Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 284

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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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284. Genuine Undead (1)

“Oh my.”

Krom, standing on the ground, was surprised. The people who had been watching Krom closely were also surprised.

“*Cough*, Grandmother, are you hurt anywhere?”

“That’s not it.”

Krom clenched and unclenched her fingers, bent and straightened her knees. She also swiveled her waist left and right.

“Every joint ached and there wasn’t a place that didn’t hurt. But nothing hurts at all now. Is it because this is a dead body?”

‘Is she ignoring pain because she’s undead?’

Krom stimulated the areas that had hurt when she was alive. She even did some jumping jacks in place.

“This is better than when I was alive. It’s comfortable to move around.”

Krom’s movements became smoother as time passed. Since there was no pain, more vigorous movements were possible too.

“*Cough*. Grandmother Krom. Sorry, but as we discussed.”

“I know.”

Though she was officially recognized genuine undead, the fear and distrust of undead ran deep. In preparation for any possible situation, Neet had already informed Krom that they would need to temporarily restrain her body.

Krom obediently put her hands behind her back. Ralph, who had learned criminal restraint knot techniques during his brief service with the Security Force, tied Krom’s hands.

“I’m sorry, Miss Krom!”

“It’s fine. There’s a child here, so we need to be careful.”

Ralph, who had made contact with Krom while tying her hands, looked down at his own hands.

“It’s cold! But I don’t feel as bad as when fighting undead!”

She spoke and moved like a living person, but her skin was as cool as a corpse. Ralph seemed slightly frightened by this contradictory combination.

“Good. Grandmother Krom? I’ll conduct a few experiments. What’s your name and age?”

“It’s Krom. I’m a bit over fifty.”

“What’s 1 plus 1?”

“2.”

“Then what’s 52 times 13?”

When double-digit multiplication came up, Krom became noticeably flustered.

“How would I know that? Are you making fun of a dead person?”

“Do you feel hostility toward me or want to kill me?”

“I didn’t at first, but now you’re a little annoying.”

The Old Man’s arrogance had the magical power to make even undead want to throw punches.

“Are your memories from when you were alive intact?”

“I remember most of it.”

“What about memories after death?”

“I don’t know. It was just painful.”

“Have you ever met or seen other souls?”

“I don’t know that either. When you die, you have no consciousness at all. You don’t even know who’s next to you.”

Grey, who had asked Krom several questions, looked at Neet.

“Try reducing the amount of mana you’re sending to Grandmother Krom.”

“*Cough*. Yes.”

Neet, who had a naturally large mana capacity, was clumsy at delicate mana control. Neet reduced the amount of mana she was using to maintain the undead.

Instantly, all the hair on Serena’s body stood on end. She had detected the undead’s death aura.

“When the maintenance mana is reduced, the death aura becomes strongly felt.”

“That’s right. Since Neet has a weak body, it’s better not to reduce the mana. Neet, increase the mana.”

When Neet increased the mana amount, the characteristic death aura emanating from Krom’s body decreased. Serena asked just in case.

“Neet. Can you handle the mana consumption?”

“*Cough*. I used quite a bit when raising Grandmother, but I’m fine now.”

The four magic users exchanged glances. A child whose body was gradually bursting from having too much mana had described it as ‘quite a bit.’ Didn’t that mean ordinary mana couldn’t cast resurrection magic?

“I can see why necromancers are rare.”

“Neet. How much mana is needed to maintain the current state?”

“*Cough*. I’m not sure. If I need to keep it like this continuously, quite a bit?”

“According to records, the mana requirements for maintaining undead were so high that necromancers carried coffins to preserve corpses.”

“Then they’d need mana to awaken them. Isn’t that the same thing?”

“Ah! *Cough*. I think I understand!”

Neet, the only one who knew both the theory and practice of resurrection magic, answered.

“Undead raised through contracts can be put to sleep. *Cough*. When awakening them again, less mana is needed.”

‘Ah. Since they lacked mana to maintain them, they carried contracted corpses around and awakened them when needed.’

Neet had so much mana that her body was bursting, so she didn’t need to carry coffins like her predecessors. It was truly a moment when misfortune became fortune.

“Right now she’s maintaining peak condition, but if you only transmit enough mana for the undead to move, it won’t require as much as now. Krom. Do you happen to know how much mana is needed?”

“How would a dead body know that?”

Krom revealed her personality from life, then continued speaking.

“I don’t know well, but. When the mana was reduced, I felt like my body was trying to rot. But I moved fine. I think I’d move well even if rotting.”

Krom continued speaking.

“What’s that. If the child finds it difficult, it’s okay to stop. But if possible, call me sometimes. Wandering in the labyrinth after death is terribly painful.”

It was a statement that couldn’t be ignored. Serena stopped Grey from asking questions and asked directly herself.

“Aren’t you suffering now?”

“I’m fine now.”

Krom answered quickly, then slightly turned her head. She wasn’t lying, but seemed concerned about the profession the Princess had discovered just before her death.

“I did live a bit shadily. But it’s not that. It was more painful than prison. Constantly wandering, suffering, going crazy.”

“Prison? Grandmother Krom, are you an ex-convict?”

The picky child who scrutinized abilities, status, and backgrounds jumped at this first-time news. Seraph’s gaze sharpened and Count Alpha frowned.

Ralph and Lavenda, who knew Krom’s profession, either bowed their heads or stared at distant non-existent mountains. Olive and the Number Siblings seemed unconcerned.

“Though she made a living through theft in her youth, she reformed after release. She earnestly made and sold toys and decorations for a living. Right, Krom?”

“Oh my, that’s right. The Princess is completely correct.”

Krom was a quick-witted grandmother who groveled before power. Whether she sensed the Princess’s changed status or was trying to cooperate in hiding crimes, Krom readily agreed with Serena’s words.

“Grandmother Krom isn’t bad. *Cough*. She taught me how to make decorative knots.”

With even Neet defending Krom, Grey said nothing more and closed his mouth.

‘He looks like he has a lot to say but will endure for now.’

He seemed to be restraining himself because she was an undead who would be neutralized if Neet cut off the mana.

Serena took the opportunity to ask something she was curious about.

“You said after death you only suffered and couldn’t perceive your surroundings? You didn’t know the lobby situation either?”

“Hey. When the child called me to talk, I could see briefly. But after returning, I forgot everything.”

“But you must have been by our side the whole time! I know it!”

Ralph spoke brightly and cheerfully. Krom grumbled.

“The Guard must have had a good life? You’ve become much brighter.”

Ralph puffed out his chest and narrowed his brow as if wanting to show dignity.

“Yes! I’m not a Guard anymore, I’m a Knight! I became the Princess’s Knight!”

“Oh my, you succeeded?”

“I’ll introduce you to the people who joined after you passed away, Miss Krom!”

The Young Knight spoke as brightly as the sun. Krom openly showed an annoyed expression.

“Never mind. What would a dead body do knowing about living people’s affairs? I’ll do as ordered, so just give me work!”

Krom raised her voice, then muttered quietly.

“It would be nice if you called me sometimes even without work.”

‘Work for Krom to do.’

Serena looked above the head of the undead who spoke as if alive despite being dead. Surprisingly, there were stars above the undead’s head too.

Krom had 2 yellow stars. The same as when she was alive.

Ralph had performed brilliantly in the party during the early days when he wielded a spear instead of a sword, but now that they had conquered over 40 floors of the labyrinth, there was nothing for a 2-star to do.

‘Krom wasn’t raised because there was work for an undead to do. It was for Neet’s magic training.’

Still, since she had awakened her, it would be good to give her work. Serena recalled what Krom used to do.

‘Krom was in charge of meals. Having an undead prepare food is a bit…’

This wasn’t a matter of feelings, but a matter of hygiene. It would be a disaster if a corpse made meals and everyone got food poisoning.

Neet seemed to want to keep Krom around and listed the things Krom could do.

“*Cough*. Grandmother Krom knows how to make decorative knots. And she can do carving too.”

“Ah, so you were the owner of the carving knife I use. I’ve been putting it to good use.”

Prince Willow showed the tableware he had made himself. Krom looked at the wooden dishes the Prince had carefully carved, sanded, and finished with coating, then grumbled.

“Damn. Don’t need no more carvers then. That smooth-faced young man’s got good skills.”

“Krom. That person is a Prince of the Empire.”

Ralph was shocked and revealed the identity of the smooth-faced young man to Krom. Surprisingly, Krom didn’t seem surprised or apologetic and stood her ground.

“So what if he’s a Prince. Gonna kill a dead person again? From a dead body’s view, everyone’s alive. Royalty or nobility don’t matter.”

Prince Willow seemed to like Krom’s retort as he flashed his healthy teeth and pink gums in a wide smile.

“Hahaha! That’s right! A person’s status in life has no meaning to the deceased!”

“Well, not exactly.”

Krom lowered her head to look down at her own body.

“You gotta die to know this. Feels a bit different from when I was alive. A little empty like I haven’t eaten, and I feel different from living people. Anyway, I’m definitely dead!”

“So you’re saying that being aware you’re deceased creates a clear distinction from the living.”

“That’s it! Princess, you got it right. You gotta die to know this.”

‘I wouldn’t know.’

Serena had died more times than Krom but couldn’t understand that sensation.

‘Is it because I only died but never became undead?’

While Serena was lost in thought for a moment, Krom expressed her usefulness.

“I can do all kinds of odd jobs. Since my body don’t hurt, I can find traps too.”

Krom was fine with it, but the listeners’ expressions turned sour. Olive chuckled.

“An undead labyrinth dog? That’s not bad?”

Even if she couldn’t feel pain because she was dead, it was an idea that shouldn’t be entertained for the sake of human dignity.

“Enough. Krom’s role is as Neet’s magic teaching material. If there’s something she can do, help appropriately, but don’t do or assign dangerous tasks.”

“I’m fine with it though.”

“It’s bad for Neet’s emotional development.”

When told it was for the child’s sake, Krom agreed.

Krom looked around curiously at the lobby, which had changed a lot from when she was alive. Seeing the occupied tomb, she muttered, ‘So there were neighbors.’

The Guide spoke to the undead.

“Grandmother! Do you know how to pick locks?”

“I can handle simple ones.”

Olive clapped her hands together in delight.

“Great! From now on, Grandmother is the 2nd Assault Team’s lock-picking specialist!”

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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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