Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 197

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

197. Magic Stone Quarry (1)

Under the blue sky, peaks and cliffs jutted out in bizarre shapes, showing off their strange forms.

The 3rd layer of Heuji’s Labyrinth had its difficulty increased due to the failure penalty, making the terrain itself a trap.

One wrong step on the cliff paths where you couldn’t even recover a corpse, with swaying bridges that swayed with the wind.

Moreover, all the monsters that appeared were flying-type monsters unaffected by the treacherous terrain.

Excluding the monsters’ strength, the difficulty had jumped to a level where you could believe it was the 8th layer just from the terrain alone, so the 1st Group assault team rarely went to the 3rd layer.

‘There weren’t any useful supplies either.’

In the early days of labyrinth life, they did demolish Condor Leader’s nests to obtain scarce lumber, but once the 5th layer with plenty of quality timber opened, the party completely stopped visiting the 3rd layer.

With the formation of the 2nd Group, they began visiting that 3rd layer almost daily.

This was because they had to handle the food for the bear they suddenly ended up raising.

It was better to fill the gluttonous bear’s stomach with monster meat rather than precious bread, fruits, and vegetables.

So the 2nd Group assault team of Heuji’s Labyrinth repeatedly visited the 3rd layer, where Sesi would tame condors or bats, bring them to the lobby, and butcher them.

Going around the 3rd layer daily allowed them to gain labyrinth exploration experience, strengthen party bonds, and obtain food – killing three birds with one stone.

The 2nd Group assault team’s ultimate goal was to find the path to the 4th layer on their own.

Since Olive deliberately didn’t share the 3rd layer routes, they were also creating their own independent map.

While searching for paths like this, they headed to a peak the 1st Group party hadn’t visited, and there they discovered the magic stone quarry.

“There are magic stones on the 3rd layer? There are many unexplored paths though~”

Magic stones. Items used in many places, but those who mine them often don’t know what they’re used for and only know they sell for high prices.

There are two main ways to obtain magic stones.

Kill monsters to get internal magic stones, or mine them from magic stone mines.

However, magic stone mines were so rare that known locations could be counted on one hand. If over-mined, the magic veins of magic stone mines would be severed, so mining quantities had to be constantly regulated.

Incidentally, Huji is a country that possesses magic stone mines. Only insiders and the mine’s owner – namely the deceased Harold II – know the mine locations. Serena didn’t know the exact locations either.

‘I know they’re somewhere in the mountain range though.’

Anyway, even if it wasn’t a full magic stone mine, to think there was a magic stone quarry on the 3rd layer.

For the party whose supply lines were cut and had to depend on Count Randy’s alchemy, there couldn’t be more welcome news.

‘Labyrinth magic stone quarries don’t have to worry about magic veins being severed, and they restore quickly too.’

If they could stably obtain magic stones from the quarry, there would be no need for joy and sorrow to alternate based on whether monsters had magic stones or not when killed.

Goodbye to the gloomy funeral atmosphere.

“Where is it! Where are the magic stones? Hurry, hurry!”

“Wait! Let me drink some water!”

When Olive spread out the magic map and urged them on, Low placed his hand on the magic map.

The missing parts of the map were filled in and the quarry location appeared.

“Ooh! A quarry marker really appeared!”

“Uncle, move aside!”

Count Randy and Grey boldly claimed their spots and checked the quarry location.

Low took something out of his pocket and placed it on the magic map.

It was a low-grade magic stone mined from the quarry they discovered this time.

After confirming the physical evidence, Grey shouted meticulously.

“If you mine magic stones wrong, all the surrounding magic stones disappear too! You didn’t mess with it carelessly, did you?”

“Hehe, don’t worry. I only picked the ones that were easy to mine.”

Low looked down at the gray-haired child who was reacting like the Empire’s annoying Grand Mage with an incredulous expression, then rubbed his hands together and smiled cunningly.

“I had a terrible time trying to stop those little ones from touching things. Hehe.”

“Not little ones!”

“I just wanted to touch it because it was fascinating!”

“Wooong!”

“They just won’t listen…”

Low sighed deeply, saying he couldn’t live with the Number Siblings’ nagging.

“Didn’t I tell you to listen well to your leader during exploration?”

When Serena sternly questioned them, the Number Siblings hung their heads dejectedly.

“We were wrong.”

“Sorry! B-but I was the one who discovered the magic stones!”

Sesi claimed credit for discovering the magic stone quarry, seemingly wanting praise.

Low immediately shook his head.

“Discovery my foot. These kids didn’t know what magic stones were and were about to ignore them as fake gems and pass by. I insisted we investigate and that’s how we found it. If I had passed by, we would have missed it.”

“What’s the estimated mining yield?”

Low stroked his bald head that he rubbed every morning while washing his face. It seemed Count Randy had become unfamiliar after not talking for a few days.

“W-well, I’m not sure about that. I’m not an expert in that field either.”

“Right. When we find such things, we just report to the labyrinth administrator and that’s it.”

From a labyrinth adventurer’s perspective, magic stone quarries or herb gardens aren’t very useful. Such things are only useful to the country that owns the labyrinth.

Instead, since rewards are given for reporting discovered facilities, you just remember the location and how to get there well, then report it when leaving the labyrinth.

If the evidence is solid, rewards are given immediately, or later after verification.

“This pays quite well~”

Olive licked her lips while rubbing her thumb and index finger together. Hana and Sesi’s ears perked up.

“Pays well?”

“Sounds like a jackpot?”

The guide immediately clutched her stomach and laughed at the Number Siblings.

“You’re prisoners so no reward for you! Hahaha!”

“Ugh! It’s true but I’m annoyed for no reason!”

“Olive. You shouldn’t mock those who have achieved merit. Though you are criminals, I won’t forget your contributions, so don’t worry.”

“Did I do well, Princess?”

Sesi looked up at Serena with her blue eyes sparkling brightly. When Serena nodded and stroked her red hair, she wiggled her body and grinned bashfully.

“Hehehe. Being praised feels amazing.”

Watching this scene, Philia couldn’t speak and just bit her innocent handkerchief. Serena made a mental note that she must stroke her maid before sleeping.

“Well then~ The people going to check will be Count, Radish, and me for now.”

“Me! Olive, I want to go too! I really want to see it!”

Wow! Magic stone quarry! Wow! Magic stones!

Grey smiled as innocently as possible with all his might. The facial muscles of a child whose limits were being tested trembled.

Though it was annoying to see an Imperial citizen drooling over Huji’s assets, they had no choice since they lacked knowledgeable personnel.

When Serena nodded, Olive added Grey.

“The old young master, and a knight for muscle~”

“Wait!”

Sesi boldly shouted at the guide who was counting on her fingers while planning party members.

“Why?”

“You can’t go there without me, so I have to go too!”

“Can’t go without you?”

Olive looked at the magic map to verify Sesi’s claim.

After checking the route to the magic stone quarry on the map, Olive looked at Low and the Number Siblings in surprise.

This was because the peak where the magic stone quarry was located had no connecting bridges or paths, making it like an island floating in mid-air.

The distance to the nearest peak was also quite far, making it impossible to connect with ropes by throwing hooks.

“Hey! How did you guys get there?”

“Hihi. Can’t tell you just like that.”

“Depending on your sincerity, we might tell you.”

Hana and Sesi crossed their arms and acted smug. Olive snickered as if finding them ridiculous.

“If you can’t go without the redhead, the answer’s obvious. You either had condors carry ropes to transport you, or hung onto condors to get there.”

“Ah! How did you know? Are you a genius?”

“I-I didn’t think we’d be found out so quickly?”

The guide laughed at Hana and Sesi, then resumed planning party members.

“Then we need the redhead. And a knight~”

Ralph stepped forward confidently.

“I have experience with both the 3rd layer and rope climbing, so I’ll go!”

“Knight, I love seeing your enthusiasm. Great! That makes 6 people, we’re done!”

‘Huh?’

Serena, who had naturally assumed she would be included, blinked her one eye and called out to the Guide.

“Wait. I’m not included.”

“Princess wants to go too? Why don’t you rest?”

Olive’s opinion was valid too. If it were a deeper layer it would be different, but the 3rd layer was easily accessible since they could use the elevator from the 2nd layer without needing the teleportation room.

However, Serena wanted to see the marble quarry with her own eyes.

Once they left the labyrinth, everything would become the funding source for Heuji City’s reconstruction and revival, so she wanted to see the scale directly.

“It’ll be hard for Princess to go there~”

“If I get the two Cons to do it, it won’t be hard at all!”

Sesi’s eyes lit up as she waved her hand. She said if they tamed two condors to grab a net and rode on it, they’d get there quickly.

The method was oddly specific and she emphasized how comfortable it was, so it seemed she had tried it herself.

‘So she did ride it after all.’

Ever since she first tamed the Labyrinth Condor, she had constantly wanted to ride birds and fly through the sky. Despite the Princess’s dissuasion, she had eventually tried it.

Traveling through the sky on a net held by giant birds. It was quite romantic. It felt like fairy tale dreams and fantasies that transcended even the fantasy world.

‘At least it sounds safer than riding a winged horse.’

When Serena showed interest, Olive didn’t object further and shrugged her shoulders.

“If Princess likes it, I won’t oppose. So with Princess, that’s 7 people, done!”

“I object.”

Ying, who had been processing condor meat in the herb garden, spoke briefly and firmly while putting the meat into a subspace box.

“Geez, you scared me. You were so quiet I thought you were in the lobby, but you were processing meat?”

“You stay out. I’m going.”

At the Archer’s calm declaration, the Guide got fired up and jumped up from her sitting position.

“What are you talking about! Leaving out the Guide? No way!”

“There’s a guide.”

Ying pointed to Low, then pointed to Olive again.

“Two guides. Useless.”

“If you put it that way, Radish should be left out!”

“Novice guide. Stay out.”

The party’s expressions changed after hearing the Archer’s words. Everyone was convinced by Ying’s argument and agreed.

“Now that you mention it. There are two guides!”

“All the monsters on the 3rd layer are flying types. If Low uncle is the guide, then Olive sister who’s also a guide should stay out, and Ying sister should handle ranged attacks!”

Since they always left party composition and battle plans to Olive, they hadn’t noticed, but Olive wasn’t an essential member for this expedition.

Low would handle guiding, and Ying could fill in for Low’s shortcomings.

Olive, who suddenly found herself excluded from the party she had organized, protested.

“How can that be! I want to go too! Olive eyes!”

Olive, who was about to be stubborn while making childish sounds, suddenly became normal.

“Now that I think about it, I really don’t need to go, right? Until now I thought I had to go because I was the only guide!”

The marble quarry wasn’t boring, but it wasn’t interesting enough to insist on seeing since they discovered it fairly often, and there was no need to tire herself following along when there was another guide.

“I should rest by taking a hot spring bath and getting a massage from Popuri. Have a good trip!”

Giggling, Olive completely changed her expression and smiled brightly while waving to the group.

The entire party looked dumbfounded.

‘Everything worked out well, so why does this look so annoying.’

Serena petted Chicken as a change of mood. Chicken, who seemed bored because Lavenda was too busy working to play, obediently submitted to the Princess’s touch.

Chickens blink their eyes from bottom to top, not top to bottom.

While enjoying the soft chicken feathers and warm body temperature as she petted the golem that had even implemented such details, Prince Willow and Lavenda called out for them to eat.

Today’s dinner menu was condor stew with stir-fried condor. Condor jerky for those who wanted something to chew on.

Feeling awkward about eating condor meat in front of living condors, the Princess turned her head away.

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