or so counters crowded with Expedition Party members.

A sign read [For New Expedition Party Members Only], so I got in line there.

Was it because it was only for newbies?

The line was shorter than the others, but more importantly...

‘They all look half-dead.’

They must have felt it too: the snowfields outside their villages had been horrifying, and the Labyrinth they would soon enter would be even worse.

Everyone except us, that was.

"I'm gonna make lots of money and buy delicious food~"

"Hehe, the great beginning of a genius mage."

Hehehe.

"..."

The other newbies stared at us chatting like we were insane.

What? Why?

Soon, it was our turn.

"Are you here to register as Expedition Party members?"

"Yes."

"Could you tell me where you're from?"

"All four of us are from South Sunlight Village."

"I heard ten people departed, but only four of you made it... You must have had a difficult journey."

The kind receptionist asked another question.

"Can you read and write?"

"Yes."

I was speaking for the group, but the moment I answered, Daisy, Dize, and even Elena looked shocked.

"Ian! You can write?!"

"What?!"

"Of course. I'm a genius mage."

There had been no need to write in that primitive village, but this place was different.

More precisely, I had memorized the letters included in a special supplementary guide to the Frozen Labyrinth Tower that I bought before getting dragged into the world of Dungeon of Death.

"Please write your name, race, and specialty here. Leave it blank if you don't have one. Ah, you said you're a mage. What are your affinities?"

"Triple Master."

The receptionist was startled by my answer.

"T-Triple Master!? What are your affinities?"

It seemed the Expedition Party members at the other counters and tables had turned their attention toward us as well.

"Hey, that's the guy..."

"Lingxiang's group was interested in him..."

"Lightning, Frost, and Arcane."

...

The receptionist fell silent the moment she heard my affinities.

It was the same look I had received before, like everything was good except for one disappointing flaw.

"If only you had fire or earth..."

"I think so too."

"Still, mages are always valuable. You may keep your spells confidential, but listing them gives you bonus points in the rank evaluation and makes it easier to find a party."

‘Asking a mage about their spells is a serious breach of etiquette, but...’

‘At the beginner stage, it didn't matter that much.’

I wrote down my spells.

The receptionist quietly checked them, then held out four wooden badges.

"Please be careful not to lose them. We can issue replacements, but you'll have to pay a fee after this."

The Expedition Badges had our names and ranks written on them.

The other three were rank 9.

The lowest.

But the others looked at mine and tilted their heads.

"Why are you the only one at rank 8?"

Because I was the only one at rank 8.

Mine was reinforced with metal, unlike the rank 9 Expedition Badges, so it looked cooler too.

"I'm a mage."

Mages and priests were rare.

They had to be chosen by a god or a Grimoire, so there were fewer of them than other professions.

"That's unfair."

"Yep~ If you're jealous, you should've been chosen by a Grimoire too~"

"Yeah, yeah. You're so great."

Ghk!

Elena strangled me while I was teasing her.

Hey, hey! We weren't done yet!

"Will you be entering the Labyrinth right away?"

The receptionist watched Elena and me bicker, then looked at us with pity, as if saddened to see these kids heading into that hell.

"Uh, aren't we supposed to get training before entering?"

"That is the principle, but many Expedition Party members find the training fee burdensome... If you wish, you may enter the Labyrinth immediately. The guild does not recommend it, though."

Let's see how different game prices were from real prices.

"How much is the tuition?"

"The shortest intensive course costs two silver coins per person."

"How much do we have?"

The others and I pooled our money.

Including what we found in the bags of those who died on the way here...

"We have nine silver coins and six copper coins..."

It was barely enough just to take the training.

We only had that much because we had taken Mauk's pouch, and he had been the richest among us.

‘If I had started as a noble, this would've been pocket change.’

If I had been a noble from Castle, I would have received full equipment and training.

The gap between rich and poor started with the smallest things.

‘Makes me want to become a Bolshevik, fuck.’

Now I understood why the Reds had gained power in the past.

"It's barely enough... But then equipment and lodging will be a problem. Can't we just skip the training?"

Elena asked confidently.

Of course, I had an enormous amount of knowledge about the Labyrinth in my head.

I could teach them everything the training covered.

But that was exactly why we needed to take the training.

‘The real Labyrinth and the one in the game might differ from what I know.’

‘We need to verify it.’

"No, it's too dangerous. You only get one life."

"...That's true."

I held out the money to the receptionist.

"We'd like to enroll all four of us."

"All right."

The receptionist told us the training schedule.

After finishing everything and turning away from the counter, someone in line behind us shouted.

"Hey! Are you done yet!? Why are you taking so long!?"

A guy around Dize's age with shaggy hair snapped at us.

Several companions who seemed to have come from the same place stood beside him.

‘There are quite a lot of them. Are they from a city?’

Unlike the other newbies, they seemed confident in their abilities.

"We're done, so go take care of your business."

"Tch, slow as hell."

"That bastard."

"Hold it in."

I stopped Elena before she could get angry and passed the rude newcomers.

Then I spoke to the others.

"Let's earn money while we take the training."

"Why?"

"We need to get equipment and pay for food and lodging."

"Th-Then that means..."

I grinned at the horrified Dize.

"That's right. Dize, Elena, Daisy. Go earn money, whether you beg or do manual labor."

"...Ugh."

"Okay!"

Dize nodded with difficulty, while Daisy raised her hand high.

Elena gave me a crooked look.

"What about you?"

"I'll earn money too. The genius mage way."

"Can't we just go straight in?"

"You may, but we do not recommend it..."

"It'll be fine. I'm a hunter, and all of us crossed that snowfield. We don't need training. It's only the first floor anyway, right?"

As I was leaving the guild, I accidentally overheard the rude newcomers talking.

I snorted.

‘Those bastards are going to die soon.’

No matter how I looked at it, they were taking the Labyrinth too lightly.

Just as I expected...

Not long after, I happened to learn what had become of them.

"Eek. Hng... Aaaaaaagh!"

Only one member of the shaggy-haired guy's group returned alive, despite how confidently they had entered the Labyrinth.

They came back soaked in blood, missing a finger and an eye.

Footnotes:

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