Chapter 19
The One in One Hundred Thousand (2)
‘I pressed the gacha button, and someone who didn’t exist before suddenly appeared. That can’t be a coincidence.’
She had wished to save the people trapped inside the Labyrinth.
Then she had gone back in time.
She had received a gacha window, used the free draw…
And someone who hadn’t existed before had appeared.
‘Don’t tell me… I’m supposed to save all one hundred thousand people by drawing them like this?’
Surely not.
She still didn’t even know what currency the gacha used.
Keeping only her left eye open, Serena called out every command she could think of.
She also moved the cursor around the interface, clicking everything she could.
She hadn’t received a status window or cheat abilities.
Instead…
She received something else.
AĀ Shop.
Besides the gacha window, there was now a shop window.
The moment she opened it, she cheered loudly.
Then she saw the products…
And her excitement instantly disappeared.
‘Fountain decoration replacement? Are you kidding me?’
Why would there be decoration items at a time like this?
Unable to hide her irritation, Serena angrily flipped through the pages.
Replacement floor tiles.
Replacement wall tiles.
Statues for decoration.
Page after page of completely useless items.
Eventually she reached a section filled with trees and flowers.
‘Why is everything decoration ite… Huh?’
Grinding her teeth, Serena continued turning the green-colored pages.
Then one item caught her eye.
Bread Tree.
The bread tree Serena knew from her previous life produced fruit with flesh similar to potatoes.
If it was that same tree…
It could be a valuable source of carbohydrates.
As soon as Serena showed interest, the cursor moved over the item.
An information window popped up beside it.
After reading the description, Serena was so shocked that she opened both eyes.
The shop instantly disappeared, forcing her to close her right eye again.
‘A tree that grows bread…? Seriously?’
Price: 10 Coins.
First Purchase Discount: 1 Coin.
For only one coin…
She could buy a tree that literally produced soft, fresh bread.
‘How do I get coins?’
She already knew what came after eating rat meat.
Spiders.
Knowing the future, Serena desperately wanted to buy the Bread Tree as soon as possible.
There were plenty of other useful items as well.
Being trapped and isolated from the outside world…
Having a way to obtain supplies was incredibly reassuring.
She searched both the shop and gacha windows, hoping to find an explanation about coins.
Nothing.
‘Maybe there’s nothing else to see.’
She could slowly browse the merchandise later.
“Sigh…”
Serena closed her left eye.
Keeping it open just to stare at nothing but the shop and gacha windows was exhausting.
She put her leather eyepatch back on and looked around.
Everyone…
Philia…
Even the newly arrived Sir Lucas…
Were watching her with worried expressions.
‘Well… I can’t blame them.’
She had spent far too long reacting to the shop and gacha.
Straightening her back, Serena lifted her chin and wore the dignified expression she had practiced countless times before a mirror.
The expression of a noble princess.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“It was only a brief headache. I’m fine now.”
“More importantly, Sir Lucas.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I have a few questions.”
“Answer only with exactly what comes to mind. Don’t add or leave anything out.”
“Understood.”
She had performed a gacha draw…
And Sir Lucas had appeared.
That couldn’t be a coincidence.
“I want to know everything that happened immediately before and after you arrived here.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I was escorting Your Highness and Countess Randy through a narrow alley.”
“That soldier and the elderly woman were blocking the road, so I left your side briefly to ask them to move.”
“At that exact moment, I felt an earthquake.”
“I see. Then?”
“When I regained consciousness, I found myself inside an unfamiliar corridor.”
“I heard voices and saw light, so I followed them here.”
“There I found Your Highness, the Countess, and everyone else.”
“That is all.”
“Exactly the same as me.”
“Yes.”
“Everyone has testified that they felt an earthquake before waking up here.”
‘But last time… you weren’t here.’
Compared to Chrome and Ralph…
Sir Lucas had actually been much closer to Serena before the earthquake.
So why hadn’t he appeared the first time?
‘Different server? Different channel?’
She almost laughed.
‘Joking aside… this is good.’
Before, the party’s only fighting strength had been a squire disguised as a city guard.
Now…
They had a real knight.
‘But what’s that?’
As Serena admired Sir Lucas’s plate armor and the real sword hanging from his waist…
Something strange caught her attention.
There were stars floating above his head.
‘One… two… three.’
‘Three stars.’
Why were stars floating over people’s heads?
Was Sir Lucas some kind of chosen hero?
“Lady Serena?”
Philia’s cautious voice drew Serena’s attention away.
She was curious…
But now wasn’t the time to stare at things nobody else could see.
“If you’re tired, would you like to lie down? I’ll spread my cloak out for you.”
“It’s nothing.”
“I’m fine.”
“Ahem.”
“While Your Highness was suffering from that headache…”
“I investigated our situation.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“I believe this place is the royal mausoleum.”
Sir Lucas had reached exactly the same incorrect conclusion Serena had made the first time.
Labyrinths were extremely rare.
She couldn’t blame him.
‘I wonder if Lavenda suggested something different.’
Serena turned toward Lavenda.
‘She’s frozen.’
While Serena had been distracted…
Everyone’s expressions had become stiff.
Ralph looked even more nervous than before.
Chrome curled himself into a corner, desperately trying to avoid Sir Lucas’s gaze.
Lavenda had shrunk into herself, nervously darting her lavender-colored eyes around.
‘They look terrified.’
When Serena looked toward them, Sir Lucas spoke.
“My interrogation confirmed they are not suspicious.”
“You may rest easy.”
“I see.”
“They’re ordinary commoners.”
“Treat them kindly.”
‘So Sir Lucas frightened them.’
From the perspective of a royal guard…
Finding strangers during such an unexpected disaster naturally required caution.
Failing to do so would have been neglecting his duty.
‘Maybe he overdid it.
Well… it can’t be helped.’
Sir Lucas had been caught completely off guard as well.
With time…
His guard would probably lower.
Serena activated her positive thinking once again.
“The best option is to wait for rescuers from outside.”
“However, I’d like to search for another exit from inside the structure.”
“Please permit me to leave Your Highness’s side for a while.”
“Permission granted.”
“Please remain here with the Countess.”
“I’ll investigate that direction.”
Sir Lucas pointed toward the cave where Serena and Philia had first awakened.
“That way is blocked by large rocks and debris.”
“Yes.”
“The Countess already informed me.”
“I merely wish to confirm whether there is anything else.”
It was obvious he didn’t completely believe Serena.
She clicked her tongue inwardly.
‘Well… that’s understandable.’
Even if a king, emperor, or pope declared that an exit was blocked…
Most people would still want to confirm it with their own eyes.
Just as before.
Even if it was a waste of time.
After what felt like several minutes, Sir Lucas returned.
Like everyone else who had entered the cave before…
His expression was grim.
After thinking for a while, he approached Serena.
“Your Highness.”
“I’m sorry to say this…”
“But I believe we’ll have to enter the mausoleum and search for an exit.”
Before exploring a tomb…
It was only proper to obtain permission from the descendants of whoever was buried there.
Ignoring that tradition invited curses.
In this world…
That wasn’t merely superstition.
It was real.
“You have my permission.”
“There may be traps.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Sir Lucas answered firmly.
“Haven’t you heard about the Huyaim royal mausoleum?”
“It’s filled with deadly traps.”
“At least I possess some knowledge, soā”
“No.”
‘…Did he just interrupt me?’
Serena was about to get angry.
Then she glanced at Philia.
Instead of objecting…
Philia was vigorously nodding in agreement with Sir Lucas.
“You absolutely can’t go somewhere dangerous!”
“As a distant relative of House Huyaim…”
“I’ve heard many stories about the Huyaim royal mausoleum from my parents and grandparents.”
‘A relative? He must be pretty distant if he never attends family memorials.’
“I’m afraid it can’t be helped.”
“Even if you feel uneasy without an escort…”
“Fortunately, the other passage is blocked.”
“The route I’ll inspect is mostly straight.”
“It shouldn’t be too dangerous.”
“If anything happens…”
“Please call out loudly.”
‘I’m not scared, though?’
It sounded less like a request…
And more like a decision that had already been made.
Sir Lucas then called Ralph and Chrome.
Both immediately obeyed.
Serena noticed something odd.
Chrome…
Not Ralph or Sir Lucas…
Was walking at the front.
‘Is Chrome hurrying because he’s looking for a cart?’
Otherwise…
Why would an old woman be leading while a soldier and a knight followed behind?
A knight who supposedly knew the Huyaim mausoleum was filled with traps…
Was making an elderly woman with stiff joints walk first?
Serena frowned.
‘You get what you pay for…’
Sir Lucas had been free.
A completely free knight.
For some reason…
She had a very bad feeling.
Meanwhile…
‘This is bad.’
Because Lavenda was a foreigner…
Sir Lucas had questioned her far more aggressively than everyone else.
When he finally left the lobby, she sighed in relief.
Only to realize…
‘I’m the only foreigner here.’
If things continued like this…
She could easily become the prime suspect.
The only person she could rely on…
Was the princess.
‘She’s acting a little strange…
But Countess Philia is with her, so it should be alright.’
The princess kept muttering nonsense.
She talked to empty air.
She kept blinking an eye that couldn’t see.
Her behavior was certainly unusual.
Still…
With Philia beside her, Lavenda felt a little reassured.
Carefully, she approached.
“If you still have a headache…”
“Would you like me to massage your head?”
“Stop.”
“Who are you?”
“I already told the knight.”
“I’m Lavenda Puri, a massage therapist.”
“We met at the massage shop, Countess.”
“I rarely remember people’s faces.”
“Keep that in mind.”
Lavenda had often served arrogant young noble ladies.
Oddly enough…
When Countess Randy said something so blunt…
It didn’t offend her at all.
‘It’s like expecting a fairy to remember every human’s name.
That would be strange.’
Lavenda washed her hands in the fountain.
“I understand.”
“Then may I attend to the princess?”
“Before that…”
“I’d like to wash this oil off while there aren’t many people around.”
The fountain water was clean.
Serena wanted to wash the oil off her body much sooner than last time.
With Philia standing guard…
Lavenda helped her clean herself.
“Do you have any guesses?”
“Hm?”
“Do you also think this is a royal mausoleum?”
“Couldn’t it be something else?”
Like a Labyrinth.
“I’m…”
“I’m not sure.”
Lavenda simply smiled awkwardly.
‘I was hoping to support whatever Lavenda said.
Looks like that won’t work.’
Eventually…
The Labyrinth Rats.
The boss room.
The treasure chests.
Those would reveal the truth.
But before that…
She would have to tell everyone herself.
People might not believe her immediately after her strange behavior.
In that case…
She would either overwhelm them with authority…
Or show them proof.
‘More importantly… what’s this?’
Serena stared at the yellow star floating above Lavenda’s head.
Sir Lucas had stars.
Lavenda also had stars.
Even Philia, who was standing guard nearby.
‘But why are the colors different?’
Lavenda had…
One yellow star.
Philia had…
One yellow star…
AndĀ four gray stars.
Five stars in total.
‘If it’s based on total stars… Lavenda is one-star.
Philia is five-star.
But if only yellow stars matter… they’re both one-star.’
She remembered Sir Lucas having…
Three yellow stars.
‘I’ll have to check everyone else later.’
Not long after Serena finished washing and changing her clothes…
Sir Lucas and the others returned, pulling Chrome’s cart.
The first thing Serena checked…
Was their stars.
Sir Lucas still had…
Three yellow stars.
Her memory had been correct.
‘Chrome has two yellow stars…
Ralph… what is going on with him?’
Ralph also had five stars.
But once again…
The colors were different.
‘One yellow…
Two transparent…
Two gray?’
The princess had absolutely no idea what any of it meant.
Her body felt refreshed after washing.
But her mind was only becoming more frustrated.
Opening only her left eye, Serena shouted silently in her mind,
‘Text file! Hangul file! Word document! PDF! Excel! PowerPoint!’
Nothing appeared.
