Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 232

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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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232. Mountain Climbing Preparation (1)

If the 8th Layer was a world of books, then the 10th Layer was a world of snow.

A piercingly blue winter sky and white snow piled softly in all directions spread out before the party. Every time a wind carrying cold air blew, the snow accumulated on tree branches was swept up by the wind and scattered as if it were snowing.

Steam came from their noses with every breath. The party gradually felt the temperature of the 10th Layer and hunched their bodies.

“Cold!”

Olive hopped like a rabbit, then pulled out a cloak from her bag and wrapped it around herself.

“My eyes!”

The Archer didn’t seem to like the winter sunlight reflecting off the white snow, covering his eyes and crying out mournfully. He shouldn’t be dazzled because of his goggles, but he was being quite dramatic.

Count Randy exhaled white breath as he looked after his lord.

“Lady Serena, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

Perhaps because she was wearing the Goblin Shaman’s robe like a scarf, it was still bearable for now.

“Olive. Is the front safe?”

“Ugh, cold! Cold! So cooold! It’s safe!”

The Guide made a fuss while blowing on her hands with puffs of breath, guaranteeing safety. Count Alpha stepped boldly into the snowy country without showing any sign of being cold.

Crunch.

The snow was piled up to Count Alpha’s ankle height. This much snow would hinder walking. The Imperial Knight raised his sharply cut, smooth eyebrows with displeasure.

“Woof?”

Duri seemed pleased with the clean snowy country with no footprints, exhaling through her nose as she moved forward.

The black bear rolled around, pushing through the white snow.

“Woooof!”

“That bear isn’t even cold. Don’t bears usually hibernate in winter? Yo?”

“Among bears, there are bears that don’t hibernate.”

Count Randy strokes his chin when he has something to think about. Today, perhaps because it was cold, he rubbed his chin and cheeks vigorously.

“And Duri is a human who transforms into a bear, not actually a bear, right? She should be fine.”

“H-h-h-human or bear or whatever, I’m freezing to death!”

Perhaps because she was dressed lightly, Olive was particularly vocal about the cold. Serena used the new magic she had learned for the Guide.

‘If I combine temperature control magic with mana field magic.’

Her diligent studying paid off, as a mana field was generated around the Princess. Serena called Olive.

“Come to my side.”

“Ugh, cold cold cold. Ah! It’s warm!”

Inside the mana field created by the Princess, the temperature was controlled and warm. Olive swayed her body limply like someone whose muscles had melted along with her frozen body thawing.

“It would be even warmer if Princess hugged me tight~”

‘Her brain melted too.’

Serena snapped her fingers. The Archer, who had been silently watching the party, ran over and punished Olive.

“Kyaak! Now I’ve come to my senses. Yo.”

Olive seemed to really snap back to attention, heavily arming herself with cloth she had.

“Alright! Princess! Let’s go investigate like this! Yo!”

“That’s difficult.”

“Why? Yo?”

“I can’t move while casting the mana field.”

To be precise, walking while casting a basic mana field was fine, but moving while maintaining temperature control as well was impossible.

‘My head feels like it’s going to burst! My head is getting hot!’

When it’s already cold, shouldn’t she prevent heat from rushing to her head?

Olive made a gesture of wiping tears as she stepped outside the mana field. No matter how cold it was, no matter how much snow had piled up to Olive’s calves, they had to investigate to conquer the labyrinth.

Serena also dispelled all her magic and entered the snowy country.

The fluffy snow was piled up to Count Alpha’s ankles and above Olive’s ankles, and she was preparing in advance for stepping on it, but somehow her foot didn’t sink down as much as expected.

Serena looked down at her feet with curiosity. The Princess’s feet were gently stepping on top of the snow.

“This is!”

It was the same as when walking on fine sand. The magic shoes helped the Princess walk on the snow. Serena could walk comfortably on the snow without difficulty.

“Waaah. Only Princess doesn’t get wet feet. That’s unfair.”

“Olive. Our shoes are also waterproof.”

“But they can’t prevent snow from getting in. Yo.”

Snowy paths are not only difficult to walk on, but inevitably getting shoes wet in snow increases the risk of frostbite. Thanks to the magic shoes, Serena could walk comfortably without worrying about frostbite.

“Count Alpha obtained a good item from the box. I must certainly reward you later.”

“Being of help to Your Highness the Grand Princess’s safety is the greatest honor.”

As Count Alpha was about to kneel, Serena immediately stopped him.

“C-c-c-cold. The stairs are…”

The Guide took out the labyrinth compass. The needle pointing to the stairs on the compass spun around and then stopped, pointing straight ahead of the group.

The group slowly looked ahead, then gradually raised their heads to look up at the white mountain.

That’s right. A mountain.

The 10th Floor of Heuji’s Labyrinth was a snow-covered winter mountain.

Even on ordinary mountains outside the labyrinth, climbing when snow has accumulated in winter is suicidal.

But doing that in a labyrinth?

Is this difficulty level correct?

The Guide, whose soul seemed frozen by the cold and wore a dazed expression, declared.

“I-I-I tried to endure, but I can’t endure anymore. Yo. Retreat!”

That said, it wasn’t a real retreat. The party returned to the front of the stairs where the temperature was normal.

“We need to take cold weather measures.”

“We also need snowshoes.”

“Waaah, cold. Am I the only one cold? Yo?”

“We’re cold too, but we’re enduring it. How about Olive stops making a fuss and endures it too?”

“No waaay. I’m enduring too. Yo. But I’m strangely colder. Kyaang!”

Olive, who seemed really cold, clung to Ying then screamed and fell away.

“Zero! Are you made of ice or something? Are you alive?”

The Archer who loved silence displayed an elegant and dignified posture even in the harsh winter wind. She absolutely didn’t hunch her shoulders or rub her hands.

She had been quiet the whole time, so they thought she wasn’t affected by the cold, but that wasn’t the case. The fingertips of her hand not wrapped in bandages were turning blue.

“If you’re cold, say you’re cold! If your fingers fall off, you can’t draw your bow!”

Olive grabbed Ying’s hand and rubbed it while blowing warm breath on it. Serena cast the temperature-controlled mana field magic again.

Though it was an embarrassing temperature to call warm, the Guide made a happy expression like a puppy or cat warming itself on a heated floor.

Count Randy, who had been trying to act nonchalant, also sneakily entered the mana field. Count Alpha remained still, seemingly able to endure, and Duri showed off her thick fur as if asking what cold was.

“It is strange. My feet and head feel particularly cold. My feet feel like bare feet put in snow, and my head feels chilly every time the wind blows, ah.”

The Alchemist removed his leather helmet as if he understood the cause of the cold.

It was originally made from Labyrinth Alligator leather, but after defeating Alligator Rius, the ruler of the sewers, it was newly crafted along with boots from that leather.

“This! The alligator leather is vulnerable to cold, so we were colder too!”

“Damn! There was a reason! My head was cold and frozen. My feet were cold and frozen, so I was so so cold! Yo!”

Alligator Rius had strong electrical defense but weak cold defense. Because they wore shoes and helmets made from that Alligator Rius’s leather, the party’s heads and feet were freezing.

“It would be better to get mountain climbing shoes or cold weather shoes from the shoe store on the 7th Floor.”

“Ugh, even with the alligator helmet off, it’s still cold cold.”

“I’ll order Countess Nex to create cold weather magical tools.”

There was nothing more they could do by staying longer. The party went up the stairs.

“Princess.”

“What is it?”

The Guide, who had been examining the scale of the mountain using the magic map received from Serena, called the Princess.

Olive said something shocking.

“I’m going to drop out of this conquest. Yo.”

“What did you say?”

Serena opened her one eye wide. She was managing her expression with minimal rationality, but her mind was a battlefield.

The screams in her heart exploded like artillery fire on a battlefield.

Emergency! Emergency! Guide strike! Party withdrawal!

Is she sulking? Did she get offended? Did her self-loathing from Hana’s situation get worse? Did we do something wrong? Did she find a way to escape alone?

She was really cold earlier, but did she lose faith because we hit her instead of hugging her?

Olive is the best guide Serena knows. While the party full of Labyrinth beginners was able to safely(?) reach the 10th floor thanks to Serena’s infinite regression, the guide’s contribution couldn’t be ignored either.

And now that guide wants to withdraw from the strategy?

“What do you mean by that? Are you saying you want to leave the party?”

She concentrated all her nerves on managing her expression but couldn’t stop her voice from trembling. As Serena’s face contorted, Olive waved her hands.

“Whoa whoa. Don’t misunderstand. I’m just saying I want to sit out this floor’s strategy. That’s all.”

“Even sitting out this floor’s strategy. What on earth are you talking about? If it’s because of the cold, making cold-weather magic tools should solve it.”

Count Randy, who heard the conversation, was also surprised and interjected. Olive waved her hands as if it was nothing serious.

“I’m telling you not to misunderstand. I’m not withdrawing completely, it’s just that there’s someone more suitable than me for this floor.”

“Someone more suitable?”

Surely she wouldn’t recommend the directionally-challenged Hana as a guide. Everyone was curious about Olive’s recommendation when the archer who doesn’t complain even when cold spoke up.

“Low.”

Low Sol. The ranged attacker, advisor, and guide of the second strategy team. But didn’t Low only function as half a guide?

Serena naturally thought it would be wrong, but Olive shouted loudly.

“Ding dong dang! Zero is correct! The guide recommended by Olive, the best guide selected by the precious princess of the Heujibuji Kingdom, is none other than! Radish!”

“Didn’t you say Low could only function as half a guide?”

“Well~ it varies by terrain. Of course, I’m the best guide recognized by the Princess.”

“You’re being long-winded. Speak briefly.”

“Radish is better than me in mountainous terrain.”

Olive wiggled her index finger smugly.

“That guy Radish. He’s from a mountain village hunter background. He’s strong in mountainous terrain.”

‘If she’s saying this much?’

If it’s terrain she’s not confident in guiding through, recommending someone suitable is also a desirable guide’s way of handling things.

The people who were surprised when Olive said she’d withdraw from the strategy felt secretly relieved.

Serena calmed her startled heart and looked for Low Sol as soon as they arrived at the lobby.

The Mysterious Stranger who heard the situation rubbed his palms together and bowed obsequiously.

“Yes, Olive is right. When it comes to mountains, it’s High Sol and Low Sol. It’s the Sol Brothers’ domain.”

Low naturally mentioned his brother’s name first. Serena didn’t point this out and threw a new question so Low wouldn’t realize it.

“Would snow-covered winter mountains be alright too?”

“If the entire floor is a mountain rather than having set paths on the mountain, I’m better. And if it’s a winter mountain, I’m even better. Olive has a constitution that’s sensitive to cold.”

The guide had stripped off her clothes and jumped into the hot spring as soon as they returned to the lobby. While she usually drank cool fruit juice, today she ordered warm tea saying her stomach felt cold.

Perhaps imagining the small guide enjoying a hot spring bath beyond the partition, Low’s eyes became tender.

“How… adorable it is when she acts spoiled asking to be hugged because she’s cold…”

Though Low trailed off, Serena could predict the rest.

‘Probably cute or lovely.’

The Mysterious Stranger was sincere enough to offer not just his liver but his gallbladder to the Wind of the Wilderness, but what could be done? The Wind of the Wilderness was two-timing with the Mysterious Stranger’s brother, Pigtail.

‘Guilty human.’

The victim of that guilty human still couldn’t let go and blushed red like a radish.

“I see. You still remembered my hometown. As expected, you didn’t forget me but pretended to forget on purpose…”

‘I think she really forgot. Meeting continuously probably stimulated her memory and brought it back. She’s smart after all.’

Since the victim still couldn’t let go of his attachment, Olive’s crime was vicious. Serena sent a pitying look to the Mysterious Stranger.

“Then I’ll entrust the mountain expedition preparations to you as well.”

“Yes. Please leave it to me.”

“Princess. If Fake Baldy and Duri are out, what should we do? Stay in the lobby?”

“That would be best. Keep going back and forth to the pond to train your senses and receive lessons about the Labyrinth from Olive.”

At the Princess’s words, Hana and Sesi’s faces crumpled. Reluctant sounds could be heard from behind the partition too.

“Eh? I was going to play though?”

“I’m not telling you to have lessons all day long.”

“Tsk tsk. I don’t like those blockheads.”

The teacher cursed at students whose eagerness outpaced their brains. The students grumbled in response.

“You’re a fraud yourself.”

“We acknowledge your skills, but we don’t want to learn from a fraud either.”

Unlike Olive who grumbled openly, the two whispered quietly. But Olive’s sharp hearing didn’t miss even these small sounds.

“You want to get hit with a rod? Got it!”

“We oppose violence!”

“We lied because we didn’t want to study! We really want to learn!”

“It’s essential lessons for your safety too, so don’t listen half-heartedly and study hard.”

Serena felt sympathy for the odd-numbered sisters who hated studying and went to find Countess Nex.

“Countess. Would it be possible to create cold-weather magic tools?”

“Yes, if we have the materials, I think I can somehow create them by borrowing Count Landriole’s equipment. However…”

Countess Nex trailed off as if she had something to say. When Serena permitted her to speak, the Countess answered politely.

“Hot floors might appear later. Since there’s no big difference in materials, how about making temperature-regulating magic tools instead of cold-weather ones?”

“If that’s possible, please do so.”

Countess Nex received materials from the alchemist and borrowed the workshop to start designing magic circles.

Serena gazed fondly at her master’s slender back.

Though the protruding spine and ribs and the way she kept clutching her solar plexus was worrying, she was confident good results would come.

‘Indeed, having more people is good because work gets distributed.’

Without Countess Nex, Serena would have had to rack her brains and use enchantment magic again. Just as she thought it was great that she wouldn’t burn her brain this time by leaving it to an expert.

“What did you say? Combining temperature control with a mana field makes it impossible to move? Your Highness has talent, so maybe it’s because you lack effort?”

The clear voice of a child who hadn’t hit puberty sounded particularly annoying today.

Grey used all his facial muscles to smile brightly. His innocent smile was extremely wicked.

“The 10th floor is a mountain, right? How about we start with maintaining a mana field while running for physical training?”

She wanted to refuse, but everything Grey said was correct.

Serena sighed and was doing warm-up exercises before running when Grey clicked his tongue.

“That’s not right.”

“What do you mean.”

“If you wear magic shoes, your feet become light so there’s no running effect. You need to wear different shoes to run.”

Everything Grey says is correct.

‘Damn right.’

Serena’s fists cried out to punish the Old Man.

The Princess vowed that someday she would definitely, absolutely dunk Grey in the rotten water of the 6th floor as she changed her shoes.

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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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