Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

"You haven't… I-I'm sorry for trying to hide it from you all. I thought that since mother and father are no longer there, it would be better if I do not celebrate my birthday. I didn't want to bother big brother who was already so busy… with something like a birthday… I.. I…" Cecilia apologised realising her mistakes.

'Finally willing to let our worries out huh' Simon calmly listened to her rant on.

"Who said that you can't celebrate your birthday just because your parents are not there? Isn't your big brother right here? You know I was a little angry when I heard that your birthday was coming from Fennel and not from you".

"The little sister who I thought had finally opened up to me was still keeping secrets from me. That is why I prepared a grand surprise for you. A birthday that you will always remember".

Simon patted Cecilia's head. The little girl was still a little downtrodden, probably because she was remembering her mother and father.

Seeing that, he continued "Cecilia, one has to confront many troubles as long as one is alive. They are endless but it doesn't mean that one has to get depressed over them again and again. You are strong… far stronger than any girl of your age that I have seen. Even after all that, you standing firm and looking after your clan. But you know Cecilia, you can cry. If something is hurting you, you can tell us. Don't bottle up your emotions… aren't we your family now?".

Finally, tears started rolling down Cecilia's cheeks as she repeatedly nodded her head "Un… Un".

After the little girl was one crying, Simon took out her present from his space ring and gifted her.

"Happy Birthday Cecilia!!". The words that she wanted to hear came from her big brother, came out at this moment.

Cecilia took the present and hugged it deeply to her chest.

"It's an item called Necklace of Silaska that will summon forth an army of Sea Sirens to protect you. so remember to always wear it on you.. alright?".

Cecilia nodded her head and then pulled his clothes "Big brother, big sister is avoiding me" she murmured in a low tone.

Simon glanced in a particular direction before smiling bitterly—"Your Big sister is not avoiding you. Hmm… why don't you go and talk with her. She was the one who was the most involved and excited for your birthday but she will never show it on her face. I am sure that you keeping your birthday a secret from her has hurt her. So go and talk with her".

Simon's prompt gave the little girl the courage to confront Irene. Watching them talk in the distance, Simon sighed. He felt a little hypocritical saying all that to her when he himself most of the time bottled up the emotions and worries he was feeling within himself.

However, in his case, the reason why he does something like that is because he doesn't want those dear to him to worry over anything. It wasn't like somebody had asked him to do so, shouldering all the storms by himself was something that he himself had chosen.

Trying to present a fake front of everyone, Simon did not know if it was good or bad. However, he knew that if he wanted to protect the things he had, he has to keep on enduring and become stronger.

From his seat, he saw the two of them finally patch up as Irene bent down to hug the little girl. It looked like Irene had also prepared a present for her, although he couldn't see what it was from here, given that it was from her, it was bound to be precious.

Smiling to himself, Simon enjoyed the party and had to order the valkyries to enjoy themselves too. A large bonfire was created at the centre around which people dance and sang. The young forest spring spirit couples used this opportunity to seek out their other half for a dance, everywhere you looked, it was a festive mood.

As Simon sat on his chair drinking the wine that was brewed by the forest spring spirits, Irene approached him at some unknown point and sat at the seat next to him.

"Why don't you go and join them? You are their lord, after all, I'm sure they would be quite delighted to have you" Irene said covering her mouth.

'It's rare for her to initiate a conversation?' Simon glanced deeply at Irene when he heard that. He gulped down the wine in his glass in one mouthful and said:

"With a few exceptions, all those who are dancing there, are couples. If you care to join me for a dance then by all means we can go there".

Simon smirked, traces of teasing evident in his eyes. Probably because he was slightly intoxicated, or just too relaxed at this moment, his present conduct was much ore like a rogue than his susual self.

Seeing that carefree style of talking, Irene was stunned for a moment. This was a side of him that she had never seen before. Nonetheless, she was irked by that smirk hanging at the corner of Simon's face and curled her lips.

"Why don't you take those maids of yours or Cecilia? Look at how intensely she is watching the dance, I'm sure that she wants to dance too".

Hearing those words, Simon blinked his eyes a couple of times. If he wasn't mistaken, her words had traces of jealousy. Was this block of ice who rarely showed any emotions, jealous of the valkyries who were always hanging around him?

"Are you perhaps jealous?".

When he asked that, it caused an intense reaction from Irene, it was as if he had stepped on cat's tail.

"What?! Where did that come from?" Irene asked, she herself didn't know why she was so fazed by that comment.

Her behaviour told Simon that he had scored one over her. He smiled, took out another gift from his space ring and presented it to her.

"What is this?" Irene asked looking at the gift in Simon's hand.

"It's a gift" he answered.

"Then shouldn't you give it to the birthday girl" Irene furrowed her brows in consternation, the ripple in her heart from Simon's earlier words was yet to settle down when—

"I am" Simon was quick in his reply, he reached out grabbed her hand and place the gift on her palm.

"This is a present for you… Although it has already gone by, who said that we cannot celebrate it?".

"I cannot accept this… besides my birthday had gone by four months ago" Irene seemed hesitant to accept it.

"That blood crystal that you gave me, helped me a lot during my journey. Even though your birthday had gone by a long time ago, think of this gift as my repayment for all that help you have given me up until now" Simon did not wait for Irene to speak again, he shifted his hands behind him unwilling to take it back.

After that, he flashed his trademark wicked smile and walked towards the centre of the village square mixing with the crowd there. Looking at that back, Irene's crystal blue eyes suddenly had some incomprehensible emotions covering them.

"Why does it have to be like this every time…" Nobody knew what she was talking about.

After he went to the village square, he looked at Cecilia seating on her seat of honour and staring excitedly at the people dancing around the bonfire.

"Ahem… Do you like that dance?" Simon asked, his voice seemed to have snapped Cecilia out of her daze. 𝙛𝑟𝑒e𝘸𝑒𝗯𝘯𝗼𝘃el.𝒄𝒐m

"Ah… Yes, it is the traditional dance of our forest spring spirit tribe called the Moringa Bolceae. My father used to always accompany me for a dance whenever we made a bonfire like that" Cecilia explained.

'So it was a dance that she used to do with her father, no wonder she looked so yearningly at it. It reminded her of her father' Simon thought internally and extended his hand.

"In that case, my little sister would you care for a dance?".

"Eh?" Cecilia was surprised when she saw Simon ask her for her dance. Her eyes instantly shined like the brightest jewel and she immediately nodded her head.

"Since I do not know the steps of this dance you will have to teach me" Simon stated and using the trinket of Grimlock, he transformed into his human version. As Simon was naturally very tall, if he didn't do this he wouldn't be able to dance with Cecilia.

"Don't worry big brother, it's very simple. You take a step like this, position your around me like this and…" Cecilia started giving instructions to Simon and after a while they were doing the Moringa Bolceae, the traditional dance of Forest Spring Spirits albeit with some errors.

Seeing Cecilia laugh and be merry, Simon felt like his objective was achieved. After they finished their dance, the people of the forest spring village clapped for them.

"Big brother did you like our dance?" Cecilia asked.

"Of course" Simon nodded.

"Then wait here, don't go anywhere" saying that, Cecilia disappeared among the crowd and after a while dragged Irene with her.

"W-Wait what are you doing Cecilia?" Irene asked after she was dragged here against her will.

"Hehe, this is a good opportunity. Why doesn't Big brother dance with big sister?" With a mischievous smile flashing on her face, Cecilia pushed Irene towards Simon.

"B-But I don't know how to dance?" Irene protested.

"Don't worry, big brother will teach you. Hehe, didn't you say before that you will fulfil one wish of mine no matter what it is?" Cecilia didn't give up making Irene finally relent to her wishes.

"Sigh… I'm kind of regretting saying that" Irene muttered in a weak voice.