Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 130

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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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130. The Newcomer Adventurer Who Appeared Like a Comet (2)

“That’s all the Empire knows.”

Grey, who had been keeping a low posture, straightened his back and waist to meet Serena’s gaze.

“We have many questions we’d like to ask Your Highness. How much does Huji know about Duke Oren?”

When Richard returned to Huji six years ago, Serena was twelve years old.

Unbelievably, those who know the current Princess.

Twelve-year-old Serena was a diligent, clever, proactive, and lively girl.

‘She had a severe case of protagonist syndrome.’

Magic was fun and everyone around her praised her talent.

Her mother’s mental illness gradually improved after her younger brother was born, and she realized it was easier to pretend her father didn’t exist.

Her grandfather was slowly emerging from the grief of his family’s massacre, realizing he had neglected his young grandchildren too much, and tried to show interest in the grandson who would inherit the throne.

She was dealing with troublesome nobles and enjoying her growing influence and power, nurturing dreams of adventuring through an exciting fantasy world.

Then Richard returned.

The girl’s dreams that had been growing day by day burst and disappeared with the return of her cousin who had orange eyes like hers.

“Richard is.”

Serena couldn’t continue her words and squeezed her eyes shut.

The image of Crown Princess Melang screaming that the orange-eyed monster would kill her dominated the Princess’s mind.

Philia, who knew the situation best, placed her hand on her master’s.

Drawing strength from that warmth, Serena drove the purple-haired noblewoman from her thoughts.

“After the tragedy of Huji, regarding where Duke Oren was and what he did. We know nothing about that either.”

“Didn’t you investigate even to verify his identity?”

“Duke Oren was born with the orange eyes that rarely appear in House Huaim. He also possessed the treasured sword that House Huaim has passed down only to heirs for generations.”

Of course, cautious nobles claimed they couldn’t believe that the one-eyed young man who suddenly appeared was the Crown Prince.

But the King, who day and night only mourned the family he lost in the mountains, dismissed such opinions.

Serena clearly remembers the day Richard returned to Hujihen.

For once, her mother was in good condition, and she was peacefully having tea with her younger brother.

Crown Princess Melang praised the dessert her daughter had devised, and Crown Prince Seraph regretted his father’s absence while smiling happily to be with his beloved mother and sister.

Into that peaceful space came a pale-faced servant running.

His Highness the Crown Prince has returned!

The Crown Prince of Huji was sitting here drinking tea, so who was the servant talking about?

Serena was pushed by the adults to the castle gate before she could even think of her dead relatives.

There stood a tall young man, and her grandfather, who had arrived first upon hearing the news, was embracing the young man and crying.

Only then did Serena recall the existence of the dead relative she had only known through portraits.

And the fact that the relative who had returned alive happened to be a successor to the throne who could threaten her father and brother’s positions.

But the returned relative looked indifferently at the surrounding commotion and the King’s tears.

He kept his single orange eye fixed on Serena and greeted her in an affectionate voice.

‘Hello, Serena.’

The young man stroked Serena’s head with what seemed like pity.

‘Orange eyes, I see. How unfortunate.’

Yes. The moment Richard first saw Serena, he pitied the fact that his cousin had orange eyes.

‘I had forgotten about it with all the incidents and accidents that followed.’

The rightful heir of Huji has returned, so let’s drive out the drug-addicted Crown Prince!

The Duke Oren faction sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain.

It wasn’t wrong, but Serena at the time didn’t want to give the throne to her returned cousin.

It was during her severe protagonist syndrome phase.

‘Father obviously shouldn’t become king, but Seraph is still fine. I can’t let the throne be stolen like this.’

At the time, Serena still had the innocence to believe in her brother’s potential.

Even though she had been reincarnated, she was a twelve-year-old girl experiencing being an older sister for the first time.

Later she would beat the ground in regret upon learning her brother was worthless trash, but anyway, Serena at the time moved busily for her brother’s sake.

So she failed to notice Crown Princess Melang’s condition gradually worsening.

Witnessing her mother’s suicide by jumping, she overcame her protagonist syndrome and became the current Serena.

‘I should have continued learning magic.’

Even if Serena had a voice, she was still just a twelve-year-old child.

Even if she had suggested investigating the cousin the King acknowledged, no one would have listened.

Instead of regretting something that would have been ineffective anyway, Serena regretted not doing what she could have done.

“Even with the royal symbol and treasured sword, you didn’t investigate a young man who suddenly appeared claiming to be royalty?”

Grey raised his voice in disbelief. Serena slowly nodded.

“His Majesty the King declared upon seeing him that he was definitely his grandson. Some nobles secretly investigated afterward, but they only earned His Majesty’s wrath and stopped.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince’s close associates did the same?”

“Don’t you know? His Highness the Crown Prince wasn’t in a state to give orders. Rather, he was delighted that his nephew had returned alive.”

Surprisingly, Crown Prince Kipan, despite being a drug addict, had an affectionate and kind personality.

He completely forgot about politics and purely welcomed his nephew’s survival.

“If His Highness the Crown Prince wouldn’t move, then at least Her Highness the Crown Princess. Ah.”

Grey, who had been looking down on the drug-addicted Crown Prince Kipan and searching for someone else, closed his mouth.

When one parent has problems, at least the other should be normal.

But Princess Serena had both parents in seriously bad condition.

“Yes. Mother’s condition worsened after Richard returned, and she passed away.”

One couldn’t blame a young child who had lost her mother for not investigating a relative.

It would also be wrong to question an old man who had lost all his relatives except his disappointing youngest son and daughter-in-law about why he didn’t suspect his miraculously returned grandson.

Emotions he hadn’t felt when reading the House Huaim information organized in documents as a precocious child now overwhelmed him.

“I apologize.”

Grey politely offered his apologies and condolences before stepping back.

Grey signaled to the Prince that they should leave since there was no more information to extract.

Instead of retreating, Prince Willow stepped forward in front of Serena.

“Does the Prince also have something to say?”

“Since the topic came up, I’d like to speak honestly.”

Prince Willow smiled awkwardly.

“Before the earthquake, I was having a private meeting with Duke Oren.”

“Wasn’t that appointment canceled?”

“I thought so, but I happened to meet him while strolling alone through the royal palace.”

“I!”

Grey raised his hand high.

“Told you not to go around alone! Especially! In a foreign country!”

Smack, smack!

The child’s hand fiercely struck the Prince’s back.

Prince Willow writhed like a squid on a grill, trying to soothe the struck area.

“Ah! Ow! I was wrong! Sorry!”

It was quite a funny sight, but Serena wasn’t fooled and spoke sternly.

“Grey. Don’t think you can smooth this over with clownish laughter, and let the Prince continue speaking.”

“Haha. It’s not like that, Your Highness. I was just worried that His Highness Willow went around alone.”

It was a good attempt, but the Princess was cold.

She truly lived up to being someone who had survived on her own in a chaotic royal palace and established royal authority.

While Grey’s evaluation of Serena rose even higher, Prince Willow diligently rubbed his struck area.

“I had been trying to secretly arrange a meeting about the newcomer adventurer, but it kept falling through. Just when an appointment was finally set, it would be canceled at the last minute repeatedly. This time too, when the appointment was canceled at the last minute, I shook off my guards and tried to stroll through the royal palace alone.”

Whoosh. Grey’s hand struck the air as if to say ‘just wait until this conversation is over.’

Prince Willow glanced at his attendant and sidled away.

“By chance. It wasn’t intentional. Really by chance. I happened to encounter Duke Oren by chance. Duke Oren didn’t remember me, but after hearing his servant’s explanation, he surprisingly readily offered tea. I think the explanation that I was a candidate for Princess Serena’s fiancé was more effective than my status as the Empire’s Fifth Prince.”

Most of the conversation that followed was mundane.

Prince Willow subtly brought up the labyrinth, but each time, Duke Oren ignored the Prince’s words.

“He was very interested in the Empire’s marriage culture, my romantic history, and the titles and territories I would receive if I married. He asked if I had any intention of taking Princess Serena’s surname, and whether I was willing to reside in Husi rather than the Empire. It was literally a conversation where he was observing the man who would marry his sister.”

Prince Willow furrowed his brow.

“Suddenly he cut off the conversation and stormed out of his seat. As he left, I could hear him immediately calling for Princess Serena.”

“For me?”

“Yes. I didn’t understand what was happening and chased after the Duke, but I wasn’t familiar with the Heuji Royal Palace and lost him. I was about to resume my walk when suddenly the palace became chaotic and I discovered people gathering.”

Prince Willow swallowed dryly with a tense expression, as if the emotions he felt at that time were still vivid.

“It was Crown Prince Kipan and his escort knights.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince?”

Serena was slightly startled by the appearance of her father, whom she had completely forgotten about.

“The Heuji Royal Knights were escorting His Highness the Crown Prince. The knights spotted me and said it was dangerous, suggesting we evacuate together.”

The prince’s blue-gray eyes trembled.

“The ground shook. What happened after that is as Princess Serena knows.”

They fell into the labyrinth and were nearly turned into fertilizer after being deceived by the dryads.

The prince, having revealed his hidden secret, let out a sigh.

“He probably committed that heinous treason shortly after parting with me. He didn’t seem like someone who would commit such a terrible crime, but that’s due to my lack of experience and insight.”

Perhaps not wanting to end on a negative note, the prince also said something positive.

“His Highness the Crown Prince appeared to be safe. Since people who are close together when swallowed by the labyrinth seem to fall together, the knights will risk their lives to protect His Highness the Crown Prince.”

While Prince Willow meant it as good news, from Serena’s perspective, it was completely unwelcome information.

Setting aside the fact that most of the knights were Duke Oren’s supporters.

‘Father is someone who’s better off absent.’

Since the murderer (Richard), victim (Grandfather), and witness (Seraph) had all been revealed, she could deduce that her father was also alive, but she had no curiosity about his life or death and kept forgetting about him.

‘It’s true that people who are close together when swallowed by the labyrinth fall on the same floor.’

That’s why Serena had awakened on the 1st Floor, 1st Layer together with the Alchemist, the servant disguised as a guard, and the maid, while Seraph had awakened on the 3rd Layer with the priests.

When Prince Willow was dealing with the dryads, her worry that someone else might be buried there wasn’t unfounded.

The Crown Prince had been nearby just before being swallowed by the labyrinth.

‘Then perhaps?’

Serena made a serious expression.

‘Is Father also on the 5th Floor?’

It seemed Serena wasn’t the only one who had this thought, but fortunately, no one suggested going to the 5th Floor to rescue Crown Prince Kipan.

‘A drug addict would only be a hindrance.’

Moreover, since Harold II had died, Crown Prince Kipan was now the King of Husi.

His unnecessarily noble status made it impossible to subdue him by force, making him difficult to handle.

“Don’t tell Sir Ralph.”

Serena ordered them to hide this fact from Ralph, the only person who would argue they should go rescue the Crown Prince.

Fortunately, Ralph was away at the moment.

Whether they knew Crown Prince Kipan or not, everyone nodded enthusiastically.

Not a single person blamed the princess for turning her back on her blood relative.

If anyone had questioned how she could do such a thing to family, Serena would have had plenty to say.

‘Then don’t do drugs.’

How telling was it that in her false memories of losing her orange eyes as an offering to the gods, it was because her drug-addicted father had beaten her.

From Prince Willow’s words, there was one more fact she learned besides the Crown Prince’s whereabouts.

This time too, Serena wasn’t the only one who noticed this fact.

“This might be an excessive thought.”

Count Randy began with a serious expression.

“Could it be that Duke Oren knew the labyrinth would be created?”

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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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