Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 167

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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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167. The Prince’s Request (1)

 

Wouldn’t you be curious if the labyrinth’s coins would work in the vending machine purchased from the left eye world’s shop?

 

Wouldn’t it be worth experimenting with?

 

Unfortunately, purchasing the vending machine had to be postponed for a bit.

 

‘The vending machine costs 10 coins.’

 

Currently, Serena possessed a total of 8 shop coins, reflecting the bread tree upgrade from a few days ago and the discovery of stairs on the 25th floor.

 

She was 2 coins short of buying the vending machine.

 

‘I should keep some spare coins just in case.’

 

Instead, what caught Serena’s eye for experimentation was the coin washing machine.

 

‘If the labyrinth coins don’t work, I’ll lose 1 shop coin, but if they do work, laundry worries will be over forever.’

 

Even though their numbers had increased, the Number Siblings were candidates for the 2nd attack group and would be heading out for labyrinth conquest, so Lavenda still handled all the lobby housework alone.

 

‘If we get a washing machine, Lavenda’s work will become a bit easier.’

 

Having thought that far, Serena suddenly had an unpleasant thought.

 

‘Wait. It’s not like only I can operate the washing machine like the tomb and teleportation room, right?’

 

Then buying a washing machine would just be useless scrap metal.

 

As if knowing the Princess’s anxiety, a line was added to the product description.

 

‘Can be operated by anyone. That’s a relief.’

 

Just as Serena was settling on purchasing the washing machine, Ralph and Ying returned.

 

Ralph’s hands were full of toys, picture storybooks, cards, and dice games.

 

The young knight blushed, perhaps embarrassed that he had only bought toys.

 

“Th-there. Neet and Gray Young Master are here. I thought everyone might be bored.”

 

“Finding joy is important in situations like this. Count Ralph has such a kind heart. Everyone will love these.”

 

“Hehe.”

 

Seeing the cards and dice immediately reminded her of her gambling-loving sibling.

 

‘Where is that one and what are they doing? They’re alive, right?’

 

What kind of person was active in her sibling’s party to escape the 7th floor?

 

The party returned to the lobby, celebrating their conquest of the 7th floor.

 

***

 

Very regrettably, there was no teleportation room on the 7th floor.

 

There were no sealed doors or secret doors either. There were a few locked doors, but Olive easily opened them all.

 

“For a floor past the 20th, it’s rather narrow. I’d bet today’s earnings that there’s a lot hidden! Yo!”

 

“Agreed.”

 

Though they became interested in what might be hidden on the 7th floor and how to find it, the most urgent task at present was conquering the labyrinth and reaching the 30th floor.

 

The group left the 7th floor’s secrets as future homework and returned to the 1st floor.

 

The remaining group waiting for the attack team in the lobby cheered at the more abundant and diverse spoils than ever before.

 

“Tea! Thank you, Uncle!”

 

Grey quickly snatched the tea like when he hit Count Randy or the Prince, then hurriedly boiled water.

 

The old man lost his dignity and composure, trembling his legs and biting his nails while waiting for the water to boil.

 

That sight reminded Serena of a certain blood relative.

 

When the Princess narrowed her unique orange eye, Philia, who had been enjoying an embrace with her husband, didn’t miss it and scolded.

 

“Grey! What rude behavior is this! Did I teach you to act like that?”

 

“I’m sorry, Aunt, Your Highness. It’s just been so long since I had tea. I used to drink more than ten cups a day.”

 

“A child drinking that much tea won’t be able to sleep! You can only have one cup of tea per day.”

 

“What? That’s ridiculous. How can I survive on just that?”

 

“If you can’t survive.”

 

Serena said in a quiet voice.

 

“That’s addiction, Grey.”

 

The lobby, which had been as noisy as the 25th floor plaza upon seeing the abundant bundle brought by the attack team, instantly fell silent.

 

Cough, cough.

 

Only Neet’s small coughing sound broke the silence.

 

While everyone held their breath and watched Serena’s mood, Grey, who had been staring blankly at Serena, obediently gave in.

 

“I’ll only drink one cup a day.”

 

‘I thought he’d insist he’d lived that way his whole life.’

 

Don’t they say people become more stubborn as they age?

 

She was slightly surprised that Grey would give in so easily.

 

‘Did my words carry more persuasive power since I’m a princess with a drug-addicted father?’

 

Anyway, Serena lightly patted the shoulder of the old man who had given in.

 

“Good. We brought a little milk too, so put it in your tea.”

 

‘Caffeine addiction is still addiction.’

 

Having given a warning that excessive obsession with anything is bad, Serena pondered where to install the washing machine.

 

Perhaps misunderstanding her serious expression as she wandered around the lobby as the Princess being in a bad mood, the lobby atmosphere remained cold.

 

Olive, who had been happy to see the toys Ralph bought, threw the cards and dice into the campfire.

 

Prince Willow tried to endure by unbuttoning his shirt, but finding it unbearable, he fled to the restroom.

 

‘Ah, I was going to escape there!’

 

Olive lamented, then signaled to Heuji Jeolmi, who was still holding his husband.

 

“Countess. Try to soothe the Princess. Yo.”

 

“Soothe?”

 

“The Princess is in a bad mood right now.”

 

“Lady Serena’s mood is perfectly fine. What are you talking about?”

 

While everyone was serious, only Philia was carefree.

 

The maid who had served Serena for a long time knew that her master was currently focused on something else and was in a peaceful state.

 

Philia was skilled at reading moods, but only when it came to her master. People who didn’t know this fact didn’t believe Countess Randy’s words.

 

Except for Philia’s husband.

 

“Really? I thought Lady Serena was angry, but I’m glad that’s not the case, dear.”

 

“If Lady Serena were angry, I wouldn’t be holding you like this. I’d have to cheer her up right away.”

 

“Dear!”

 

“Darling!”

 

Though she didn’t know what was touching about saying her master was more important than her husband, Count Randy embraced his beloved wife tightly with a moved expression.

 

Philia also embraced her beloved husband back and buried her face in his chest.

 

Grey, who was the cause of the mood decline, looked back and forth between the Princess and the Count couple with suspicious eyes.

 

“Are you really not angry?”

 

“If my wife says so, then that’s how it is.”

 

“She was briefly displeased, but since you honestly said you’d fix your bad habit, her mood improved right away. You must not forget to quickly acknowledge and correct your mistakes in the future.”

 

Could they really trust these words?

 

While everyone couldn’t trust the Countess’s words and only watched for cues, the Princess’s eyelids, which had seemed closed as if trying to calm her mind, opened to reveal mysterious orange eyes.

 

“Miss Lavenda.”

 

“Yes? Neet? Me? You mean me? Why me?”

 

Calling for a mere mysterious stranger instead of Grey who started the Princess’s bad mood, the Randy Count couple who were his guardians, Prince Willow who was the master but fled to the restroom when his servant caused trouble, or Olive who had been making noise?

 

Lavenda, who had inwardly thought this was someone else’s problem, was caught off guard and flapped her arms in greater surprise.

 

Cluck cluck.

 

Chicken beside her imitated the motion.

 

“I know and am always grateful for Miss Lavenda’s efforts in helping us conquer the labyrinth comfortably.”

 

Though the Princess praised Lavenda, Lavenda didn’t let her guard down.

 

The speech patterns of high-ranking people always start by unconditionally flattering the other party!

 

“But with more people, Miss Lavenda’s burden must have increased too.”

 

“No! It’s fine!”

 

“Huh?”

 

“It’s not difficult at all! Just leave it to me!”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Yes! Really, Princess!”

 

Lavenda’s voice must have been loud, as Prince Willow, who had been hiding in the restroom, quietly emerged.

 

The Princess blinked rapidly before giving a benevolent smile.

 

“I see. Even so, the Labyrinth God, who has been watching Miss Lavenda’s hard work, has decided to bestow a gift to lighten her burden!”

 

People finally brightened up.

 

Ah! She wasn’t serious because she was angry, but because she was communicating with the god! Countess Randy was right!

 

‘Why is the atmosphere like this?’

 

Since the capsule bed response had been lukewarm, she had tried to emphasize the washing machine’s usefulness, but somehow the lobby atmosphere had been gloomy.

 

Then, without saying much, the previously gloomy atmosphere suddenly became warm.

 

You may know ten fathoms of water, but you cannot know one fathom of a person’s heart.

 

With nearly ten people gathered together, not just one, the atmosphere was ever-changing.

 

Still, having lived as a princess for 18 years, Serena, who couldn’t possibly think she was the cause of the dampened mood, decided that good was good.

 

‘The atmosphere has improved, so I’ll announce it now.’

 

“The Labyrinth God! Will bestow upon us a magical device that automatically does laundry!”

 

Serena placed the pre-purchased washing machine in the spot she had marked out.

 

“Be grateful for the god’s grace and use it well!”

 

A large washing machine appeared where there had been nothing before.

 

The phenomenon of something coming from nothing was fascinating no matter how many times you saw it.

 

Everyone in the lobby raised their voices in praise of the Labyrinth God and his apostle Serena.

 

Before teaching people how to use the washing machine, Serena nervously inserted a labyrinth coin into the coin slot.

 

Clink.

 

Serena swallowed her dry saliva.

 

The God of Gold had not recognized labyrinth coins as money.

 

Would labyrinth coins work for the lobby facilities?

 

Click, clink.

 

The sound of a coin rolling could be heard, then the washing machine’s control panel lit up.

 

The coin-operated washing machine could indeed be used with labyrinth coins.

 

‘Yes!’

 

Serena cheered inwardly.

 

Since labyrinth coins could be obtained in large quantities on the 7th floor, they could use the washing machine without burden.

 

‘I should buy vending machines too.’

 

While silk or leather couldn’t be washed and only ordinary clothes could be washed and dried, that was still something.

 

With the laundry load of thirteen people being considerable, the coin insertion would certainly pay for itself.

 

Among the people in the lobby, only Ralph and Lavenda truly appreciated the washing machine’s value.

 

The rest were people who only handed over their laundry, so they showed little interest in washing.

 

Grey was curious about the principle of how a god-given magical device operated with money rather than magic stones, but eventually seemed to conclude it was divine power and quickly lost interest.

 

Surprisingly, Prince Willow welcomed the arrival of this new invention like Ralph and Lavenda.

 

“I felt tormented every time Miss Lavenda went to the herb garden to do laundry because I couldn’t help. With this, I can help with the laundry too!”

 

“Haha, yes.”

 

“From now on, leave the hanging of laundry to me!”

 

“Haha, I couldn’t do that.”

 

Lavenda brushed off the prince’s words halfheartedly while focusing on the washing machine’s instruction manual.

 

***

 

Neet possesses a genius-level memory that remembers everything she sees and hears once.

 

Grey personally read picture storybooks to Neet to teach her letters.

 

“The prince and princess lived happily ever after. Did you memorize all the letters?”

 

“Cough, yes.”

 

“Good. Tomorrow I’ll give you a dictation test on the sentences from this book, so keep reading and learn the spelling and grammar.”

 

“Cough, I’ll memorize it all.”

 

“Just memorizing isn’t enough. You need to know how to use what you’ve memorized.”

 

“Cough cough, yes.”

 

Finding the smart and obedient Neet endearing, Grey was about to gently stroke her head, but remembering that Neet was self-conscious about her hair-lacking head, he affectionately patted her shoulder instead.

 

“Well then, go to sleep now.”

 

Grey was about to send Neet into her capsule when he paused.

 

“You seem to have trouble sleeping lately. Are you sick somewhere?”

 

“Cough, sleeping alone, without my sisters, cough. It feels strange.”

 

“Hmm, then shall I sleep with you?”

 

“Cough, what?”

 

The old man probably meant well, feeling sorry for the child who couldn’t sleep alone, but the child who heard it was startled.

 

“Grey. A proper gentleman maintains courtesy even toward young ladies. You wouldn’t want to grow up to be a libertine, would you?”

 

“Sigh.”

 

A new ordeal befell Grey, who had been trying to put a child younger than his grandchild to sleep.

 

Grey just hit his forehead with his hand and sighed.

 

Philia took Neet’s hand and led her to her own capsule.

 

“You come here. I’ll stay by your side until you fall asleep.”

 

“Cough. Yes?”

 

Neet was more surprised than when Grey had offered to sleep with her.

 

“If you don’t want to, never mind.”

 

“I don’t dislike it! Cough cough! I like it! I really like you, Countess!”

 

Neet hurriedly entered her own capsule, afraid that Philia might change her mind.

 

She was in such a rush that she even left her storybook behind.

 

Philia didn’t pick up the storybook Neet had dropped, but just looked at Grey and held out her hand.

 

“Sigh.”

 

Grey bent down to pick up the storybook and respectfully presented it to his aunt.

 

“Next time when you pick up a dropped item, you should also dust off any dirt on the item.”

 

Philia gave her nephew a lesson as an elder and entered her capsule.

 

“Such is my fate.”

 

Grey trudged to his own capsule with hollow eyes.

 

Olive, who had watched this entire scene from atop her capsule, showed the minimal courtesy of stifling her laughter.

 

“Snort, snicker. This is hilarious. The Countess still doesn’t know.”

 

“What? What doesn’t the Countess know?”

 

“You don’t know either, Knight. Since you don’t need to know, go to sleep.”

 

Except for Grey’s mental suffering, it was a beautiful scene of Heuji Jeolmi, who disliked children, suppressing his dislike and cherishing and teaching a child.

 

‘I mustn’t forget to praise him tomorrow.’

 

The Princess had decided what to do first thing upon waking up tomorrow morning, but.

 

“I have an urgent favor to ask.”

 

As soon as she opened her eyes in the morning, she encountered Prince Willow who had come with a request.

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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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