Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 138

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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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138. Pigeon

 

The walls, floor, and ceiling of the sewers had codes written everywhere that revealed the conditions for conquering the labyrinth and unsealing doors, but since the location was what it was, they couldn’t find several of them, and naturally couldn’t interpret them either.

 

They didn’t even bother copying them down, worried that taking out precious paper would get it wet.

 

Couldn’t the Princess just quickly open it for them?

 

‘How annoying~ Those high and mighty people always have to make things complicated when they could do them quickly.’

 

The Guide had these impudent thoughts while formally placing her hand on the sealed treasure chest.

 

Naturally, it didn’t open.

 

Ralph, who tried after Olive, also failed. Count Randy and Ying failed in succession, so it became Serena’s turn.

 

“I believe in you, Princess!”

 

Olive shot sparkling eyes at Serena, as if she had never had such impertinent thoughts.

 

Serena’s mood became uncomfortable.

 

“How many times must I tell you? There’s no guarantee I can open it.”

 

“But it opened, didn’t it?”

 

“I mean don’t blindly trust that I can open it.”

 

“Yes! I understand!”

 

‘She’s not paying attention.’

 

Should she pretend she can’t open it next time a sealed door appears?

 

Serena opened the unsealed magic-grade treasure chest with complicated feelings.

 

Since it had been sealed by the mysterious power of the labyrinth itself, she had slight expectations that very good rewards would come out.

 

The others seemed to feel the same way, as Ralph raised his head and Olive stood on her tiptoes to look into the chest from behind the Princess.

 

The reward from the sealed magic-grade treasure chest was very small.

 

It was so small that the Princess had to bend her waist to take out the reward.

 

“A feather?”

 

The sealed magic-grade treasure chest contained just one beautiful blue bird’s wing feather.

 

Of course, the color was very vivid and beautiful, with a lustrous sheen flowing through it, seeming like no ordinary object.

 

When Serena picked up the feather, Olive’s eyes widened.

 

“Pigeon!”

 

The Guide, who always walked the fine line of rudeness, had clearly crossed it this time.

 

She had never stolen anything someone else was holding even when calling dibs, but this time she actually reached out her hand.

 

The moment Serena was caught off guard and about to have the feather stolen.

 

“This won’t do! Get a grip, Olive! The Princess’s favorability will drop!”

 

The Guide miraculously regained her reason and withdrew the hand she had extended toward the Princess, slapping her own cheek.

 

Smack!

 

Ying, who had extended her black bandage-wrapped hand at similar speed to Olive’s to protect the Princess and feather from the thief’s grasp, withdrew her hand.

 

The Knight and Alchemist, who couldn’t keep up with the Labyrinth Explorer’s reaction speed, protected the Princess for now.

 

Count Randy advised the Princess.

 

“From now on, it would be better to keep Olive at a distance when opening treasure chests.”

 

Though it was a quiet voice, Olive, who heard everything with her keen hearing, protested.

 

“Why! I stopped! I even reflected on it!”

 

Ralph spoke as if somewhat dumbfounded.

 

“I understand that, but what happened before was too… It seemed like you were reflexively trying to steal without even thinking about stealing.”

 

She had said she would prove that while there may be no inherent seed of kings and nobles, there is a seed of thieves.

 

She had tried to take the feather so skillfully that it made one suspect there really was a separate seed of thieves.

 

“But I stopped! Praise me for that!”

 

“I’ll take into consideration that you stopped midway.”

 

Serena observed the feather while listening to the Guide complain to the party.

 

It was an object that Olive had instinctively tried to claim ownership of.

 

‘That means it’s a valuable object.’

 

Serena rolled the blue feather between her fingers.

 

Olive had shouted “pigeon” as soon as she saw the feather, but.

 

‘It doesn’t look like a pigeon feather though.’

 

Ying told Serena the name of the feather as she observed it.

 

“Bluebird’s Wing.”

 

“Who talks that long? It’s just a pigeon.”

 

Wing feather shape. The official name “wing” and the industry term “pigeon” used for convenience.

 

Added to that, the Guide who instinctively coveted it upon sight and the Archer who reacted at similar speed.

 

Serena combined the information to deduce the identity of the reward.

 

“Could this be an escape magic tool?”

 

At the Princess’s deduction, not only the Count and Knight but even the Guide’s eyes filled with shock.

 

Only the Archer quietly raised the corner of her mouth.

 

“Princess, how did you know? Have you seen one before? That can’t be possible, right?”

 

“Ah! Could this be that Bluebird’s Wing? I thought it would be wing-shaped, not feather-shaped! Lady Serena, how did you know?”

 

“An escape magic tool came out? Really? Can we leave the labyrinth now?”

 

Questions poured from the party members to the Princess who had brilliantly figured out the answer.

 

Serena raised her hand to calm the party and handled the questions she could answer first.

 

“It’s logical deduction. Olive, it’s a reward precious enough to make your eyes roll back when you saw it, and it’s something Labyrinth Explorers call a pigeon. What is a pigeon’s characteristic? The homing instinct that allows it to be used as a carrier pigeon. Therefore, it’s possible to deduce that it’s a magic tool that can move within the labyrinth or move outside the labyrinth.”

 

She explained it in such an impressive way, but the real hint came from her previous life.

 

‘In the original game, dungeon escape tools being wing or feather-shaped was traditional.’

 

The assault team, who had no way of knowing this fact, praised the Princess’s wisdom in unison.

 

The Guide was particularly impressed.

 

“Wow, Princess. You’re really learned.”

 

This time it wasn’t her usual sarcastic tone. She seemed genuinely amazed.

 

“As the Princess said, it’s an escape magic tool.”

 

“Can we leave the labyrinth?”

 

“Wait! Listen to the explanation until the end!”

 

Olive shared detailed information about the feather with the party.

 

“That’s called a pigeon.”

 

“Bluebird’s Wing.”

 

“High and mighty people and stuffy folks call it that sometimes, but usually it’s called pigeon or dove. Some people call it a feather too.”

 

Olive said she preferred “pigeon” because it sounded cute.

 

“Escape magic tools are said to come out at an extremely low probability from magic-grade treasure chests only after passing at least the 50th floor, right? Pigeons come out relatively often, so they’re quite famous escape magic tools among Labyrinth Explorers. Famous Labyrinth Explorers like me and Zero would have obtained one at least once.”

 

When Olive pointed to the Archer, Ying nodded as if agreeing.

 

“It’s perfect to use when in danger, so when they come out as rewards, people fight over who gets them and it’s chaos. Parties have broken up over pigeons, and there have been several murder cases too. That’s why my hand automatically… Hehe.”

 

Since Olive was making lame excuses, Serena listened with one ear and let it go out the other.

 

What was important now wasn’t the Guide’s excuses, was it?

 

Serena’s mind was completely filled with one thing.

 

‘Labyrinth escape!’

 

“Then can we leave the labyrinth now?”

 

The reward for wandering through the filthy sewers was a labyrinth escape magic tool!

 

Was a bright day finally coming to Serena’s labyrinth life?

 

The Princess’s heart beat vigorously with hope and anticipation for the beautiful future to come.

 

“Well~ that’s~”

 

Her heart, which had been beating with anticipation and hope, changed its tune to anxiety and tension as the Guide averted her gaze and drew out her words.

 

Even Count Randy, who knew the name even if he didn’t know the magic tool’s appearance, was turning his head away.

 

Serena waved the beautiful blue feather.

 

“Didn’t you say it was an escape magic tool? Why is there no answer?”

 

“Ah~ that’s~”

 

“Lady Serena. As far as I know, there are prerequisites needed to escape the labyrinth with a Bluebird’s Wing.”

 

“Conditions? Are there such things?”

 

“Yes. When using the wings, you must designate the transfer location in advance. It must be outside the labyrinth.”

 

Serena and her party are currently trapped in the labyrinth and cannot exit.

 

“What if you don’t designate a location?”

 

Count Randy hung his head dejectedly, looking deeply sorry for having to say such things.

 

“…You can’t use it.”

 

Serena’s single eye widened.

 

Ralph, who had been listening beside the Princess, didn’t give up and grabbed the Count’s arm, shaking it.

 

“H-how can that be? Can’t you just use it anyway?”

 

“I’m sorry, Sir Ralph. Unless you visit the desired location directly and input it into the wings, the bluebird’s wings are useless. At least that’s what I know.”

 

The alchemist only knew theory from books.

 

Ralph approached the labyrinth explorer who was an actual user of bluebird wings.

 

“Miss Olive. Is what the Count said really true? Isn’t there another way?”

 

“Hmm~ I didn’t regain my senses in the middle for nothing~”

 

Just as the swordsman guild has the saying “if you draw your sword, cut something,” the thief guild also has a maxim.

 

If you reach out your hand, steal even trash.

 

Olive didn’t withdraw her extended hand for nothing.

 

She stopped after realizing that even if she pickpocketed the dove from the Princess like this, they couldn’t escape anyway, and she’d just get cursed at and her favorability would go negative.

 

“Miss Ying.”

 

Ralph called out to the Loyal Servant of Darkness with a desperate voice.

 

Ying shook her head. Perhaps pitying the knight, she even spoke.

 

“Can’t use it.”

 

“I… see.”

 

Ralph gritted his teeth to hold back tears.

 

‘I want to cry too.’

 

But Serena held back her tears and, without time to recover from the shock, comforted Ralph.

 

“Don’t be too disheartened. We saw with our own eyes that escape magic tools come from treasure chests. As the labyrinth gets deeper, other escape magic tools will appear.”

 

The comfort she gave to the young knight was entirely comfort the Princess was giving to herself.

 

Ralph forced a smile.

 

“Yes! I’m sorry for acting like a child!”

 

The young knight tried to wipe the tears flowing down his freckled cheeks with his sleeve, but since his whole body was dirty, he shook his head to shake off the water droplets.

 

“The Princess and others must want to get out even more than I do, but I failed to be considerate! I’ll work harder on mental discipline too!”

 

‘You really are young.’

 

If Seraph had been here, he would have nitpicked, asking how something called an escape magic tool doesn’t actually allow escape.

 

He would have used the various vocabulary he acquired as royalty to mock and sneer, making listeners burst with frustration.

 

‘No. Maybe he’s different now.’

 

Serena’s sibling had crossed sewers he would normally hate to even look at in order to fulfill his revenge and duty.

 

She couldn’t even imagine how he had crossed them, but Seraph had finally learned patience.

 

‘To kill Richard.’

 

If he was so blinded by revenge and anger that he could endure even these sewers, it was very dangerous.

 

The filthiness of the sewers would become fuel for revenge and anger, stoking the fire even more.

 

“Since the dove doesn’t help with escape, I’ll~”

 

When the Princess hired the guide, they agreed that magic tools not helpful for labyrinth escape would be shared equally among party members.

 

The bluebird’s wings.

 

Though they couldn’t be used for escape right now, they were precious items that money couldn’t buy among labyrinth explorers.

 

When Olive subtly coveted the wings, Serena handed them to the archer.

 

“Why give it to Zero first? The Princess always only favors Zero!”

 

“Ying. Did you happen to have bluebird wings?”

 

The taciturn archer nodded.

 

“Your uncharacteristic kindness in entering the vault means Ying’s bag had bluebird wings in it.”

 

Perhaps because it was a precious item, the guide didn’t give up and argued.

 

“Still, this isn’t right! From now on, whenever something good comes out, if Zero claims it was in her bag, should we yield everything?”

 

“Hundred-shot quiver.”

 

At Ying’s single word, the guide who had been looking aggrieved suddenly changed and smiled cunningly.

 

Olive rubbed her hands together like a fly.

 

“Of course it’s Zero’s! Right?”

 

“What kind of magic tool is that?”

 

“It’s a magic quiver that can hold up to a hundred arrows. Zero collected magic arrows she found in the labyrinth in there.”

 

Olive bowed and grinned foolishly. The young knight looked disgusted.

 

“Miss Olive, don’t tell me?”

 

“Since it’s a precious item, I put that in the vault too! Kyahehe.”

 

Count Randy was shocked by this story that could never be laughed off.

 

“Olive. If I were Ying, I would have poisoned your soup!”

 

“That’s why I’m yielding. And it really was goodwill!”

 

“That’s why I’m not killing you.”

 

“See? Zero understands too. The dove is Zero’s. The next dove or escape tool is Olive’s. Dibs dibs dibs!”

 

The party briefly quarreled over treasure chest reward ownership, but through the Princess’s wise and fair judgment, they divided the rewards fairly.

 

“Still, it’s very regrettable. If either Olive or Ying had their bag, we could have escaped the labyrinth and brought back a rescue team.”

 

The alchemist expressed regret, but the archer shook her head.

 

“Impossible.”

 

“What do you mean, Ying?”

 

“Didn’t designate.”

 

“Don’t tell me you didn’t input a region into the bluebird wings you had?”

 

Ying nodded as if that was correct. The guide also added her words.

 

“Even if I had my bag, it would be impossible.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I don’t have a dove in my bag~ No other escape magic tools either~ So!”

 

Olive declared to the strategy team.

 

“Next time a dove or unusable escape tool comes out, it’s definitely mine! No, if anything good comes out, it’s definitely Olive’s!”

 

“Olive. Excessive greed makes things unusable.”

 

“In the labyrinth, this is a virtue!”

 

The guide walked ahead, guiding them through the labyrinth’s paths where even the concept of virtue differed from the outside world.

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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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