Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 145

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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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145. Even If You Wring a Chicken’s Neck, Dawn Comes Without Fail (2)

 

The offering placed on the floor had disappeared.

 

Grey, who had been anxiously watching without daring to interrupt the sacred ritual of communing with a god, let out a sigh.

 

“Even if she failed to learn magic, still. Using a 20th floor boss’s heart just to learn a mere 1st tier spell.”

 

There were rumors that offering sacrifices of higher grade than the magic you wanted to learn would make magic acquisition easier, but those were just false rumors spread by the talentless.

 

‘I’ll have to scold the Princess once the ritual is over.’

 

Not even thinking of making an effort and just wasting offerings.

 

It was a foolish and complacent choice.

 

As Grey pondered how he could scold the Princess without getting spanked by Philia, the Princess who had finished the ritual opened her eyes.

 

The Princess’s orange eyes, with her mana now active, appeared darker than usual and looked slightly red.

 

The Princess spoke calmly.

 

“I learned it.”

 

“If you’re putting up a desperate front to avoid wasting the offering. Even so, I think it was excessive extravagance.”

 

As Grey prepared to scold the Princess for her excessive luxury, Serena shook her head.

 

“5th tier Lightning Strike. I learned it.”

 

“What?”

 

Lightning Strike, a powerful electric attribute magic that, while 5th tier, had attack power rivaling even 6th or 7th tier spells.

 

Despite its excellent attack power, it was rarely used except against large monsters because it was difficult to hit targets with ordinary mana control.

 

To begin with, learning 5th tier magic directly without mastering lower tier spells first?

 

It was something Grey’s mind simply couldn’t comprehend.

 

‘Is she bluffing?’

 

Grey narrowed his eyes, unable to believe the Princess’s words.

 

“Your Highness. Even if your pride is hurt from repeatedly failing to learn magic, how can you lie like this?”

 

“I shall prove it.”

 

The Princess took the old man to the teleportation room and selected the 3rd Layer.

 

In the skies above the 3rd Layer, which hadn’t been completely conquered, Labyrinth Condors were flying around.

 

“What I desire is lightning that cuts life short and drops it into death.”

 

Flash! Rumble!

 

As the Princess chanted the spell and concentrated, lightning struck from the clear sky.

 

The lightning hit the Labyrinth Condor, turning the monster into charcoal.

 

Grey, who had followed the Princess to the 3rd Layer, couldn’t close his gaping mouth.

 

“H-how on earth?”

 

Magic was most stable in a pyramid structure.

 

What Huji’s Grand Princess had just accomplished was like erecting a pillar straight up without a foundation.

 

“Because weak lightning doesn’t exist for me.”

 

Thunder and falling life.

 

Though she had successfully learned 5th tier magic, Serena showed no joy and turned away with a bitter smile.

 

Grey tried to stop Serena but gave up after seeing her expression and clicked his tongue.

 

Not out of displeasure, but out of pity.

 

A student’s unfortunate family circumstances had more negative impact on learning than expected.

 

***

 

Serena declined even the hot spring bath and entered her capsule to lie down.

 

Whether from dealing with automatic responses and casting 5th tier magic, she was extremely tired.

 

‘Covering the nest should have been effective.’

 

She was so tired that she wanted to throw away meditation for mana charging and everything else and just sleep until tomorrow afternoon.

 

‘Chicken, don’t cry.’

 

Serena pressed around her eyes and closed them.

 

And she opened her eyes in a strange world.

 

An empty space with nothing in it.

 

‘What kind of weird dream is this now? Ruining my sleep quality.’

 

Since it was a dream, the Princess freely frowned, and something she had encountered several times before appeared in front of her.

 

“This survey is conducted by selecting some mortals who have come into contact with my thoughts.”

 

The God of Magic’s thoughts, horrible just to hear about, had appeared in Serena’s dream.

 

‘This is crazy! Is this a damn dream or real?’

 

Serena already had experience contacting the Labyrinth God through dreams.

 

Though it was in a dream, she didn’t let her guard down and swallowed nervously.

 

The God of Magic’s thoughts asked the Princess.

 

“How was your satisfaction with this learning session? 1. 10 points. 2. 9.9 points. 3. 9.8 points.”

 

“Of course it’s option 1, a perfect 10 points, merciful one!”

 

She didn’t deduct points out of idle curiosity.

 

It was definitely a perfect score.

 

“Thank you for responding to the survey, mortal. I shall bestow a small gift upon the mortal who responded to the survey.”

 

Though it said it would give a gift, the thoughts disappeared without giving anything.

 

Serena opened her eyes with a deflated feeling.

 

She had woken up from how startled she was in the dream.

 

‘This wasn’t a damn dream but a nightmare.’

 

Unable to contain her absurd feelings, Serena was brushing back her sweat-soaked hair when she tilted her head.

 

‘What’s this?’

 

Since she had cast big magic yesterday and immediately went to sleep, her body should be lacking mana.

 

But Serena’s body was overflowing with mana and vitality.

 

Moreover.

 

‘My total mana capacity… increased?’

 

Though not by much, Serena’s mana capacity had increased.

 

If her previous MP was 100, now it was about 110.

 

‘How on earth did this happen?’

 

Rather than blindly rejoicing when good things happened, suspecting first was Serena’s nature.

 

Hurriedly searching for the cause, Serena recalled the nightmare-like damn dream she had last night.

 

‘Could that have been… real?’

 

To increase mana capacity by 10% just for responding to a survey.

 

The God of Magic was truly a generous, merciful, and great god.

 

‘No. If I just brush it off as generous, they’ll be offended. I need to offer a gratitude sacrifice.’

 

Serena hurriedly got out of the capsule.

 

The lobby was bright, though she didn’t know when day had broken.

 

Seeing her master awake, Philia approached with a sun-like smile.

 

“Serena, you’re awake? You seemed tired so I didn’t wake you.”

 

“Didn’t Chicken crow at dawn?”

 

“No. Just as Sir Hanson said, when we blocked the light, it didn’t crow and was quiet. When we removed the cloth, it was startled and immediately started laying eggs. Its expression was so funny. You should have seen it, Serena.”

 

Philia explained with a voice like jade beads rolling on a silver tray how funny Chicken looked when it was startled by the sudden daylight and hurriedly laid eggs.

 

“Sir Ralph’s wisdom saved us.”

 

“Hehe. It’s nothing special. I learned it from my mother too.”

 

“Sir Ralph learned well from his wise mother and saved us.”

 

“Hehe.”

 

Happy to be praised by the Princess, Ralph grinned foolishly.

 

“I was frustrated because I couldn’t even complain. Thank goodness. Yo.”

 

Olive, who had complained of the greatest suffering due to her sensitive hearing, was genuinely relieved.

 

“But Princess, you skipped dinner yesterday evening and slept soundly. Did you really sleep like a baby? Yo? Your face is glowing?”

 

It seemed obvious that she was overflowing with mana and vitality as a reward for responding to the survey.

 

Serena was about to brush it off saying she had rested well when Grey interjected with a shocked voice.

 

“Your Highness! Don’t tell me you took the survey?”

 

‘He knows about it.’

 

When Serena nodded, the old child led the Princess to a corner of the lobby with a serious expression.

 

“That’s a sign that the Great Wisdom is taking notice of Your Highness the Princess.”

 

“Wasn’t it a lottery?”

 

Serena was startled.

 

Due to her past life memories, she thought she had been randomly selected for the survey, but it was actually the god marking her?

 

“From now on, when you perform rituals to commune with the Great Mystery, the Mystery may recommend magic to you. You must never refuse at that time.”

 

“Even if it’s magic beyond my level?”

 

“Since the Master of Magic judged that you can learn it, you should naturally learn it. The Master is generous and will bestow rewards, so it will all benefit you.”

 

He was indeed generous, having increased her mana by 10% just from one survey.

 

He was different from the god with crimson eyes who always spouted nonsense.

 

“Actually, I was thinking of offering a tribute in gratitude for increasing my mana.”

 

“That’s a good idea. Offer it right away.”

 

Since sincerity was important, she offered a gold ring as tribute.

 

The God of Magic readily accepted the offering.

 

‘Should I offer something to the Minotaur God too?’

 

The first offering of her left eye had been so significant that she hadn’t thought to offer other tributes to the Minotaur God.

 

‘What should I offer? I don’t know what the Minotaur God likes.’

 

She had various fruits, bread, meat, and golden eggs, but it seemed strange to offer items from the labyrinth to the Minotaur God.

 

After much deliberation, Serena decided to offer one of Seraph’s accessories that Olive had stolen.

 

‘I’ve never seen a god who dislikes shiny things.’

 

Since she was going to offer tribute anyway, she thought she might as well be generous and chose a treasure from House Huaim.

 

Serena knelt before the statue and prayed, but the Minotaur God did not accept the offering.

 

“He’s not accepting it?”

 

“Even when I sometimes offer food, he doesn’t accept it. He won’t accept it even when the Princess offers? Yo?”

 

While the Princess was offering tribute, Ralph, Lavenda, Olive, and Prince Willow also offered tributes to express their gratitude.

 

The Minotaur God did not accept any of the party’s offerings.

 

“How strange. There are hardly any gods who dislike offerings.”

 

“Even Golden One who loves fair trade doesn’t refuse freebies.”

 

While everyone was puzzled, the Loyal Servant of Darkness suddenly spoke.

 

“The distorted child of time and space needs no offerings.”

 

“The Minotaur God is a descendant of time and space? How do you know that, Sister Ying?”

 

Grey understood Ying’s cryptic words perfectly and was shocked alone.

 

Serena, who had no interest in divine genealogy, asked something else.

 

“What do you mean offerings aren’t needed?”

 

Ying pointed her finger at the party members one by one.

 

“All life wandering the labyrinth are candidates for the labyrinth’s offerings. Even a distorted child cannot accept offerings from offerings.”

 

People’s expressions darkened at the archer’s chilling words.

 

“Offerings? I don’t want to be an offering! I decided to believe in the Minotaur God, but I never offered myself as tribute!”

 

To Olive who was jumping up and down, Ying gave a short answer.

 

“If you don’t like it, leave.”

 

Thinking it was too brief, she added a bit more.

 

“Alive.”

 

Grey frowned and calmed the adults.

 

“When you think about it, it’s natural. Just as the Fire God considers everything burned by fire as his possession, and the Water God claims everything submerged in water as his, everything wandering the labyrinth would belong to the labyrinth. You just have to leave the labyrinth alive.”

 

The adults gradually regained their composure at the child’s rational and logical words.

 

“More importantly, where did you hear that the Minotaur God is a descendant of time and space? Who told you that? Did you learn it while conquering the labyrinth? What does ‘distorted’ mean? Why do you call him a child?”

 

Grey, whose intellectual curiosity was vigorous regardless of age, bombarded Ying with questions.

 

The archer tightly shut her elegantly curved lips.

 

And said nothing at all.

 

“Say something!”

 

Ying, apparently annoyed by Grey clinging to her and demanding answers, entered her capsule and closed the door.

 

Feeling Grey’s gaze fall on her, Serena quickly shook her head.

 

“I don’t know anything!”

 

“Your Highness was appointed as an apostle by the Minotaur God and you say you don’t know! Ugh. Fine. We’ll receive divine punishment if we carelessly wonder about the great beings who reside in heaven.”

 

Fortunately, Grey was a mature intellectual who knew when to stop.

 

“Since we’ve rested well, let’s continue the lessons. Now that you’ve learned 5th-tier Lightning, lower-tier magic will feel much easier. I may have mentioned this before, but it’s very dangerous to learn high-tier magic without building foundations.”

 

With good balance, you can erect a pillar without a foundation stone.

 

But such a pillar easily falls even to a gentle breeze or small vibration.

 

“Since Your Highness is somewhat special, let’s start with 4th-tier instead of 1st-tier.”

 

Chicken Golem had become quiet, but Grey was still noisy.

 

‘Damn Grand Mage. I can’t even wring his neck.’

 

You can escape dawn noise by covering a chicken’s eyes, but even the Empire’s emperor couldn’t stop this damn old child’s mouth.

 

The Princess sat in her chair with tears in her eyes and received lessons.

 

After Serena spent two days learning lower-tier electric attribute magic, the old child finally declared the end of lessons.

 

After finishing magic lessons and resting for a full day to build up stamina and mana, the next day.

 

Serena caressed the ugly statue and began conquering the 7th Floor of Heuji’s Labyrinth.

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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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