WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Mordor

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Surviving the Frozen Dark Fantasy as a Genius Mage ◈

Chapter 84: Each One's Path and a Deal at the Old Mansion

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"I'm hungry."

"Just hold on a little longer."

"I said I'm huuungry!"

"Seriously, you're such a fucking pain."

We'd originally planned to deal with the Ogre corpse first, but Elena started throwing a fit.

So after leaving the guild, we went to an upscale restaurant to eat.

'I was planning to meet him anyway.'

We invited our friend Dize too.

"Dize!"

"Hey, Dize."

"Hi, everyone... Haha."

Dize greeted us awkwardly.

"This place looks really expensive..."

"Hmph, it's fine. Order whatever you want. I've got plenty of money."

"Um..."

"Yeeeeeah! Hey! Owner! Bring us every dish on the menu!"

Elena cheered and shouted at my words.

This crazy elf...

"I was talking to Dize!"

I shouted in alarm.

"Don't be so stingy. We're all eating together anyway~"

A mistake. I'd made a mistake.

For a genius mage like me to make such an error... Urgh.

Soon, dishes we could never normally get at our cheap inn began filling the table.

There was trout sizzling in oil with pepper, herbs, and salt; truffle pie; roasted goose legs served with garlic and onions and glazed with orange and honey; wheat bread slathered in butter; cheese; apricot jam; and more.

"Kyaaaaaah! It looks so goooood!"

Elena let out a strange shriek at the sight.

Dize was drooling too.

"It's good... So good! Sniff!"

He'd picked at his food at first, but soon began eating heartily. Once the alcohol came out, the awkwardness disappeared, and we all began laughing together.

"Do you remember when we were in the snowfield? Daisy collapsed on the way, and Mauk said we should leave her behind and take her equipment. Ian stopped him."

"I remember! Ian woke her up with a crackle from a Lightning spell!"

"I survived because of Ian... It hurt a little, though. Hehe."

"Hmph. We couldn't let the number of Draugr increase."

"...Was that really the reason?"

"No, well, it wasn't just that..."

"Phew."

"You should've realized that bastard Mauk was useless. He even punched you in the face back then."

"Hehehe, I kind of deserved that. Still, I don't think my judgment was that bad at the time..."

"Oh, you've gotten pretty tough, Dize."

Still, life as an expedition member had changed Dize.

He'd put on muscle, and more importantly, he'd gained confidence.

"But did you know? That bastard Mauk is still alive."

"What?! Really?!"

"I heard he became a beggar and was sleeping on the streets in the Western District. Hehe."

"Whoa... What about now?"

"No idea. Maybe he's running his mouth about entering the Labyrinth like you did."

Elfpffft!

Hahahaha!

Elena and Dize burst into laughter.

Daisy watched them fondly, then gently tugged on my sleeve.

"Um, Ian."

"What is it, Daisy?"

"Can't Dize come into the Labyrinth with us from now on too?"

"Um..."

It was true that Dize had saved us, but he still couldn't even properly clear the second floor.

For us, who had to keep climbing higher, it was difficult to take such a major risk.

'The Labyrinth is a place where one person failing to do their part can get everyone killed.'

How could I explain that without sounding like a psychopath, like Elena?

As I thought about it, Dize smiled and shook his head.

"I'm fine."

Dize, now much more at ease, looked outside the restaurant.

"I have companions of my own now."

A bearded man and a female expedition member with sharp features stood there, watching Dize with concern.

"May the blessing of the Five Kings be with you. All right, everyone. Stay healthy, and let's meet again next time."

Dize stood, said goodbye, and left.

That guy had found good companions.

I smiled as I watched him go.

"Dize..."

"That bastard Dize..."

Elena looked at him with both pride and regret, then smacked her lips.

"I don't feel good, Ian."

"Why?"

"That pathetic bastard acting all cocky bothers me a little, but more than that... I keep thinking about that weird thing you told me."

"Weird thing?"

"N-T... Was it NTR? It feels like Dize was taken from us."

Fuck.

Was that really the right time to use it?

I stared at Elena, shocked that she'd somehow heard and learned that Earth term I'd muttered before, then shook my head.

'Even if I told him not to enter the Labyrinth, he wouldn't listen.'

Dize was a proper expedition member now, after all.

"Still..."

I patted Daisy's shoulder as she continued looking regretfully at Dize's back.

"Ah."

"We can meet again later, eat together, and drink together."

"...Yeah!"

Dize would walk a different path from ours.

Even if hardships lay ahead for each of us, we would meet again someday, raise our glasses together, and reminisce.

"That's what friends do."

* * *

"Ian! I'm glad you're back on your feet! Hahaha!"

"Sorry we couldn't come see you right away. The guild kept us there for so long."

After parting with Dize, I met Gimlius and Hans.

It seemed the two had been put through the wringer by the guild over the whole incident while I, the party leader, had been absent.

'Unlike this genius mage and promising Magic Tower prospect, that drunken dwarf and average-looking Hans don't have anyone backing them.'

"Um... We can hear you."

"Ahem."

"Whoops, my mistake."

"Anyway, you were incredible! Hahahaha! I've never seen Lightning like that in my life! You were worthy of comparison to Castlelight of Thunder, the Magic Tower's famous mage!"

The dwarf was openly making a fuss.

Still, it wasn't unpleasant to hear.

"Your friend was Dize, right? Too bad I didn't get to meet him!"

Gimlius had a talent for making even ordinary remarks sound cheerful.

"..."

Hans, who would usually have added a word or two, was quiet today.

I didn't think much of it and stated our original purpose.

"Let's go deal with the Ogre corpse."

I'd already spoken with Iromis, Ulric the barbarian, and Kadega's party.

First, we would sell it for a decent price, then work out how to divide the proceeds later.

We headed for the Golden Lion Clan, where the Ogre corpse was being stored.

As befitted a successful clan, they had bought a three-story building in the heart of the southern street and used it as their headquarters.

"Halt. This is Golden Lion Clan territory. If you're outsiders, state your reason for entering."

"We're here to retrieve our property, which Senior Mage Iromis left in your care."

The expedition member guarding the entrance studied my face at those words.

Then their eyes widened.

"Mage Ian?"

"Yes."

"Forgive my rudeness. You're here for the Ogre corpse. Follow me."

Thanks to my reputation, even a member of a major clan recognized my face.

We entered the building and headed toward where the Ogre corpse was being kept.

-That's him...

-The one Iromis and Aisa mentioned...

People glanced at me with interest even as we passed through the lavish, bustling clan headquarters.

Anyone affiliated with a major clan had to be at least a fourth-floor expedition member.

'Hehehe.'

The attention pouring in made the corners of my mouth lift.

"This is it."

Icy air swirled through the warehouse attached to the building.

Frost mages belonging to the Golden Lion Clan were keeping the Ogre corpse frozen with freezing spells.

'Like human batteries.'

"Well organized."

Besides the Ogre, the warehouse held valuable byproducts from several other monsters.

That was the funding and management ability expected of a major clan.

"Whoa!"

"We beat a monster even this thing couldn't defeat~"

Its head had been torn apart by the Watcher, and its stomach had a huge hole in it, but the Ogre corpse still measured over five meters and radiated intimidation.

'It's in rough shape, but we'll get a good price if we find the right buyer!'

'High-ranking monster corpses sell well for research too.'

We'd received five hundred gold coins as guild compensation, but I was actually short on money right now.

After all...

'The Tome of Starlight I got this time is an incredible treasure.'

I needed to divide the value of that treasure among the party members, but I had no idea how much it would cost.

To cover that, buy equipment, and research magic, I needed money...

More money!

"Haha! We took down a Floor Master and an Ogre. It's like getting both the cockatrice and its egg!"

As we admired it, the clan member who had guided us spoke.

"If you'd like, we can lend you a packhorse."

"We'd appreciate that."

The Golden Lion Clan lent us a strong packhorse and cart. We loaded the Ogre corpse onto it and headed outside.

Naturally, it drew attention.

Some people were startled by the headless giant's corpse, while others watched with sticky, greedy gazes.

-Tch.

But it was still daytime, and after seeing the Magic Tower emblem on my robe, those gazes soon disappeared.

"So where are we planning to sell this Ogre corpse?"

"Um..."

'Freshness is an issue, and there's the risk of it being stolen at night, so we should handle it as quickly as possible.'

I considered it.

Since we knew nothing about trade, it would be ridiculous to look for a buyer ourselves. Even if we had to pay a commission, it would be better to find an intermediary or a large organization capable of buying the corpse outright.

'Well-known merchant companies are reliable, but their commissions are high.'

'Small and mid-sized merchant companies charge less, but their ability and reliability are questionable.'

The merchants here were no different. They colluded and built their own cartels, so unless you had connections, you had to be prepared to be taken advantage of.

Just having a good item wasn't enough.

To avoid being ripped off in this primitive Medieval Land, where people were always looking for a chance to fleece others, you needed all kinds of knowledge.

Then Gimlius solved my problem.

"If you haven't decided yet, how about the merchant company I deal with often?"

"Can they handle an Ogre corpse?"

"Of course. It isn't that large, but the owner is very capable. There's just one small issue."

"Small...?"

That bothered me, but it was nearby, so we decided to visit this merchant company.

Oddly, it was located not in the city center, but in an old mansion on the outskirts.

There was one more strange thing...

"Why is it so dark?"

The mansion's interior looked gloomy through the windows, every curtain drawn shut.

"I sense something unsettling..."

Even Daisy, a Priest, said that.

"Come on, you'll understand once we go inside. There are reasons for it!"

Gimlius laughed awkwardly and led us forward.

"Madam Cotillard! It's me, Gimlius! I've come with friends about a deal! Open the door, would you!"

At the mansion entrance, Gimlius knocked on the antique cast-iron gate.

Then, despite it being broad daylight, a gloomy figure in a robe appeared. Upon recognizing Gimlius, Rangen bowed deeply and opened the gate.

"Haha! Have you been well, Rangen?"

"Welcome, Gimlius. The mistress is inside at the moment."

We followed Rangen into the mansion and were shocked.

"W-What is this?!"

The owner wasn't human.

"Welcome~ Dashing Gimlius and friends."

The one who greeted us in the dark mansion, lit by only a few candles, was a vampire.

A seductive-looking female vampire with heavy makeup, wearing a velvet dress that exposed her shoulders and back.

"A vampire?!"

Though not as bad as dark elves, vampires had a poor reputation in the Labyrinth for many reasons.

Daisy, who followed the benevolent goddess Meia, and the rest of us all showed our wariness.

"Haha, didn't I tell you? There were reasons..."

Gimlius tried to persuade us.

"But Cotillard isn't a bad woman. She's the merchant I told you about."

"Hohoho, that's right. Don't be so wary. I'm not a monster that lives beneath darkness and shadows. I'm a kind vampire who lives beneath the light."

"..."

I looked around the sinister, dark mansion, where it felt as though a monster might leap out at any moment.

"Then why is your house so dark?"

"Sunlight is bad for the skin, hoho!"

Elena and Daisy looked to me for my opinion.

"What are we doing, Ian?"

"Meia said we shouldn't discriminate against any race. Except dark elves."

Hmm...

It was unsettling, especially since she was a vampire.

Still, there were benefits.

Unlike humans, the dominant race in the Labyrinth, other races had all kinds of complicated circumstances. If you formed a good connection with them, you could receive many benefits.

'There's no harm in hearing her out first.'

Setting aside that she knew Gimlius, Daisy was a Priest. Cotillard wouldn't be able to pull anything funny.

"Would you take a look at the item?"

"Sure~"

Madam Cotillard followed us into the mansion's garden, wearing a black veil over her dress.

Then she saw what was on the cart and let out a nasal gasp.

"Oh my! Th-This is... Isn't this an Ogre corpse?!"

"Hehe, yes."

Cotillard was startled that we, who looked like low-floor expedition members, had obtained something like this.

Then she studied my face closely and nodded as though she understood.

"So you're the mage of Thunderfall. I see... Then you must have gotten this during the recent Floor Master incident."

Her red eyes sparkled with interest.

"That's right. So, will you buy it?"

"No, an organization on the Golden Dawn Society's level is about the only one that can directly handle an Ogre corpse. All I can offer is to broker the sale. Since you're my first customers, my commission will be... this much?"

Cotillard pressed her thumb and index finger together in a circle, indicating the commission.

At those words, all my hesitation vanished.

Because...

'That's fucking cheap!'

The amount she named was far lower than what ordinary merchants charged.

It was cheap enough to make Korean real estate agents, who pocketed brokerage fees without taking any responsibility, reflect on their lives.

Her being a vampire was probably why her rates were so low.

Vampires had a reputation for being sinister, so people didn't trust them.

For merchants, who lived on trust, that was fatal.

She was likely offering us this benefit to secure clients.

'There's no harm in building a connection early if she's a decent person.'

We would keep going to higher floors, where we would obtain many valuable byproducts.

In this primitive Medieval Land, where people would sell even their own children or parents, having a reliable merchant connection was valuable.

Having made my decision, I nodded.

"We'll sell it through you."

"You've made a good choice~ I happen to know someone urgently looking for the corpse of a high-grade creature~"

Oh?

"If I contact them, you'll be able to get a good price. Shall I send word?"

"Yes."

Cotillard hummed as she brought over a birdcage sitting in one corner of the mansion.

Squeak!

There was a bat inside. She wrote a letter in elegant handwriting, tied it to the bat's leg, and released it out the window.

'A carrier pigeon.'

Flap!

A moment later, the bat returned with a reply.

Madam Cotillard read the letter and spoke.

"It seems the buyer can come over right away. Is that all right?"

"Yes."

We moved the cart holding the Ogre corpse inside the mansion and decided to wait for the other party there.

Whoosh!

Before long, night fell outside.

Cotillard became even livelier as she happily pulled back the blackout curtains and hummed.

"Hum hum, I'm a kind vampire who works hard~ I loooove money~"

Then Cotillard suddenly said something.

"Oh, I forgot to mention something you should know."

"What is it?"

"Well..."

Bang.

As she pursed her lips, the mansion door suddenly opened.

"Vampire. Is the item ready?"

Those who appeared beneath the creeping darkness and torchlight were elves.

Every one of them had beautiful, arrogant faces and long ears.

But their skin was as pale as corpses...

They were...

"Dark elves?!"

My eyes widened as I gripped my staff, and Elena drew her sword.

"Emergeeeency!"

Daisy clutched her mace tightly, while Gimlius and Hans also drew their weapons.

"That wicked vampire teamed up with those dark elf bastards to screw us over!"

We stood in front of the Ogre corpse.

Footnotes:

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