Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Huff… Huff… inside a dark place where the only light came from the enemy in front of him, a man could be seen hacking and slashing with his broadsword.

"Don't get in my you god damn monsters" the man covered in wounds, was none other than Morgress who was carried all the way up to the entrance of the thirty fifth floor by that tunnel of wind.

Currently, he was surrounded on all fronts by Fire Eater Rats and Fire Fanged Mouse who were currently pouring out in droves from the underground.

<strong>KIEEEKK…</strong> their loud scream reverberating on this dark floor like an ominous symphony. As someone who had fought them before, Morgress could tell that something was wrong with these monsters at this moment.

Right now, they were being just too aggressive and violent that they did not even care about their own lives and threw themselves onto him trying to take him out in any way possible.

That kind of mad behaviour was as if these monsters had gone insane much like a warrior who had utilised the skill [berserk] too much. It wouldn't have been a problem if it was just a few of them but the entire colony behaving this way was much too unusual.

It was almost like their behaviour was being induced by something. Morgress did not know what could have possibly brought this change; nevertheless, it was not a good thing for him. If he wanted to escape from this dungeon, he had to invoke the scroll of return.

But to do that, he needs to channel all of his focus and mana onto the magic. However, in a situation where the enemies were diving at him in a suicidal manner, it was clearly impossible for him to use the scroll of return at this point.

Additionally, hiding was also not a good option since these monsters for some unknown reason are able to sniff him out. Alone and outnumbered, it was only a matter of time before he is completely devoured by these monsters.

Not to mention, he was already mentally and physically fatigued from the fight on the thirty sixth floor.

"GODDAMMIT… I will not die here… AHHHHH!!!" Morgress roared in a last ditch effort to mount up a resistance.

A couple of minutes later, Simon teleported onto the floor that was currently frolicking with berserk Fire Fanged Mouse and Fire Eater Rat. As he walked, he soon reached the place where monsters were currently encircling something.

Looking at the thing, more specifically the person that was lying in the middle of all of it, Simon locked his brows. At this moment, the state of the person was so wretched and ugly with wounds, burns, bite marks and scratched that it was completely impossible to recognise the person.

Although the person was in a dire state, he was nonetheless, still alive. Simon did not pity the person, nor did his eyes have any emotions, it was simply indifferent as they gazed at the man.

The monsters spread aside making a way for him to walk in. Simon approached the man, picked him up and teleported back. Right before he telported, he looked towards the centre of the floor where a single tree was silently standing.

What was bewitching about that tree was that it was completely crimson in colour and wreathed in flames.

The next time he appeared, Simon was in Forest Spring Spirit Village where most of his subordinates had gathered to. After delivering that man to Bea for interrogation, Simon appeared in the Forest Spring Spirit village at Cecilia's insistence.

The floor was very different since the last time he saw it, not only the forest here gave a vast verdant feeling now, but even the ambience of mana here was very rich pointing to the formation of many Mystical veins underneath the ground.

Aside from that, the entire floor had various kinds of trees and plants growing in a neat and arranged manner. Each of these trees and plants was unique and could only be grown by these forest spring spirits.

If any alchemist saw this floor, they would go insane by the rare and precious variety of ingredients that could be found here.

The entire floor no doubt looked very mystical and colourful but the thing that attracted Simon's eyes the most was the big fat tree on top of the mountain overlooking the village.

"Big brother you are finally here! Quick, come with me. Everybody is waiting for you" Before Simon could tread towards the mountain to know more about the tree, Cecilia who spotted him teleporting, approached him at some point and pulled him towards the village.

The current village of the Forest Spring Spirits was much more lively and active than before. There were many more buildings built out of bamboo and up on the trees. The size of the village as a whole was twice as big too.

As Simon being pulled by Cecilia, walked the streets of the village, he noticed that every building and corner was decorated nicely. There were beautiful lamps placed all over the place and the Forest spirit people who greeted him were all wearing a traditional type of cloth.

The two of them walked around the village marvelling at the lively atmosphere before reaching the most magnificent house on a hill that was built by the forest spring spirits for him.

"Welcome My lord" the moment they arrived at the gates of the house, he was greeted by Fennel the elder, the [helpers], and a few other forest spring spirits.

"Before anything else, I want to congratulate lord Simon for his splendid victory against the intruders," Fennel said in excitement.

Simon nodded his head and looked towards the [helpers] with a questioning gaze.

"I know lord Simon did not want us to worry for nothing and this is why you told them to keep the skirmish that occurred on the thirty sixth floor a secret but it is not their fault. It just so happened that Cecilia was able to make them talk even when they were unwilling to" Fennel said with a helpless smile on his face.

Hearing what the elder had to say, Simon wasn't fazed. The [helpers] did indeed obey his orders and intended to keep it a secret. But because it was Cecilia who was one of the Guardian of this dungeon and much higher in rank than them who was asking the question, they couldn't disobey the authority that came with her role and thus spilled out everything.

At this moment, Simon felt his clothes being tugged and looked down to see Cecilia pouting her cheeks in anger.

"Big brother I was very angry at you for keeping it a secret from me. You fooled me when you sent me to the village didn't you hmph. Big sister Irene told me that the intruders were all big bad people and you were only trying to protect me by sending me here so I'm no longer angry at you. But I still feel left out…".

"Cecilia don't be like that, did you forget what day is today?" Fennel from the side said disciplining her a little.

"Oh right! I will not be angry at you today brother because today is the Spiritus Fortuna festival that our clan celebrates every year" Cecilia said beamingly, forgetting about her anger in an instant.

'Hey are you angry at me or not? Make up your mind' Simon wanted to retort; nevertheless, he was more curious about this festival the Forest Spring Spirits were talking about.

"Spiritus Fortuna?" he asked.

Fennel smiled in a similar festive excitement like Cecilia and explained "That is right my lord, Spiritus Fortuna is a festival where we pray for the continued prosperity of our clan and offer our harvest back to the nature that nurtures us all".

"It has been an ancient tradition of our clan to celebrate this festival every year and dates back more than ten thousand years ago. Last year it was her father, the patriarch that initiated the festival. This year, we hope lord Simon will be the one to do it".

Right after he said, that, he looked at Simon in expectation. It was not only him, but all the other forest spring spirits were also holding the same expectations in their eyes.

Seeing their faces filled with anticipation, Simon did not find it in himself to reject them and ultimately nodded his head. He was already here, might as well attend this festival and see what it is about.

"Alright, but even though you say that I should initiate the festival, I have no idea how the event or how to go on about it" This was the first time he was attending any festival in the world of Althaea after reincarnating. Thus he had no idea whether their festival here was similar to the one from his previous world or something totally different.

"Lord Simon does not have to worry, we all are here to help you. But first how about lord Simon go inside his house and change into the clothes our clan has prepared for you" Fennel said smiling at the end.

"Oh right right, brother hurry up and change into those clothes, I want to see how you look in them. Big sister Irene wore her own and she looks very pretty" Cecilia said jumping up and down in excitement.

Hearing her words, Simon was involuntarily curious. His mind couldn't help but imagine that icy cold beauty in those clothes.

Simon felt his hand being pulled and before he could do anything, he was led by everyone inside the house.