Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 289

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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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289. The Soul Crying in the Labyrinth

Stollen Baker’s soul is not here.

Perhaps not expecting this answer, Seraph showed irritation.

“Are you mocking me? Count Stollen’s grave is here, but his soul is not?”

“*Cough cough*. I’m not mocking you, Prince. He really isn’t here. *Cough cough cough cough*. *Cough*!”

Neet, who received the prince’s irritation head-on, was startled and coughed roughly. Countess Nex comforted the child who was shaking her entire body while coughing.

“Prince Seraph, please calm down. The living are ignorant of matters after death. Just because the body is buried here doesn’t mean the soul is also here. Miss Neet only reported the truth.”

“*Cough cough*. The dead I can talk to right now are. *Cough*.”

Neet, who barely calmed down, hurriedly told the truth.

“Grandmother Krom was raised through a contract. *Cough*. And the Leader, there’s a knight who keeps crying.”

‘A knight?’

Serena’s ears perked up at information she hadn’t heard before.

‘Neet has never seen Pink Fungus. I don’t know why he’s crying, but the crying soul seems like Count Baker.’

Seraph and Muffin seemed to have the same thought, speaking before Neet finished.

“Right! That knight must be Count Stollen! Ask his name.”

“That guy was secretly sensitive and a crybaby.”

Neet hid behind Countess Nex’s frail body with frightened eyes and shook her head.

“*Cough*. No.”

“What?”

“The name is different. The crying knight said he was Count Lucas Birun. *Cough*.”

Lucas Birun. It was a name she hadn’t heard in a very long time.

When a familiar name popped out of Neet’s mouth, not only Serena but also Ralph, Lavenda, and Krom showed recognition.

“It was you!”

“Ah! Count Birun!”

“Ahaha, there was such a person.”

“That knight is crying? Even though he’s dead, he’s still a knight, so why is he crying like that?”

“Aha, that knight from back then?”

Olive, who recalled the corpse she saw right after joining the lobby, snapped her fingers. It was very guide-like of her to not know the name until now despite having personally dismembered the corpse.

Only Philia, who had completely forgotten the name of the knight with 1/100,000th humanity, tilted her head in confusion.

Seeing the unusual reactions of several people, Seraph’s expression grew ugly.

“What. Do you know him?”

“He was a royal knight who fell into the labyrinth with me. He died in combat with the Minotaur on the 2nd floor. Count Ralph inherited Count Birun’s equipment.”

“Y-yes. That’s right!”

The young knight who loved truth and justice seemed to judge that this matter was better buried with lies, agreeing with the princess’s words. His poor expression management clearly revealed he was lying.

“I don’t see any tombstone with that name written on it.”

“When Count Birun died, there was no grave. We had no choice but to dismember the corpse and scatter it throughout the 2nd floor. Isn’t that right, Olive?”

Olive smiled brightly and raised her right hand up.

“That’s right! When the Princess, the Knight, and everyone else were at a loss, I solved it!”

There was no way he couldn’t notice the strange atmosphere flowing between the early party members and Serena’s clever wordplay that wasn’t exactly lying. Yet Prince Willow naturally took Serena’s side.

“Hmm. There were circumstances, but since the corpse couldn’t be properly laid to rest. It’s understandable that Count Birun’s soul continues to grieve.”

“Hmph.”

Seraph, who realized with a gambler’s instinct that digging deeper would only hurt his own stakes, responded with just a snort.

Seraph didn’t give up on his goal of talking to the dead escort knight and presented a new question.

“Then where is Count Stollen’s soul? You there, thief. Where were you wandering after death?”

“Don’t know. I just wandered around without even knowing where I was wandering.”

This was something Serena was curious about too, so she questioned in detail.

“Which floor, where exactly. Couldn’t you tell even that?”

“Would it be a labyrinth if I knew? Even dead, I wandered like crazy, but a kid talked to me so I answered. When talking with the kid, even being dead was bearable.”

It was precious testimony from someone who died in the labyrinth. While Grey’s expression became serious, Seraph focused only on where Count Stollen’s soul might be.

“Count Stollen died on the 8th floor. So if we bring the necromancer to the 8th floor, can we talk to him?”

“Neet won’t go to such a dangerous place!”

“Neet is very very sick and can’t move! Look! I’m bleeding!”

“Grr.”

The Number Siblings protectively surrounded their youngest sibling. Seraph got angry in return.

“Do I look like a villain who would drag a sick person into the labyrinth!”

For someone saying that, he was throwing a fit like someone who’d been hit right on target. Not only the Number Siblings but even Serena looked at her brother with suspicious eyes.

Grey, who had been deep in thought, calmed the excited siblings and prince.

“Neet doesn’t need to move. Neet, if you become more skilled at magic, you can contact more dead people, right?”

“*Cough*. Yes. I think so.”

“You heard? Right now the magic is unskilled so only nearby. It’s illogical for dead and living people to be concerned with distance, but anyway, if the magic becomes skilled, you’ll be able to contact souls that are farther away.”

“*Cough*. I’ll work hard!”

“Right. The bandaged child doesn’t need to go down. The knight’s soul might come up this way too.”

Olive gave different reasoning than Grey. The guide pointed at Krom and then at empty air.

“The knight I dismembered and the undead grandmother both died on the 2nd floor. But they can talk to the bandaged child who’s in the 1st floor lobby. The reason this happens is~.”

Olive seemed to find it amusing that she knew facts the high-ranking people didn’t, so she drew it out. Before the impatient prince could get angry, Grey quickly spoke.

“Wraith and specter-type monsters can move between labyrinth floors.”

“Aw. I was going to say that.”

Olive pouted and continued explaining.

“As the bastard young master said.”

“Bastard?”

“Did I say anything wrong?”

Lavenda approached behind the gasping Grey. The Mysterious Stranger carefully pressed acupoints that were good for calming anger.

Thanks to the Mysterious Stranger’s care, Grey made several sounds of blood boiling but didn’t collapse.

“Anyway, soul-type monsters can move between floors. So the souls of dead people are probably wandering back and forth between floors too, right? If we’re lucky, they might get close to the bandaged child?”

“To think there are monsters that follow you to other floors. How terrifying.”

Something scary became an even scarier monster. Just imagining it was frightening, so Ralph gripped his sword hilt tightly with fearful eyes.

Seraph showed regret, as if disappointed he couldn’t talk to his escort knight.

“Count Stollen is a skilled knight who knows honor. Since his corpse is here too, if we raise him as undead, he would be of great help.”

While it would seem unpleasant if someone close became undead, perhaps seeing Krom who was genuine undead, Seraph showed a favorable reaction.

Serena worried about a different aspect. Setting aside Pink Fungus’s betrayal in life.

‘Would it be okay even without a head on the corpse?’

They say undead raised by necromancers can use their skills from life, but could they fully display their power even without a head?

‘The monster encyclopedia had death knights but no dullahan.’

Dullahan. In fiction, it’s commonly depicted as a headless knight undead. Considering that even dullahans carried their own severed heads, she couldn’t imagine what would happen if Pink Fungus, who had no head at all, was raised as undead.

“Ugh. Right. If you say brother can help Prince Seraph, he’ll make a contract right away. Work him hard.”

Regardless of the headless knight’s will, his lord and family actively supported the knight’s undead transformation.

And the next day. Seraph expressed his intention to leave the lobby more easily than expected. When had he been going on about being too weak and unable to overcome the lobby’s convenience once he tasted it? There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation.

“Shouldn’t you rest more?”

The priest and Knight who had been seriously injured naturally followed the prince. The Bald Man who had been in Seraph’s party, then switched to Serena’s, now moved back to Seraph’s party again.

‘What is he, a migratory bird? Why does he keep changing parties?’

Just when she was worried about having no healer in the lobby, the High Priest of Effort came in which was good, but now he’s leaving again? The princess’s eyes were sharp as she looked at the Bald Priest.

“Are you planning to leave the party again next time after this?”

The prince’s gaze was equally sharp. The Bald Man, who had become living proof that even good ability loses trust if you repeatedly transfer, laughed awkwardly.

“Heh heh heh. I’ll make an effort.”

‘Strange. When the High Priest of Effort says he’ll make an effort, I should trust him, but why can’t I believe it? Is it because effort also covers giving up?’

Perhaps the sharp gazes of the princess and prince were too much to bear, as sweat flowed down his round, shiny head.

Even if he expressed reluctance, with Rihua’s betrayal leaving the party without a healer. Seraph had no choice but to accept the High Priest of Effort.

“If you say you’re leaving again next time, I’ll tie you up and drag you along.”

“Hoho, I’ll make a prison.”

High Priest Hazel smiled warmly and took Seraph’s side.

Serena passed by the Knight who talked too much and would surely chatter for an hour or two under the pretense of saying farewell, and exchanged greetings with Muffin.

“Lady Serena. We’ll be able to meet again, won’t we.”

“You be careful too, Miss Muffin. Duke Oren must never be killed in the labyrinth. Even if Seraph gets excited, please stop him.”

Muffin fidgeted with the ends of her lovely pink hair.

“If by chance, I get to speak with my brother’s soul. If my brother becomes undead, could you maintain him even after leaving the labyrinth? My parents would want to talk with my brother too.”

Even if he retained his appearance and memories from life, an undead was already dead. She was about to advise not to be mistaken just because he could speak and move, but Muffin, who noticed the Princess’s concern, spoke first.

“Once he leaves his last words, I’ll let him rot right away.”

“…I understand. Count Baker’s wishes come first, but I’ll convey Miss Muffin’s opinion.”

“Thank you.”

The Prince’s party, now without Priest Rihua, illuminated the darkness of the tunnel with magical tools obtained from the labyrinth instead of divine magic.

Serena watched their retreating figures before turning her head. Grey, who had been waiting for the Prince to be gone, rushed over to the Princess who had returned to the lobby.

“Your Highness. There’s something I couldn’t say in front of His Highness the Prince and Lady Baker.”

“What is it?”

Grey made a bitter expression unbecoming of a child.

“Count Baker’s soul probably isn’t wandering the labyrinth.”

“What? Why is that?”

Ralph, who was beside Serena as the Princess’s escort, asked in surprise. Grey frowned as if troubled and tapped his shoulder with the skull attached to his staff.

“Shadow Tigers subjugate the souls of their hunted prey. Count Baker’s soul is probably captured by the Shadow Tiger.”

Serena recalled the formidable enemy from the library and frowned.

“That monster has such an ability too? What a truly terrifying monster. Then Count Baker can’t communicate with Neet?”

“Probably not. And even if we conquer this labyrinth, Count Baker’s soul won’t be freed.”

Serena was about to ask what that meant when she immediately thought of the answer and bit her lips.

‘I see. Since he’s captured by the Shadow Tiger, his soul won’t be freed unless we defeat the Shadow Tiger.’

And the problematic Shadow Tiger was a powerful monster that the Empire’s Grand Mage had exterminated using a monster subjugation force. It was impossible to defeat in a labyrinth with limited party members.

‘In game terms, it’s final boss level. A monster you’d only catch on the second playthrough.’

With physical resistance and instant teleportation through shadows. Considering the Shadow Tiger’s special nature, it was doubtful whether it could be caught even on the second playthrough.

“That can’t be! Then we can’t save Count Stollen?”

Even the brave Young Knight couldn’t dare suggest fighting the Shadow Tiger. Serena earnestly soothed her increasingly complicated mind.

“Indeed. This is news that should be hidden from Seraph and Miss Muffin.”

“Yes. So, about that. After we escape the labyrinth, if the Empire grants us the right to explore Heuji’s Labyrinth, I’ll do my best to defeat the Shadow Tiger! Of course, we’ll actively share the labyrinth information the Empire has too!”

‘Useless talk.’

The Princess ignored the Old Man and passed by. The Old Man followed, saying he would open the Empire’s labyrinths to Heuji’s citizens and share information about Messa Labyrinth, when the Archer who had been listening from behind the Princess suddenly spoke.

“He can be saved.”

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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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