Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Nevertheless, these people weren't fools they were tactful enough to know what they should keep a secret. Plus, the reason why the princess had sent them here as a part of team, was because she had absolute faith in them that they won't betray her.

Simon was silent for a while as he intensely pondered the intention of this princess who had helped him numerous times. She had not only warned him to leave the capital before his identity was revealed, but she had also even provided him with a map to safely traverse back to his dungeon and now this...

Simon was not a fool to take their words at face value, thus he briefly considered other various factors that would lead the princess to help him.

"Alright for now I would maintain a neutral stance against her. However, I want you all to tell her one thing, I'm not a nice person who would forgive someone who tries to backstab me. I will not show any mercy to my opponents no matter who they are. If they dare to invade my dungeon, their only outcome will be death".

Leaving those dark and heavy words, Simon turned around and together with Annette, they left the hidden chamber.

With him gone, the pressure that was boring down on them had also vanished. The group exhaled a deep breath of air that they had been holding for quite a while. The chamber was silent, nobody dared to speak a word even after it had been quite a while since the demon left.

"Alvara… let's go back now. We have completed the task assigned to us by the princess. There is nothing left for us to do in this dungeon. Now that we have given him the letter, it does not concern us as to who wins or dies" Brett spoke to break the silence.

Alvara nodded solemnly, it was just as Brett had said, their duty was to hand that letter over to the demon. Now that they had completed it, their job was over. It concerned them not whether the one that won was the demon or that side.

"Do you think he will be able to survive that?" Alvara composed herself and turned around to face her companions and Brett.

"It is difficult but you should know the answer. With them taking actions personally this time, whatever chances the demon had of surviving, was gone" Brett was not trying to sound pragmatic but that was how dire the situation looked from his perspective.

Alvara did not comment and silently nodded her head. However, she didn't know why she felt that even though there was such a disparity between the strength of both parties, the demon wouldn't lose.

There was no basis for that, it was just a gut feeling. She once had travelled with this man around a year ago. At that time, without even revealing his full strength, he was powerful enough to resolve all of the problems they met along the way.

However, even that strength fell short on that day in the capital. She was aware that the demon had become far more powerful than before when she faced him again this time. Nevertheless, the opponent he was facing this time was the best of the best of their kingdom.

So why is it that she still believed that the demon would win? Was it because of the princess?

Alvara shook her head and shifted her attention to her companions and stressed—"I know that you all understand this already but do not reveal a single word about what had happened here today to anyone".

Burg and the other nodded their heads with a dead serious faces. The group decided their next course of action and everybody agreed to go back.

"Captain, what about the treasure chest? We have fought so hard to defeat the guardian monster. Wouldn't it be a waste to just leave without opening the treasure?" Burg asked with some anticipation.

Although the situation had turned around completely with the appearance of the demon noble, it couldn't be denied that they had cleared this hidden chamber and were entitled to the rewards here.

Alvara sighed, looked at the eager eyes of her companions before nodding her head.

-----

Inside one of the halls of the white palace, Simon silently sat on the couch pondering something. His eyes were looking at a window in front of him and his hands were continuously swiping it randomly.

He continued this action of his for a while when suddenly the door to the hall was pushed open and Irene along with the Valkyries, Bloodthorn Demonic Warhorse and every close subordinate of his walked in.

"You guys…" When Simon saw all of them gather in the hall, he couldn't help but arch his brows in a frown.

"I have called them" Irene spoke softly while walking towards him "I have heard from Annette about the contents of the letter thus I called everyone here to let them know about the approaching storm".

Simon shifted his gaze towards Annette when he heard that.

"Don't look at her, I knew that you would try to cover up the issue from everyone and try to shoulder everything on your own again. Thus I had no choice but to do this. It is true that a leader must be strong however, the true essence of a leader isn't only based on their strength but also on their ability to make sound judgements, their flexibility during critical situations, the trust that they have in their subordinates and dependability".

Irene glanced at Simon with her crystal blue eyes and continued—"Everyone here, deeply trusts you, depends on you and has faith in your judgement. They know that whatever decision you will make, will only be for their benefit".

"Therefore you should embrace their feelings and start reciprocating them back. You cannot be always stalwart and headstrong in every situation, learn to be a little flexible at times and rely on your subordinates a little".

Although Irene's voice was calm and collected, Simon could hear thousands of emotions from it. He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths and nodded his head when he opened his eyes again. There was no longer that look of impatience and impulsiveness in them again.

These few words from Irene had made him realise that sometimes a single individual can only do so much with his own strength and he needed to trust ad depend on his subordinates a little more. Wasn't this the reason why he had summoned them in the first place?

Simon looked at the eyes of all of his subordinates; he could feel their trust and resolve flow from those eyes. This cleared his head and he understood that if he wanted to solve the upcoming situation he would need to depend on all of them.

"I haven't informed all of them yet. Since this is the duty of a leader, you should be the one to tell them that" Irene added from beside him.

Simon held the figure of his subordinates before opening his mouth to tell them about what was going on, the group that came and the contents of the letter.

.

.

.

"That's how it is, the top five guilds of the kingdom of Ellesmere are preparing for a big expedition into our dungeon. Their motive is clear and that is to capture our dungeon and eradicate its master that is me. Quite a few big guilds have joined their coalition".

"It is no doubt by far the biggest hurdle our dungeon has ever faced, therefore I will be relying on you all to protect our dungeon, the home that we live in. The intruders this time will be strong, their levels will be far higher than any of the adventurers that have dived inside our dungeon up until now".

"I won't be able to guarantee that we will be able to survive through this scot-free but I can assure you that as long as I live, I will protect you all and this dungeon with all my strength" Simon spoke his mind, he did not know what a leader should say at a time like this but the things he said was from his heart.

He did want them all to survive, he wanted to protect this dungeon that he had built with such care. Unwittingly these few simple words of his, managed to touch the hearts of his subordinates.

Simon had undermined the charisma and confidence that his body naturally exuded, coupled with his warm words, it was enough for these people to view him as their greatest leader.

"Master…"

"Lord Simon"…

"We shall do our best to protect this dungeon"

His subordinates spoke in determination and in unison. Looking at them who were oozing confidence, Simon felt an unknown surge of emotion flood his heart and a smile unwittingly crept to his face.

Irene who was standing beside him looked at his side profile and a warm emotion appeared in her cold emotionless eyes. He was slowly but surely becoming the leader, the pillar of faith the inhabitants of the dungeon needed him to be.

"According to the letter that princess sent you, there is only a week or two remaining before the combined coalition of the guilds knocks on the dungeon. What do you plan to do?" Irene asked, they needed a plan to prepare for the upcoming intruders.

Simon's expression immediately changed, he clasped his hands into a fist and a wild crimson glow flashed in his eyes.

Since they have decided to come, he will show them that he wasn't some softy that they could just squash as they willed. Once they stepped inside his dungeon, he would make sure that every last of them dies and become a nourishment for his dungeon and a stepping stone for his growth.

No matter how big their number was or how powerful they were, this dungeon will become the graveyard for each and every one of the intruders.