Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 22

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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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22. The One in a Hundred Thousand (5)

The fact that this place is a labyrinth can’t be hidden forever. From the moment they encountered the undead labyrinth rat, Ralph and Krom must be wondering ‘Why are there undead rats in a mausoleum?’

Even if labyrinths are so rare that they can’t think of it, they must be thinking it’s a dungeon.

Lucas gathered the group and revealed the truth.

“Oh my goodness.”

“A labyrinth… you say?”

“So there was a labyrinth in Heuji too, Lady Serena.”

“I knew it was a labyrinth after all…”

Lavenda’s expression darkened, as if she had suspected it this time as well.

“Lavenda Puri! If you knew, why didn’t you speak up earlier? How suspicious.”

“What? No! I was afraid I might interfere with the knight’s work with unnecessary words…”

“That’s for me to judge. You had suspicions but kept them hidden. How suspicious.”

Strictly speaking, it was Lucas’s fault for not giving Lavenda a chance to speak. Lucas interrogated Lavenda like catching a rat until Serena stopped him.

“Enough! Stop that and each of you tell us what you know about labyrinths.”

Lavenda spoke about Vieta’s Labyrinth like last time. Because she was watching Lucas’s mood, she couldn’t imitate the labyrinth guide’s witty remarks, making it boring to listen to.

After Lavenda’s explanation ended, Serena brought up the topic of exits.

“I know there may be other exits in labyrinths.”

“Yes, the Empire knights said something similar. They were in the middle of the labyrinth and suddenly escaped outside the labyrinth.”

The rock blocking the exit was immovable, and even when Lucas struck it, it didn’t budge. They couldn’t contact the outside, and rescue was far off.

“We have to go down into the labyrinth.”

When Serena mentioned the only escape method, Lucas opposed with a serious expression.

“That’s impossible. There might be other exits on this floor. Let’s explore this entire floor first.”

“I don’t think there’s anything special on this floor. It would be a waste of time.”

“Princess.”

Lucas spoke seriously.

“Labyrinths are very dangerous, unlike ordinary dungeons. I’m sorry to say this, but from now on, you must follow my instructions.”

It wasn’t wrong. As a knight of the glorious Heuji Royal Knights, in charge of Serena’s protection, it certainly wasn’t wrong.

Adventure involves danger. Protection is the opposite. It eliminates all dangers and avoids adventure. Adventurers enjoy variables while guards eliminate variables in advance.

Lucas seemed to want to act by the book.

“Lucas, I understand your intention, but your attitude is rude!”

Philia was indignant at Lucas’s attitude toward her master. Serena elbowed her maid. Philia shut her mouth tightly and sent a dissatisfied look at her master.

‘He’s right. But something bothers me.’

Was it because he was trying to take control even though Serena was present? Or because he had interrupted the princess before? Because he subtly treated Serena like an empty-headed person? Because his attitude toward people was rough and rude? Because Ralph’s face had new wounds again?

‘He seems to dislike me.’

It wasn’t just because he was from Duke Oren’s faction. Lucas disliked Serena.

He thought he was hiding it well, but Serena had survived on her own in the hellish royal court and social circles without a protector. Having once felt threats to her survival, she could sense it clearly.

‘This bastard dislikes me.’

Even when he learned Serena could use magic, it wasn’t simple praise.

‘It was like ‘This pathetic person can do something like this?’ That kind of tone. Even when I said everyone was tired so let’s rest, his attitude was like he was resting because I was tired.’

It would have been good if he had revised his assessment of the princess who could use magic and recognized the labyrinth early, but Lucas didn’t. Rather, after learning it was a labyrinth, one more thing was added.

‘He sees me as baggage.’

Strictly speaking, Serena was indeed baggage. She consumed food, needed protection, and couldn’t help in combat. If this were a game, she would have been abandoned first.

Knowing she was baggage, she respected Krom’s property rights and praised Ralph’s clumsy spear work. She stopped Philia’s pretty mouth from talking nonsense and promised generous rewards to the group.

Currently, Lucas’s head must be full of worries.

How do I escape the labyrinth with the princess and countess?

A loyal knight would try to save both even by sacrificing himself, while a knight desperate to save himself would think differently.

Since it’s a labyrinth anyway, wouldn’t it be okay to abandon or kill the noble baggage? The labyrinth would erase the evidence too.

All of this was Serena’s delusion, and Lucas had only shown slightly insolent looks without doing anything.

However, as an absolute weakling, Serena wanted her safety guaranteed.

‘Tsk. Should I yield here? I really don’t like this bastard’s look.’

Lucas’s gaze was definitely positioned above Serena’s. Not physically, but he clearly saw Serena, whom he should protect and serve, as beneath him.

While making eye contact, Serena pretended to close her eyes while opening her left eye. It would be suspicious to suddenly wink, but fortunately the eyepatch covered it.

‘Hmm?’

The moment she checked the world reflected in her left eye, Serena jumped up and spread both arms toward the sky.

If she was anxious about being abandoned or killed for being baggage.

“Actually, I have received a revelation!”

She just needed to become baggage that could never be abandoned.

“Princess?”

A confident smile formed on the princess’s lips.

***

Lucas’s mouth fell open at the princess’s sudden action. Expressions returned to the faces of people who had been silently following orders while the knight maintained discipline.

Philia was noticeably anxious and worried about her master.

“Lady Serena, what’s wrong? I’m scared.”

“Listen well. I have received a revelation. Wasn’t my appearance strange when we first met? That’s because I was communicating with a god!”

“Good heavens.”

Lucas squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn’t bring himself to curse out loud, but in his head, all the curses he knew poured out like a waterfall after rain.

That crazy wench’s blood didn’t go anywhere! This was the mildest curse.

“The moment we entered the labyrinth! Some unknown god gave me a revelation!”

“Everyone close your eyes and cover your ears. Never speak of what you see and hear here. The royal sword will fall upon those with loose tongues.”

Lucas warned the people in the lobby. Everyone pretended to follow the knight’s words while not listening to Serena’s words.

That was fine though.

Serena was confident.

“As proof, I know what monsters will be on the 2nd floor. The 2nd floor will be darker than the 1st floor, and eight-legged ambushers will attack you! But what’s truly fearsome is the bull-headed monster with terrible horns! The monster’s horns will fly at you like lightning and pierce you!”

Serena’s prophecy ended. No one dared to make eye contact with the princess.

Lavenda was frustrated, realizing the lifeline she had tried to grab was a rotten rope, and Ralph just blinked in surprise.

Krom clicked his tongue. Philia collapsed and cried.

“Sob, Lady Serena!”

Countess Randy remembered the Crown Princess who only regained her senses briefly on stormy days and wept sadly.

“Countess. By any chance, is the princess similar to His Highness the Crown Prince…”

“How rude! Lady Serena would choose death over drugs! That’s just her being ill…”

Lucas asked if Serena had touched her father’s medicine and received protests from Philia.

“She’s still young. Tsk tsk.”

“She must be anxious because of the labyrinth.”

No one believed Serena’s words or listened carefully. Everyone was genuinely worried about how to navigate the labyrinth with a mad princess.

Serena smiled triumphantly.

“As proof!”

Serena opened only her left eye and looked at the shop window. Could she see the 1 shop coin in the corner? This was exactly why Serena had planned this scam.

[You have defeated a Floor Boss. 1 shop coin is awarded.]

[You have defeated a Stratum Boss. 1 limited coin is awarded.]

While Serena was troubled by Lucas’s unpleasant look, she received two notifications.

It must be the reward for the boss rat that Lucas defeated. Whether she liked it or not, they seemed to be treated as the same party.

Serena obtained 1 coin to use in the shop, and the bread tree was currently on a first-time limited special sale.

‘Purchase!’

The princess bought the bread tree. Places where the bread tree could be installed in the lobby were displayed. Serena chose a suitable corner spot.

‘Install!’

There was no grand presentation. Just as the Labyrinth Rat Leader had summoned subordinates from nothing, this time too a bread tree suddenly appeared from nothing.

“I bestow bread upon you!”

A tree laden with freshly baked, soft bread suddenly appeared with a pop in the corner of the lobby.

Everyone was shocked, and Serena burst into laughter. She should have maintained her dignity as a princess, but the current situation was so absurd and exhilarating that she couldn’t stop laughing.

“Ahahahahaha! Kek.”

Laughing in an unfamiliar way, saliva got caught in her throat. Serena approached the bread tree while coughing. People were too shocked by the suddenly appeared tree bearing bread to dare approach it.

The tree was smaller than expected. A tall person could pick bread from the highest branches by standing on their tiptoes.

Instead, the branches spread wide with bread hanging abundantly from each branch. At a glance, there were about 50 loaves of bread.

‘It can’t just be decoration.’

To dispel her slight anxiety, Serena grabbed a nearby loaf. The texture against her fingers was soft and tender. With a little force, the bread gently fell from the branch.

The bread Serena chose was about the size of two adult fists put together. There were many larger loaves as well.

Serena broke the bread in half. As the texture and appearance suggested, it was soft multigrain bread. It was coarser than the white bread Serena usually ate, but it was soft enough.

Serena opened her mouth wide and took a big bite of the bread. Everyone’s eyes focused on her mouth.

Chomp.

Bread bitten into without regard for appearances. As soon as the bread entered her mouth, it became moist with saliva while giving off a savory taste.

Serena stamped her feet in place. Having eaten bread for the first time in two days, it was so delicious that her tongue and oral mucosa tingled.

Serena chewed the bread thoroughly and swallowed. She looked at the people and smiled brightly.

“It’s delicious!”

“Waaaah!”

They had starved on the first day and only eaten thin porridge the next day. Even while feeling frustrated by the burden of having to explore the Labyrinth! The merciful god had bestowed bread through the princess!

Without anyone taking the lead, they all rushed toward the bread tree. Lucas, who had been standing dazed, belatedly came to his senses.

“Stop! Everyone stop! You mustn’t pick the bread carelessly! Only pick and eat what you need! Don’t waste it! Don’t touch the branches either!”

“Lucas is right. Everyone calm down.”

The people who hadn’t stopped even at Lucas’s words flinched at Serena’s words but stopped. Serena smiled brightly and pointed at the statue.

“Look at that! That statue is the statue of the Minotaur God! You should praise the mercy of the one who chose me as an apostle to save you!”

“Thank you, Minotaur God!”

“Thank you!”

People bowed to the Minotaur God’s statue and approached the bread tree cautiously with their hands clasped together.

They didn’t pick the bread themselves but waited for Serena to pick it for them. They worried that if they touched it and caused some defilement, the miracle might disappear.

“There are various types of bread!”

She hadn’t noticed while picking hastily, but there were various types of bread on the tree. Multigrain bread, white bread, hard and large rye bread. Various breads hung abundantly like fruit trees in an orchard given plenty of fertilizer.

“Krom. What kind of bread do you want?”

“I, I’d like to try white bread.”

Serena reached out and picked a white, soft loaf of white bread. Krom respectfully received the bread and bowed his head.

“Thank you. Thank you.”

“Ra.”

About to call Ralph, Serena remembered they hadn’t been properly introduced yet and naturally continued with Lavenda.

“Lavenda, what about you?”

“Any bread is fine for me. No wait, Lavenda. Get it together. It’s irreverent to say ‘any’ about a miracle. That bread closest to me!”

Lavenda received the same multigrain bread that Serena had eaten. She hugged the bread to her chest with a beaming smile.

“Hanson?”

“That big rye bread looks good.”

Ralph, who would be hungry from moving around a lot during his growth period, chose rye bread similar in size to his helmet.

“Countess Randy.”

“Please give me the bread you were eating, Serena.”

“Here, eat this.”

Serena chose white bread that she usually ate. She couldn’t understand why Philia would covet bread with someone else’s saliva on it.

As Philia turned away looking dejected, now one person remained.

Lucas was still in a state of shock.

“What in the world. Could it be that I’ve gone mad?”

Lucas was so shocked that he began to doubt his own mental health.

“Don’t doubt the sacred miracle of god.”

“But I’ve never heard of such divine magic or miracles. How is this possible? A tree that bears bread! It’s preposterous!”

“Isn’t this place the Labyrinth? It’s a mysterious and wondrous space where anything can happen and nothing should surprise us. The Minotaur God can do anything in the Labyrinth.”

Looking at Lucas’s expression, his spirit was properly broken. Lucas couldn’t bring himself to look directly at Serena. The reason was different from before.

“What kind of bread do you want?”

“I… The bread we’ve already picked is big and plentiful, so we can share. We shouldn’t pick all the bread. We need to find a way to preserve it somehow…”

“What are you talking about? This is the Labyrinth. What’s the biggest difference between dungeons and labyrinths?”

“Restoration… No way!”

“That’s right.”

Serena enjoyed the leisure of a victor while wearing a benevolent smile. Above the bread tree floated numbers that only she could see.

Time remaining until bread refill: 6 days 23 hours 45 minutes.

‘This is too good for 1 coin. I guess it’s because it was originally 10 coins?’

This was the end of the first-time discount. From now on, she had to work hard to collect coins. Serena took a bite of bread.

“Mmm. Delicious.”

They say don’t discuss life with someone who hasn’t eaten tear-soaked bread.

Now Serena understands life.

Happiness is completed with refined carbohydrates, fats, and sugars. No objections accepted.

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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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