Serena and the Mysterious Labyrinth - Chapter 98

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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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98. Dryad (1)

The princess and prince are excluded from night watch duty. With many people present, Muffin and Count Randy were also additionally excluded.

Serena got into her sleeping bag and closed her eyes.

The 5th floor was continuously bright without day and night, but it was less bright than the strange light of the 4th floor, so she managed to sleep well enough.

‘I’m tired.’

She was confident that if she fell asleep like this, she wouldn’t wake up unless someone touched her to wake her.

Indeed, Serena woke up feeling someone’s touch.

‘Who is it?’

Who dared to touch the sleeping princess? Should she drive an ice stake into their head?

Opening her eyes, Serena made eye contact with a thief who was pulling his hand out of her pants pocket and holding her bag.

Shock filled his beautiful amethyst-colored eyes.

Not at Serena, but at the ice arrows that had formed around her.

“You’re awake? I was just trying to organize your bag.”

“Stop right there.”

Already caught, Seraph stopped making excuses and put down his sister’s bag he had been rummaging through.

“Where did you put the magic map?”

“What are you going to do with it? Steal it?”

“Would it kill you to lend it to me? I already paid for it.”

“The elemental essence was a deal with Count Randy. Not with me.”

“Ah, forget it. This is petty, I’m just leaving.”

Seraph grumbled with shameless indignation.

Hazel made an apologetic expression and bowed her head. The other priests were also ready to leave.

Serena watched her brother’s back as he walked toward the ladder, then called out to stop him.

“Seraph. Don’t go.”

“….”

“Don’t go because it’s dangerous.”

“You.”

The prince twisted his pretty face and turned around.

“You always went too.”

“This isn’t the time for that kind of talk.”

“It’s the same to me.”

Seraph walked to the ladder, then stopped and said,

“You’re the one who shouldn’t come down any further because it’s dangerous.”

With those final words, the prince climbed up the ladder.

The priests left silent apologies and followed the prince.

After the prince and priests disappeared, the guide who had been pretending to sleep jumped up and checked the bag.

“Oh my, I was watching to see how much these people would steal, and they took half the food. They left only the jerky and scraped away all the bread and fruit. Is it okay for the prince and priests to do this?”

“His stealth skills were good.”

Ying praised Seraph’s thievery skills with her eyes closed.

His stealth was so skillful that she would have slept through it completely if he hadn’t searched Serena’s pockets looking for the magic map.

“Squire Ralph Hanson! Finished waking up?”

“It’s nothing, Sir Knight. Keep sleeping. You grow taller when you sleep.”

“Yes sir.”

Ralph woke up hearing the conversation, then went back to sleep reassured.

Count Randy was either very tired or didn’t wake up at all, lost in deep sleep.

Serena also sighed and tried to get a little more sleep.

“But, Princess. The magic map is safe, right? Pretending not to find it and stealing it anyway is also a frequently used trick.”

Serena pulled out the magic map from between the cloak she had been using as a pillow.

Olive was pleased to see where the princess had hidden the magic map.

“Yeah, that’s a good spot. But if you get drugged or knocked out, under the pillow can be dangerous too. The place I recommend is.”

“Where?”

Olive made a sinister smile and cupped her chest with her hands.

When Serena tried to shoot the ice arrow she was still maintaining, the guide panicked and apologized.

“Not in a weird way, but make a pocket in your underwear to store it!”

“The advice is appropriate, but the expression was sufficiently suspicious. Ying.”

At the princess’s command, the archer jumped up and approached the guide.

Serena trusted that Ying would give the guide appropriate punishment and lay down with her eyes closed.

Thwack!

There was a sound like stone breaking, followed by a groan suppressing a scream.

When Serena opened her eyes to check, Olive was lying down clutching her forehead and writhing.

Twisting her small body and rolling on the ground, she looked like a squid on a hot plate.

‘Did she flick her forehead?’

Flicked with the fingers of an archer who draws taut bowstrings?

That would hurt a lot. Serena was satisfied with the archer’s judgment and comfortably closed her eyes.

***

“Mmm, I slept well. I feel very refreshed from sleeping soundly. Why is Olive’s forehead like that? Did you fall head-first while climbing the ladder?”

Count Randy, who had slept well and woken up, was startled to see Olive’s forehead, which was bruised blue and swollen like a horn.

When Count Randy tried to take out a recovery potion, Olive raised her hand to stop him.

Perhaps because her forehead was swollen, she couldn’t open her eyes properly and squinted.

“It’s fine. Corporal punishment should heal naturally as a rule.”

“Nine more to go.”

“Sob. I’m sorry.”

Hearing Ying’s words, Olive pretended to cry pitifully.

Thinking her tears were insufficient, she even put saliva on her finger and dabbed it around her eyes.

‘It wasn’t going to end with just one hit?’

Since she dared to sexually harass the princess, one forehead flick was indeed light punishment.

In a world with a rigid class system, Olive didn’t seem to think the forehead flick was excessive. Even her crying act was playful as usual.

Count Randy and Ralph, who heard about what happened while they slept, clicked their tongues.

“So the prince ended up leaving. I was sleeping and didn’t even know! I’ll work harder to respond more alertly to sounds from now on!”

“I tried hard to persuade him, but it seems it wasn’t enough. Hmm?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Half of the attack potions I had on my belt are gone. With this, including the equipment maintenance I did with alchemy yesterday, we’re at a loss.”

As a believer of the God of Gold, to make a loss-making deal!

Count Randy’s face was colored with shock and horror.

“He stole attack potions too? I saw him taking a bundle of the clothes we had laid out. He really took everything thoroughly. What a charity case.”

Olive was angry about why the prince was so good at stealing, but at some point changed her expression and smiled sinisterly.

“Hehehe. If I had known this would happen, I would have stolen more.”

Various jewelry accessories and gold coins spilled out from Olive’s bosom.

Serena recognized several of the accessories and raised her eyebrows.

“Olive. That waist ornament and bracelet are treasures passed down through generations in House Huaim.”

“Oh~ really? Since I found what the prince lost in the labyrinth, I should receive a reward, right?”

She said she had been bumping into him the whole time she moved with Seraph, and apparently she had completely taken the jewelry and money the prince had set aside separately.

She should blame Olive, but with her brother’s track record, it was hard to blame her entirely.

The real thief burned with competitive spirit against the fake thief(?).

“Just wait and see! Next time we meet, I’ll steal his magic equipment too! I’ll prove that there’s a real lineage of thieves!”

“That’s not something good to prove.”

Serena tried to stop her, but it was useless. Olive revealed her determination to the party.

“Even if the wind blows while sleeping, it should make you pull your collar tight and check your wallet!”

Count Randy, who had various items stolen by the prince, checked his pilfered belongings and sighed.

“It’s fortunate I informed Lord Seraph that the subspace bag has anti-theft magic. Otherwise, he would have been struck by lightning magic and died.”

The subspace bag couldn’t be robbed due to its anti-theft magic, but the potions in the alchemist’s belt and pouches were stolen.

“For anti-theft magic, did you enchant it with such powerful attack magic?”

“Yes. My master said it was a gift from His Imperial Majesty, so I must never lose it, and enchanted it with strong magic.”

Last night, my sibling nearly died again.

With death lurking everywhere like this, Serena regretted letting her sibling go.

‘I should have just stopped him by force.’

I thought he had grown a little so I let him be, but seeing him steal shows he hasn’t grown at all.

If I had known this would happen, I should have tied up my sibling first and then persuaded the priests.

Serena regretted missing a good opportunity and resolved to definitely catch and hold onto him next time.

“At least I managed to collect these while traveling with the priests.”

Serena held out a magic-infused branch and an intermediate magic stone.

Count Randy’s eyes sparkled with interest upon seeing the branch.

“This is!”

“I got it from defeating a man-eating tree. Didn’t you also defeat man-eating trees?”

“We caught three of them, but only got one magic stone and that was it. As expected of the Princess. You have good luck.”

“This is a very precious material. We should keep it well and plant it on the 1st Floor.”

Count Randy said the branch was as valuable as elemental essence and carefully stored it in his subspace bag.

“I’m glad we didn’t operate at a loss.”

The Golden Order, which values material worth, encourages charitable work but is sensitive to being deceived or cheated, and to unprofitable deals.

Count Randy was pleased that profits were confirmed even including labor costs.

Olive genuinely rejoiced, forgetting even her forehead pain.

“Praise righteous thief Olive who saved the followers of the God of Gold!”

The guide-cum-thief boasted proudly before moving to the main topic.

“So what do we do now? The Floor Boss was probably defeated by the prince’s party who went ahead. Should we open the treasure chest the Princess couldn’t open and move to the stairs?”

“Before that, let’s address one thing.”

Everyone’s attention focused on the captain who had joined the party.

Serena felt relieved as if she had joined a party with only close friends.

“If we use the teleportation magic circle to reach this layer, do you think the party will be forcibly disbanded again then?”

“That really varies by labyrinth, layer, and floor, so I don’t know. Zero, what do you think?”

“The party will be forcibly disbanded until we defeat the Stratum Boss.”

“That’s what he says. But how do you know? Did the darkness tell you again?”

“Experience.”

“Ah, I see. Do you know where the Stratum Boss is?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then let’s return to the lobby for now.”

If possible, they wanted to defeat the Stratum Boss before leaving so the party wouldn’t be forcibly disbanded again.

But since they didn’t know its location, there was nothing they could do.

‘I’ve delayed too long. I need to return to the lobby quickly.’

At least a week must have passed in the lobby. The plan was to proceed only to the 4th Layer and return, but they spent several more days due to the 5th Layer’s characteristics.

Regardless of the time taken, the conquest process, progress, and rewards obtained weren’t bad.

If they died now and had to start from the 4th Layer, it would be quite wasteful.

“The treasure chest is such a waste~ For Winds of the Wilderness to retreat leaving an unopened treasure chest on the map. My pride is hurt!”

Though she spoke of not wanting to give up the treasure chest, the guide’s hands were already gripping the ladder.

“What are you doing? Let’s go!”

Serena and her companions gathered near the ladder.

‘All four seasons appeared, but what season is the central area?’

While waiting for her turn to climb the ladder, Serena asked Olive, who was already climbing up, about her curiosity.

“We went in the correct seasonal order, but you went in reverse. Doesn’t direction matter?”

“It varies each time!”

“Why did you suggest we proceed separately instead of meeting up in the Spring Garden?”

“That’s because!”

Olive, who had climbed all the way up the ladder, looked down and shouted loudly.

“Usually for layers like this, you need to conquer at least 3 Floor Bosses for the path to the next layer to open!”

“So that’s why you suggested we proceed separately instead of meeting up.”

“Yep.”

Soon it was Serena’s turn. Serena climbed the ladder while trying not to look down.

When the Princess reached the top of the wall, this time the guide asked a question.

“But what were you doing while we defeated three Floor Bosses? The priests are strong, so it shouldn’t have been difficult to deal with monsters.”

“We got lost a lot because it was hard to find the way.”

“Hehe~ You must have realized how precious this Olive is!”

“That’s exactly right.”

Pleased by the Princess’s acknowledgment, Olive tilted her head back and laughed arrogantly.

“Who first figured out that you should follow the flowers according to their blooming season? Was it you?”

“It would be cool if it were me, but it was the Count.”

The brain of Serena’s party, the erudite Count Randy, had also played an active role in pathfinding.

Serena decided to praise the Count when he climbed up the wall.

“The paths kept changing and monsters chased us too. I’m curious how quickly you moved. Didn’t Seraph hold you back?”

“We did fight with the prince about which was the right path. Monsters chased you? What kind?”

“Do you mean the Labyrinth Wasps?”

“Labyrinth Wasps are fine as long as you don’t disturb their hives. Did you perhaps disturb a hive?”

The guide and knight sent puzzled looks, wondering if they were missing something.

Serena also became puzzled and asked back.

“Didn’t you encounter Dryads? We had a hard time shaking off the wasps and Dryads that kept chasing us.”

“Dryads appeared? Did you see them? Really?”

The smile disappeared from the always-smiling guide’s face.

“Ugh! What are you doing!”

Count Randy, who was climbing the ladder, let out a groan. The archer climbing below him had stepped on him and climbed up onto the wall.

Of course, Ying had good reason for doing so.

“A formidable enemy.”

The archer, who would have easily completed a year of silent practice if she wore a vow of silence necklace, spoke simply and clearly.

Olive furrowed her brow.

“As I thought…”

Count Randy, who reached the wall last but had heard everything, spoke.

“This place is full of plants since it’s all gardens, so if the Dryad is a formidable enemy, it will be hard to find the main body. It would be better to ignore it and quickly find the stairs.”

“No. We must defeat it.”

Ying declared seriously and firmly.

“Why? If we can avoid formidable enemies, we don’t necessarily have to defeat them.”

“Dryads control forest creatures. All monsters on this layer are the Dryad’s subordinates.”

“I remember reading such stories, but for that to happen, it would need to devour over a thousand humans. Doesn’t this labyrinth’s Dryad lack such intelligence?”

Ying shook her head firmly.

“For a Dryad to become that strong requires a very long time. But this is a labyrinth. Labyrinth monsters are more stupid than monsters outside the labyrinth, but…”

Ying frowned and paused briefly, as if her throat hurt from speaking at length.

“They’re stronger.”

Buaaaaaang-.

As if proving Ying’s words, a swarm of wasps flew up above the wall.

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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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