Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

"As long as I can take my kingdom back from them, I'm ready to even offer my life to the demon. So everyone, you don't have to worry about me or the demon. As far as my understanding of him goes, he won't do anything that would result in his loss"

"So if I can show him that there is worth keeping the Kingdom of Ellesmere intact, he will not choose to destroy it".

Facing her words and her conviction, the other couldn't say any further. After all, they all knew their situation very well. The person they swore loyalty to was fine with it, so what reason they had to be against it?

They quickly made up their minds to follow Cynthia no matter what path she chose.

.

.

Two days later… Tower Town, West District.

With the increase in the rank of the dungeon, its reputation had also soared. The Tower Town was no longer a small town but had become a small city with a population of over fifty thousand people.

At this point, it has already overtaken the other neighbouring cities like the city of Mountmend, both in terms of population and area.

At this moment near the southern district of the city, around an abandoned building, a man with short brown hair and dark dreary eyes was bound to an iron pillar with chains made with sturdy materials.

The man was Marcel Grice and at this moment he was held as a hostage by the people he had never met or seen in his life.

"Ugh..ghgu. ghghi" Marcel shouted but since his mouth was gagged, he could only utter some gibberish words. His eyes continued to glare at his kidnapper who was hiding their identity underneath a robe.

That being said, from the vague figure that could be seen through the robe, Marcel was clear that his kidnapper was a woman. That creamy porcelain skin that could be seen intermittently from those robes and those dreamy curves, there was no mistaking it.

Given how quickly they knocked him out and brought him here, it could be also be said that they were quite high level. In his profession, it was not a surprising thing for him to get abducted for interrogation.

In fact, he was already prepared for such a future. However, what made him confused was that ever since knocking him out and bringing him here all the way, the other party hadn't spoken a single word.

Even when he tried to incite the other party by making noise and flailing his body around, his kidnapper would do nothing and simply stand there in her place as if she was a doll. He couldn't get any reaction from the woman at all.

What was going on? If the other party did not want to interrogate him, then why did they bring him here?

Marcel looked at the woman hiding her guise with a robe, in front of him. Just as he was starting to guess what the other party's motive might be, a voice came from the back exit of this building.

"Looks like the task was too easy for you. You brought him sooner than I expected"

A feminine voice resounded followed by the sounds of footsteps. A couple of figures appeared in front of Marcel.

The moment he heard that voice he had a vague feeling that he knew this person. However, when he saw who it actually was, he couldn't help but become gobsmacked. With his eyes widened to their limits, and his trembling body, he pointed at the figure leading the group and spoke.

"ghug... ghghu gkguy... ghgugh? gabent gugh.. wiii.. hsh.. ghg..jhih...gwarr..."(You… you how are you still alive? Haven't you died inside the dungeon more than three months ago?)

Marcel questioned. His voice was very rickety given how surprised he was. Why wouldn't he be after all, the person who appeared in front of him was someone who was believed to have died inside the dungeon for quite a while now.

It was like seeing a ghost appear in front of you. Marcel was frightened for a good while.

"You seem like you have seen a ghost? Did my return cause that much of a surprise? That's odd given that you used to be one of my loyal subordinates. However, I cannot see even the slightest trace of happiness on your face."…

"Bugh shnno nbe!!"...

"Hm? I can't understand what you are saying. Miss Bianca can you remove the cloth from his mouth"

At her request, the robe woman who had abducted him, pulled away the cloth gagging his mouth.

Bianca? So that was the name of that woman? Marcel though. However, he didn't have time to think about that at this moment. As he looked at the violet haired woman, his lips inadvertently moved as he uttered.

"This cannot be? How are you alive? You should have died back inside the dungeon?!!"

That's right, the violet haired woman in front of him was none other than the sole princess of the Kingdom of Ellesmere and the subject of his loyalty, Cynthia.

"You bastard… how dare you betray the princess" Marcel didn't have time to think much before his collar was pulled by another person.

"Alvara?!!"

Even the Guard Captain was alive?!!

"You piece of shit"

BANG… a punch came attacking his face causing him to throw a mouthful of blood. The attacks didn't stop there, after the punch came a kick and then a knee. It was only after the other parties were somewhat content, did they stop attacking him.

"You all…" Marcel recognised all of them. It was not just the Princess and the Guard Captain, there was also Burg, Brett and Marba. The surprise in his eyes was evident after all, all of these were supposed to have died inside the dungeon. Yet here they were all in front of him.

"Dammit… just looking at his face is making me all irritated. Too bad I can't kill him with my own sword"..

"Alvara restrain yourself, we still need him"

On Cynthia's words, the Guard Captain backed away. However, she still kept glaring at him with hatred as if she wouldn't be satisfied until she killed him.

"Miss Annette you don't mind my decision right?" Cynthia turned towards the black haired woman wearing spectacles.

"Lord Simon asked us to aid you in any manner possible. As such, whatever decision you make, we won't interfere" Annette spoke.

At this moment, she wasn't wearing her usual maid gear. Instead, she was wearing a garb that was similar to the adventurers to blend in with them. It was not only her, the other maids including Bianca were in disguise too.

"I see… please thank Lord Simon for me"

Saying that, Cynthia glanced towards Brett, her old retainer who seemingly understood her intentions and stepped forward. The scene that unfolded next wasn't anything surprising, Marcel was tortured and interrogated of all information.

While his screams echoed inside the dilapidated building, on the other side Annette and the others were discussing something of their own.

"Hehe, we finally get to see the outside world. I can feel the excitement rushing through my body" a small boy who looked no more than ten years of age yelled happily while making a fist.

"You don't forget that for this mission Master made me the leader. So you still have to follow my orders"

Annette looked at the overly excited vampire twins and reminded. This was the first time in a while they had been sent outside by their master to accomplish a mission on their own. It was mainly to broaden their horizons and to give them more experience.

What's more, this was also their first time going out without their master and for this reason, the most level headed one amongst them, Annette was made the leader. So everyone had to follow her orders including the twins.

"This is the first independent mission given to us by master and it's a very important one too. As such, we cannot make any slip ups. Let's show him that he didn't make a mistake by leaving it onto us" Annette motivated.

Except for Bea and a few others who willingly stayed behind to serve their master, everyone else present here nodded their heads excitedly.

"Hehe, sister Annette does not need to worry too much, after all you have me the strongest Guardian here" Theodore rubbed his nose and bragged.

"Brother you shouldn't say that"

Maybell from the side tugged his clothes. However, she was too late, the spark was lit. The moment the Valkyries heard that, their eyes blazed with a fire of determination and fighting intent.

Even the most calm and composed Annette had a spark of competitiveness burning in her eyes.

"Hoh, are you saying that you are the strongest while fully knowing the final form of us sisters and how strong Miss Irene who is the First Guardian is? Plus Three of the Twelve will surely disagree with that statement of yours. Especially my elder sister, she won't let that remark slide" Annette stated pushing her glasses up.

"Kuh… sister Mercy huh… we have a bad scompatability. But so what, it's not like I will necessarily lose" Theodore spoke while clenching his hands.

Although he said that he would win, he was visibly shaken at the name of the elder sister of the Valkyries.

"Hehe" Annette smiled, having teased him enough, she changed the topic of their discussion.

After a while, the screams and yells of agony coming from inside the building died down, an indication that the interrogation was finished. Cynthia and the others approached them while wearing all sorts of complex emotions on their faces.