Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Getting up from his seat, Simon turned around and walked towards the tunnel from which he came from.

"Eh? You are not bothered by it? Don't you want to know what the content of that message was?" seeing him simply walk off without pressing her for answer, Adalinda became startled and buzzed him about it.

When the two of them reached the tunnel, Simon manipulated his mana and created a huge fireball [Flare Sun] before throwing it towards the ceiling of the wide space.

BOOOM…

An enormous explosion rocked the walls and the ceiling instantly collapsed burying everything within this wide space. The mountain trembled and a small earthquake shook the surrounding area disturbing the inhabitants of this forest.

It didn't take long for Simon and Adalinda to exit the tunnel and reach the peak where their campsite was located. No disturbance occurred for the rest of the night and the convoy started moving again at the first rays of sunlight.

The adventurers and guards moved around in formation and protected the wagons in the centre. The group was full of energy as they conversed and marched forward all at the same time maintaining their guard.

It appeared that last night's peace had bolstered their vigour. The journey inside the northern outlaw forest was filled with unexpected dangers and monsters at every corner. But due to the spirited reactions of the members, the journey wasn't very rough.

Inside one of the wagons that was on the front, Simon was lounging on his seat, his hands held a small bead the size of a thumb and azure blue in colour. It was the very same gem that Irene had condensed and given to him before his departure from the dungeon.

The motive behind him taking out the crystal was to figure out what it actually did. Knowing Irene, Simon knew that she wouldn't give him something that wouldn't come to his use. He knew that the gem had more to it than just being pretty and hence he tried to incur some reaction from it.

However, no matter what he did the gem did not elicit any reaction. "Am I doing something wrong?" Simon brooded.

"Isn't that… hehe, that girlfriend of yours indeed cares a lot for you to have created something like that" Adalinda remarked from her half- asleep state. The routine of this little girl after coming to the trip had become quite monotone and lazy with sleeping and eating comprising most of her time.

"You know what this is?" seeing her nod her head matter of factly, Simon pressed "Then do you know how to use it? Even the [Analysis] was unable to display anything".

Straightening the bed hair that came in front of her face, she scoffed "Hmph, what do you expect from a Normal base tier skill, this level of examination is beyond it. To answer your question, yes I do know how to use it however…".

Adalinda closed one of her eyes and stretched out her hand.

As this was not their first time conversing, Simon immediately knew what she was getting at and hurriedly put the food that she wanted in her hand. 

<br/> "Umu, seeing that you are being tactful enough, I don't mind telling you how to use it. Nom… nom… it's quite simple actually, you just need to put a few droplets of your blood into the crystal. Though I advise you not to try it here since there would be a huge commotion when that gem activates".

Saying everything that she needed to say in a single breath, Adalinda concentrated on her food.

Something that needed his blood to activate, just from this alone, Simon could see how precious the thing Irene had given him was. From his inherited memories, he knew that something that needed one's blood to activate, was by means anything but simple and could even be considered an extremely precious treasure.

Simon caressed the crystal in his hands for a while before deciding to keep it in his inventory. Although he was curious to know what the thing Irene had given him was, he knew that this was not the place to open it.

After travelling for a few more hours, the convoy decided to take a break and give rest to the Bane Moose. The adventurers and guards that came back after performing their duty, switched with others before taking their meal and gulping down on it.

They made a circle around a place and started striking a conversation with each other.

"Hey, a few months ago I heard that there is a newly emerged dungeon near the city of Mountmend? Have you ever delved there?" a guard who had become quite accustomed and opened with the adventurers asked.

The topic that he chose to discuss, was a hot subject back in the city amongst adventurers and even some ordinary humans. So there was no way these guards wouldn't be aware of it even though they had nothing to do with adventuring.

All of the guards perked their ears wanting to know more about it, the adventurers who clearly had more in-depth knowledge about it, puffed their chests.

"Of course, we do know about it. In fact, some of us even delved inside it. The place currently is filled with resources, monsters and treasures that periodically pop up. The quality of the good that can be found inside, is far better than what is available out in the market. Most of us delve inside the dungeon to increase our levels and earn some extra money".

"You are right. Honestly, if I didn't owe the old man back at the adventurers guild a favour, I would have likely been delving inside the dungeon instead of being here" Another adventurer chipped in.

Simon who was lazing in his seat after a night of guard duty, couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.

"So how many floors have been explored yet? Since it is a newly emerged dungeon, I bet it only has a few floors and will soon be conquered by somebody" the guards asked while having their lunch.

"Haha, since you haven't dived inside it, that's why you don't know but the dungeon is quite peculiar in that the floors are quite big the more you dive in and filled with traps and monsters that are very difficult to deal with. It won't be easy to conquer a dungeon like that even if it's a low-rank one" the adventurer seated near the guard explained.

"Well, we will have to see if the dungeon is conquerable or not. Have you forgotten which guild is currently tackling the dungeon". The adventurer with the highest level present among the group dropped a clue.

The adventurer who have been suddenly reminded of something widened his eyes in realisation "You are right, the team from the Blinding Arrow Guild is the one that has conquered the latest floors, at this pace they might even be able to reach the dungeon core".

"Wouldn't the dungeon disappear if its dungeon core is destroyed or conquered?" the guards who were not too familiar with dungeons, asked.

"Right, that is why I believe that the Blinding Arrows Guild is hesitating over mobilising their entire members to conquer the dungeon. Once conquered the dungeon will be gone and there will no longer be a place to farm these treasures".

At this moment, their conversation suddenly came to a stop when they noticed a familiar face coming over. The man wore a grey armour shining with a golden tinge and carried a shield and broadsword on his back.

"You don't have to mind me, I'm just passing by" Chuck said before taking his share of the meal from the fireplace and walking off.

The adventurers sighed, looking a little guilty. They were all aware of how sensitive this topic was for Chuck who had lost his entire party in that exploration.

After the short break was over, all of them scattered and started performing the job they were assigned and before anyone knew it, evening had arrived. A campsite could be seen in an area covered with rocks, sounds of water flowing could be heard from a nearby brook.

Members of the convoy were gathered around a table looking over the map. Cynthia placed her finger on one of the red markers that was on the northern outlaw forest and stated.

"At this pace, it will take five more days to get out of this forest. However, we shouldn't let down our just yet. As you all know this place is filled with dangerous monsters and is also the hideout of the bandits. Frankly, it will be difficult to get out of here unscathed. Therefore I want all of you to not be complacent until we are out of the forest".

The signs of no bandits trailing their convoy made her all the more concerned about their objective; nonetheless, she did not mention it to them. Alvara who was beside her, knew her concerns and hence did not leave her side for even a moment.

they just need to hold on for a few more days and once they are out of the forest, they will be inside Duke Montford's territory which was relatively a much safer place.

All of the members scattered after the discussion was over, Bignosio whose body had healed mostly thanks to the potions and medicines, was just about leave when an old man in butler's attire approached him.

"What do you want?" Bignosio turned his head and asked irritably.

Jeeves did not seem fazed by the former's attitude and simply told him to follow along.

Bignosio hesitated for a while before following the butler and exited the campsite on his behest. His insights were telling him that something was up with the latter.

Time flowed endlessly like a river and two more days passed by without anything notable happening.