Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 228

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

228. Poison

Countess Brownie Nex.

This sickly noblewoman who seemed like she would be blown away by the slightest breeze had a good reputation in the lobby.

Her manner of joining the lobby was extraordinary from the start. Being dragged around by a traitor, then getting burned while prepared to sacrifice herself for the Princess. She was truly a model of loyalty.

Even Grey, who was stingy with praise, blamed Countess Nex’s lacking skills but praised her spirit in burning her hands, so how much more did others think of her.

Moreover, Countess Nex was the eldest member(?) of the lobby. She wasn’t just old in age, but a person who possessed both noble refinement and a mage’s knowledge.

The Countess’s lack of sociability was accepted as a noblewoman’s lofty attitude.

Such a well-regarded noblewoman convulsed and collapsed, calling for help. Inside and outside the capsules, people came rushing out.

“What’s happening!”

“What? What what what?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Countess!”

“Cough cough!”

“Countess Nex! What’s the matter!”

Serena also called out to the Countess and rushed out of her capsule. Ralph and Count Alpha helped Countess Nex, who had crawled out of her capsule, and moved her beside the campfire.

Since it was night, the lobby was dark. Because it was difficult to see the patient’s condition clearly by campfire light, Serena quickly created an orb of light.

“What I desire is bright light to illuminate the patient!”

Countess Nex’s condition seen under the bright light was serious.

Her lips were blue, her originally pale face had turned yellow like parchment, and a dark aura also circulated around her.

“My, my stomach… My chest… My back…”

The Countess was sweating cold sweat all over her body and complained of such severe pain that she couldn’t straighten her back.

“We, we need to call a doctor! Or at least a priest!”

Ralph, surprised and flustered, shouted out the professions people in this world sought when patients occurred, then closed his mouth.

Obviously, this place was the labyrinth. The lobby had neither. The young knight’s face contorted.

Until now, when patients arose, they were treated with the alchemist’s potions. This time too, Count Randy stepped forward.

“My knowledge is lacking, but I’ll take a look. Lavenda, please help too.”

“Yes!”

Lavenda busily moved about, laying down the Countess who couldn’t straighten her back and wiping away her sweat with a towel soaked in hot spring water.

Count Randy also brought all the medicine he could from the workshop and gathered herbs. Olive, who was watching the Count examine the Countess, narrowed her eyes.

“Isn’t it poison? Yo?”

At those words, Grey and Count Alpha flared up.

“Are you saying our Lord Willow poisoned Countess Nex right now?”

“Olive. Take back those words.”

Why would Grey, who blocked Prince Willow’s jesting in advance, allow the Prince to click tongs and conduct the grill?

Being in charge of the lobby’s meals meant receiving that much great trust.

Though antidotes were more developed than in the previous life, that was consistent with the story that poisons had also developed. In this world too, monarchs were always plagued by the danger of poisoning.

In such a world, Serena had entrusted the lobby’s dining table to Prince Willow.

Grey thought this was an expression of favor and trust that the Princess of Huji was sending to the Empire’s Prince.

The guide had slandered the Prince with baseless suspicion. Considering the meaning of being in charge of meals, this wasn’t something that could simply end as a joke.

“Miss Olive. Won’t you take back what you just said and apologize.”

Prince Willow recommended an apology in a serious voice.

“Your Highness! This isn’t something that should end with an apology!”

The Prince’s hand covered the mouth of the attendant who shouted that this wasn’t something to end with just an apology. His other hand stopped the knight who was trying to grab his axe.

“…”

Venom flashed in Olive’s green eyes before dispersing. Perhaps thinking her words were too harsh even by her own standards, the guide bowed her head.

“What I just said was wrong of me. I was mistaken. I’m sorry.”

“End it with words! Mmph!”

“Hmm. That’s enough then. From now on, use proper and nice words. Using kind words makes life kind too.”

When the Prince magnanimously accepted the apology, Olive conversely stood with one leg cocked defiantly.

“Ah~ forget about that stuff. Since it’s not something to end with words, I’ll take a beating. Yo. That works, right? Zero!”

Olive summoned Ying, saying she’d end it with a flick to the forehead. Serena mentally held her head.

‘This isn’t something to end with a flick to the forehead.’

Grey was right. This wasn’t something that could end with an apology or a flick to the forehead disguised as corporal punishment.

‘The Prince really seems to think he’ll just accept the apology and forgive. But Grey and Count Alpha won’t.’

She needed to impose a punishment that the two people from the Empire could accept. At the same time, it had to please the unnecessarily magnanimous Prince.

‘Oh, my head.’

As the lobby’s leader, she needed to resolve this somehow, but no suitable method came to mind. In the first place, in Serena’s 18 years of life, someone like Olive was a first.

‘Where would you see a commoner who’s not noble being insolent to royalty! At most in novels or games!’

Then how do those novels, games, and movies resolve such situations?

Usually the protagonist gives a talking-to, or the conflicting commoner and noble get caught up in incidents and are forced to cooperate, naturally improving their relationship.

‘The Prince can’t leave the lobby, so the latter is impossible. Then in the end, I have to give the talking-to.’

Unfortunately, Serena wasn’t smart. She didn’t know how to give moving persuasion like protagonists in fiction.

‘Isn’t there something other than insubordination? When someone did wrong but needs suitable punishment or compensation that those around would accept. What do protagonists usually receive?’

Regressors or transmigrators often receive hidden treasures that will skyrocket in value in the future, or people themselves as compensation.

This was also regrettably impossible since Serena was a regressor but Olive was a beggar. Serena thought of the trustworthy guide and the Empire enthusiastic about labyrinth conquest, and reached a conclusion.

‘It’s lacking, but it can’t be helped. This is my limit.’

Olive and the Prince were still in confrontation. Serena naturally stood between the two.

“Olive. You know that what you said isn’t something to end with a joke disguised as corporal punishment.”

“Arrest me when I leave the labyrinth then. Yo.”

“Your Highness Serena. I have accepted the apology.”

“Grey and Count Alpha couldn’t accept it. Neither could I. However, if the Prince will show magnanimous mercy, I have one proposal.”

“If it’s advice from the wise Your Highness, I’ll listen carefully.”

“As the Prince knows, Olive is an excellent labyrinth adventurer. It would be a waste for her to idle away in prison. For the crime of insulting the Prince, Olive must later perform one commission for the Prince free of charge. How about this much?”

Prince Willow’s expression brightened as if he liked Serena’s proposal.

“No need to go as far as a commission, one light request would be fine. Olive, what do you think?”

“I’d rather just go to prison. I don’t want to live indebted to an Imperial royal. Yo.”

Olive abandoned her repentant attitude again and spoke sarcastically. Not only Grey and Count Alpha, but sparks flew from Serena’s one eye as well, when Prince Willow’s gentle voice calmed the three.

“You don’t want to be indebted? Then I’ll make my request now. Anytime is fine, so please tell me why you dislike me. Receiving such hateful looks from a charming woman like you makes my small heart shed sorrowful tears.”

For someone shedding sorrowful tears, the Prince’s eyes were affectionate and his voice even more gentle.

Olive seemed surprised by the Prince’s unexpected request, opening her round eyes even rounder.

The venom that had disappeared from the guide’s eyes returned. Olive didn’t give up and spoke sarcastically.

“What’s that. Yo. Is that really enough? Yo?”

“Just that? What are you saying? The person who knows your charm best is you yourself, isn’t it? You know how hurtful it is to be hated by someone as charming as you, so will you ignore the tears of those poor souls you’ve rejected?”

Prince Willow spoke smoothly even while looking at the guide who was openly being sarcastic, without getting angry.

“Ugh.”

When Prince Willow sent a wink, Olive’s head drooped powerlessly. The guide let out a sigh resembling a groan.

“I’m really sorry. But I don’t just hate the Prince, I hate all of the Prince’s family members too.”

“I know. Anytime is fine, so please be sure to tell me the reason. That’s my request.”

“If you ask the little young master, he’ll answer you? Yo?”

“I think it’s meaningful to hear it directly from you.”

For a moment, Olive’s green olive-colored eyes became vacant. Was it Serena’s imagination that they seemed to darken as moisture gathered?

“Then that’s really enough, right? Yo? I’m leaving? Yo?”

Olive turned her head to avoid the Prince’s gaze.

But Serena intuitively realized. After Prince Willow revealed his identity, it was from now that the guide recognized the Prince not as ‘the Prince’ but as Prince ‘Willow.’

The guide suddenly whistled as she moved away. Prince Willow lightly bowed to Serena.

“Your Highness Serena’s judgment was truly as wise and romantic as His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire.”

‘He’s a good person. Deep in scheming but kind too.’

She could understand why the Emperor favored him most. Serena would also cherish such a child terribly if she had one among her children.

That’s why Serena found the Prince frightening. Without the divine protection obtained by sacrificing her left eye, the lobby’s initiative would have passed to the Prince long ago.

‘I want to become smarter.’

I want to manipulate people around me like a novel protagonist too!

I want to become an overpowered character who can conquer this damn labyrinth in one go!

Jealousy is the poison most likely to ruin a person among all emotions. And coincidentally, the symbol of jealousy is green eyes.

‘But it’s not Olive who’s jealous, it’s me.’

Olive also harbored emotions like poison that ruin people. Serena hoped to find an antidote to that poison before it sent the Guide to prison, or worse, to the execution block.

“Lady Serena.”

Count Randy, who had been continuously caring for Countess Nex and hadn’t noticed this small commotion, approached.

Serena urgently asked about her master’s condition.

“How is the Countess’s condition? Did you find out why she’s sick?”

“Well… I’m not a doctor so I can’t give a definitive answer, but Lavenda and I suspect it’s indigestion.”

“Indigestion?”

“Cough cough. The Countess is in a lot of pain. Cough cough.”

“If it’s indigestion, that’s just poor digestion. She’s in that much pain from mere indigestion?”

The Old Man, who had a strong stomach, looked bewildered. Serena was also bewildered and about to add something when a memory from her past life flashed through her mind.

‘A friend with gastritis said they threw up from stomach pain after taking nutritional supplements.’

Countess Nex, who was already sickly and especially had a weak stomach, had eaten both greasy steak and nutritional supplements at the same time.

If it had been lunch, she would have been active and digested it better, but it happened to be dinner.

Her stomach, which had to lie down without time to digest, thought: Today is the day to teach my owner a lesson for not cherishing me.

‘Her stomach went on strike!’

Knowing it wasn’t a fatal illness, her mind became peaceful. Serena asked Count Randy for digestive medicine.

The genius alchemist immediately prepared digestive medicine and gave it to Countess Nex.

“She should get better now that she’s taken the digestive medicine.”

Just as the genius alchemist made his confident declaration, Countess Nex trembled and vomited up all the medicine she had taken.

“Oh no!”

They tried feeding it to her several times again, but it was useless. Countess Nex’s stomach declared a complete strike, rejecting all food coming down the esophagus.

The Countess’s complexion grew worse and worse from repeated vomiting. If medicine wouldn’t work, they had to find another method.

Fortunately, there was a human body expert in the lobby. An expert in helping the human body, not in killing.

“Miss Lavenda, I’m asking you.”

“Me? You mean me?”

Lavenda was momentarily flustered, then immediately burned with motivation and rolled up her sleeves.

“I’ll do my best!”

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