Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Simon looked deeply into Irene's eyes which wanted to protect the Forest Spring Spirit Clan. The benefits that the clan can provide was just an excuse to make him shelter the pitiful clan. However, even without her telling him the benefits he already made his mind to protect the little girl and her clan. He stared at Cecilia and asked, "Where in the forest your clan is located at?".

From Cecilia, he became aware of the settlement of the Forest Spirit Spring clan which was located deep inside the western region near the territory of the Ancient Treants. Their village was protected by an arcane mist that was erected by one of their ancestors and no one other than them would be able to find their village. Even the Forest Spring Spirits needed to use special means to enter their village through the mist.

She also told him about the geography of the area where her village was located and from her, he also became aware of the existence known as the Seven kings that divided the western region into seven parts and ruled their territories just like kings.

"Seven Kings huh! They must be the insanely strong presences that I felt deep inside the western region of the forest" Simon mused as he heard the details from Cecilia.

Unlike the three overlords of the northern region of the Ghastly Winding forest, the seven kings of the western region were on a completely different realm and were the true rulers of the entire forest. Their presence was what made the forest so dreadful that no adventurers dared to delve deeper.

In the future, if Simon wanted to conquer the forest, he had to compete with these seven kings for dominance. Since his dungeon was located in the forest, he couldn't just sit still inside knowing that there are seven incredibly strong beings lurking outside that could destroy his dungeon.

However, that was all in the future, there was no point worrying about it now.

Cecilia told him about the circumstances of the Forest Spring Spirit Clan and the incident that unfolded before he found her unconscious beneath the tree. When she recalled the scenes from a few days ago, tears threatened to overflow from her eyes once again but she forcefully held them back.

Her body trembled and her eyes flashed with sorrow but more than that, there was a fire burning within them. Fire to take revenge for her mother, father and her clan.

Learning about the situation, Simon sighed out loud. He thought 'No wonder she looked so dead inside. A little girl less than five years of age lost everyone she held dear in front of her very eyes, how could she keep on living all alone. Death must have felt much easier an option. The heavens have been really unfair to her'.

Even though Cecilia was suffering internally as she recalled the scenes from back then, she still continued.

It seems that the Ancient Titan Treant, one of the seven kings of the Ghastly Winding Forest protected them, but even then the Ancient Titan Treant was rooted in its territory and couldn't move as it wished.

Spotting the opportunity, the human that their clan found heavily injured outside, and who was led inside their settlement for treatment betrayed them and disclosed their location back to the adventurers who were currently subjugating their village.

Simon grimaced "So that was how their location was found". Simon believed that as long as that mist was around, their village was impossible to locate. But if one outsider was led inside, he would naturally know how to get in and out through the mist.

Cecilia recalled what her father once told her long back "My father once told me that during the ancient times, our ancestors were once the subordinates of the Primordial Demon of Pride. And it was only after his demise that our Forest Spring Spirit Clan lost the protection and was forced into hiding as we were hunted down for our spirit orbs".

"It was only after the Second Apex War that our situation became a little better. The Dragon Lords led the coalition of the demi-humans and the Sea Tribe along with few other species to force the humans and demons into a peace treaty. And also made them sign a non-aggression agreement against the almost extinct species that were hunted all over the world for their materials. Our Forest Spring Spirit clan being one". Cecilia recalled the history that her father the patriarch of the clan had instilled into her.

From her words, Simon finally became a little aware of the history of this world. As Simon was reincarnated as the lowest ranking demon noble, the information that he inherited was very limited and thus he didn't know much about the world he now lived in and its history.

'Hmm?' there were a few things in her sentence that he found quite intriguing. First of all, she said that her clan was once the subordinates of the Primordial Demon of Pride during the ancient time. Was it fate or just a coincidence that he too found himself in a position where he wanted to protect them take them as his subordinates while having the Fragment of Pride with him?!

Secondly, she said that most of the inhabitants of the world signed a non-aggression agreement against the almost extinct races after the Second Apex War.

What was the Apex war in the first place? and if the humans had also signed the agreement then the adventurers currently hunting Cecilia's clan were doing it illegally and in secrecy. Because if they were doing it openly, they would be seen with contempt and even get retaliated and suffer serious consequences for disregarding the agreement signed by the rest of the world.

He felt contempt and disdain for the adventurers that had disregarded the agreement and chose to invade the Forest Spring Spirit clan. They had fallen so low as to hunt down a peaceful clan that had secluded itself from the rest of the world inside the forest just to get their hands on the spirit orbs.

-------

Deep inside the territory of the Ancient Treants was a settlement that shined with multicoloured lights. The trees surrounding the settlement were quite robust and healthy and mysterious plants and herbs that shone with a peculiar light grew all around the surrounding. The man here was quite thick and birthed many magical objects.

Thick white fog lingered around the edges of the settlement and isolated the place from the outside. The place would have looked truly marvellous and beautiful if not for the blood and corpses that littered the surrounding.

What would previously look scenic was currently a tragic sight to see.

In the center of the place, was a large bamboo house and a small pond behind.

Inside, a man with a rough face and an average build wearing light warriors clothing sat on the couch. He had black hair which reached till his neck and both of his ears had two earrings made of gold pierced into them.

Two short swords were placed near the couch. An insignia displaying seven swords crisscrossing each other in a circle was patched on the leather armour that he wore. However, he wore a long black coat so as to hide the mark from the outsiders. He walked towards the far end of the room with a cruel and mocking smile plastered on his face.

The name of the man was Laris and he was one of the members of the Seven Swords Guild and also the one put in charge of the operation.