Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 237

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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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237. Mountain Climbing in the Snowy Mountains

The snow level had changed overnight. The party looked with weary eyes at the snow that had piled up to their knees.

“Hmm… Since there are no traps… Duri, take the lead.”

“Woof!”

Even knee-deep snow couldn’t stop a bear. Duri easily and quickly plowed through the snow and made a path, just like a Labyrinth Boar would, as naturally as a bear eating honey.

Unlike yesterday when she quietly followed the party, Duri, who had taken the lead, buried her snout in the snow and sniffed around.

I thought the scents would be buried in snow and only smell like snow, but surprisingly the bear discovered various things.

“Woof!”

“This is an ice mushroom. It’s delicious when eaten raw, but if it gets even slightly warm it rots and becomes poisonous. If you grill it quickly with strong heat, it becomes a delicacy that’s even served at Imperial banquets.”

“Woof!”

“This is a snow strawberry. It’s delicious.”

“Woof!”

“This is a charcoal berry! It’s not as good as charcoal, but it’s better to use than ordinary firewood. If I weren’t here, you’d want to collect it, but since I’m here, you don’t need to bother.”

“Grr-woof. Ptui ptui.”

“The taste is like charcoal, just as the name suggests.”

They were clearly following the path, but there were many miscellaneous things around the trail.

Duri seemed fascinated by the Alchemist who explained everything without hesitation whenever she discovered something, so she diligently sniffed around and found new things.

The Alchemist answered enthusiastically at first, but gradually his responses became slower. His knowledge hadn’t reached its limit yet, but his physical stamina was lacking.

“Woof!”

“Huff, pant pant. Cough cough. Th-that is…”

“Huff huff. Du-Duri. Stop. Huff. Tormenting the Count. Huff.”

The Princess and Alchemist’s lungs were struggling just to breathe. Serena rescued the Alchemist from the bear’s curiosity and walked diligently.

The distance the party had to travel today was longer than yesterday. They had to move without resting for even a moment to reach the next mountain hut before it got dark.

‘I can’t rely on Count Alpha like yesterday. I took medicine too, so let’s do our best, Serena!’

As Serena climbed the uphill path with burning determination, Duri, who had been leading, stopped. The bear’s round ears perked up.

“Woo-woof?”

Unlike when she discovered mushrooms or tree fruits, the bear’s nose twitched. Duri twitched her nose toward the ravine off the hiking trail and said something.

“Woo-woo-woo-woof.”

“What are you saying? Is there something there?”

“Woo-woof.”

Duri waved her massive front paws and spoke earnestly, but none of the party members understood bear language.

Low took off his fur hat and wiped the sweat from his bald head.

“Without the Sesi child, we can’t communicate. It’s not dangerous, is it?”

“Woof!”

Duri nodded her massive bear head vigorously.

“Is it something good like a treasure chest?”

“Woof!”

She shook her head, indicating it wasn’t that either.

‘It’s not dangerous, and it’s not something good either. But then why is she reacting so intensely?’

It’s just that Duri can’t speak human language, but she understands everything humans say. Serena tried to deduce somehow but gave up.

‘What on earth is she thinking with that massive head of hers?’

Duri, for her part, seemed frustrated that the adults with smaller heads than hers couldn’t understand, so she thumped her front paws against her chest.

“You don’t know what it is but want to check it out, right? I’ll bring Sesi later, so we can check then.”

“Woof!”

Only Sesi understands what Duri says. Even Hana, who’s family, asks Sesi to translate.

Duri turned around as if she had no choice. The massive bear had a massive tail too, but was still adorable nonetheless.

‘She’s even cuter because she’s big.’

“Low. Are you thinking of bringing Sesi later?”

“Chickens are good, but wouldn’t boars or chamois be better? Boars are strong, and chamois have good mobility. They can also carry luggage.”

This was all assuming Sesi succeeded in taming them. Low seemed to know this fact as he continued speaking.

“I don’t mean to bring them right away. We’d have to tame lower-layer monsters first, in order. We should also try taming the Labyrinth Chicken, which is a floor boss.”

The Imperial Knight seemed to have gotten used to mountain climbing and occasionally chatted with the hunter. Low also exercised together, so Count Alpha seemed familiar – it was hard to believe he was someone who was shy around strangers, given how cheerfully they conversed.

“Those who hunt on flat ground are all amateurs. Hunting is truly for mountain hunters. Shh.”

Low untied a rope from his belt and moved next to Ying, who had been walking at the very back of the party. Ying also stopped like Low and raised her bow. Low stopped Ying and picked up his short spear.

“I’ll handle it.”

Wondering what was happening, I looked back down the path we’d come from and saw a Labyrinth Boar with its nose to the ground, sniffing the party’s scent.

Unlike the creatures that had been ignoring the party so far, the way it was searching for places where the party’s scent was strong seemed ominous.

The hunter holding the short spear took a deep breath, then threw the spear with all his might.

The short spear flew in a beautiful parabolic arc and pierced through the crown of the boar’s head as it was focused on sniffing.

Squeeeeeeeal-!

The Labyrinth Boar made not a squealing sound but the sound of its head being pierced, coughed up blood, and collapsed.

A body that would have been called a mountain god or master of the mountain in Serena’s previous life collapsed, making the ground seem to shake.

“Come back.”

The magic weapon returned to its owner with a single command. Low looked at the boar carcass in the distance with a troubled expression.

In an environment like the 10th Layer, it’s more beneficial to take one more step forward than to spend time butchering a monster carcass. But as a hunter by origin, it seemed wasteful to just leave the boar carcass behind.

“Woo-woof.”

At this moment, Duri stepped forward. Duri pointed at the boar and then at herself. Saying she’d go down alone and bring the carcass back up, the Alchemist also helped.

“Since we don’t have time to process the carcass, how about putting it on the scales to be processed?”

“Oh my. I’d be grateful if you did that.”

Duri ran down on all fours. Low showed a timid nature that didn’t match his large build and sighed.

“Sorry for being wishy-washy. From a labyrinth adventurer’s perspective, leaving it behind would be right. I know labyrinth monsters are fake, but it just had to be a boar.”

The greatest respect a hunter can show to prey is to utilize it to the fullest without waste.

Low, who was born into a hunter family, seemed troubled about passing by a dead boar even if it was a fake monster, and smiled brightly when he saw the boar being placed on the scale pan.

Serena was shocked in a different sense. The boar was more massive up close than when viewed from afar.

Thinking of what she’d seen on the news in her previous life, it was nearly 500kg in size.

Duri, who carried this alone, was amazing, and the scales that supported the boar’s weight were even more amazing. It was truly a divine miracle.

The Golden Deity received the 500kg boar and returned less than 100kg worth.

‘After taking magic stones and even processing fees in cash, isn’t this too much?’

They say prices are expensive in the mountains, but isn’t this too stingy?

As Serena thought this, something additional was placed on the scale that held the boar meat, bones, and finished leather.

It was a smiling boar’s head with the red blood wiped from its white fur and a gold coin embedded in the hole created by the short spear. The expensive tusks were still attached.

“Wh-what is this!”

Everyone was surprised by the appearance of such a magnificent offering that would earn praise from any deity. Count Randy, who had made the trade, was so shocked he fell backward.

“I never asked for anything like this! Th-this must surely be the will of the Shining Golden One!”

If the Golden Deity, who protects fair trade, forced an unwanted product on a customer, then this was divine will.

‘What is the Golden Deity thinking now?’

Though Count Randy was a devotee of the Golden Deity, he only received favor and wasn’t a priest. Serena secretly checked the expression of the real priest. He was expressionless.

“Why do you think the Golden Deity sent a pig’s head?”

“I have no idea yet. But how could we mortals on earth presume to guess the will of the great ones in the heavens? When the time comes that this pig’s head is needed, we’ll naturally understand the profound meaning.”

Count Randy bowed to the pig’s head with the gold coin embedded in its forehead like someone performing a ritual, and respectfully stored it in his spatial bag.

“Ah.”

The Archer put slight force into his vocal cords, as if something had belatedly occurred to him.

Unlike the others who were distracted by the pig’s head, Serena, who had been watching Ying, grabbed his arm before the Archer could close his mouth.

“Do you have an idea? Tell only me.”

Ying replied nonchalantly as if it were nothing special, but in a small voice that only the Princess could hear.

“Death attribute magic acquisition offerings only accept corpses. Since there’s a good corpse, he took care of it.”

As one curiosity was resolved, new curiosities branched out like tree limbs.

Death attribute magic information was so rare that it could only be encountered in ancient books kept in Huji. How did Ying know offering information that wasn’t even written in those ancient books?

Of course, there was also much information that could be deduced from the Archer’s answer.

‘The God of Gold is watching over us.’

Otherwise, how could such a great being from the heavens know so much about the labyrinth conquest situation of mere humans who are nothing but insignificant creatures?

“We’ve stopped for too long. Let’s get going!”

Unfortunately, Serena didn’t have time to leisurely think alone. Serena sighed and resumed climbing the mountain.

***

The party moved without rest as much as possible, but eventually the day grew dark and a blizzard began.

“Absolutely! We must not stop!”

Low connected even Duri, who had been moving freely, with a rope and fought head-on against the snow and wind to find the path.

Thanks to Low who was strong in mountainous terrain and Duri who was naturally suited to mountain life, the party barely managed to reach the mountain hut before being buried in snow.

‘That was dangerous!’

Even with temperature control magical tools, if you get buried in snow, it’s over. Serena collapsed at the entrance of the mountain hut again this time. Then she gritted her teeth and stood up.

‘I! I have to move.’

Serena walked on the snow thanks to her magic shoes, but what about the others’ knees? They climbed the mountain pushing through snow piled up to thigh height.

Rather than lying down because of weak stamina, Serena who had suffered less should move to light the lantern and start a fire in the brazier.

The hunter put a stop to such a princess.

“Huff huff. Pr, Princess. Just a moment. Huff huff.”

Upon seeing the mountain hut, they rushed in neglecting safety. The hunter rubbed his face that was red from cold rather than embarrassment and searched the mountain hut.

“It’s safe. Phew. If it were a Mimic, we would have died together.”

“Mountain hut shaped. Cough cough. Mimics also. Huff. Exist?”

Count Randy didn’t stop asking questions even while gasping for breath.

“Of course they exist. If Olive were here, she would have given us an earful.”

“Wooong.”

Duri exhaled through her nose. At this expression that she had already checked for monsters by smell, Low laughed heartily and reached out his hand.

“Well done, buddy.”

He intended to pet her, but Duri avoided the hunter’s touch and approached the Princess and Archer.

“Woong?”

Not a cute baby bear, but a pretty and adorable yet giant king bear requested petting.

The Archer scratched Duri’s giant head with his unbandaged hand. Serena reached out her hand but withdrew it due to lack of energy.

“Kkeung.”

Duri seemed disappointed at not receiving the Princess’s praise, sniffling as she smelled the mountain hut. The bear who had been nosing around with her large body suddenly scratched the floor of the mountain hut.

“Woong.”

“My lord. I need to start the fire, so please check over there.”

“There’s a door in the floor.”

At the mention of a door, Low handed the brazier to Ying. Though no door handle was visible, the sound was different when pressing the floor. There was a hidden space.

“So there were no treasure chests after all. Will one finally appear now?”

Even though they had ignored paths where treasure chests might be and walked straight to the stairs, it’s the psychology of labyrinth adventurers to feel disappointed if there really are no treasure chests.

The Mysterious Stranger grinned and vigorously opened the hidden door. A space like an underground storehouse appeared.

Firewood and charcoal, dried meat and fur were piled in the storehouse. There were also rock salt, dried bread, dried fruit, and bottles containing jam.

“What’s this? This isn’t the labyrinth’s treasure storehouse, it’s a real basement.”

Low smiled warmly as if it reminded him of home.

In the basement was one dirt-covered sack. Low opened the sack with an unimpressed expression as if he could roughly guess the contents. The sack contained sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, and corn.

“What is this supposed to be.”

The labyrinth adventurer laughed helplessly in disbelief. Serena also laughed in bewilderment.

‘Sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn roasted over charcoal are delicious, but this isn’t right. This is a labyrinth.’

Moreover, the party was currently too exhausted to have the energy to roast potatoes and sweet potatoes. Anyway, it was precious food so she was about to suggest they take it, when Serena detected subtle magical power.

“Wait a moment. I sense magical power from the sack.”

At the Princess’s words, the hunter turned the sack upside down and shook it out. Sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn just rolled around on the floor with nothing else special.

Low crouched down wondering if there might be a magic stone among the potatoes and sweet potatoes. Serena shook her head.

“Not there. I sense magical power from the sack itself.”

“I’ll take a look.”

Count Randy, who had been collecting jam, received the empty sack. The alchemist’s eyes, which had been examining the inside and outside of the sack while exhausted, suddenly became clear.

“Lady Serena is right! This sack is a magical tool!”

“That shabby sack?”

“That’s right! This is a magic sack that automatically fills with contents over time!”

Just from the description, it was a mysterious item that could be called a treasure of the labyrinth. The problem was just the sack’s contents.

The party’s gaze turned to the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn rolling on the storehouse floor. As if confirming their guess, a small potato suddenly rolled out of the empty sack and fell to the floor.

‘It is a treasure, but. The contents it generates are….’

The party shared ambiguous smiles as they collected the magic sack.

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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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