Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 174

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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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174. Vending Machine

[Vending machine product change available. Free once per day.]

‘Oh?’

Seeing the newly added explanation highlighted in crimson, this was divine intervention.

‘A product recommended by the god? Of course I have to buy it.’

How nice would it have been if they recommended it from the start? Serena purchased the vending machine without hesitation.

‘I spent 43 coins. I really bought a lot.’

15 shop coins remaining.

The lobby was a bit cramped to place the newly purchased items, but it was fine if she ignored the interior design.

She decided to postpone expanding the lobby a bit more.

It’s absolutely not to teach a lesson to people who can’t recognize the true value of capsule beds. Really.

Serena opened her right eye, which had been closed for quite a while.

While the princess was shopping, the others didn’t just wait around but did their own things.

Especially Low and Count Alpha went to the cave to undergo the initiation ritual of checking the completely blocked exit.

Now that the princess had opened her eyes, it was time for the real initiation ritual.

To add variation to her performance, Serena raised only her right arm instead of both and declared:

“Everyone listen! Behold! Feel and tremble! The Labyrinth God! Commends you all for your efforts in conquering the labyrinth!”

“Awesome! It’s here! Princess, you’re so cool!”

“I’m first to praise Serena! Don’t get ahead of me! Serena, you’re so divine that you’re dazzling!”

“Preserving all things perfectly with the sacred stone box!”

As Serena waved her right arm, items disappeared or moved, and a stone box they’d never seen before appeared.

“You shall maintain the dignity of civilized people even in the labyrinth!”

When she waved her right arm again, a white toilet appeared with a pop next to the restroom made by setting up a partition wall around the toilet.

Low gasped in amazement.

“It’s a real toilet? A sacred toilet!”

“Ha. See? I told you it wasn’t a lie.”

Time for the last, long-awaited recommended product.

Serena raised her left arm, which had been resting the whole time. The princess’s brain operated at high speed.

‘How should I present the vending machine?’

She bought it because it was a recommended product, but no matter how much she thought about it, only snacks and carbonated drinks came to mind.

‘It’s awkward to say He gave us something delicious. Let’s just be honest.’

Sometimes simple truth moves people’s hearts more than complex flowery words.

Serena spoke honestly.

“Lastly, this! Though the god gave it to us, I’m not sure what it is either. Let’s discover its utility together.”

Saying that, she installed the vending machine next to the campfire.

The vending machine was about the size of a single-size mattress.

“Whew.”

Though it wasn’t difficult at all, Serena caught her breath while pretending to be dizzy.

As soon as the princess showed signs of fatigue, the maid rushed over.

“Serena! Are you alright? This time took too long.”

“Have some tea!”

Grey, who had promised one tea per day, couldn’t abandon his tea dependency and kept brewing strong tea.

Feeling sorry for the child suffering in a foreign labyrinth in his later years, she pretended not to notice, but the concentration of the tea the child drank kept getting stronger.

The old man held out a teacup as if one cup of his strongly brewed tea would relieve all fatigue.

Since drinking it would guarantee 100% chance of not sleeping at night, Serena declined and drank the watermelon juice Lavenda offered instead.

‘Ah, so sweet.’

While Serena rested being attended to by two beauties, people observed the new items that appeared in the lobby.

“This is a subspace storage box. The capacity is considerable too! Serena! You’ve received a truly useful item!”

“Cough. Amazing. Cough cough.”

“Another toilet has been added. It was embarrassing having people ask my permission every time they used the toilet, so this is good! Hahaha!”

“Congratulations, Toilet Prince!”

“Miss Olive. Please, I beg you not to call me that.”

“Then Constipation Prince?”

“…Rather, wouldn’t you call me the Guardian of the Restroom?”

“Good! From now on, Your Highness is the Guardian of the Official Lobby Restroom! Yo!”

Count Alpha doubted his own eyes and ears at the unbelievable royal insult he witnessed firsthand, then became convinced this was reality and grabbed his axe handle.

This time Olive had crossed the line. Serena, who was drinking watermelon juice, gave a brief command.

“Ying.”

The archer who was quietly eating plums stepped forward to punish the guide who had crossed the line.

Smack!

“Kyaaang! I was wrong!”

At the bone-crushing impact sound, Count Alpha also calmed down and released his grip on the axe handle.

“A subspace storage box, a toilet, and a strange object. What on earth is all this? Am I dreaming?”

Low mentioned symptoms commonly reported by people consumed by the labyrinth and pinched his own cheek.

“Hmm. This groove and buttons. Hmm. There are similarities to a washing machine.”

“It’s right to put coins in like a washing machine. It says to insert coins here, Uncle.”

“I don’t know what it is, but prices are written too. It seems you put in coins equal to the amount.”

Having finished the watermelon juice, Serena slowly walked toward the vending machine.

Count Randy and Grey, who had been observing the vending machine earlier, politely stepped back and cleared the front of the vending machine.

“As the Count guessed. This is a magical device where you can buy items by putting money equivalent to the product price into this slot and pressing a button.”

It was a cost-ineffective item that cost a whopping 10 shop coins while requiring additional coins.

Moreover, the products currently being sold in the vending machine were snacks. Though her memory was hazy, they were all snacks she had eaten in her previous life.

‘Snacks are delicious, but. Why did they recommend this?’

Serena inserted a labyrinth coin into the vending machine as a test.

Putting in one silver coin allowed her to buy all the snacks being sold.

‘I’ll buy one of each.’

From potato chips to chocolate-covered cookies. When she purchased all types of snacks, the products dropped one by one.

Whether out of curiosity or because he had become accustomed to moving personally due to Philia’s education, Grey personally bent down and took out the snacks from the product dispensing slot.

“What is this, Your Highness?”

“It must be snacks.”

“Snacks?”

“I don’t understand why the Labyrinth God bestowed a magical device that produces snacks.”

Count Randy stroked his chin and expressed doubt. Serena was curious about exactly that too.

‘If it’s not a scam, there must be a reason for recommending it.’

Surely it wasn’t recommended because Serena missed carbonated drinks.

‘If that’s really the case, I’ll die right away and lie down demanding a refund.’

Though the snacks from her previous life that she couldn’t even remember the taste of were welcome, they were still just snacks.

Serena glared at the vending machine while stroking her chin like Count Randy.

‘Maybe they give buffs when eaten?’

Isn’t it a cliché that food sold in shops only the protagonist can use has buffs?

‘Finally, will there be sunny days in my labyrinth life too?’

With a pounding heart, Serena tore open the potato chip bag. The bag was full but the actual amount of potato chips was small.

“Tsk tsk. Who are they trying to fool? Huh?”

Serena carefully picked up and ate one potato chip. Salty, savory, and greasy taste.

The familiar taste that should be savory if not delicious struck the tongue of the princess who had experienced extremes with royal cuisine and labyrinth survival cooking.

‘It’s stable.’

Her momentary emotion at the uniform taste that only masters who had reached the pinnacle and mass-produced goods could achieve was brief.

Serena opened her single eye drowsily.

‘No buff?’

Just in case, I tried eating other snacks too, but it was the same. They were ordinary snacks with no buffs.

Wondering if it was selective, I had my companions eat them, but the result was identical. Everyone just enjoyed them and said they were delicious, and that was it.

“Do they eat snacks like this in heaven? Then we’re eating the gods’ snacks? Yo?”

“Gasp! G-gods’ food?”

“No. Look at this chocolate cookie. The cookies sold at Hujichen Confectionery taste better than this. This is just thinly sliced potatoes fried and salted.”

Serena quickly corrected them before the party could misunderstand. Grey agreed while eating a snack.

“That’s right. Some of the packaging is interesting, but they’re just snacks. Why did the Great Labyrinth give snacks to Your Highness? I’m really curious!”

“I’m curious too. Has anyone experienced any changes in their body? Itching or anything?”

“Allergies? I don’t have any.”

Since the Guide, who had the most sensitive senses among those in the lobby, said there were no changes, it was certain there were no buffs.

Serena chewed her snack in frustration.

‘If there are no food buffs, why did it recommend this?’

The Princess pretended to savor the snack while opening her left eye to reread the product description.

‘In the end, that must be the important part.’

[Vending machine product change available. Free once per day.]

This added crimson text must be the core feature of the vending machine.

The product change option was located below the glass displaying the products. It was large and red like a button that should never be pressed.

“If I press this, it seems the products for sale will change.”

“That’s right. It says ‘product change’!”

Grey forced his cunning eyes to sparkle innocently as he looked up at the adults.

Serena earnestly hoped she wouldn’t use Zero Express as she pressed the product exchange button.

Then the glass case displaying the products glowed and the merchandise changed.

‘Grass?’

The snacks disappeared and bundles of grass took their place, making Serena blink.

‘They sell grass too?’

It was better than selling only snacks and carbonated drinks. Unlike the Princess who thought simply, the Alchemist’s eyes widened.

“This! This is!”

“What’s wrong, Count?”

“This is Tiger Grass! And that next to it is Mutant Mana Herb? Could this be!”

The Alchemist shouted unfamiliar plant names as the Princess clung to the vending machine.

“They’re all rare medicinal herbs! Q-quickly, we need to get them out!”

“Uncle! Calm down! Just put money in!”

Count Randy frantically pulled out his wallet. Since he was about to put in real money, Serena quickly stopped him.

“Wait! Not money, put in coins obtained from the labyrinth!”

“Right! I’ll do that!”

As the Count said they were rare, the herbs were quite expensive, but thanks to Olive thoroughly clearing the 24th floor, they didn’t lack coins.

The Alchemist inserted labyrinth coins into the vending machine and rapidly pressed buttons.

With a clanking sound, herbs fell down. The Alchemist personally bent down to retrieve the herbs.

“This scent! The leaf shape! It’s definitely Tiger Grass! Can I buy more? I need to buy them all!”

Count Randy’s eyes gleamed with greed as he put labyrinth coins into the vending machine.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you this excited. Is it hard-to-find grass?”

“My beloved wife! As you guessed, these are ingredients that are hard to obtain even with money! They’re the main ingredients for regeneration potions! To buy them at auction, you’d have to pay 50 times this purchase price to barely get them!”

“Oh my! How wonderful! Then let’s buy them all now!”

“That’s my plan!”

Unfortunately, only exactly 3 of each herb could be purchased.

After buying 3 of each herb, a sold-out notice appeared in the product display window.

“Are there no more? Should I press this?”

The Alchemist looked regretfully at the sold-out notice, then reached for the large red button that had lost its glow.

Having exhausted the daily product change limit, pressing it seemed pointless, but text appeared on the vending machine’s display.

[Please insert a high-grade magic stone to change products.]

Was it right to use a high-grade magic stone not to purchase products, but to change what products could be purchased?

Intelligence and reason returned to the Alchemist’s desire-filled eyes.

New text appeared on the display.

[Product change available free once per day. Products automatically change when clearing floors.]

The first products were snacks, the next were rare herbs that made the genius Alchemist’s eyes spin.

‘Not bad?’

Products could be changed daily and the variety of items seemed diverse.

This was worthy of the Labyrinth God’s recommendation.

Though she didn’t like the randomness, it was an essential product for the assault team suffering from supply shortages.

‘How do they determine the daily reset? Can I check using the time on the tree?’

Was it 24 hours from the product change time, or did it reset at midnight or noon?

Prince Willow approached the Princess who was pondering these questions.

“Hmm. I’m the type who can’t stand curiosity.”

Prince Willow suddenly brought an accessory with a high-grade magic stone from his equipment to the vending machine. Then only the high-grade magic stone disappeared from the accessory.

“Prince! Willow Your Highness!”

Grey was shocked and tried to scold the Prince, but the Alchemist covered his mouth.

“Haha, Grey. Lord Willow is curious.”

Though he used the Prince as an excuse, it seemed he inwardly wanted to do it himself.

Count Randy looked at the Prince with unprecedented admiration for executing without much concern what he himself couldn’t do.

The display case glowed, the sold-out notice disappeared, and new products were stocked.

The Alchemist’s eyes drooped upon seeing the changed products. The new products weren’t herbs.

“Arrows.”

“Arrows?”

At the mention of arrows, Ying, who had been watching the group examining the vending machine from a corner of the lobby, came running.

“Arrows? Bolts?”

“Are there bolts too?”

Low, who had been staying far away due to shyness and couldn’t even eat snacks despite finding the vending machine interesting, also came running.

“There are maintenance tools and magic arrows too?”

Joy and surprise overcame shyness. The Mysterious Stranger shouted in a voice proportional to his build. Sound echoed through the lobby as if he had let out a battle cry.

While Low was startled, Ying was already inserting labyrinth coins into the vending machine.

The Archer’s eyes moistened as he finally got to purchase arrows at regular price after constantly being overcharged under the pretext of fees.

“You can just take arrows from goblins, money’s a waste. If there are bolts and magic arrows, just buy those.”

“The quality is different.”

Having accumulated much stress from using poor-quality goblin arrows, flames blazed in Ying’s black eyes.

It wasn’t a metaphor – they actually blazed.

‘What is that?’

Black and red flames flickered in Ying’s eyes, but no one seemed surprised.

‘Can only I see it?’

The flames quickly died down and disappeared, perhaps reflecting Ying’s emotions.

But Serena clearly saw it. The dark red embers sleeping within Ying’s deep, black pupils.

‘Coiled like a snake.’

The Servant of Darkness who harbored black flames in her eyes rather than her left arm purchased all the arrows and bolts and moved to a corner of the lobby.

Low also purchased bolts and crossbow maintenance tools with public funds.

“This will require a lot of labyrinth money, right? Yo? We’ll need to completely clean out the 24th floor vault too.”

“If there’s product inventory and items change daily, those staying in the lobby should purchase appropriate items while we’re conquering the labyrinth. We should designate someone in charge and entrust them with public funds.”

Fortunately, there was a suitable candidate among the remaining party.

“Grey. I’m entrusting you with product purchases. Don’t make decisions alone – always consult with others.”

“Leave it to me, Your Highness!”

Count Alpha, who still hadn’t adapted to the lobby, looked confused.

“Isn’t that beast child an attendant? Entrusting such an important responsibility to a young attendant…”

“Grey is the right person for the job.”

‘Did he hide his identity from Count Alpha too?’

The attendant was hiding his identity.

If even the prince’s friend and guard didn’t know, it meant he had concealed his identity well during the journey from the Empire to Huji, so why had his acting become sloppy after coming to the labyrinth?

Serena briefly wondered about this, then immediately knew the answer.

‘Why else? It’s because this is the labyrinth.’

If someone suddenly fell into a labyrinth and still stayed immersed in their act, they’d either be a professional spy or have the makings of a great actor.

When would Count Alpha figure out the Old Man’s true identity?

Serena harbored this trivial curiosity as she opened a new bag of potato chips.

Perhaps because she had confirmed the vending machine’s performance was decent, she could finally properly taste the snacks.

The potato chips she tasted after dying and being reborn were salty and savory, absolutely delicious.

‘Ah~ I want to drink some Zero soda.’

Except for the fact that she was craving carbonated drinks.

—————
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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