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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Hwaji's Royal Mausoleum(?) (2)
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Nggh.
Serena woke from sleep with a groan. She felt like she'd been out cold, but the surroundings were still bright. The light she'd conjured with magic illuminated the lobby.
"The spell lasts about six hours..."
She'd cast the lighting magic on their way back to the lobby. Factoring in an hour or two catching rats, cooking, and eating left her with four or five hours.
"Didn't get much sleep."
Tongue clicking in annoyance at wasting precious rest, she couldn't help it. She'd half-expected it from that weird lucid dream, but it still irked her.
"Fire's out."
The lobby felt a bit chilly, and with no firewood, the flames had died.
"Hm?"
A sweet scent lingered oddly. Mixed with something familiar. She sniffed around to trace it, but it dissipated.
"Did this cause the lucid dream?"
The fading aroma vaguely matched the incense she burned during meditation. Maybe that's why some stranger showed up in her dream.
Come to think of it, the misty atmosphere felt like what she'd seen succeeding in meditation.
Serena scanned for the source but found nothing.
"Hallucination? Gotta swap night watch if someone's on duty."
She folded the cloak Philia must've draped over her in sleep and rose slowly.
Serena alone had a blanket as princess, sleeping atop it, while the others curled up on the bare floor.
"Told them to use cloaks."
Serena spread the cloak back over Philia's huddled, slender form.
"Philia's asleep, Lavenda too beside her. Chrome by the cart. Is Hanson awake?"
Hanson sat blocking the passage to the corridor like a barricade. His small helmet with a brim tilted forward, hiding his face.
She had a hunch but crept up anyway. Gently lifting the helmet with a finger revealed a freckled face, eyes closed, snoring softly.
"Damn it."
How could no one be awake in this situation?
"They must be exhausted."
Absurd, yet understandable. Being in the same boat, Serena couldn't blame the sleepers.
"He looks so young."
Hanson had a baby face. Asleep, he looked even younger.
"Guard means he's an adult. New hire this year? Same age as me?"
Serena always heard she was mature and princess-like. Not mentally, but her sharp gaze and sultry features distanced her from youthful innocence.
"They say you age fast early to age slow later. But only with good care, ugh."
She hadn't washed before bed yesterday. Or bathed. Suddenly, itchiness and creepy-crawly disgust washed over her.
"Ugh."
She started an ice spell for washing but stopped. No wasting drinking water on hygiene.
Her orange eyes flicked to the fountain. After fierce debate, she filled a bucket from it.
"Won't die from it."
The group had eaten rat cooked with this water. Should be fine.
"Once out, learn purification, cleaning, or hygiene spells."
Never hurts to learn, but she'd quit after theory. Mastering them would've earned cheers: "Princess is the best! Genius mage!"
At least they'd be clean.
Old study fire reignited. She carried the bucket to the cave and washed her face. Refreshing even without soap.
"Want a full body wash."
Should've ignored Philia's urging yesterday for a proper bath. Regret piled on.
"No. Might've fallen naked then."
Sticky but clothed with shoes—what luxury. She dampened a handkerchief and wiped reachable spots.
"Lady Serena."
Philia approached, awake. Surprising.
"Thought she'd be last up."
Lavenda, Chrome, Hanson fought rats; Serena magicked and led. Philia did nothing yesterday, yet Serena figured she'd be most tired.
"I'm reincarnated. She's a real greenhouse flower."
Expected her comatose without waking, but she rose alone. Admirable survival instinct.
Pride vanished at her frail plea.
"I need the bathroom."
Philia whimpered pitifully.
"No wonder she woke."
Bladder or bowels at limit, rousing her. Survival instinct, if pathetic.
"Not her place to be pathetic."
Serena's own bladder neared capacity.
"Realizing it makes mine urgent too."
Scouting spots, she ruled out poor drainage unknowns. Cave only option.
"Chrome butchered rats here. Away from potential re-eating spots."
Searching led back to yesterday's wake-up site. She tapped the floor with her heel. Thin soil and moss over solid rock.
"Anywhere to dig?"
"Do your business here. I'll screen you."
"Here?"
Philia gaped.
"One more word and smack."
Thankfully, Philia grasped reality faster than usual. Crisis breeds growth.
"Right. Royal mausoleum, nowhere else. Sorry, Lady Serena."
"Forgot that."
Mausoleum or labyrinth, she'd use a suitable spot as toilet regardless.
"Ancestors would say shit over dying poisoned."
Serena spread her cloak to shield Philia. Hesitant, she finally squatted under pressure.
"Hic, honey."
Grieving, Philia called for her husband amid the relieving stream. Footsteps approached; Serena turned.
"Me too..."
Lavenda shuffled up sheepishly. Chrome followed, spade in hand (slightly larger than a trowel).
"Aigoo, speak up and I'd help."
Chrome poked around the cave floor. All rock.
"Solid stone here. I'll cover with dirt at least."
She shoveled soil and moss over. Philia teared up, refined face crumpling.
"Thank you."
"Gotta get out today."
Viable short-term, not long. Serena gritted teeth, squatting in agreement.
Reborn princess, reduced to this. Tears welled.
Even after Serena's magic ended, the lobby stayed lit. Pondering briefly, she found the answer.
"Lighting syncs with outside time."
"What?"
"Bright morning now, dark night yesterday."
"Aha!"
"Her Highness is right!"
Breakfast: Chrome's rations and Hanson's jerky snacks. Mere tastes, scant portions.
"Worry about toilets after starvation."
Day two, despair surged. Serena shook her head.
"Positive thinking! Goal: escape!"
"Anyone with paper and pen? Paths complex—map or markers needed."
"I have a notebook and pen."
Lavenda pulled out a thick leather-bound one. Hesitating, she deflected.
"Bathroom first."
"Now?"
She dashed to the cave, quick return. Not urgent—just hiding private notes.
"Sorry. Client info inside."
"Fine."
Made sense for paper carrier.
"Artist or mapper? Hm, me."
No takers, eyes averted. Serena took the pen.
Memories of graphing dungeon maps on graph paper in past-life games. Directionally challenged without them—misery.
"Start center bottom."
Sometimes taped sheets for looping paths. Hoped ancestors weren't cruel.
Serena sketched yesterday's route roughly and stood.
"Retrace yesterday's path."
Return yesterday wasn't far either.
Avoiding giant rat—or labyrinth rat—attacks, they sped up, arriving quick. Second fork halted them.
"Which way?"
Five people, Serena decided. She swallowed.
In a game, left first for memory.
Traps or monsters? Laugh off, retry.
Reality, time short. No "haha, level up!" through perils.
"Can't pick luckiest."
Even ranking luck, she'd judge. Reborn princess—luckiest?
"Argh! Other mausoleums' layouts? Game dungeons—shortest path usually?"
Maintaining poise, racking brain, she chose.
"Middle path first."
Middle at first fork, middle again!
Hanson led, Serena followed. Same order as yesterday. Less trap-hunting, faster pace.
Under ten minutes to middle path's end.
An unexpected object awaited.
"Blocked! Box found!"
"Why a box?"
"Wooden box smack center."
"Treasure chest! Definitely labyrinth!"
Plain wooden box dead-ended the path. Apple-box size from past life.
"Impudent! Mausoleum item?"
"Royal tombs bury valuables, but not that."
"Labyrinth! Sure is!"
"Calm. Could be trap."
Hanson prodded box, floor, walls with spear tip. Nothing.
Bolder, he pried it open. Still nothing.
Approaching, he peered in, pulling a small glass vial. Red liquid inside.
"This is in it!"
Potion. Obvious to all.
"Damn."
Serena clutched her forehead at the sight. Bad news for the group, regretfully.
"This is a labyrinth, not mausoleum."
"Wahhh!"
Despite vindication, Lavenda wailed instead of cheering.
Serena couldn't hide dismay, gazing skyward. Stone ceiling blocked longed-for sky.
"Genre unclear—labyrinth conquest?"
Eyes closing slowly, darkness mirrored their grim future.
Despair loomed.
