Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 120

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

120. Fried Eggs (2)

After the meal ended, Lavenda quickly gathered the dishes.

“I’ll go wash the dishes.”

“Leave the dishwashing to me too. I can wash dishes at the fountain.”

When Prince Willow offered to do the dishwashing himself, Lavenda quickly shook her head.

“Then the lobby will smell like food. I’ll go wash the dishes at the herb garden.”

“I’ll help you.”

Ralph tried to take some of the dishes Lavenda was holding.

Lavenda declined Ralph’s offer as well.

“Sir Ralph, you’re tired. Please rest here.”

“It’s dangerous to go alone.”

The assault team was excluded since they were tired, and Philia was sticking close to her master’s side with no intention of leaving.

Count Randy had entered the final stage of purified water production and couldn’t leave the workshop, while Grey was playing with the chicken golem.

‘He’s quite a strange young master, but I can’t interfere with him playing with his toy.’

On this point, Lavenda and Ralph’s thoughts were in agreement.

Since Prince Willow couldn’t leave the lobby due to the curse, in the end, Ralph was the only one who could accompany Lavenda to the herb garden.

“I’m sorry you have to do this when you must be tired. I’ll do the dishwashing, so please just come with me.”

“I’m fine. I’ll carry them. And please speak comfortably.”

“How could I speak casually to a knight?”

Though she couldn’t speak casually due to their difference in status, Lavenda’s attitude toward Ralph was affectionate.

The mysterious stranger and the young knight left the lobby while chatting quietly.

Prince Willow stared blankly at their retreating figures and muttered.

“Those two get along well.”

“They’ve been companions since falling into the labyrinth, and Sir Hanson was originally a commoner and a squire, so he’d be easy to approach.”

Grey replied while examining the golem chicken here and there.

The golem chicken seemed annoyed by the child’s touch and used its strength to escape from Grey’s grasp.

The golem chicken that landed on the lobby floor made clucking sounds while looking around here and there.

Then it went outside the lobby.

“Ah! The chicken came out, is that okay?”

Ralph, who hadn’t gone far yet, was startled when he discovered the chicken that had followed them.

“It seems to be following chicken instincts, so try taking it to the herb garden!”

Cluck cluck cluck. Whether the chicken golem liked Lavenda or wanted to peck at her skirt, it followed behind Lavenda.

Lavenda arrived at the herb garden while being careful not to step on the small golem moving around at her feet.

Cluck.

Whether the chicken golem liked the herb garden, it immediately began walking among the herbs and weeds.

Ralph checked where he had planted fruit seeds and was disappointed.

“It’s been over ten days but not a single sprout has emerged.”

“We have plenty of food, so don’t worry too much.”

Ralph planted new watermelon seeds he had collected after eating them for dessert.

The chicken golem that had been walking around the herb garden shook its head as it approached and completely ate the seeds Ralph had planted.

“The golem ate the seeds!”

“Is it okay for it to eat them?”

“I don’t know either!”

Following the fruit seeds, the chicken golem also began wildly plucking and eating the leaves in the herb garden.

It even tried to put its beak to the magical sapling that Philia was carefully nurturing.

“Ah! That’s the tree the Countess is growing!”

“Hey! You can’t eat that!”

Ralph was startled and picked up the chicken golem.

Cluck!

The chicken golem seemed angry at having its meal interrupted and flapped its wings while pecking at Ralph’s hand.

“Agh! It stings! Don’t pinch! Don’t peck!”

Peck! Peck!

Lavenda couldn’t help but burst into laughter watching Ralph being helplessly attacked by the chicken golem.

She had been feeling hurt after having her work taken away by Prince Willow again.

The sight of the young knight who could defeat monsters dozens of times larger and scarier than the chicken golem with a single strike, yet struggling desperately against the small chicken golem, was both funny and cute.

Right now, it was peaceful enough to forget they were in a labyrinth.

***

“Golems eat food?”

Grey was shocked after hearing Ralph and Lavenda’s report.

Serena was equally surprised.

‘A golem eating food?’

What are the advantages of golems?

Isn’t it their resource efficiency – operating semi-permanently by absorbing and charging ambient magical power without consuming additional resources beyond the magic stones used in their creation?

And such a golem was eating fruit seeds and grazing on grass?

If there had been insects in the herb garden, it looked ready to consume protein too.

“Yes. It ate all sorts of things, will it be okay?”

“Will it break down?”

Ralph and Lavenda, who had no knowledge about golems, looked worriedly at the chicken golem as if it were a real chicken.

Whether the chicken golem knew their feelings or not, it was nestled in Lavenda’s arms, dozing off.

“Golems don’t have self-destruction functions so it should be fine, but… eating food…”

Grey’s expression became serious at this phenomenon he couldn’t understand with his knowledge.

“A golem that eats food and sleeps. At this rate, will it even defecate?”

Olive pointed at the chicken golem dozing in Lavenda’s arms and gritted her teeth.

“To think such trash came out of a brilliant treasure box. How frustrating and infuriating!”

“If it really does excrete, it’s a golem that could advance current golem manufacturing technology by several levels, so its value would be high. It’s a precious reward I can’t believe came from the 15th floor.”

Though Grey valued the chicken golem highly, Olive’s reaction was lukewarm.

“So what? It’s just a machine that eats, sleeps, and defecates.”

“Originally, machines that defecate are expensive.”

Serena thought of the defecating machines from her previous life and spoke.

Even the excrement those machines produced was expensive.

“As expected, Your Highness knows things!”

“I don’t know much about golems, but I’m glad it won’t break down.”

Lavenda stroked the chicken golem that was dozing in her arms.

‘Animal therapy. No, golem therapy?’

Either way, if the chicken golem brought peace of mind to Lavenda, it was a good thing.

Serena felt pleased watching the mysterious stranger smile while holding the cute chicken, but frowned when she saw the prince smiling just as contentedly.

‘Why is he grinning like that? Does he like chickens?’

He must be bored being trapped in the lobby, so he’d be happy to have a cute chicken added.

Serena lay down to sleep, hoping that everyone in the lobby would survive and escape the labyrinth.

***

Cluck.

Cluck cluck.

Cluck cluck cluck.

In the early dawn before daybreak had come to the lobby.

In the lobby where everyone was asleep, there was an inanimate object stretching its neck.

Cluck cluck cluck-.

Like an airplane picking up speed for takeoff, the Chicken Golem gradually raised its voice and finally let out a cry.

Cock-a-doodle-doo-!

“What! What! Is it a monster? An attack?”

“Retainer Ralph Hanson! Ready for duty, sir!”

Cock-a-doodle-doo! Ooo-ooo-ook! Cluck-ooo-ook! Squawk-squawk-squaaawk!

People jumped up in surprise at the Chicken Golem’s cries that weren’t just 3-note high pitches, but 4-note and 5-note high pitches.

They tried to locate the source of the sound with bleary eyes, then felt deflated when they saw the Chicken Golem perched atop the fountain, crowing vigorously.

“Ugh, so noisy. Wring that chicken’s neck and bring it for breakfast.”

Philia muttered while burying her face in Serena’s chest.

Serena pushed away the clinging maid and sat up.

Cluck-ooo-ook!

“You crazy chicken! It’s not even 5 o’clock yet! I should just wring your neck!”

The Guide, who had the most sensitive hearing and woke up first, protested angrily.

But it was like preaching to deaf ears, or rather, protesting to chicken ears.

The Chicken Golem spread its wings and loudly announced the sunrise.

Cock-a-doodle-doo-ook!

“It eats, sleeps, and now even crows in the morning? It does everything! Did it poop somewhere too?”

Olive hurriedly checked her blanket and surroundings.

Count Randy handed a pillow to his wife who was searching for the departed Princess while expressing his confusion.

“Strange. It looks like a hen but crows like a rooster.”

“Mark. It’s noisy, so do something about it.”

Grey covered his ears with a pillow and ordered the Count.

“I’ll take a look.”

Lavenda rubbed her sleepy eyes, got up, and approached the Chicken Golem crowing atop the fountain.

When a person approached, the Chicken Golem hopped and flew toward the tomb.

Lavenda, who had turned to chase after the Chicken Golem, suddenly stopped in surprise.

“Oh!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Did the chicken peck you?”

“Everyone!”

Lavenda bent down and picked something up.

The Mysterious Stranger announced to everyone with an excited voice.

“The chicken laid an egg!”

“A golem laid an egg?”

At this unbelievable story, Grey, who had been talking in his sleep, jumped up.

Serena also rubbed her bleary eyes and looked at the oval object Lavenda held high.

The round object reflected in the light of the eternal campfire glowed red and gold, perhaps because it was reflecting the fire.

“Doesn’t that look kind of shiny and sparkly? Huh?”

The Guide wasn’t confident in what he saw and asked for others’ opinions.

It was dark dawn before the sun had fully risen.

In this darkness, only Serena and Ying could see objects perfectly.

At least to Serena’s eyes, the egg appeared unusually smooth and lustrous.

Ying spoke with more confidence than Serena.

“It’s shiny.”

“Let me see.”

The Alchemist stepped forward and took the egg.

He examined the egg from all angles, then spoke with a trembling voice.

“This is!”

“What is it! Huh!”

“This is gold! The chicken laid a golden egg!”

At these unbelievable words, everyone except Philia jumped up and gathered around the Count.

“Is that really true, Mark? You’re not mistaken?”

“Lord Willow! As someone who serves gold as my master, how could I mistake gold for another material! This is definitely gold!”

“Crazy! Crazy! Crazy! Me! I want to see too!”

“Mark! Uncle! Let me see first!”

“After Grey, it’s my turn, Mark!”

“I’m curious too! I want to see it quickly!”

At the mention of a golden egg, the party forgot their status and dignity, clamoring to see it first.

Even the imperial and royal family members, who had never lacked gold in their lives, were the same.

‘This is the magic of gold.’

“Ugh, so noisy.”

Only Heuji Jeolmi proved the saying that beautiful women are sleepyheads by focusing on sleep rather than gold.

Serena patted Philia, telling her she could sleep more, then stood up.

“Everyone calm down.”

When the Princess stepped forward, those captivated by gold’s magic calmed down a little.

As Serena approached Count Randy, the siege surrounding the Count broke.

The Princess confidently extended her hand.

“I’ll see it first.”

At Princess Serena Fackling Huaim’s request, Count Mark Landriole respectfully offered the golden egg.

“Let’s see.”

Though she could see well in the darkness, Serena lit a lantern to illuminate the golden egg so others could see it well too.

When the lantern was lit, the smooth metallic surface and golden color of the golden egg were clearly revealed.

Serena raised her eyebrows.

Though she had lived a previous life without ever receiving even a stone ring, when she appraised it with eyes that had grown up surrounded by gold, silver, and jewels after reincarnation.

‘It’s real gold.’

As Count Randy said, it was a real golden egg.

To see in reality a chicken that lays golden eggs, which she had only encountered in stories?

Of course, the protagonist in the story Serena knew was a goose, but whether chicken or goose, the fact that it laid golden eggs was mysterious and amazing beyond compare.

“Really amazing.”

“Princess. If you’re done looking, quickly pass it to the next person. Huh! I called dibs first!”

“Your Highness, please give it to me first!”

The Guide, blinded by gold, urged her to quickly pass it to the next person if she was done looking.

‘If I give it to Olive, she’ll probably put it in her pocket and not take it out.’

“Your turn is last.”

“What? Why?”

“Instead, look at it to your heart’s content, for a long, long time.”

“Damn.”

Serena handed the golden egg to Grey.

While handing over the egg, she felt something was off and examined it again.

“Your Highness! Giving and then taking back is the worst!”

“No, it’s not that. Something seems strange.”

“Do you sense magic?”

“It’s not that kind of thing…”

As mentioned before, Serena had reincarnated and grown up surrounded by gold, silver, and jewels.

A sense of unease that the previous life’s Serena would never have felt.

Princess Serena realized while caressing the golden egg.

“Isn’t this too light?”

At the Princess’s question, silence fell once again.

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