Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 187

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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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187. Grade 10 Labyrinth

The Princess and party returning to the lobby all asked the same question, whether they showed it or not.

“Grade 10? This place? I’ve never heard of Grade 10 before. The highest-grade labyrinth on the continent is.”

“The Empire’s Messa Island Labyrinth. Grade 9.”

Count Alpha answered in a dark tone.

Serena recalled the information she knew about Messa Labyrinth.

Messa Labyrinth.

It was a legendary labyrinth that the Empire, the hegemon nation at the center of the continent, had failed to conquer for 200 years despite mobilizing all its capabilities.

The words the Mysterious Stranger had said in terror came to mind along with the information she already knew.

‘He said it swallowed all the island’s residents. Just like this labyrinth.’

Wasn’t the Messa Labyrinth that devoured entire cities on the island quite similar to this labyrinth that swallowed Heuji City, the capital of Heuji, along with its citizens?

‘The scale is even larger on this side. Thinking about it that way, calling it Grade 10 makes sense.’

When combining the information, Richard’s claim that the Heuji Labyrinth the party was currently exploring was Grade 10 had basis.

It wasn’t just Serena who thought so, as the Guide spoke up.

“Hmm. Now that I hear it, it sounds too plausible. Look, undead came out as the floor boss on the 1st layer, Minotaur appeared on the 2nd layer, the 3rd layer was damn wide and complex. Undead appeared again on the 4th layer with mechanics that kill you if you don’t know them, and the 5th layer’s forced party dissolution mechanic wasn’t easy either…”

Olive listed the accumulated questions one by one, then pretended to scream.

“I didn’t realize it because the Princess told us the strategy and we used the transfer room, but this is a damn difficult labyrinth, isn’t it? Is this difficulty for real? I thought it was hard because I didn’t have gear, but I was mistaken!”

Since none other than Olive, a renowned labyrinth adventurer, was convinced, the scales tipped more and more toward it being Grade 10.

This wasn’t good news. It belonged to bad news.

‘Even when Grey estimated it was Grade 8, morale dropped significantly.’

The atmosphere had lightened when they learned that Prince Willow had completed a Grade 8 labyrinth, but if it was confirmed to be Grade 10, the party’s morale would drop uncontrollably.

A labyrinth with a higher grade than Messa Labyrinth, which the Empire hadn’t conquered for 200 years. Everyone might give up on escape and conquest and want to die.

‘Whatever the truth is, I have to insist it’s not true.’

Fortunately, Richard, who mentioned Grade 10, was a traitor who killed Grandfather, so his statements had low credibility.

Serena first put strength in her lower abdomen and shouted sternly.

“Everyone calm down! Don’t tell me you believe that traitor’s words?”

Olive, who knew a lot about labyrinths, moved her lips despite knowing she’d get scolded.

“But Princess.”

“Hey!”

Olive shut her lips tight with an expression that showed she expected to be yelled at.

“Duke Oren assassinated His Majesty Harold II in the middle of the Royal Palace. He murdered with his own hands none other than his lord and the grandfather who cherished and loved him. That bastard is not in his right mind now. To believe the groundless words spat by such a person and fall into confusion and be swayed by it. How pathetic!”

“But Princess! This filthiness! This difficulty! When I heard it was Grade 10, everything that seemed strange was resolved! You know!”

Regardless of how she treated the Empire guy, Olive, who had been listening well to the Princess since the transfer room opened, showed her rebellious nature for the first time in a while.

“If it’s really Grade 10, shouldn’t we settle our grudges outside the labyrinth and stick close to Sword Master Duke Oren inside the labyrinth to keep our lifeline attached! You know! Fortunately, Duke Oren doesn’t seem to have any intention of killing the Princess now.”

Before Serena could express her displeasure, complaints and protests erupted from various places.

“Miss Olive! I’m disappointed!”

“How can you say such things?”

“I don’t know who that person is, but punish her severely, Lady Serena!”

“Kneel before Her Highness the Grand Princess right now and beg for forgiveness.”

All the party members rose up, and even the Archer, who loved expressionlessness as much as silence, furrowed his brow.

The Guide listened to her comrades’ angry voices pouring down on her but wasn’t intimidated at all and confidently stated her opinion.

“I’m saying this thinking of the Princess too, you know? Even if it’s dirty and cowardly, we have to survive first to do revenge or whatever. You know.”

The Guide slightly squinted her round eyes. Serena felt sincerity in Olive’s outrageous words.

‘She’s not saying this because of her rebellious nature. Is it her experience?’

Why did she remember the Guide who, in a non-existent past, had spoken lightly of Philia and Grey’s deaths while trying to comfort the Mysterious Stranger?

‘Was her experience mixed in then too?’

Olive seemed to think that even rolling in a dung field was better than the afterlife.

‘I think so too.’

As Serena quietly stared at Olive, Ying kicked Olive’s back of the knee, forcing her to kneel.

Olive didn’t resist and obediently knelt, then raised her head to look directly at the Princess.

‘Richard’s words are probably true. Even if I lie that it’s not Grade 10 right now, the truth will be revealed over time. So instead of forcibly denying it, I should prepare so that it’s okay even if it’s Grade 10.’

Serena asked the Guide, who had an attitude of accepting punishment if it was to be given, though she hadn’t done much wrong.

“Do you find me so unreliable?”

The Guide, who had been waiting for the Princess’s judgment, asked back.

“Huh?”

“I asked if you find me unreliable as the leader of the conquest team.”

Olive blinked her round eyes rapidly as if she didn’t understand the intention of the question.

“Of course I can trust the Princess. You’re an apostle of the Minotaur God, you can open sealed doors and sealed boxes, and you can use transfer rooms too! You’re the most excellent leader I’ve ever met! The best!”

“If you think so, then why do you say I should kneel and crawl at my enemy’s feet to beg for my life?”

“That’s because we have to survive first to do anything…”

If it were outside the labyrinth, Serena would have agreed with Olive’s thinking.

But this was the labyrinth.

In the labyrinth, Serena didn’t die even if she died. If she disliked the dung field, she had the opportunity to choose death.

“Does being a Sword Master guarantee survival in a Grade 10 labyrinth? Is there a guarantee that conquering a Grade 8 labyrinth means conquering a Grade 10 labyrinth?”

“That’s not the case, but…”

“If that traitor can do it, can’t I do it too?”

“Huh?”

Her persistent momentum weakened and Olive was genuinely confused.

Serena brazenly insisted.

“If you think I’m an excellent leader, why can’t you think that way? Can’t I and the conquest team I lead possibly conquer a Grade 10 labyrinth?”

Olive’s round green olive-colored pupils trembled aimlessly.

“Princess. No, that’s, really.”

“Impossible? Weren’t you already guessing the mission the Minotaur God gave me?”

“Ah!”

Olive exclaimed in surprise, then slightly lowered her head that had been held stiffly upright.

The mission the Minotaur God gave the Princess.

Actually, there was no such thing, but Serena had been pretending to have received a labyrinth conquest mission from the god to facilitate smooth labyrinth conquest and persuade the Maid who hindered labyrinth exploration.

Now was the time to use everyone’s assumptions.

“Lady Serena. Don’t tell me you received a mission from the god to conquer a Grade 10 labyrinth?”

Count Randy couldn’t hold back and interjected. Serena raised one hand to silence everyone.

“Even if this labyrinth is Grade 10, the mission given by the god and our purpose don’t change. Olive. You tell me. What is my purpose?”

“Escaping the labyrinth.”

“The previous question seems to have been too difficult, so I’ll change the question.”

Serena narrowed her single eye and looked down at the Guide.

“Do you think I and the conquest team I lead cannot safely escape a Grade 10 labyrinth?”

Olive’s head bent lower and lower. The Guide answered in a completely deflated voice.

“Of course we’ll escape.”

“Right.”

Serena nodded somewhat firmly and made eye contact with each party member one by one.

They all had faces full of curiosity.

“So what if this labyrinth is Grade 10 as that evil criminal said. Isn’t our first goal still the same? We don’t need to conquer the labyrinth to exit it.”

‘Though dead people have to conquer it to get out.’

She had thought that perhaps they could rescue the trapped people all at once by conquering the labyrinth, but it was just a sweet delusion.

‘No joke, after escaping, I might really have to die 10,000 times and draw 10,000 times.’

No matter what, she couldn’t conquer a Grade 10 labyrinth, and that was the best Serena could do.

‘Anyway, with this I’ve laid the groundwork so it’s okay even if it becomes known that the labyrinth is Grade 10. Everyone seems to understand.’

Making eye contact with each party member one by one, she could feel that although they all had many questions, they had the will to trust and follow the Princess.

Even Count Alpha, who was accompanying them for the first time, showed firm resolve and faith.

Serena was very pleased with her party members’ determination.

“Don’t worry too much. I have no intention of dragging you all into the mission given to me. Just help me until you escape the Labyrinth.”

“Please don’t say such disappointing things! I am the Princess’s knight appointed by the Princess herself! Wherever the Princess goes, whatever mission you must carry out, I will continue to follow!”

Ralph, unable to overcome his disappointment, mustered his courage and shouted.

Encouraged by the Young Knight’s display of courage, the Alchemist also found the courage to add his words.

“I feel the same way, Lady Serena. Please let me help with any mission. I will always serve as your faithful servant.”

“Contract. Don’t forget.”

Until the final moment the Princess deems fit, she will not release the Archer from the party.

The Loyal Servant of Darkness briefly reminded them not to forget the employment contract.

“I, I’m always on Princess Serena’s side.”

Countess Nex, who knew nothing about the Minotaur God or the mission, also took the Princess’s side while suffering from the belated waves of pain.

“Please let me help not only with the escape but also with future conquests.”

Count Alpha also assumed a cupped-hands posture and bowed his head with dignity.

Olive looked around at the party members with a tearful expression, then gritted her teeth.

“I’ll only do what’s in my employment contract! I’ll only guide you until we escape!”

Since Serena didn’t expect anything more, she was about to tell them to get up when the Guide continued speaking.

“But! If the Princess conquers the Wilderness Labyrinth with me! Then whether this place is 10th grade or 11th grade, I might be able to guide you~”

Trying to deflect an unfavorable atmosphere with jokes was the Guide’s bad habit.

She probably repeated it because it had been effective in her life, and while Serena had indeed laughed it off before, this time she couldn’t let it slide.

‘She’s asking for a beating.’

“Ying.”

When Serena called her name while snapping her fingers, the Archer glided over.

When the Princess nodded, the Archer flicked the Guide’s forehead.

Crack-!

The sound of stone breaking echoed through the Labyrinth.

Countess Nex, witnessing the Archer’s flick for the first time, flinched in surprise.

It was such a precise strike that for the moment of the flick, she forgot the pain of her burned hand.

Serena ignored the Guide who was rolling on the floor clutching her forehead and warned the party.

“The 10th grade matter isn’t certain yet, so keep it secret from the Remaining Party and 2nd Assault Team.”

“Lady Serena. What about Grey?”

“It’s fine to tell Grey. Keep it from the Prince.”

Serena spoke again to the Imperial Knight, whose sharp eyebrows twitched as if he couldn’t understand why the Princess would share such important information only with an attendant and not the Prince.

“Count Alpha. It’s a secret from the Prince as well.”

“…I obey your command.”

It seemed the Prince hadn’t revealed the Old Man’s identity even to his escort knight.

Since it was another country’s affair, it was none of Serena’s business.

Serena returned to the lobby with the 3-star mage she had gained for free.

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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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