Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Yes, there was no mistaking it, there were actual clouds in his dungeon covering the phosphorescence crystals on the ceiling. When Simon examined them carefully, he noticed that they weren't just ordinary clouds but condensation of thick amounts of mystical energy.

That is to say, the mana around the main floor had turned so dense that they formed clouds.

"What was going on?" Simon was confounded, just as he was marvelling at the changes that had occurred on his main floor, he felt a sudden presence that was quickly rushing towards him.

Simon was quickly alerted sensing how powerful it was; however, when he saw the being that released such an aura, all his guard relaxed and he couldn't help but make a delighted smile.

WHOOSH… the Blackthorn Demonic Warhorse quickly landed in front of him and greeted him with a bow of his head. Simon smiled and patted the latter "It seems you have improved dramatically since the last time I saw you".

The warhorse was not only releasing a powerful aura, but even its appearance and temperament had changed a little. Of course, it looked as nightmarish as before, donning an ancient armour and flames erupting out of its body. But now there was also an aura of nobility around it too.

"You flatter me my Lord"…

Simon blinked his eyes, just now he heard the warhorse utter something. Was it his imagination or did the warhorse really speak? As if to answer his question, the warhorse spoke once again.

"Is there a matter my lord?".

This time, there was no mistaking it, the warhorse was actually speaking!!

"Y-You can speak?" Simon asked baffled.

The Blackthorn Demonic warhorse finally understood why his lord was acting surprised and answered.

"Indeed my Lord, after my first evolution, I am now capable of speech".

Simon nodded his head, now that he thought about it, it wasn't anything unusual for powerful beasts to speak. In fact, many strong beasts that he had seen in the Ghastly Winding Forest were sentient and capable of speech.

The fact that the Bloodthorn Demonic Warhorse could suddenly talk was what took him by surprise. The Bloodthorn Demonic Warhorse was undergoing its first evolution when Simon was yet to leave the dungeon.

Now after its evolution, its powers and abilities had soared to new unimaginable heights. Just like how Demon Nobles have their rank up and humans their class change, Beasts have their own way of getting stronger and that was through evolution.

From the memories that he inherited, Simon knew that whenever a monster or a beast undergoes an evolution, the physical structure of their body, levels, skills, abilities and bloodline receives a huge buff.

For example, a Battle Grizzly who is the evolution of Battle Bear was far more stronger and physically different than the latter. Even their skills and basic abilities are on another level.

Different Beasts or monster have their own evolution chain and the higher the bloodline the Beast possessed the more evolutionary path it has. In Battle grizzly's case, its evolutionary chain will only take it till level 300 before it reaches a limit and because its bloodline isn't pure, it could be said that it won't undergo any further evolution.

The chains of bloodline binds every being of this world whether it be humans, Demon nobles or Beasts, no one was an exception. In any case, the Bloodthorn Demonic warhorse had undergone its first transformation. Even though it did not have much change in its appearance, one cannot discount its huge buff in level and skills.

Right now, the Bloodthorn demonic warhorse was at level 548 with powerful advanced tier magic and Lost tier powerful skills. Simon had a pleased expression plastered on his face, why would he not? It was not only him that was progressing but even his subordinates.

As Simon was catching up with his buddy whom he hadn't seen for some time, a jubilant voice full of life and innocence rang out from the direction of the pond.

"Big Brother!!" Cecilia called out while rushing towards him in a tackle.

Simon hugged the latter and tussled her emerald green hair.

"Big Brother, you are finally back," Cecilia said, her bright green eyes excited to finally see her brother.

Simon smiled with affection too, in these past few months Cecilia had grown a little mature and an inch taller. He also noticed that some of her powers that were sleeping inside her were starting to awaken.

The vast natural aura that she released was much more denser than before. Even amongst the Forest Spring Spirit race, she was an extremely rare and sacred race. Thus no matter what, he must protect this little sister of his who treated him just like her own family.

"Where is Irene?" Simon asked unable to sense the presence of Irene on the Main Floor.

"Big Sister Irene went up to the thirty sixth floor to talk with Sir Lightning Serpent" Cecilia reported, expecting to be patted for being able to use the [Main Menu] properly.

Cecilia was one of the three guardians of his dungeon thus she is able to enjoy some of the functions of the [Main Menu] excluding the exclusive options that need special permission from the Dungeon Master.

Patting Cecilia for doing a good job, Simon started walking towards his White Palace that was located at the centre of the floor and also where his dungeon core was stationed.

Approaching the white palace Simon noticed that it was a little different than before. In terms of appearance, it looked the same but the aura the walls of the palace and the thick clouds of mana looming over it, suggested something else.

In any case, the white palace looked more majestic than before and since it was a special mechanism that needed a constant supply of mystical energy, Simon could tell that these changes weren't a bad thing.

Simon opened the door and stepped inside only to be bathed by a burst of refreshing energy that came flooding towards him. He felt his body soar, all his pores open up and the mana inside him circulate at a faster rate.

Simon took a deep breath of air and relished in the feeling and familiarity of finally coming home. The trip back outside was harsh on him but it also gave him the opportunity to grow both physically and mentally.

He was no longer that amiable Demon noble who subconsciously felt closer to the humans. Nor was he easy and gullible enough to be taken advantage of again. He had embraced who he was and fully accepted himself.

Simon did not know if these changes were good or bad for him; however, after he shed those emotions, he felt like he was finally true to himself and have undergone a spiritual change of some sort.

Shaking his head, Simon arrived in front of a huge lavish hall and flumped himself on one of the sofas. The Bloodthorn demonic warhorse with huge size, decided to lay down on the floor beside him while Cecilia sat next to him curdling in his embrace.

For Cecilia, Simon's absence was very significant, not only was he the one who saved her and her clansmen from their nightmare, he was also the pillar that she relied on to live. Not being able to see him every day scared and even tormented her inside.

Seeing her delicate body tremble like that, Simon patted her head to comfort her.

"Big brother, please don't leave like that. It is scary, I'm scared that I will end up alone once again… please" Cecilia said with a trembling voice.

Simon could tell that the scar that was left deep inside her heart was yet to fully heal.

"Yeah, I will not leave like that again" Simon apologised, he was so concerned to keep his dungeon safe that he totally forget to bid Cecilia who was in the Forest Spring Spirit village at that time, to bid goodbye.

He felt partly responsible that she felt like that. Simon knew how big of an existence he was for her and her clansmen that depended on him. No matter how selfish he acted in the future he must always bear this in mind that he carried the life of dozens of forest spring spirits on his shoulders.

'One more reason that I cannot die' Simon muttered in his heart.  While he waited for Irene to arrive from the thirty sixth floor, he looked around the vast hall which was just one of the many halls of the white palace and felt this sudden sense of desolation…

Hmm, if Simon had to put this feeling in words, he felt this emotion of emptiness when glancing at his big white palace. Make no mistake, the palace had many pieces of decorations and furniture and stuff that filled the place.

Nonetheless, Simon still felt it was a little empty. What was it lacking? The answer arrived to him in that instant.

What made a place wholesome was not inanimate things of decorations but people. Simon wanted more subordinates that he could trust living along with him inside the white palace.

He did make a floor for the forest spring spirits and if he wanted to, he can just go and live in the house they made for him. However, that was different from the thing Simon wanted.

It was not like Simon did not trust the Frost Spring Spirits, he did; but at the same time, he also had some reservations towards bringing them here on the main floor where his dungeon core was located.

They were a clan that could be considered a foreign race from the perspective of his dungeon before they were accepted as its inhabitants.