Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Additionally, due to the moss containing an enormous amount of pure mystical energy, it was slowly changing the lake and increasing the concentration of mana inside it. Apart from that, the Attribute Blossom Moss was a great source of nutrients/food for the deep sea alligator king and the elder lizardmen it commanded.

All in all, the new habitat that Simon had created for them was not only better and bigger, it even had treasures of the nature that only strong beasts living inside the western region mostly enjoy.

How could the Deep Sea Alligator King who was expecting a worse living condition than in its previous habitat not be amazed after seeing all that? Heck, just the fact that it would be able to enjoy the treasure of the nature that no beasts in the northern, eastern and southern regions get to enjoy, was already blowing its mind.

Not to mention, the high concentration of mana on the floor that was many times higher than its previous place. The Deep Sea Alligator King had no doubt in its mind, if it was able to absorb all that energy and eat the attribute blossom moss on a daily basis it wouldn't be long before it stepped into the disaster class.

In its excitement, it addressed Simon as its lord without even consciously correcting its form of address this time.

"It seems you already took a liking to the floor. Good, from now on you will be living on this floor which means you also have to take care of it and defend it from all the invaders. If you are able to do your job properly, then not only the Attribute Blossom Moss, you would be able to enjoy various other treasures of the natiure that would make even the beasts on the western region envy".

Simon said showing them the carrot.

This time though, the Deep Sea Alligator king looked no longer unconvinced, it had that glow in its eyes that seemed to be idolising Simon.

"My lord, it seems like I was blind to have not recognised such a blessing. Worry not, from now on I'll be guarding this floor with all of my power".

Simon nodded his head at those words of the Deep Sea Alligator King, it looked like his strategy had worked. Unlike overlords like the Lightning Draconic Serpent who were filled with pride to their bones and disliked the idea of serving under someone, the Deep Sea Alligator King was a materialistic individual who wouldn't shy away from wagging its tail or the one who provided it with the most benefit.

For it, its personal interest came first, pride and such things did not matter to it. Of course, in the case of the latter, you cannot trust them easily even if you made a blood contract with them.

However, they shouldn't be a problem in the short term as long as they are provided with adequate benefits.

"Right, I should tell you this beforehand, you aren't the only subordinates living inside my dungeon. Hurting others who belong to the same side is strictly prohibited no matter the reason. Do you understand?".

Seeing that the Deep Sea alligator king nodded its head like a puppy, Simon turned around and faced his subordinates Bea and the Bloodthorn Demonic Warhorse.

The former was okay with how the lizardmen and the Deep Sea Alligator King acted as long as he was okay. However, the Bloodthorn Demonic Warhorse had a disdainful look in its eyes as it glanced at the new additions to their dungeon.

Simon knew that the Bloodthorn Demonic Warhosre was a prideful individual and the most loyal one out of all of his subordinates. It naturally loathed the profiteering attitude of the Deep Sea Alligator King who changed their colours often.

Simon knew it; however, it was not his place to meddle in. The Beast have their own hierarchy, if the Bloodthorn demonic warhorse was dissatisfied with the Deep Sea Alligator King it had to do something about it itself.

Main Floor of the dungeon Laplace, inside the central hall of the white palace.

KLACK… the moment Simon opened the door and entered inside he was hugged by someone. Needless to say that someone was Cecilia who was absent for a while since she was taking care of the spirit tree in the forest spring spirit village.

"Welcome back big brother," Cecilia said as she snuggled up to his legs.

"Yeah, I'm back. How is the spirit tree? Did you take care of it properly?" Simon asked patting Cecilia's emerald green hair adoringly.

"Un, the spirit tree seemed to be crying, when I was trying to understand what it was saying, I realised that it was hungry. Thus I altered the course of some of the mystical veins present on the floor towards the tree".

The forest spring spirit had the ability to manipulate nature, this was something that Simon already knew. The reason why the forest spring spirit had to bring in Cecilia who was exceptional even amongst the race, being a royal after all to take care of the spirit tree was because the tree according to Irene was still an infant.

Thus it was very difficult to communicate with it. The fact that Cecilia was able to console the spirit tree, understand that it was hungry and redirect the course of mystical veins, told Simon that the girl in front of him was no longer that weak crybaby who was depressed after the death of her parents and clansmen.

Her powers were beginning to manifest and once all of her hidden power awakens, so will her memories from the time she was one of the incarnation of the Eight Emissaries of the Primordial Demon Lord of Pride.

It was quite the dilemma, on one hand he wanted Cecilia to move forward with her life and become stronger, on the other hand, he didn't want the shadow of the sister he was starting to see in her to fade away with the awakening of her memories.

"What about brother? How are those new people that brother went to get from the northern forest?".

Cecilia's question snapped Simon out of his conundrum. He walked with her inside the hall while explaining—

"You mean the Deep Sea Alligator King and the Elder Lizardmen? They have already gotten accustomed to their new floor, they said they liked it very much".

Inside the hall, Simon could see Irene, the Valkyries and the [Helpers] all assembled in one place. They were all seated around a set of couch conversing.

Seeing Simon enter, all of them stood up. Some observed him with their gaze scrutinising if he had any injury while others bowed their heads in welcome.

"Is something the matter?" Simon found an empty sofa to seat on, took the teacup that Annette served him and asked.

"Nothing much my lord, we were just giving our daily report to Mistress Irene," Coleus said.

In the past few months that he was absent, Irene was the one who was taking care of most of the matters in his dungeon. In a way, she was the acting dungeon master of Laplace while he was away.

It was no surprise to him that she had created an information network amongst the members of the dungeon.

Since Coleus said that the matter wasn't big enough to require his attention, Simon did not bother asking any further about it as he was assured that Irene would be able to take care of it just fine.

"Is that so? Alright, let me know when the hidden chambers are complete though".

Coleus, Fay and the others nodded their heads before exiting the hall.

"How were they, do you think you can trust them?" Irene asked, the one she was talking about was none other than the Deep Sea Alligator King.

"Although its personality is like a profiteer, we can at least trust it with defending the floor due to the blood contract being in effect. Though I would not place much hope in it for defending the floor with its life or when it meets an enemy it cannot hope to defeat. Make sure that no forest Spring spirits teleport on that floor for the time being".

Simon said cautioning his subordinates about the new additions to their dungeon.

"If master gives me some time I will make sure those ingrates who just received benefits from the master without shame be absolutely loyal to you," Bea said patting her ample chest.

Simon imagined Bea massacring and torturing the new entrants until half of their number remained or even less and couldn't help flash a helpless smile. He shook his head rejecting her idea. Even though they weren't loyal to him as long as they don't go against him and do their job properly, Simon had no qualms with them.

It would be a waste to reduce their numbers in hopes of instilling loyalty to them when he went through all the trouble to get them all the way from the distant northern forest.

"Let us watch their attitude against the dungeon for a while before deciding on their fate" Irene proposed. She knew the agreement he made with Aldebaran and knew why he was being patient with this lot of bunch.

"B-But master if they are the reason that is making you gloomy, I want them to…" Bea stared, she could see that her master was concerned over something.

When Bea mentioned that, all of the eyes present inside the hall focused on him.

Simon touched his face, was he really making a gloomy expression? He knew that the reason he was vexed was not because of the Deep Sea Alligator king and the Elder Lizardmen he brought inside his dungeon but because of something else.