WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Mordor
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving the Frozen Dark Fantasy as a Genius Mage ◈
Chapter 2: Awakening
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The scent of paper, like that of an old bookstore, hung heavily in the air.
Bookshelves rose so high and wide that their tops vanished beyond the dark ceiling, as though this were a giant's library. Countless books filled every shelf.
The strangest and best thing was that it was warm here.
“Whew. Hoo.”
Back in that shitty Medieval Land, I had to shiver in the cold twenty-four hours a day. This place was as warm as a library with the heater on.
“What remarkable talent. To be chosen by three Grimoires at once.”
Something spoke to me then.
It was a book with its pages spread like wings. Its voice was elegant yet chatty.
It was the guide of the Arcane Library. I knew that from my knowledge of the game, so I nodded.
“Of course. I’m special.”
Elena would have told me to fuck off, but a genius recognized another genius. The guide fluttered its ribbon marker in agreement.
“Mhm, that is true. Only special people can be chosen by Grimoires.”
‘At least that’s a relief.’
I relaxed.
Now that I was a mage, I wouldn't have to clean up dog shit anymore. I wouldn't have to struggle through farm work, either. I could settle in the village and eat three full meals a day, or grow stronger and head for the Labyrinth.
Wait, what affinities did I get?
‘Well, I have three. One has to be fire or earth.’
Three times as many spells I could Memorize.
Three times as many affinities I could wield.
A Triple Master was completely broken.
As I thought that, three books flew from the shelves toward me. Before I knew it, three Grimoires were floating around me.
Yellow, purple, and a deep blue close to navy.
They were small, but each radiated an unmistakably mystical aura.
Hold on.
Yellow, purple, and navy?
“Hey, Book of Guidance. What affinities do these Grimoires have?”
I asked, already dreading the answer.
The Book of Guidance answered in a grand voice.
“Lightning that enrages the heavens! Arcane light that distorts causality! Frost that ensnares even souls and freezes them! Those are your three affinities, novice!”
“...What?”
“Congratulations! You have become the master of no less than three Grimoires!”
“Oh, heavens!”
The Book of Guidance spoke as though I should be proud, but I was devastated.
“Fuck, they aren't fire and earth?”
“There is no right or wrong, nor high or low, in magic, novice.”
That was true, but without fire and earth, the early game would be incredibly difficult!
I had nearly died several times just farming inside the village. That proved the difficulty of this real-life shitty game was even higher than it had felt in the game.
‘Water and Frost magic are easier to master, but Winter’s Curse cuts their effectiveness against most monsters in half.’
‘Lightning and Arcane are a bitch to level up.’
As a veteran player, I knew all of this.
In other words, things weren't going to go according to plan.
I asked urgently, “Can’t I change my affinities?”
“Impossible.”
“Then can I learn new ones?”
“You may open a new path, but that is also impossible at your current level.”
“Aaaaaaaaaah!”
The three Grimoires drifted closer as if they liked me, but I smacked them away like some macho alpha male and shouted.
“Oh, heavens!”
I had been happy about becoming a Triple Master, and this was what I got?
Why did nothing ever go according to plan!?
Was this because I said the game would be too easy if I started as a Fire Mage before getting dragged here?
“Fuck, fuck, fuck. What a shitty game.”
No matter what I did, though, the situation wouldn't change.
Hoo. Hoo.
I took deep breaths, shook it off, and regained my composure.
‘Fine. I had to go to the Labyrinth eventually anyway.’
‘The early game will be rough, but as a Triple Master, I’ll be even better off later.’
I should ask what I could while I was here.
“If I conquer the Labyrinth, can I return to my original world?”
“...”
The Book of Guidance did not answer.
It also gave no answer when I asked whether breaking through the Labyrinth would end this eternal winter.
Still, it answered questions related to magic.
‘As far as I know, there are three ways to improve a mage’s abilities.’
“How do I gain new spells?”
“Offer endless ambition, a thirst for exploration, and things the Grimoires enjoy.”
‘Just as I thought.’
Rumble!
“It is time.”
The library began to collapse.
The Book of Guidance soared into the air and shouted at me.
“Remember, young mage. Those who do not improve will only be left behind.”
Blink. Blink.
My vision returned, and the cold, snow-filled village square appeared before me again.
Ugh.
As I shivered in the cold, the villagers’ cheers rang in my ears.
It felt as though I had spent quite a while there, but time clearly flowed differently.
“Waaaaaah!”
“Ian became a mage!”
“Does that mean our village has five mages now!?”
“This is incredible!”
Unlike the cheering villagers, the mages who had conducted the ceremony did not look pleased.
“To awaken three affinities at once... What tremendous talent...”
“But those colors...”
“Yes. They are clearly Lightning, Frost, and Arcane.”
Mais, the village chief’s eldest son, asked me, “Ian. What affinities did you awaken?”
Should I lie?
The thought crossed my mind for a moment, but they would find out soon enough.
I told him the truth.
Just as expected, the mages’ expressions darkened.
“Haa.”
“What a shame.”
Mais patted my shoulder.
His face held pity, along with a sense of superiority over me.
I thought he might be different from Mauk, but I guess the baseness of that bloodline couldn't be helped.
I slapped his hand away and walked off.
“Ian! Ian!”
The villagers who didn't yet know the situation gathered around me, cheering and congratulating me.
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
I smiled and accepted their congratulations before heading elsewhere.
My gaze landed on Mauk, the village chief’s third son.
“...!”
I grinned at him, spun both hands as if casting a spell, and spoke.
“Hey, Mauk.”
“...What?”
“Take me along next time you go rabbit hunting. As a mage, I’ll probably catch more than an ordinary person like you.”
“...”
The orphan he had always looked down on had become a mage. The shock must have hit him hard, because he trembled as he stared at me before turning around and leaving.
“Fuck!”
“Hahahahaha! Did you see that bastard’s face?”
“That’s the difference between an ordinary person and a genius. Hmph.”
Then I returned to the orphan settlement with Elena, who was snickering beside me.
The moment someone awakened as a mage, they also awakened spells.
Since I was a Triple Master, I currently possessed three kinds of spells.
First was Electric Spark from the Lightning affinity.
It was a spell that created a small spark.
For Arcane, I had Faint Light, a spell that produced a dim glow.
And for Water and Frost...
‘It really is Frost magic?’
I had Ice Spike.
Unlike the spells that made a tiny spark or a little ball of light, this was a proper offensive spell.
I could even Memorize it twice.
According to my knowledge as a veteran player, this was because of the environment.
The environment had a major impact on a mage’s ability to acquire new spells.
The world I had fallen into was a land of eternal winter, frozen in every direction. Because of that, progress in Frost- and water-related paths was far greater.
Conversely, other affinities were harder to learn and develop.
That was also why the Fire Mages and Earth Mages in the village were so weak.
‘Should I be happy about this or not?’
“Big brother! Congratulations!”
“Big brother! Don’t forget us just because you’re doing well now!”
When I entered our cramped house, the other orphans who had heard the news congratulated me.
They sounded less genuinely happy for me than eager to see whether they could get anything out of it, but it still felt good.
“Yeah, yeah. If you work hard, you might become like me... No, you can’t. You’re primitive Medieval Land people. Still, you might be able to follow in my footsteps, so don’t lose heart.”
“Ian’s gotten even more annoying.”
“True.”
“Shh, be quiet. Ian is a great mage now.”
“Congratulations, idiot. At least they won’t pick you for the Expedition Party.”
Elena patted my back. Her face held both bitterness and happiness that her friend had succeeded.
She still didn't know.
I dropped the arrogant mage act I had used to crush Mauk.
With a grim face, I told Elena, who would soon share my fate, the truth.
“I’m fucked, Elena.”
“Why?”
“The affinities I awakened this time are Lightning, Water, and Arcane.”
“That’s a fucking lot. You really are a genius, huh? But what’s the problem? Isn’t any magic useful?”
“It’s useful. The problem is that it isn’t useful here.”
“...So you’re joining the Expedition Party too?”
“Yeah.”
“...”
Elena’s long ears, which had been drooping, perked up.
“Pfft.”
Her pretty lips curved upward.
Elena smacked my shoulder repeatedly and laughed crudely.
“That’s great! I was worried about how I’d get there alone! Kyaaaaa!”
“You trashy bitch! You’re laughing at your friend’s misfortune!? This is why people say elves have terrible personalities!”
Thud!
I gladly threw a punch at the morally bankrupt elf who was celebrating her friend’s misfortune.
The pretty elf laughed as she took my punch, then spat to the side.
“Our Ian. Your punches have improved a lot.”
“Ghk.”
She immediately beat me up with dazzling skill.
“Where does a weakling like you get off picking a fight?”
That made it fifty fights, fifty losses.
As the biggest delinquent in our orphan group, she was disgustingly good at fighting.
Ah, fuck.
If only I had Memorized my spells already.
Just wait.
* * *
The next day dawned.
I woke early and meditated.
I needed to perform Memorize, the most basic and essential step for a mage.
The metallic scent of static.
Soft yet cold moisture.
A mass of light blinking in geometric patterns and shapes.
I reconstructed and gave form to mystical knowledge that I could not yet understand and was not meant to understand.
Had an hour passed? Two? Quite a long time, perhaps?
“Done!”
[Electric Spark]
[Faint Light]
[Ice Spike]
[Ice Spike]
At last, three kinds of spells appeared within my focused mind.
They drifted through my inner world, each spell appearing on parchment in a form suited to its own nature.
Setting aside the thrilling sense of wonder, I selected one parchment and poured my will into it.
Crackle!
My face flashed bluish, and electricity jumped between my fingers.
“Ohhh!”
It was weak, but if I landed it on someone at close range, it could probably make their muscles spasm. It might even be enough to set wood alight.
When I used Faint Light, the branch in my hand absorbed light and glimmered.
It wasn't as bright as a flashlight, but it could serve in place of a torch.
Then came water and Frost.
Unlike the first two spells, Ice Spike had tremendous power.
Thud!
It buried itself in a tree.
It was at least as powerful as an arrow.
“Hoh.”
It was only natural for someone who had lived in the twenty-first century, a world filled with every kind of science and technology, to feel curiosity and a desire to explore upon experiencing mystical power for the first time.
Did I really do this?
At times, I even felt awe.
More than anything...
‘This is fucking fun.’
It was fun.
In this primitive and brutal world, where there were no resources and most of the land was frozen solid, the only hobbies people could enjoy were sex and drinking.
I was a penniless orphan, so I had no chance to enjoy either of those things.
There was no way I could have had a hobby.
So I threw myself into magic training.
It took plenty of mental strength and time, but nobody interrupted me.
“You two do not need to work from today onward.”
Elena and I had been freed from labor.
Even so, we received potatoes for free.
Two potatoes per meal, at that.
“Two potatoes. Double potatoes. Hehe. Delicious.”
Elena giggled as she crammed potatoes into her mouth, delighted by a welfare policy that put disaster relief to shame.
“It’s begun.”
It was strange, but I had an idea why.
Elena lazed around, saying she would rest as much as she could while she had the chance, but I treasured every moment and devoted myself to magic training.
To improve my Frost magic proficiency, I deliberately dressed lightly and meditated outside.
Uuuuuugh...
It was cold enough to make my jaw tremble, but I was desperate.
I had to survive the day that was coming.
A few days passed like that, and the village chief summoned Elena and me.
“Hey, over there.”
“...”
When we reached the village chief’s house, I noticed something strange. Elena pointed it out too.
The chief’s well-stocked livestock pen, which had contained pigs, chickens, goats, and more, was missing Elizabeth. The pig the chief had doted on was the one that had eaten Jimmy, a member of our orphan group.
“I smell something delicious, Ian.”
Sniff, sniff.
Yeah, definitely.
“To think we’d avenge Jimmy like this.”
“You’re here?”
There were already guests inside the village chief’s home, which was filled with enough warmth to make one feel hot.
Jaden, the blacksmith’s son, was there. So was Mauk, the village chief’s third son, who had made such a pathetic display during the ceremony.
They differed in gender, appearance, and build.
Still, they shared one trait.
They were all third or fourth sons who could not inherit the family trade. They had failed to prove themselves useful at hunting or magic, each burdened by some sort of flaw.
There was something else unusual as well.
“You must all be hungry, yes? Heh heh.”
The village chief was acting far more kindly than usual.
On the table in the spacious house were warm pork stew, wheat bread, goat milk, and baskets full of hot steamed potatoes.
‘Meat stew!’
“Squeeeal! Human! Save meee!”
This meal had likely been born from Elizabeth’s noble sacrifice.
Normally, it would have been a feast too lavish to even see. Yet instead of being happy, everyone present, including Elena and me, wore grim expressions.
Just as Elizabeth, whom the chief had loved so much, had met this end after eating Jimmy, animals were always fed well before they were slaughtered.
Realizing the fate I had sensed, I nodded.
‘Just as I thought. We’re bound to join the Expedition Party.’
Footnotes:
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