WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Mordor

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Surviving the Frozen Dark Fantasy as a Genius Mage ◈

Chapter 52: The Third Expedition

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“Daisy! Daisy! Let's go to the Labyrinth!”

Elena and I ran into a problem as we entered the lodging together.

“Daisy?”

“Um...”

Our party's kind but by no means weak Priest, our dependable healer Daisy, had her head lowered with a dejected expression.

“I'm sorry, Ian!”

Daisy was apologizing because she would not be able to enter the Labyrinth with us.

It was a sudden departure, but Elena and I could not say anything to her.

“I realized it after what happened last time. I'm too weak.”

Feeling guilty over not being able to heal Elena's arm, Daisy had decided to go to the temple, train, and seriously walk the path of a priest.

“Priest Agape said she would teach me to be a sister.”

She said she probably would not be able to enter the Labyrinth with us for a while.

“So I came to ask your permission.”

Hmm... This was a setback. I had not expected this.

“It'll be hard without a healer!”

Elena stamped her feet.

If Daisy left, our party's stability would drop sharply.

Still, we could not stop someone who wanted to become stronger for our sake.

“Is that... not okay? If it isn't...”

As Daisy hesitated, I nodded.

“Of course it's okay.”

“Ian!”

“Honestly, this is the perfect time.”

The higher we went, the more important a Priest became.

If not now, Daisy would not have time to train. While we were still on the lower floors, when I could fill her absence as a mage, it was right to let her go.

‘The only Divine Power spells Daisy can use right now are Light and Heal.’

‘If she trains, she might come back having learned more spells.’

In other words, this was an investment in the future.

“Take care, Daisy.”

I smiled as I spoke.

“And be careful around Priest Agape.”

“Huh? Careful?”

That woman was dangerous around other women in a different way.

“...”

Elena seemed to realize what I meant. She grinned and waved at Daisy.

“Yeah, see you later, Daisy. Ian and I will keep exploring the Labyrinth!”

“Okay! Thank you for letting me go, Ian! Elena! Be careful!”

Why was she thanking us for permission...

I was about to say something when I froze.

Daisy suddenly kissed my cheek.

Smack.

“...?”

“Bye!”

Daisy smiled brightly, waved, and left.

“Heeeyyyyyyy!”

Elena suddenly screamed loud enough to shake the inn.

* * *

“You became a full-fledged mage?!”

“Y-you mean you?!”

“That's right.”

“You're incredible... You were gone for only a few days...”

“Haha! Congratulations! At this point, aren't you more than a genius? You're a super genius!”

I first met with our remaining party members, Hans and Gimlius, and updated them on the situation.

I told them about Daisy too.

“I see. Miss Daisy is leaving to train...”

Hans and Gimlius had been delighted to hear that I had become a full-fledged mage, but their expressions soon darkened. The absence of a healer was clearly weighing on them.

‘She probably did it as an expression of affection between friends.’

‘There was a greeting like that at the temple too.’

After shaking off what had happened with Daisy, I asked Gimlius, who sat across from me at the table.

“Gimlius, what about the booze?”

I had told Gimlius to quit drinking if he wanted to enter the Labyrinth with us.

Otherwise, he could find another party.

“I checked into a clinic run by a convent. Can't you see how gaunt I've become? I'm perfect now. A kind, honest, exemplary dwarf.”

Judging by the way his spiel kept growing longer, I could not quite believe him.

“Fine. You can come with us.”

We had already worked together once, and a dwarf tank with a Grace was a useful addition to the party.

“Haha! An excellent choice! But are we planning to go in with just the four of us?”

Elena had absorbed a Grace Stone.

We had new equipment.

I had also learned new spells.

Considering all that, four people were enough for the second floor.

With fewer people to split the proceeds with, our profits could be larger too.

‘Still, I have a bad feeling about this.’

Given my fucking luck, we should probably prioritize stability.

“Let's see if we can find someone decent first.”

“I agree.”

“Same here.”

We went to the Expedition Party Guild.

Before posting a recruitment notice, I headed to the reception desk.

“What can I help you with?”

“I'd like to apply for a promotion.”

I was there for a promotion.

I was currently an 8th Rank expedition member.

“Even if you're a mage, promotion to 7th Rank requires experience on at least the third floor and the completion of commissions...”

I showed the clerk the magic staff Castlelight had given me, the spell ring I had acquired in the outer dimension, and most importantly...

“Please look at this.”

“Th-that mark...”

“It's the mark of an official Magic Tower mage. I'm from the Astrafe School.”

I showed her the emblem marked on my robe after becoming a full-fledged mage.

“...!”

The clerk's attitude immediately changed.

“Understood, Mage Ian. We will begin the promotion process. From 7th Rank onward, a separate badge must be made, so it will take some time. The fee is ten silver coins.”

A promotion that would have taken an ordinary expedition member a long time was completed in an instant.

‘This is the difference between a wandering mage and a full-fledged mage.’

Remembering the power of belonging to the Magic Tower, I paid the silver coins.

‘But the fee is fucking expensive.’

The clerk updated the personal information recorded at the guild.

“Mages are so fucking overpowered!”

Elena, who was still only 8th Rank, showed off her ugly jealousy.

“Yeah, if you're jealous, you should've become a mage. You savage elf~”

“You little!”

“Ghk!”

Even while Elena strangled me, I laughed.

Nice.

This would raise our chances of recruiting higher-quality party members.

From 7th Rank onward, people were considered veterans.

We posted a recruitment notice through the guild.

Getting promoted had definitely been worth it.

Unlike before, there were far fewer applicants demanding outrageous shares or making unusual requests.

Looking through their records, their overall quality was higher too.

One person caught my eye.

Name: Alejandro

Gender: Male

Class: Mage

A mage had actually applied to join the party.

Spells and Specialty: Golem Creation and Control

‘Golem summoning?’

‘He's an Alchemist with a Grimoire of Creation?’

Gimlius saw it and spoke as if he knew the man.

“Ah, this fellow.”

“You know him?”

“I do. We've worked together a few times. He's picky, but he's skilled. Aren't golems powerful monsters?”

Hmm...

I rubbed my chin.

It seemed all the Priests had been taken, since none had applied.

Wouldn't a mage be better than accepting some mediocre front-liner or ranged fighter?

‘I'm curious about a golem familiar too.’

“What do you all think about taking this man?”

“A golem... Sounds interesting. I vote yes.”

“Same here!”

“I agree.”

With unanimous approval, we decided to recruit a temporary party member.

We sat at the tables in the guild's tavern and waited. Alejandro soon appeared.

“Nice to meet you. I'm the mage Alejandro.”

He was a thin middle-aged man with a severe-looking face.

What stood out was that one of his legs was a prosthetic.

Clank.

‘Just like the guild's information said.’

It was the sort of disability that would have forced an ordinary expedition member to retire long ago, but Alejandro was still active because he was a mage.

“So you're Ian.”

Alejandro watched me closely.

He seemed surprised that I looked younger than he expected.

“Nice to meet you, Alejandro. We're going to explore the second floor and complete commissions. We leave tomorrow. Is that all right?”

“Of course.”

After we coordinated the details of the expedition plan, Alejandro left immediately.

I wondered if he had somewhere to be or if he was always that cold, when Gimlius snickered.

“He was damn picky when we were in a party together before... That man joined our party because of you, Ian.”

“Huh?”

“You became a full-fledged mage at such a young age, and you possess spells from three affinities, don't you? Alejandro joined because he was curious about you. Even at his age, he's still a wandering...”

“Gimlius.”

Hans cautioned Gimlius, who had been rambling on.

“He's in the same party as us now, isn't he? It's not a good habit to badmouth someone over the past.”

“Mm, sorry. I spoke carelessly.”

Hans was right.

Since we had agreed to enter the Labyrinth together, it was not good to badmouth or suspect him carelessly.

Even if Alejandro was planning something suspicious, there were four of us. We could deal with it.

Once we had finished recruiting party members, we prepared for the expedition.

Along with food, we bought consumables essential for the second floor.

As for potions, I had already bought materials from the Magic Tower and made a few Healing Potions.

They were low-grade, though.

“Haha! Are you even getting into alchemy now? Ian, you're truly incredible!”

Of course, we decided to deduct the cost from the party funds.

Not only that...

“Let's buy one high-grade potion.”

Since Daisy would not be with us this time, we bought a high-grade potion just in case.

It was extremely expensive at three gold coins, but it had enough healing power to reattach a severed arm.

Next, we went to the blacksmith.

“It was just finished. What do you think?”

“It's excellent.”

I went to Arnold and received the Drake Armor I had commissioned.

Elena, the warrior, received a full set.

Even leather armor was heavy, so I took only a vest that protected my upper body.

The dwarf took gloves and boots.

Hans declined, saying it would weigh him down and he did not have the money anyway.

That meant we could give the remaining set to Daisy later.

“It's a little heavy, but it's definitely sturdy.”

Elena patted the Drake Armor she wore, looking reassured.

Whenever the scales glimmered in the sunlight with a bluish sheen, Elena looked like a warrior through and through.

“It's suffocating.”

Naturally, I was dying inside because I had never worn armor like this before.

It was stuffy, smelly, and felt strange... Ugh, how barbaric.

“Seriously, you weakling.”

Still, I had to get used to it.

Projectiles were the easiest way to kill a mage.

‘Drake Armor can even block crossbow bolts fired from the front.’

The next day dawned.

“Isn't that an excessive amount of food...?”

“Ah, there are reasons.”

“I see.”

With Alejandro, our new party member, we entered the Labyrinth.

“A warm forest.”

The area that appeared was the same forest Elena and I had encountered during our first expedition.

“Let's move quickly. Alejandro, get on his back.”

Alejandro's leg made it difficult for us to move quickly, so Hans carried him.

“Huff! Huff!”

With the weight of his equipment and Alejandro's considerable luggage on his back, Hans breathed heavily.

Alejandro did not look sorry in the slightest.

“Yaaawn.”

Of course he did not.

That was what mages were like.

Of course, I was a genius mage with an excellent personality and, unlike Alejandro, I was not missing a leg, so I walked on my own two sturdy legs...

“Ah, we're fucking slow. Get on.”

“Huff! Huff!”

I used Elena's mount mode.

“See? Why is a mage overdoing it?”

“Well...”

“Don't use your spells! I'll handle them easily!”

Gimlius easily took care of the monsters on the first floor by himself.

“Ten hours...”

“Not bad.”

“Let's rest before entering.”

After quickly crossing the first floor, we rested briefly in front of the portal to the second floor.

It was currently two in the morning.

Since the time was awkward, we decided to use Memorize again after entering the second floor.

‘It's good to give myself plenty of time to engrave spells, but I also need to be flexible.’

Just like when it became six in the morning in the outer dimension, and I immediately unleashed new spells on Hodric.

“It may be harder to concentrate, but it will make it easier to respond to unexpected variables. Understood.”

Alejandro accepted the reasoning.

“Entering.”

“Monsters could appear immediately, so stay alert.”

“Of course.”

We immediately entered the second floor.

‘Burning City, Salt Cave, Rotting Swamp.’

Of the three areas, the place that appeared was, coincidentally, the very place we had been forced to leave when we tried to explore it before...

“Bleeergh!”

The Salt Cave.

Fuck, I never got used to this stench.

Footnotes:

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