Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 286

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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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286. Genuine Undead (3)

After reading the tip, Serena closed her gaping lips.

‘Undead aren’t included in party member count? Does that mean they’re not counted as people?’

Serena went in front of the statue to think comfortably and bowed her head, pretending to pray.

She clasped her hands together, pressed them to her forehead, covered her face with her hands and wrists, then bit her lips repeatedly.

What makes labyrinths difficult to conquer? It’s because when the number of attackers increases, the difficulty rises accordingly.

Without this dirty and cowardly characteristic, all the labyrinths on the continent would surely have been conquered by their owning nations’ armies.

But undead aren’t included in party member count? This meant that no matter how many undead you brought, the labyrinth’s difficulty wouldn’t increase.

‘Then the more undead, the better.’

Companions who were already dead so you didn’t need to worry about injuries or death, yet could use all their skills from when they were alive. They didn’t even eat so no food was needed, and they didn’t sleep so no night watch was required.

‘This is cheating! It’s too good!’

Serena protested against the labyrinth rules that were excessively favorable to necromancers.

According to these rules, wouldn’t it be possible to defeat all labyrinths with just one skilled necromancer?

‘A skilled necromancer? Ah, that’s impossible.’

Serena, who had been imagining a necromancer commanding a million undead army marching into labyrinths, soon realized her imagination was just that – imagination.

The Princess narrowed her single eye and observed the real necromancer.

Neet smiled brightly, seemingly happy about successfully raising Krom.

‘She said it takes a lot of mana to raise and maintain Krom. Since Neet said it’s a lot, a million undead army is really just a delusion.’

A child whose body was on the verge of bursting from too much mana said it required a lot of mana. Realistically, an ordinary necromancer would struggle to control even one undead.

‘I see. There was a reason undead are treated as exceptions.’

Her heart, which had been turbulently swirling with anger, jealousy, and excitement, calmed down peacefully. Serena reorganized her thoughts.

‘Still, having one more hand is good. We can at least use it as a porter. The question is whether it can act independently away from the caster, and how much maintenance mana is needed.’

Who knows? If we obtain a high-grade corpse later, could we raise it and use it as a combatant?

Then we could solve the problem of the second team constantly stopping conquests while switching first team party members according to labyrinth environments.

Serena, who had organized her thoughts while pretending to pray, stood up. The Guide was the first to ask.

“Princess, what did they give you this time? Huh?”

Serena clicked her tongue inwardly.

‘A bad habit has formed.’

Since she pretended to pray every time she chose rewards, everyone expected something whenever the Princess communicated with the deity.

‘I need to change this pattern too.’

Serena decided she needed to prevent patterns from becoming fixed for the sake of a safe life and lobby peace, while shaking her head at the Guide.

“How irreverent. I merely reported the changes that occurred in the lobby to the Minotaur God.”

With the priests watching intently, she felt guilty about fake praying and lying about the deity.

Fortunately, the priests didn’t see through the Princess’s lies and acting. Instead, they believed the lie and asked seriously.

“Did the great Labyrinth bestow wisdom upon you?”

‘Wisdom? It was bestowed indeed.’

Wasn’t the tip truly wisdom bestowed by a real deity? The guilt from lying and acting disappeared instantly.

“The High Priest’s guess is correct. The Minotaur God bestowed labyrinth wisdom, saying that undead are not counted as labyrinth conquest personnel.”

She briefly wondered if this information should be shared with the Empire side, but Serena spoke truthfully.

Necromancers themselves were rare, and necromancers who could control multiple undead were even rarer.

Moreover, becoming a necromancer required special talent. She didn’t think there were more people like 5-star child Neet in the world.

“What? Undead aren’t counted as conquest personnel? Then!”

Grey also seemed to realize this fact and got excited, then suddenly became quiet. Instead, Grey called Neet again and questioned in detail about the mana required for undead awakening and maintenance.

Neet used her staff to draw a very large circle.

“Cough. If the mana I have is about this much.”

Neet drew with her hand a circle about one-eighth the size of the circle she had drawn earlier.

“I’m sending about this much mana to Grandmother. Cough.”

“The mana consumption is considerable. If you continue maintaining the undead, it would be good for Miss Neet’s health too.”

Neet’s body was tearing because she couldn’t handle the amount of mana in her body. If she consumed mana like that to maintain Krom, they could expect positive side effects as Countess Nex said.

“But you know. Cough. The mana I really need is less than now. Right now my control isn’t very good so…”

Neet lowered her head and fidgeted with her bandaged fingers. She was embarrassed to reveal her lacking skills to her two magic tutors and the Princess.

“Neet. Could you awaken and maintain other undead too?”

Hearing Grey’s question, Neet first answered no.

“No. The mana is fine but my mental strength is insufficient. Cough. But, but! I’ll work hard to be able to do it! I’ll make an effort, cough. I will!”

Neet resolved to work hard. It was a resolution befitting the youngest member of the group who received pocket money from the High Priest of Effort.

Grey didn’t praise the child for saying she would work hard, but analyzed the impossible cause first.

“Is your mental strength very lacking?”

“Grey. Miss Neet is only 8 years old. The mental strength of children and adults is different, so don’t pressure her impatiently.”

“I’ll work hard! Cough.”

Thinking the Old Man might push the child too hard, Serena deliberately stood in front of Grey, blocking him.

‘Pressuring a child who’s already working hard enough. What if he sets his own standards for her?’

Serena blocked Grey’s path while subtly stepping on his foot. Of course, she didn’t apologize.

“Ouch! Your Highness, you stepped on my foot!”

“Grey! When your superior moves, you should know to keep your distance! Quickly apologize to Lady Serena!”

A world where even if you mistakenly step on someone’s foot, you receive an apology. That was aristocratic society.

While Serena waited for Grey’s apology, Grey called out to Philia loudly.

“Sister-in-law!”

‘Oh, did he go from aunt to sister-in-law?’

“I may be an attendant now, but I’m my father’s successor!”

‘Ah. Now he wants to be considered as having risen in status from attendant to Grand Mage successor.’

The Grand Mage’s successor was still insignificant compared to his original status. But it was better than being an attendant who had to apologize after being stepped on by a princess.

It was the Old Man’s idea of a brilliant rebellion. If Serena had been alone, it might have worked.

But.

“So?”

His opponent was Philia.

“What?”

“So? You won’t apologize to Lady Serena? You obstructed the path of the lord I serve, who is your sister-in-law, and you have no intention of apologizing?”

Philia stared at Grey with eyes as blue and cold as a midwinter lake. Grey struggled like a trapped beast, unable to move.

To make matters worse, another Heuji Jeolmi expressed displeasure.

“Are you disrespecting Huji right now?”

Seraph, whose beauty remained undamaged even when openly scowling, stood beside Philia. Even standing next to Countess Randy, his face was visible, and far from becoming obscure, people admired the prince’s beauty that made them think he was pretty.

The Old Man, under the beauty attack of two Heuji Jeolmi, complained of breathing difficulties. His heart was probably beating frantically or irregularly.

The delicate hand of Heuji Jeolmi grabbed the Old Man’s wrist.

“Look. Lord Seraph is also displeased. My education must have been lacking. Let’s go to the herb garden, Grey.”

“I’ll go with you to monitor whether you discipline him properly.”

Philia and Seraph. The Princess’s two flowers dragged the impudent Old Man to the room of truth. Count Randy and Prince Willow, not knowing what to do, pleaded with the two beauties in desperate voices.

“Uncle has a bad heart! Scold him gently!”

“My lady! Lord Seraph! Don’t scold him while telling him to look straight at your faces! That’s humanly impossible! He closes his eyes to survive!”

Grey was dragged away with a face where half his soul had already left home.

“Wow. If those two glare together, his heart won’t survive.”

Olive, who had been trembling in fear, suddenly turned her arrow toward Hana.

“Blockhead. If you don’t study either, I’ll have the Countess and Prince glare at you too.”

“What? Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Tsk tsk. You won’t know if it’s a reward or punishment until you experience it. Still a greenhorn.”

“No! I’m an adult!”

“Everyone except Neet is an adult!”

“Yeah!”

We’re all adults since we’re legally of age!

Krom smacked the head of Hana, the eldest of the Number Siblings, who was shouting excitedly.

“Stop talking nonsense and focus! Why are you so distracted!”

Hana pouted and rubbed the spot where she was hit.

“Isn’t this punishment? Looking at the Countess and Prince’s faces is more like a reward.”

“If you know it’s punishment, then focus!”

Even undead clench their fists when dealing with distracted students. Hana didn’t want to get hit again, so she pressed her lips together and focused on Krom.

“Look here. This is the most basic of basics. If you can’t follow this, you have no talent to make a living from this work. You’ll either starve to death or find another job.”

“Hehe. I learned pickpocketing.”

“A skilled one? Still, focus.”

Krom taught Hana more kindly and thoroughly than expected.

Whether the flick to her forehead was effective, Hana concentrated on her teacher’s explanation and hand movements, but unfortunately, external interference disrupted her focus.

“Uhhhhhhh. Save me.”

Since there were two people, the discipline ended twice as fast, and Grey had returned. Grey walked unsteadily with soulless eyes, making undead-like sounds before collapsing into the Prince’s arms.

“My wife? My wife is over there… waiting for me there!”

“Hah, Uncle! Get a grip!”

“Grey! What did you say you’d do when you returned to the lobby?”

“Yes, Sister-in-law!”

The old man escaped from the Prince’s arms and politely apologized to Serena. Philia smiled brightly and praised Grey. Grey obediently accepted the praise.

“Hmph! I had to suffer because your authority is lacking.”

As always, Seraph blamed Serena and arrogantly lifted his chin. The Prince’s eyes, searching for new complaints, caught sight of the undead demonstrating lock picking.

Perhaps because it was his hobby, the Prince’s gaze lingered for a long time. Krom ignored Seraph’s stare and demonstrated how to pick the lock.

“See? This is how you do it.”

“Wow! So fast!”

Hana clapped her hands in delight, but a mocking sound was heard. There was no need to look around for the culprit. The perpetrator, Seraph, moved directly.

“Hmph! I wondered what kind of amazing skill this was. How slow.”

The Prince mocked the drug dealer’s lock-picking technique. Serena pressed her forehead, wondering if this was really happening.

“What?”

The criminal undead got angry after having his technique criticized by none other than a prince.

Second in line for the Hoji throne succession, Prince Seraph Parkling Huaim, who would be crowned Crown Prince when his father Crown Prince Kipan ascended to the throne, spoke arrogantly.

“Moreover, it’s outdated. Trying to teach others with such old-fashioned techniques. How laughable.”

“Are you done talking? If you’re so confident, why don’t you try it, Prince!”

Krom held out the lock and picking tools to Seraph. Seraph, who had angered the undead with his sharp tongue, raised the corners of his mouth and took the items.

“I shall personally show you what real skill is! Consider it an honor!”

It’s something you can say if you’re confident in your skills.

‘If only he weren’t a prince.’

Even Olive, who was watching, seemed dumbfounded as she looked at Serena and pointed at the Prince.

“Princess? Is this right? Really?”

If someone was going to show off their technical pride, shouldn’t it be Olive, an active thief, rather than a prince?

“Ahhhhh.”

Muffin suffered as if it were her own problem, ruffling her pink hair.

Even though she wasn’t the one pushing Muffin as Seraph’s fiancée, Serena felt unnecessarily sorry and turned her head away.

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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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