Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 111

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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111. Maintenance (2)

On the first day they fell into the labyrinth, Krom carved wooden utensils for six people with his wrinkled, rough hands.

After Krom and Lucas died and Olive and Ying were added to the party.

The two who joined after the medicine peddler and carver died carelessly inherited the utensils of the deceased.

Lavenda felt uncomfortable inside about the living inheriting utensils from the dead.

So while Olive and Ying left to conquer the labyrinth, she selected suitable wood pieces from the cart and took up a carving knife to make utensils.

It was her first time holding a carving knife, so everything felt unfamiliar and awkward.

Every time splinters (as Krom called them) got stuck in her hands, they remained without coming out, making her worry that customers might be displeased during future massages, but she didn’t stop.

She couldn’t stop.

To avoid becoming a burden, she had to do something.

To prove her usefulness, she had to do anything.

Even if Lavenda couldn’t escape the labyrinth and died or was abandoned, she hoped they would miss the absence of utensils along with the absence of the masseuse.

With the appearance of alchemist Count Randy, Lavenda’s recently begun proof of existence was in danger of disappearing.

However, it was revealed that due to the magic stones and money consumed in a single alchemy session, it was better to carve utensils directly.

Lavenda was happy to be able to carve utensils for Grey and the Count.

This time was the same.

Lavenda rummaged through the cart to make a new bowl to replace the prince’s hastily made one.

“Are you looking for something?”

The prince, who had received a terrible curse and couldn’t leave the lobby, approached Lavenda while wandering around the lobby after the assault team left.

The prince showed interest in the cart filled with toys and wooden sculptures.

The fact that drugs were hidden in Krom’s cart was a secret known only to the original party members.

Feeling burdened by the prince’s interest in the cart, Lavenda diverted his attention.

“I’m going to carve a new bowl with this.”

A suitably sized piece of wood happened to fall into her hand.

Lavenda took the wood piece and settled in a spot reasonably distant from the cart.

The prince followed her there.

“Did you make those utensils?”

“The well-crafted ones are Grandmother Krom’s work, and I made the rest.”

“Didn’t you say you were a masseuse? Carving will make your hands rough.”

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not. You should take care of your hands. Leave this kind of work to me from now on.”

Prince Willow smiled kindly as he took the wood piece and carving knife from Lavenda.

Though her belongings were stolen before her very eyes, how could a mere masseuse protest to an imperial prince?

Lavenda didn’t want to upset the high-ranking person, thinking she’d have to redo it later if the prince botched the job.

‘Why is he good at it?’

Prince Willow skillfully gripped the carving knife and quickly completed a bowl.

The surface was smoother and the thickness more uniform than what Lavenda had roughly carved.

“Hmm. It’s my first time carving a bowl, but it looks quite decent. What do you think?”

“Yes. You carved it very well.”

“You seem puzzled why a prince handles a carving knife well. The answer is simple. More than this knife.”

Prince Willow touched the sword at his waist.

“I prefer this blade.”

The prince waved the carving knife he was holding.

“Grandfather and Father scolded me saying it was a useless hobby, but I’ve found use for it here.”

Prince Willow hummed while polishing the completed bowl with sandpaper.

His sanding was also a hundred times more skilled than Lavenda’s.

“Don’t worry, I’ll fix the other utensils too. If there’s more to make, just tell me. I’ll handle this kind of work from now on.”

The prince took away Lavenda’s work with the same kind face he had when taking the carving knife.

Having had her knife stolen and work taken away before her eyes, Lavenda couldn’t leave the prince’s side and hesitated in place.

“Ah, right.”

Prince Willow looked at the hesitating masseuse and, as if remembering something, rummaged through his pocket and pulled out chocolate.

The prince was cursed and pitiful, so he should eat chocolate.

The chocolate Lavenda had won in the chocolate concession battle and given to the prince returned to Lavenda’s hands.

“This is a reward for your hard work.”

Since customers liked the masseuse’s hands to be warm, Lavenda’s hands, which she deliberately kept warm, had higher body temperature than others.

The chocolate’s surface melted on Lavenda’s hands.

“Eat it quickly before it melts.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

The work she couldn’t do well and that gave her minor injuries had disappeared, and she received precious chocolate too.

It was something to be grateful for, but somehow she felt strange.

Lavenda quickly put the chocolate in her mouth.

The surface-melted chocolate rapidly dissolved and crumbled in her mouth, but Lavenda couldn’t enjoy the chocolate’s taste.

Her mouth just felt bitter.

Lavenda stayed still until all the chocolate in her mouth melted, then pulled herself together.

‘This isn’t the time for this. There’s so much to do besides utensils.’

Fortunately, Prince Willow couldn’t leave the lobby.

So there was endless work for Lavenda to do.

As Lavenda was about to go to the herb garden, she heard a familiar voice.

“Gyaaaah!”

It was Olive’s voice, which had become familiar from her frequent advances on Lavenda when bored.

‘That was fast.’

Since the Princess and assault team said they were just going to check the atmosphere of the 6th floor, she knew they’d return today.

But perhaps because the previous conquest took 9 whole days, she was very glad the assault team returned early.

“Lady Serena has returned.”

Philia was also happy about her master’s return and walked lightly toward the door. Then she was startled.

“Ugh, what is this smell?”

When the door opened, a stench unlike anything she’d smelled in her life wafted out.

It was a terrible stench like rotten vomit left to decay in sweltering summer mixed with sewer smell.

“Please open the door!”

Lavenda reflexively tried to lock the door but heard Ralph’s voice and opened it wide.

“Ugh! Everyone stand back! Please remove the hot spring partition too!”

“Everyone cover your noses!”

Lavenda opened the door wide, while Prince Willow and Grey removed the partition around the hot spring.

Philia was so shocked by the unprecedented stench that she sat down with tears welling up.

Along with the increasingly intense stench, the assault team entered the lobby.

The remaining party covered their noses and was shocked to see what the assault team had dragged in.

The assault team had dragged in a crocodile corpse so huge that even a well-built adult could be swallowed in two bites!

“Move aside, move aside!”

The assault team went straight to the hot spring dragging the crocodile without a word of greeting about their return.

Splash!

Olive was the first to jump into the hot spring.

Splash! Splash!

The Princess and alchemist also entered the hot spring without even undressing, like the guide.

“How about this?”

Ralph, who had been central in dragging the crocodile, asked in a nasal voice.

“Just put the crocodile in here too!”

“Yes!”

Ralph pushed the crocodile, which was 5 meters long from snout to tail, straight into the hot spring.

When the crocodile entered the hot spring, the water overflowed around it and then disappeared instantly.

If it hadn’t been the dream hot spring, there would have been a flood around the area.

The people who entered the hot spring first rolled up the crocodile corpse in a circle and surrounded it, splashing hot spring water while scrubbing the corpse vigorously.

Ralph and Ying also caught their breath, then entered the hot spring to scrub the crocodile corpse.

The remaining party watched with blank expressions as the crocodile corpse and the assault team scrubbing the corpse.

“The crocodile is huge, aunt!”

“Indeed. Ugh, the smell.”

“Madam! Please step back as filth might splash!”

“There’s a lot of dirty stuff where the crocodile was dragged too. I’ll clean it quickly.”

Lavenda hurriedly drew water in a bucket and wiped the lobby floor.

Even after pouring water and wiping, the filth wouldn’t come off easily, so she was about to put strength into scrubbing vigorously.

“I’ll help too. Where are the remaining rags?”

Prince Willow appeared again with a gentle voice.

“No, Your Highness. How could I give Your Highness a rag?”

What prince would do rag work.

Lavenda pointed to other tasks to chase the prince away.

“How about helping with scrubbing the crocodile?”

“I already said that, but the people with wet bodies said they’d do it and chased me away. Fortunately, it seems there’s something left here for me to help with.”

‘Staying still would be helping. Why don’t high-ranking people understand this.’

Prince Willow actually found a rag and crouched down like Lavenda.

“Should I do it like this?”

“No. You should fold the rag twice and change the wiping surface as you clean.”

“Ah, like this! Thank you.”

Lavenda gave a customer service smile to the prince who was laughing and pleased over nothing special, and deliberately turned her body to wipe the floor.

Her stomach churned as she had skipped breakfast along with the assault team who didn’t eat their morning meal.

‘Calm down, Lavenda. His Highness wouldn’t really do rag work. This time the smell is too severe, so he came forward to clean it quickly.’

Lavenda moved her hands quickly to settle her stomach.

Similarly, the assault team also put strength in their arms and scrubbed the crocodile.

“But is this right? Won’t the hot water damage the leather? Huh?”

“It’s better than the smell.”

“I also hate smelly leather.”

“Even after splashing water with magic, it’s very dirty.”

“…Ugh.”

Philia’s body swayed as she watched Serena and Count Randy from a spot slightly away from the hot spring.

“Hic, I can’t breathe…”

“I’ll support you!”

Lavenda supported Countess Randy who was complaining of breathing difficulties and hurriedly went outside the lobby.

Of course, outside the lobby also had traces left by the assault team, so the two had to flee far to the herb garden.

***

A round of bathing, laundry, and crocodile washing was finished.

The assault team changed out of their soaking wet clothes and hung the wet clothes near the campfire to dry.

Even after changing clothes, they kept sniffing.

They were worried whether the stench of the 6th floor had permeated their bodies.

“I think I know why the Labyrinth God gave us the hot spring.”

The guide spoke loudly as if she had realized something tremendous.

“Did you understand the god’s will?”

When the young knight asked the question as intended, Olive nodded exaggeratedly.

“Yes! I figured it out! The reason the Labyrinth God gave us the hot spring is!”

“What’s the reason?”

“It was to warn us about the 6th floor! There was a deep meaning that there’s a damn dirty floor in this labyrinth, so wash well!”

Olive wiped her dry eyes without a single tear and acted like she was sniffling.

“Look even now, sniff! If there hadn’t been a hot spring! What would we have been like? Huh?”

What would they have been like. Isn’t it obvious.

They would have relied on the spring water from the herb garden or fountain water, and poor-quality soap to wash their stinking bodies and clothes, and been frustrated that it wouldn’t wash well and the smell wouldn’t go away.

‘Just imagining it is so terrible I don’t want to imagine it.’

Serena didn’t hide her bitter expression and showed it completely.

Others were similar.

“Labyrinth God! Thank you so much for giving us the hot spring!”

Olive put her hands together and expressed gratitude to the statue.

Ralph also bowed his head deeply.

‘It was an impulse purchase. But it was a good choice. Hygiene is indeed important.’

Serena closed her eyes with a satisfied heart and enjoyed the scalp massage Lavenda was giving her.

The grip felt weaker than usual, but she figured her condition must be poor and let it pass.

“So. You want to make shoes for the assault team and armor for Knight Hanson with this crocodile leather?”

“Yes, that’s right- no! Ahem! Grey! Don’t play tricks on adults.”

“Ah, sorry. Grandfather always says that to uncle, so I guess I unconsciously copied it!”

Most people had caught on, but Grey seemed to intend to continue his act.

‘Everyone except Ralph and Philia seems to have noticed. Lavenda also seems convinced he’s some high-ranking person, though she doesn’t know what.’

Serena was curious about the source of Grey’s confidence that he thought he hadn’t been caught.

‘Well, it’s convenient for me to deal with him this way.’

Regardless of Grey’s baseless confidence, the conversation between the alchemist and Grey continued.

“I want to grant waterproof and purification effects to the shoes and armor, is that possible?”

“The leather quality is poor. It won’t withstand two magics and will burst.”

“You can only grant one? We need both waterproof and purification.”

“Then how about granting only waterproof to the armor and shoes, and separately making accessories or talismans to grant purification magic to those?”

“Can you do the magic enchantment?”

“That’s the problem.”

The two most intelligent people in the lobby came to a conclusion after earnest consultation.

Count Randy reported the results to Serena.

“We’ll grant only waterproof magic to the shoes, and make accessories to separately grant purification magic. Since accessories have risks of destruction and loss, Lady Serena will need to learn purification magic. Is that possible?”

Purification was 2nd tier magic. Since she already knew the theory, she was confident she could learn it immediately just by performing the ritual.

When Serena nodded, Count Randy’s words continued.

“And… I’m sorry to say this, but Count Randy and Grey lack the mana to perform magic enchantment. We’d like to ask Lady Serena, but the problem is…”

“Don’t beat around the bush and speak quickly.”

“Enchantment magic is extremely difficult. It’s almost in the realm of talent. Grey will draw the magic circuits so that should be fine, but there’s a possibility of destroying all the equipment we’ve prepared, ugh!”

Grey jabbed Count Randy’s side with his elbow.

“Her Highness the Princess can obviously do it, so what are you talking about? Uncle is disrespecting Her Highness. Right?”

“No. I’ve also heard many times that enchantment magic is difficult.”

“That’s not it, Your Highness. I believe Your Highness can do it.”

“I heard it’s close to the realm of talent like the alchemist said. If it doesn’t work, it can’t be helped, can it.”

“What are you saying, Your Highness.”

Grey smiled brightly. It wasn’t his usual disgusting act, but a smile full of joy and anticipation for the future.

“If it doesn’t work, we have to make it work.”

The arrogance of a genius who had never experienced failure through effort in life.

While Serena felt the approaching future was ominous, she also envied the arrogant genius a little.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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