Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

"Hehe, after you dozed off, I sensed a very vague spatial interference that was left a couple of weeks ago, a hundred miles away from here at the edges of this forest. From the turbulence and the faint mana lingering, I interfered that it was my disciple. You were right, my disciple has headed for the capital".

Her excitement was over the top when the topic came to her disciple. Simon also nodded in delight, it was best if they found her disciple in the capital that way he wouldn't have to tag along with her everywhere and he can go back to his dungeon in relief.

"That's right, when is the convoy leaving? We cannot waste our time here in this forest, we should quickly get moving" Adalinda commented. In her enthusiasm, she had forgotten that the convoy was in no shape to move right now.

Simon told her about the injuries of the members of the convoy and how he had sold some of his elixirs to the client. Although not being able to move immediately bothered her, she displayed an unexpected level-headedness and did not pester more about it from him.

Soon, at the command of the guard commander, those silver guards who could relatively move around, started distributing a vial of potion to everyone who was severely injured. Needless, to say the vial of potion was the exact same elixir that he had sold to Cynthia.

The members of the convoy at first were sceptical about the promised over the top effectiveness of the potion when all other low and intermediate-grade potions failed to heal them. However, after the first person who had received a fatal injury in his abdomen experienced the efficiency of the elixirs, he couldn't help but squeal in joy.

After the others saw the healing ability of the potion, they naturally discarded all thoughts of sceptics from their minds and hurriedly drank the potion.

It wasn't long before the surviving members of the convoy started erupting in joy and delight of being healed of injuries. They collectively crowded near the wagon where Cynthia was resting and incessantly thanked her.

The calculative woman naturally knew how to draw the favour of others towards her and her Serene Palace Merchant Guild. She then promised these people who were already won over by her compassion to distribute such a potion to them, to diligently follow her and they would not be treated unfairly.

Like this, even these adventurers who have seen many bloodshed, felt a flame of loyalty sprout within their hearts. After the crowd was dispersed by her order, they started digging graves for their fallen comrades and cleaned the area.

Others started preparing food on the fireplace and just like that, the silent and gloomy atmosphere surrounding the campsite, lightened up a little with the activity of the people.

"We checked the area for a few kilometres, there are no signs of any monsters nearby. even the traps we have set, shows no signs of intrusion" A group of adventurers and guards, who went to scout the area around their campsite for any signs of beast reported.

<br/>Alvara who was compiling their report, made a confused face. According to common sense after this much blood had been shed, the smell should be extremely conspicuous. So why weren't the monsters attacking them?

This question was bothering her for a while and no matter how she thought about it she found it extremely strange.

"Did you check the area properly? Could there be any monster that avoided your traps or is just adept in hiding itself?" she confirmed.

The group ardently shook their heads. They have investigated the area many times and even used their skills to check for any monster that has potentially wandered near their camp.

After being told the same by her other subordinates, Alvara could only drop the issue while being cynical a little. Never could she have imagined that, there was a powerful barrier that had been erected by Adalinda, protecting their campsite. Even if it was a powerful monster, it wouldn't be able to sense them.

When the sun was suspended overhead and the time was high noon, all the members of the convoy was gathered near the fireplace to discuss their next move. By now, all the people were familiar with each other and had no qualms talking freely with one another.

"We don't know if there will be another bandit attack or if there are different brigands targeting us. Therefore we need to get out of the forest fast but according to the route charted on this map, it would take us at least three more days to get out of here".

"But that is if we follow this map, there is another route that is less trod upon and might be filled with monsters and unknown dangers. Though it is dangerous, it will only take us a day and a half to get out of the Northern Outlaw Forest".

Cynthia spoke analysing the map strewn over a table. She looked at the different expressions of the members and added "I cannot make this decision alone and that is why I seek all of your opinions. We shall take a vote to decide on our next route".

The vote started and unsurprisingly, there were many people who were in consent to tread the shortest but dangerous path. The people that wanted to continue on the same path were very few.

From the voting, it was clear that they didn't want to go through another bandit attack and hence decided to take the path with many monsters. Although defeating monsters won't be easy, they weren't like bandits who would sneak attack them when their guard was the lowest.

If they took appropriate measures and utilised their years of hunting monsters, it was easier for them to survive if they travelled through the shortest route. After that unanimous vote, the members of the convoy started packing their stuff and bid goodbye to the graves of their friends.

                                                                  -----

The route for the convoy was set and with the neigh of the Bane Moose, the wagons started moving. Now that there were more vacant spots for the riders of the Bane Moose, those people that didn't have the chance to ride it before, rode it and surveyed the surrounding.

Simon was on top of one such Bane Moose positioned at the vanguard. Since all the people of the convoy acknowledged his accomplishment and knew how experienced he was, they inadvertently obeyed any movements or orders he made.

Their faith started becoming more and more strong when they successfully evaded entering the territory of more than three groups of strong monsters in the space of a few hours of their travel. This once again reminded everyone how dangerous the uncharted route was.

                                                                  -----

In a spacious dark room, there were multiple bookshelves and furniture made of polished wood. Placed at the corner of the room, was a wide desk and a chair with many documents and scroll strewn around. Clearly, this was the study room of some person.

Faint moonlight seeped out from the open windows and illuminated the room and highlighted the figure of the person seated at the chair. Brown hair and decked in a well-defined black suit, the young man emitted the very air of being an important person. He had a charming face and a soft aura that could make one drop their guards around him.

Currently kneeling in front of him was a person donned in grey robes and face hidden with a mask.

Listening to the report of his subordinate, the brown-haired man couldn't help but frown, his fingers tapped on the ring on his hand and a small white conch the size of an egg appeared in his palm.

When the man entered some of his mana, the many complex runes inscribed on its surface, lit up before dying down after a while.

"What? How can this be" as if he couldn't believe it, he tried poring mana onto the conch once again, the process repeated and after a while, the light died down.

"I speak the truth Your Highness, Jeeves is dead," the grey-robed said in an anonymous voice.

THUD… the dull noise of the conch hitting the ground rang out and the brown-haired man addressed as his highness took heavy breaths. It appeared that the man had thrown the transmission shell in his anger.

"How can this be? After all the careful preparations and even with the aid of the [Beast Inheritance] skill, he still couldn't take her out? That useless dog does he not know how much I had to spend to get him that skill? That incompetent mongrel".

Seeing the man throw a fit, the grey-robed man called out "Your Highness please calm down".

These nonchalant words caused the former to rage out even more "How can I calm down? He had only one job and for that, I even provided him with the [Beast Inheritance]. Now not only had he died and failed his mission, but he even wasted the skill".

"Ypu were called Eight right? Didn't you say that it is an extremely powerful skill? Then why even after selling you that artefact in exchange, the mission had still failed?".

The grey-robed subordinate who was called Eight, internally snickered, he knew that the man was trying to put the blame for the inadequacy of his subordinate on him. Nonetheless, he did not show it in his behaviour.

"Your Highness the [Beast Inheritance] cannot be blamed, it is still a skill after all and depends on how the user uses it. Jeeves dying could only mean that he had not assimilated with it properly or had not activated it in time. But that is not something your highness should be worrying about right now and instead think about how to clean the mess that butler of yours might have created".