Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 156

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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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156. Pest Control (4)

 

‘I see. I roughly understand now.’

 

The Princess clearly understood the difference between colorless stars and grey stars.

 

‘Transparent stars are areas that can be changed immediately. Like equipment.’

 

Ralph with a spear is a 1-star minion, but Ralph equipped with sword and shield is a 3-star Knight.

 

‘Grey stars need a special trigger to change into yellow stars.’

 

The special trigger would be different for each person.

 

It could require training for a certain period, or like Neet, it could be untapped potential that couldn’t bloom due to lack of proper education.

 

‘Then could Philia become 5-star if she just had the trigger?’

 

What field could the Princess’s pretty maid have hidden talent in?

 

Serena thought about the four grey stars above her friend’s head, then erased them from her mind.

 

For now, taking care of the child who had found her talented field was the priority.

 

“A patient with mana overdose succeeded in the ritual on the first try?”

 

Grey watched the entire process directly but still couldn’t believe it, his eyes wide with shock.

 

Serena congratulated Neet, who was watching the adults’ reactions, instead of the surprised Grey.

 

“I congratulate you on taking your first step as a mage.”

 

“Cough. A mage? Cough. Really me?”

 

“Yes. Depending on your efforts, you have become a mage.”

 

Mage. Among professions ending in ‘-er’, it was one of the finest occupations.

 

As in most fantasy worldviews, but especially in this world due to the way magic was acquired, it was also a symbol of wealth, power, talent, and success.

 

“So does this mean Neet is okay now?”

 

“Will magic go ‘poof’ and cure her?”

 

“Uuung?”

 

The number siblings were more curious about whether the illness would be cured than happy that their sibling had become a mage.

 

“Of course not. She hasn’t even learned any magic yet. Even if she somehow learns 1st-tier basic magic, the future is the problem. Ugh.”

 

Grey, who seemed to regain his senses a bit late, told the number siblings the harsh reality and groaned.

 

“I never expected her to succeed right away. If this is the case…”

 

A pitiful, pathetic little thing whose breath could be cut short in an instant.

 

Grey’s grey eyes, which had been looking at Neet with such gentle eyes as an elder, became slightly sharp.

 

“In that case, Your Highness and the assault team should get past the 30th floor as quickly as possible.”

 

“The Labyrinth? Why is that?”

 

Just when it seemed Grey was thinking of ways to slow Neet’s condition, he suddenly brought up conquering the Labyrinth.

 

Serena couldn’t understand the old man’s words.

 

The Guide, who had been lying on the capsule watching everything, raised his hand high.

 

“That’s right! It’s because of cursed equipment! Yo!”

 

“Cursed equipment?”

 

“Past the 30th floor, weird magical tools come out like they’re missing screws. Yo. Like shields that make your skin super hard but slow your feet, or swords that block mana use but make you stronger!”

 

Serena immediately understood after hearing the Guide’s words.

 

“You want to give Neet magical equipment cursed to weaken mana?”

 

“Yes. With that, casting magic would be somewhat easier.”

 

‘Isn’t there one already?’

 

There was one magical tool that didn’t weaken mana but consumed quite a bit of it.

 

Serena took out the horn she had fastened at her waist.

 

“Wouldn’t this work?”

 

‘There’s no way Grey forgot about this, right?’

 

As Serena thought, Grey hadn’t forgotten about the goblin summoning horn’s existence, but he made a troubled expression.

 

“That’s hard to use in her current state.”

 

“Don’t you just blow into it?”

 

Serena handed the horn to Neet.

 

Neet tried to blow the horn with all her might as the Princess instructed, but.

 

Phiuuung.

 

“Cough! Hack! Cough cough! Gack!”

 

She couldn’t blow the horn due to lack of lung capacity, not mana, and coughed instead.

 

Not just her visible skin, but her organs had also weakened due to mana, so she wasn’t in a state to blow the horn.

 

“Cough!”

 

Neet’s coughing was so severe that she coughed up blood.

 

At least it was fortunate that it was blood from a throat wound bursting, not from internal organs.

 

Serena patted Neet’s back and felt regret.

 

‘Damn. There was a reason he said it was difficult.’

 

The old man had thought it all through. It was the same as when Lavenda gave massages.

 

Serena decided never again to nitpick when experts gave their opinions unless she had solid grounds or confidence.

 

“Cough. I’m fine without magical tools. Cough. I’ll work hard!”

 

“Effort is a given, and you need a magical tool to bind your mana. Don’t think you can use other magic just because you’re carrying around a bowl of water from a river.”

 

When Grey spoke sternly, Neet shrank and fidgeted with her fingers.

 

“She’s very young, so don’t push her too hard.”

 

“Cough. I’m not that much of a little kid. Cough.”

 

“You’d be five at most.”

 

“Cough. I’m eight years old!”

 

At Neet’s brave words, even Ying, who had been tending to her bow in the corner, looked up.

 

“My goodness! How much did they starve this child!”

 

“I’ll make more porridge.”

 

Who would have thought that Neet, who they guessed to be four or five, was actually eight years old.

 

Serena trembled with rage at the leader’s heinous cruelty in starving a growing child and looked at the other number siblings.

 

“Don’t tell me you’re also older than you look?”

 

“Neet is smart so she remembers her age, but we don’t. We’re probably over 18. Maybe.”

 

“I think it says on paper that I’ll be 18 next year.”

 

“Paper?”

 

“That’s not certain either. The numbers are slightly different each time. Officially, all three of us are adults.”

 

Hana puffed out her chest and smiled as if proud to be an adult on paper.

 

“Uuung?”

 

“Oh, Duri is probably older than me or the same age. But she came in later than me, so she’s Duri.”

 

“If you eat poorly from childhood, you can look young, so you can’t tell age by appearance. Yo. Just because your face is gaunt doesn’t mean you’re really old. When you don’t eat, you suddenly age rapidly in your mid-twenties.”

 

Olive threw out advice that seemed to come from experience.

 

Prince Willow hurriedly made new porridge, and the Mysterious Stranger selected easily digestible fruits to give to the number siblings.

 

“I’ve heard there are many unlicensed troupes that operate terribly. But seeing it directly is really shocking. Vieta doesn’t give entry permits to such chaotic troupes.”

 

Lavenda grumbled angrily, then quickly glanced at Serena when she realized it might sound like criticism of the Kingdom of Heuji.

 

Serena pretended not to hear the Mysterious Stranger’s slip of tongue and approached the number siblings who were diligently chewing fruit.

 

The number siblings, feeling they owed Serena many favors, politely knelt down.

 

“As you have seen directly, we are currently trapped in the Labyrinth. To escape this place, we must conquer the Labyrinth and find a way out.”

 

“The grace that Your Highness has shown us. Grace?”

 

“Cough. The grace is endless.”

 

“Yes! The grace is great! Please let us repay the grace!”

 

“As a community of fate sharing the same goal, you should rightfully strive to escape the Labyrinth.”

 

The number siblings, having already made up their minds, nodded with eyes filled with resolute determination.

 

“We heard we need to go to the 30th floor to save Neet! We don’t know much, but we’ll work hard at whatever we’re told!”

 

“I’ll also work hard at everything I’m told to do!”

 

“Uuung!”

 

“What are you good at? If you have any strengths, tell me.”

 

“I’m good at throwing daggers. I’m also good at acrobatics.”

 

“Grroar!”

 

“Duri can transform into a bear. She’s strong even without transforming!”

 

“Roar!”

 

A brilliant 4-star without any gray or transparent stars shone above Duri’s head.

 

‘Bears can tear apart monsters too.’

 

Truly satisfied, the Princess smiled slightly.

 

“I’m good at dancing and singing.”

 

“That’s a lie. You only get by because you’re pretty.”

 

Sesi glared at Hana who was attacking with brutal honesty, then hung her head.

 

“Sorry for lying. I’m not good at anything.”

 

“No. You must be good at something.”

 

Sesi seemed moved to tears by the Princess’s gentle comfort.

 

Serena saw with her one eye the two transparent stars floating above Sesi’s head.

 

‘If she fills just two more stars, she’ll be 3-star. That’s Ralph-level talent.’

 

Isn’t the treatment different from the Prince who’s also 3-star?

 

‘He’s 3-star after learning everything he could. She’s 3-star despite wandering the streets performing.’

 

The Princess had spare weapons brought and placed one in each of Sesi’s hands.

 

“Not a sword. Not a bow. Not a dagger either.”

 

Just in case, she checked for mana reaction too, but there was no talent for magic either.

 

Sesi’s expression grew darker as she tried various things at the Princess’s instruction.

 

“Am I just a useless freeloader? Is that it?”

 

Outside the labyrinth, she could make up for lacking skills with her pretty face, performing dances and songs to make a living.

 

But in the labyrinth, no one wants dancing and singing.

 

Would she become another useless child consuming food and get kicked out again?

 

Moisture gathered in Sesi’s deep blue eyes.

 

“Sometimes people don’t recognize their own talents. What do you all think Sesi does better than others?”

 

“Huh? She can’t dance or sing. And she’s not smart either.”

 

“Tell me what she’s good at.”

 

“Animals? She’s good with animals. Wherever she goes, she tames all the dogs and cats in the area, and she even tamed a vicious dog called a mad dog once.”

 

“Cough. When Duri gets excited. Cough. Only Sesi can calm her down.”

 

“Sesi can make puppies dance. It’s super cute, but the Leader removed it from the performance list saying dog food was too expensive.”

 

“So Sesi has a talent for taming animals.”

 

“That’s true, but. It’s useless, isn’t it?”

 

Sesi wrung her clothes while reading the room.

 

“No. It will definitely be useful.”

 

Serena spoke with conviction.

 

‘Two stars are transparent. That means it’s useful in the labyrinth.’

 

Serena had evidence for her words, but Sesi thought she was being comforted and was moved.

 

Admiration settled in the blue eyes looking at the Princess.

 

“Monster taming.”

 

The Archer, who had finished checking his bow and was inspecting his crossbow, suddenly spoke.

 

Serena immediately understood what the Archer was trying to say.

 

“Monster taming. Ying is saying you might be able to tame animal-type monsters.”

 

“Mo, mo, monsters?”

 

Sesi panicked as if thinking it was impossible.

 

“Ah~ There is such a thing! I’ve seen an adventurer who tames monsters! Though he eventually got eaten by the monster he tamed! Uhaha!”

 

Though unnecessary additional information was attached, Olive testified to the existence of Monster Tamers.

 

Perhaps bothered by the additional information, Sesi’s face turned pale blue.

 

“Impossible! Really impossible!”

 

“It’s worth trying. Since we’ve completely conquered the 1st and 2nd layers, should we go to the 3rd layer to confirm?”

 

The monsters that appear on the 3rd layer happen to be Labyrinth Condors and Labyrinth Bats. All beast-type.

 

It was convenient since there was no need to search around for beast-type monsters.

 

“Princess! It’s really impossible! What I can tame is like that!”

 

Sesi pointed at Chicken Golem peacefully roaming the lobby.

 

“Just ordinary chickens like that! Why is there a chicken in the labyrinth anyway? Come here!”

 

Cluck?

 

Chicken Golem looked up at the sound calling it, then arrogantly turned its head and walked toward where Lavenda was.

 

“Huh? Why isn’t it coming? Usually they all come when I do this. I’m not lying.”

 

“That’s actually not a chicken.”

 

It was already strange that there was a chicken in the labyrinth, but now she’s told it’s not actually a chicken. Sesi fell into confusion.

 

“So we’re going to the 3rd layer tomorrow? Right?”

 

“Yes. We’ll confirm Sesi’s talent.”

 

“Really though. It’s impossible, so why does everyone only listen to the Princess? You’re all weird.”

 

Whether Sesi made a tearful face or not, tomorrow’s schedule was decided.

 

“Miss Sesi. Don’t worry. If the Princess says you can do it, you really can!”

 

“Are you crazy too, Knight? Ow!”

 

Sesi was spinning her finger by her head when Hana bent her index finger.

 

“Hehe, sorry. But Sesi’s right. Animals do follow her well, but monsters are a bit unrealistic, aren’t they?”

 

“Don’t you have other talents besides being good at throwing daggers?”

 

“Oh my! Thank you for seeing me favorably! But while we’ll work hard as you instruct, we really don’t have any special talents. We’re just worthless lowborns. Hehe.”

 

So said the 4-star human with three yellow stars and one gray star twinkling above her head.

 

Serena was about to press Hana about what she was hiding, then stopped.

 

“I have no intention of putting Sesi in danger, so don’t worry. Even if you don’t have the skill to conquer the labyrinth, with more people there’s plenty to do in the lobby, so you can help Lavenda.”

 

“Hehe, yes. Duri and I will work hard.”

 

“Grroar!”

 

Duri beat her chest with her front paws, no, hands, as if asking to be entrusted with the task.

 

***

 

Time passed leisurely and night fell quietly.

 

Serena wondered if she should buy additional capsule beds for the Number siblings, but.

 

“Is this a prison?”

 

“Looks like a doghouse? But high-class people build doghouses like mansions too. Isn’t this the Princess’s doghouse? Like telling us to be loyal like dogs?”

 

Serena said calmly.

 

“These are beds bestowed by the Labyrinth God.”

 

“What excellent beds!”

 

“This is the first time I’ve had such nice blankets! Really!”

 

The Princess looked regretfully at the capsule beds that she thought she’d bought well but were getting poor reactions.

 

“Two are empty, so we’ll use them two per bed!”

 

“Won’t it be cramped?”

 

“We usually sleep together, so we can’t sleep apart!”

 

Since the Number siblings said they’d share the remaining two capsules between pairs, there was no need for additional purchases.

 

After waiting for Lavenda to spray insecticide one last time, Serena entered her capsule and lay down.

 

‘I’m tired today too!’

 

Being tired didn’t mean she could sleep right away.

 

With four more people in the lobby, there was a lot to do going forward.

 

‘Expand the lobby. And upgrade the Bread Tree too, right? It’s fortunate there are many resources available from the 7th floor.’

 

It was fortunate that the chronic problem of clothing worries was over.

 

‘I have 9 shop coins now, and lobby expansion needs 4 coins, Bread Tree upgrade needs 2 coins.’

 

That would leave only 3 coins.

 

‘Should I just expand the Lobby and save on food?’

 

Serena recalled the bodies of the Number siblings, who were nothing but skin and bones.

 

‘Let’s upgrade the Bread Tree and postpone the Lobby expansion.’

 

The Number siblings originally lived as a group, and the other people now had personal spaces, so they could somehow endure it.

 

‘After eating tomorrow morning and putting on a show of upgrading the Bread Tree before going to the 3rd Layer…’

 

Serena slowly opened and closed her eyes.

 

As the Princess quietly went through the immigration procedures for Dreamland, she suddenly felt an ominous presence.

 

Serena’s drowsy eyes snapped wide open.

 

‘What?’

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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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