I Mistook The Genre And Became A Tyrant

✦  Chapter 8 –  Pride of the North (1) ✦

「Translator – Creator」

“……………..”

I took a moment to assess the situation.

The squirrel I had been pursuing was nowhere to be found, and instead, a person on the brink of freezing to death had appeared before me. After brief deliberation, I decided to prioritize saving the human.

‘It was getting rather dull walking alone in this blizzard anyway. This is perfect timing. I doubt anyone else is around,’ I thought to myself.

I clenched my fist and struck a nearby ice wall with all my might.

CRACK!

My single punch, capable of effortlessly shattering even granite, instantly demolished the ice wall, creating a natural ice cave.

It was spacious enough to accommodate two people comfortably.

“A campfire would be ideal right about now.”

With a snap of my fingers, sparks ignited in the air. Creating friction by snapping one’s fingers was a simple trick anyone could master with practice.

The flames flickered to life.

I took some things out of the survivor’s bag that looked like they would burn well and put them in the campfire, and the size of the flames grew nicely.

Now, it was time to remove the restrictive cold-weather gear from the survivor’s body.

Srrr—

As I peeled away the face covering, a startlingly blue-tinged visage was revealed. I was taken aback by how deeply the cold had affected the person’s complexion.

“At this point, aren’t they already dead?” I wondered aloud.

A dagger that looked like it could be used for multiple purposes hung at the waist. The scabbard, which looked like it was made of carved ivory, was obviously high-quality.

Perhaps this person was from a noble family. Considering the numerous posters for the Paimon family’s hunting competition found in the bag, I suspected they might be a participant in the event.

Maybe because of the fire, the survivor’s pale complexion gradually returned to a healthy color.

As their complexion improved, I noticed their remarkably handsome features, as if carved from ice. Such a delicate face, I mused, knowing well how challenging it could be to survive in a society that valued masculinity. I felt a twinge of sympathy.

“Since I saved your life, I’ll help myself to some of your provisions. Surely you won’t begrudge your lifesaver,” I said to the unconscious figure.

I was just getting bored by the fire and was rummaging through the survivor’s bag for food when the survivor, who seemed to be in a deep sleep, woke up with a snort.

“…Where am I?”

“Oh? You’re awake?”

Hmmch—!

The survivor flinched violently at the sound of my voice, as if greatly startled. In one fluid motion, he drew the dagger from his waist and pointed it at me—a crisp, efficient movement without a hint of hesitation.

“Who are you?!”

“My, my. Is it the custom in the North to threaten one’s savior at knifepoint?”

“…Savior?”

The survivor seemed not to understand the situation very well. I thought that was understandable, since the person had just been hovering on the brink of death.

To ease the tension, I decided to offer him some well-roasted fish jerky from beside the campfire.

“You were freezing to death when I rescued you.”

“………….”

Wary blue eyes scrutinized me for a long moment. Eventually, either sensing I meant no harm or simply overcome by hunger, the survivor accepted the jerky and devoured it ravenously.

“Where is this place?” The survivor, who seemed to have calmed down after his stomach was full and the warmth of the campfire eased his mind, asked me.

With the dagger now back at their waist, I replied casually, “Can’t you see? It’s an ice cave.”

“I’ve never heard of such an ice cave in the ‘Frost Reach.’ The ice in this snow-capped mountain is said to be among the hardest substances in the world, so holes don’t get through it.

“Is that so? I must have been fortunate to discover this cave, then.”

“How did you manage to light a fire in the cave? It shouldn’t have been easy to make a fire on this mountain, where the power of frost is strong.”

As someone unable to perceive this world’s mana, I was at a loss when it came to matters of magic and spells. I had a feeling that if I mentioned lighting the fire with a snap of my fingers, it would arouse suspicion about my true nature.

My hunch was mostly right.

So, while I was thinking of several alternatives for how to explain it, the survivor spoke first.

“Could you be an exceptional mage? Only those of extraordinary skill, worthy of titles from the Magic Tower, could conjure flames in this snow-capped mountain.”

“Well, something like that,” I replied evasively. “But who are you? This mountain is a magical realm untrodden by humans. Why were you freezing to death in a place like this? You seem to be of high status.”

“I am…”

A shadow fell across the survivor’s face. It seemed like there was a reason why the person was having trouble saying something.

“If it’s hard to say, you don’t have to,” I offered.

“It’s not that I have anything to hide. I’m just ashamed. I almost died because I was weak. I still have a long way to go. I won’t be able to catch the legendary Hel at this rate.”

The legendary Hel? An intriguing keyword popped up.

“What’s this legendary Hel?” I inquired.

“There’s a tale of a legendary Hel dwelling in this mountain. Legend has it that whoever succeeds in capturing it will gain tremendous power, like King Imseti who founded the first Paimon dynasty.”

“Oh?”

“I am the second son of a noble family in the borderlands. I am far from the line of succession to the family’s throne. So I’m going to catch the legendary Hel and win the Paimon Hunting Competition to raise my standing.”

“Capturing the legendary Hel ensures victory in the Paimon hunting competition?”

“Yes, that’s the condition for winning. Are you here on this mountain after the legendary Hel as well?”

“Well, something like that.”

“The Hunting Competition starts next week, so I thought I’d come to this mountain first to get to know the terrain and maybe catch the legendary Hel in advance if I’m lucky. But I guess it was all for nothing.”

Thwack—

The survivor extended a hand towards me.

“I’m Del.”

“I’m Daniel of Dantalian.”

I shook his hand too.

“Daniel, thank you for saving my life. Since we’re on the subject, would you like to form a team? Most participants will likely group up. It’s virtually impossible to explore this mountain alone.”

“Is this place that dangerous?”

“What do you mean, you don’t know? The only one who can wander around this mountain alone is that monster Emperor Bael. That inhuman monster.”

Del’s voice when he said Bael’s name was unusually full of anger and fighting spirit. I knew that the Emperor’s name was used in the North as a synonym for ridicule and contempt, so I didn’t feel anything special about it.

However, the crucial point was that my plan to cross this mountain alone had been derailed. Crossing it by myself would be tantamount to advertising that I was Emperor Bael.

“Alright, let’s team up,” I agreed.

“I’m relieved to have a great magician like you on my side.”

Whoosh—

The howling wind outside the cave had subsided, which I found curious. Del remarked, “Oh, the blizzard has stopped. We should head down the mountain now. It’ll probably remain calm for about an hour, so we need to move quickly.”

“Understood.”

Crunch— Crunch—

As we trudged through the deep snow, we came across a set of stairs. It appeared to be a hiking trail leading down the mountain. I was somewhat surprised to see such a trail, as this was my second time crossing this mountain, and I hadn’t noticed it before.

“There were stairs?”

“This is a staircase for intermediate climbers. Isn’t the staircase quite steep? There must be at least ten thousand of these stairs. By the way, the beginner’s path is over there. The slope is gentler there, but it will take longer.”

“If there are beginner and intermediate levels, is there an advanced path too?”

“It’s over there. Though calling it a ‘path’ might be generous—it’s more of a sheer cliff. Only two people in the world have ever scaled that cliff. If you value your life, don’t even think about it.”

Del began descending the intermediate stairs swiftly. His agile movements were impressive as he practically ran down the precipitous steps.

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆’

Avalam, the stronghold of the North’s leading Paimon family, was a city renowned for its impressive high walls. It was also famous for being a place that had only allowed one invasion in its history, despite having gone through several wars between kings.

“There are a lot of people.”

Avalam was certainly large enough to be called a metropolis. As I took in the bustling crowds, the knowledgeable Del offered an explanation.

“It is not usually this crowded. I think most of them are guests who have come to participate in Paimon’s Hunting Competition like us. See that over there?”

Thwack–

Del pointed to someone in the distance.

“That’s the famous Hel hunter, Findman. I’ve heard he’s captured over twenty Hels so far. And over there is the Twin Mercenary Corps.”

There were many famous individuals present. Among them, I recognized names I’d heard on battlefields.

“Daniel, look at that long-eared elf,” Del said.

“Elf?”

“I mean an Elf. That’s likely Anistia, the eldest son of the Barbatos family. Even a big shot like that is participating in this hunting competition. I guess it won’t be easy to win.”

The name Barbatos was particularly familiar to me. The Barbatos family had been instrumental in my ascension to Emperor. Their eldest daughter, Dementia Barbatos, diligently served as my secretary. Even now, Dementia would be tirelessly managing affairs of state in my absence. This male Elf, Anistia, must be Dementia’s brother.

Many such formidable individuals had gathered in Avalam’s square.

As I wondered why everyone was congregating in the square, someone appeared on a towering platform. The figure wore a fur cape typical of the North and a heavy armored helmet concealing their face.

“Somnia!”

“It’s Somnia, the lady of the Paimon family!”

“So that woman is Somnia Paimon!”

Somnia Paimon. A name I’d heard before. She was the young lady of the Paimon family who had united the North, which had been in chaos after losing its leader in the war two years ago. She was a true heroine among heroines.

“I heard Somnia is a peerless beauty.”

“I hear she rarely shows her face. I was hoping to see her face today.”

“Even that Emperor supposedly begged and pleaded for her hand, only to be rejected!”

“She’s truly the pride of the North!”

What can I hide?

To be frank, Somnia was the woman with whom I, as Emperor Bael, had recently discussed a political marriage. Though I certainly hadn’t begged or pleaded, rumors could be frightening things.

Somnia, the pride of the North, stood on the high platform. After surveying her surroundings from beneath her helmet, she called out in a powerful voice—

“Warriors! Two years ago, on that fateful day, we of Paimon and the North lost our leader to that fearsome Emperor. We bowed and submitted, losing our pride. But we are not descendants of dogs, but of wolves!”

Her voice was remarkably resonant. The crowd was captivated by her valiant words, and even I was momentarily enthralled.

“We will not be slaves to anyone! We will be the masters of our own destiny! This hunting competition is the first step in reclaiming our pride! To the victor, I shall give everything I possess!”

It was a concise speech, befitting of a Northerner. However, the crowd was deeply moved, raising their hands and cheering enthusiastically. 

And among them was Del, the survivor I had rescued.

“I guess it was true that the winner of this competition will get to marry Somnia! I’m the second son of a border family, but if I marry her, I can become the son-in-law of a major noble family.”

— End of Chapter —

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Translator’s Notes :-

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