Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 162

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

162. 2nd Group Preparation (2)

 

The test period given to the Number Siblings who boldly left the lobby was two weeks.

 

The Guide had extended it from the week he’d been shouting about to a generous two weeks, more than double, considering the Number Siblings’ circumstances.

 

However, the Number Siblings couldn’t even last a single day and returned to the lobby in a pitiful state.

 

Dark clouds had gathered from the very start for Serena, who had wanted to organize the Number Siblings into a preliminary attack team to quickly conquer the labyrinth.

 

“C-can we retake the test?”

 

“Sob, it’s all my fault. Sniff.”

 

“Groan.”

 

Test takers who couldn’t even last a day didn’t deserve a chance to make excuses.

 

Serena coldly passed by the kneeling siblings and approached Grey, who had witnessed the entire situation.

 

“Supervisor. Report what happened.”

 

“Ugh, pathetic fools. Hmph.”

 

Grey kicked each of Hana, Duri, and Sesi’s bottoms once before reporting to the Princess.

 

“The 1st Layer exploration went smoothly. Their decision to wander around everywhere without any expectation of what might be at the end when choosing paths was truly foolish, but that’s how they gain experience.”

 

All the treasure chests in the 1st Layer were completely empty because Philia, Grey, and Lavenda had looked into them daily during their walks to collect the rewards.

 

The Number Siblings went down to Heuji’s Labyrinth 2nd Circle feeling disappointed.

 

Heuji’s Labyrinth 2nd Circle is characterized by the elevator and circular space in the center.

 

Since the ascending stairs are always connected in a straight line to the central space, it was easy to return to the 1st Floor even if you got lost, as long as you found the elevator.

 

However, the Number Siblings’ 2nd Circle exploration went wrong from the start.

 

“When drawing the map, they didn’t pay any attention to angles or spacing at all.”

 

Hana drew the paths surrounding the circular space without considering spacing or passage order, just drawing whatever caught her eye.

 

Looking at something that couldn’t be called a map and choosing the next direction at crossroads, they kept going in circles on the same path or returning to the center.

 

They had a labyrinth compass so they knew the stair locations, but since they wandered around everywhere looking for treasure chests, they couldn’t tell which stairs went up and which went down, repeatedly returning to the starting point.

 

There was a more serious reason than the thing that couldn’t be called a map.

 

“Sister Hana has no sense of direction.”

 

“What?”

 

“She has a serious directional disability. When the viewing direction changes, she can’t find her way.”

 

“I don’t have directional problems! I just have poor navigation skills! Didn’t I find my way well in the previous labyrinth?”

 

“That place had no crossroads and you got used to it. You got lost so much that when I told you to go east from a crossroads after retracing our steps, you wandered around for ages, right?”

 

Serena couldn’t bear it anymore and pressed her forehead.

 

‘I was thinking of using her as a guide, but she has no sense of direction?’

 

In Serena’s experience, between those who were bad with directions and those with directional disabilities, the latter was more serious.

 

‘People bad with directions just really can’t find their way. But as Grey said, people with directional disabilities treat every path as unfamiliar when the angle changes.’

 

Grey, who had exposed Hana’s secret, additionally exposed Duri and Sesi’s shortcomings.

 

“Brother Duri doesn’t think at all. Just because he can transform into a bear doesn’t mean his brain becomes a bear too. And real bears are incredibly smart and cunning. Mindlessly following the party and just making cute grunting sounds is an insult to bears, the sages of the forest. Apologize to bears!”

 

“Groan.”

 

“Sister Sesi is the same. Labyrinth Condors have hook-shaped claws that make walking on the ground difficult, but she insisted on bringing it, slowing down the party.”

 

The Labyrinth Condor they brought along returned as a corpse with its tongue hanging out, carried by Duri.

 

How did a 3rd Layer monster end up dying in the 2nd Layer?

 

When Serena pointed at the Labyrinth Condor’s corpse, Grey explained the situation at the time.

 

***

 

After wandering around lost the whole time, Hana and her group ate lunch, gathered their strength, and found the stairs leading down to the 3rd Floor.

 

Upon reaching Heuji’s Labyrinth 2nd Circle, 3rd Floor, Hana stopped her siblings and said,

 

“There’s a monster.”

 

“There’s a monster? That’s unexpected since we completely conquered the 2nd Layer.”

 

Monster restoration speed slows down on completely conquered floors.

 

Whether Hana’s group was lucky or unlucky, a monster had been restored on the 3rd Floor.

 

“Are there many?”

 

“I sense one. One besides me.”

 

Hana informed her group of the monster’s number, distance, and direction as Olive had taught her.

 

Hana had directional problems, but that was when finding paths; there was no problem conveying the direction of monsters she sensed with her ability.

 

Rather, she might have developed directional problems because she could always sense the direction of enemies and allies.

 

At the news of a monster appearing, Sesi’s eyes lit up as she raised her hand.

 

“All monsters from the 2nd Layer are beast-type too! I want to tame it!”

 

“Good. We’ll go where the monster is.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Grey didn’t like how the Number Siblings underestimated the labyrinth and monsters, but as the test supervisor, he swallowed his words and followed Hana, the guide.

 

“The monster is close.”

 

“I’m going to tame it all!”

 

“Very close.”

 

“Why can’t I see it? Is it behind the wall?”

 

Sesi strode toward the wall placed throughout the 2nd Layer to avoid strong enemies.

 

Screech!

 

And seeing the Labyrinth Giant Spider that had been hiding behind the wall and attacked her, she was thrown into complete panic.

 

“Kyaaaaaahhhhh!”

 

Seeing the spider’s huge and hideous appearance, Sesi fell into perfect confusion.

 

The Labyrinth Condor joined Sesi’s confusion, becoming excited and rampaging while attacking the party.

 

“Krrrr!”

 

Duri was similarly affected by Sesi.

 

Duri’s eyes rolled back as he swung his front paws wildly in place.

 

The bear punch, swung randomly in excitement, hit Koni’s head as it was similarly rampaging in excitement.

 

Thwack!

 

The Labyrinth Condor’s smooth bald head couldn’t withstand the bear’s front paw and shattered.

 

Duri killed the Labyrinth Condor in one blow.

 

Sesi instinctively sensed the death of the monster she had tamed and emerged from her confused state, but couldn’t hold back tears seeing the corpse of her beloved monster.

 

“Koni! Waaaah!”

 

“Woof? Woof! Groan.”

 

Duri belatedly came to his senses and tried to comfort his sister, but it was useless.

 

Sesi’s fighting spirit died along with Koni after losing her first tamed monster so meaninglessly.

 

Grey, who had taken shelter with Hana fearing death from the excited bear and condor, spoke firmly after the situation calmed down.

 

“Test terminated. Everyone fails.”

 

***

 

Grey tapped the back of his neck with his staff.

 

“There was no need to watch any longer. So pathetic, really.”

 

Serena moved her hand from her forehead to her temple and massaged her head.

 

A headache was coming on.

 

‘They’re too incompetent! Even my first exploration wasn’t like this!’

 

Serena, Philia, Lavenda, Ralph, Krom.

 

A pathetic party where the highest rank was Krom’s 2-star.

 

Even that party functioned better than the Number Siblings.

 

Even though Serena, the guide, took her time looking for traps, and Ralph, the knight, held a spear instead of a sword, they bravely fought labyrinth rats and defeated the floor boss to find the stairs.

 

‘Honestly, if we hadn’t encountered strong enemies in the 2nd Layer, we would have made it down to the 5th Floor.’

 

It might be romanticized because it was in the past, but the first party had that potential.

 

How did the Number Siblings’ party compare?

 

With 3-star, 4-star, 2-star ratings, and even Grey, the veteran whose star count was unknown but was definitely the most experienced, attached to them, they returned in just one day.

 

“This time was our first, so we made many mistakes. Please give us just one more chance!”

 

“Have you heard the saying that excuses are sinful?”

 

“Eek! We’re sorry!”

 

‘Is it because of her ability? She’s surprisingly not reading the room.’

 

Perhaps because her ability told her Serena was a good person(?), Hana didn’t really know to be afraid of the Princess.

 

While Serena pondered how to maintain her princely dignity, Olive wondered how to make someone directionally challenged serve as a guide in the labyrinth.

 

“You’re directionally challenged despite having such a great ability? Directionally challenged? Let’s test that first.”

 

The Guide pointed to a chair for Hana.

 

“The direction with the chair is north.”

 

“Yes!”

 

The Guide had Hana close her eyes and spin around in place, then moved the chair’s position.

 

“Now, where is north?”

 

“Here!”

 

Hana confidently pointed to the chair in its new position.

 

Thinking once wasn’t enough, they tested several times, but the result was the same each time.

 

“That’s! North! Look at the direction, not the chair! Sister!”

 

Sesi clutched her red hair in anguish, and Duri also protested vigorously, seeming quite frustrated.

 

“Woof! Wooof! Kiwoooooo!”

 

“What’s Duri saying?”

 

“She can tell direction even with eyes closed, so why does she keep getting it wrong.”

 

The Guide’s ears perked up at these words she couldn’t ignore.

 

“You can tell direction with your eyes closed?”

 

“Cough. Sister Duri. Cough. Has good instincts like a bear.”

 

Olive gave Duri the same test she had given Hana.

 

After spinning around, Duri didn’t even open her eyes and pointed unhesitatingly toward north.

 

“Woof! Woof! Wooof!”

 

“Yes! Well done, Bear!”

 

“I heard some animals instinctively know directions. Brother Duri must be that type.”

 

“Hmm, then. Pretty one.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“The directionally challenged one will only choose paths when there are monsters, and normally Bear will choose the path. Pretty one will draw the maps.”

 

Olive distributed the guide’s role among all party members and waved her hands dismissively.

 

“Alright, let’s go again.”

 

“What? We just came back, and we’re going again?”

 

“We’re hungry! We brought condor meat to eat!”

 

Serena let out a hollow laugh in bewilderment.

 

She had wondered if they brought the condor corpse because they had grown attached to their first tamed monster and wanted to bury it, but they had brought it to eat.

 

‘That was too fairy-tale-like thinking.’

 

The Princess awakened her sense of reality while recalling the taste of condor meat, which was tougher and less tasty than Labyrinth Chicken.

 

“Didn’t you ask for a chance? Retests are better done sooner. Go on.”

 

“Can’t we go tomorrow morning?”

 

The Guide snatched the whip from Sesi’s waist and swung it.

 

The sound of the whip cutting through the air and striking the stone floor was so menacing it could stop even a crying child’s tears.

 

“Those who don’t work don’t eat! Go down right now!”

 

“Eeeek! We were wrong! Don’t hit us!”

 

“Kyung.”

 

“We hate whips! Just kick us instead!”

 

The Guide threw the whip at the fleeing Sesi.

 

Sesi grabbed the whip and left the lobby crying loudly.

 

“Those brats only come to their senses when beaten. Princess, you can’t be lenient with types like that.”

 

“Is that also wisdom from experience?”

 

“Of course~”

 

“Is it okay if I don’t go, Sister Olive?”

 

Grey, who somehow hadn’t joined the Number Siblings’ party, spoke with concern.

 

“It’s fine~ Bear alone is enough~ I’ve dismantled all the traps.”

 

“That’s not it, they need to go to the pond.”

 

“Then it’s not too late, so follow them.”

 

“I’ll join them when they return, to gain experience.”

 

True to Olive’s boastful promise, the Number Siblings returned to the lobby four days later with a decent map, rewards from treasure chests, and without a single injury.

 

Olive was startled while examining the map for grading.

 

“Damn, the traps were restored? How did you avoid getting caught?”

 

Hana, who was chewing condor meat, replied.

 

“I can sense traps too.”

 

“What?”

 

“I told you. I can sense enemies. Traps are enemies too.”

 

Upon hearing this unbelievable statement, the Guide’s hands trembled and the pupils disappeared from her eyes.

 

Olive couldn’t overcome her anger, jealousy, and envy, rolled her eyes back, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed.

 

“Me too! Give me that kind of ability too! Why not meeeee!”

 

Serena looked at Hana with complex eyes.

 

She normally only had fat on her face, but with her mouth stuffed full of food, her cheeks looked even more puffed than usual.

 

Hana with her puffed cheeks was rated 4-star: three yellow stars and one gray star.

 

‘Looking at her ability alone, she should be 5-star, but now I know why she’s 4-star.’

 

She had an ability more suited for labyrinth guiding than anyone else, but.

 

‘She’s directionally challenged.’

 

Would it be okay to train someone directionally challenged as a prospective guide?

 

Today too, the Princess’s worries only deepened.

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